Browse All Songs

Solos

You Talk a Little Trash

as performed by Cootie Williams and His Rug Cutters

$60

Aside from a little chromaticism on the bridge, You Talk a Little Trash is a solid level 1 swinger. Most of the melody is unison, the changes are simple, the tempo is an easy-going 160bpm, and the lines are timeless. Cootie Williams shows that you can do a lot with a little on this catchy chart.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	1
TEMPO	= 160
Trumpet Range

Solos

Woodchopper’s Ball

as performed by the Woody Herman Orchestra

$80

Woodchopper's Ball was Woody Herman's first big hit and would continue to be rewritten and rearranged for decades as a major anthem for him and his various Herds. Plenty of solo space and easy riffing can be found here over a medium tempo Db blues. This is a great, authentic introduction to the swing era and the blues form makes it playable for a band of any level!

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	1
TEMPO	= 175
Trumpet Range

Solos

Why Not

as performed by the Chubby Jackson Big Band

$80

This Tiny Kahn chart is very consistent throughout with great lines and moving harmony. Filled with plenty of solo space around the band and some killin' trumpet lines, there are brief bursts of shout chorus pieces that build up past the final head out. Why Not is tough on the lead trumpet but worth the challenge.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Bebop
Level	4
TEMPO	= 165-185
Trumpet Range

Solos

Who Struck John?

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Also known as "Non-Violent Integration", Who Struck John? is a very simple but very cool head tune. This arrangement is unusual in its use of rock/metal style parallel fifths in the rhythm section, otherwise known in modern times as barre chords. This is a chart for jamming on a straight-ahead D Major blues, with solo space for nearly everyone.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	1
TEMPO	= 160
Trumpet Range

Solos

When the Quail Come Back to San Quentin

as performed by Artie Shaw and the Gramercy Five

$60

This hip Artie Shaw original features a little of everyone at the perfect dance tempo. Anecdotally, When the Quail Come Back to San Quentin was written in response to a music business insider's request for Shaw to play a sappy hit of the day. Shaw instead went live to air with this antithetical parody that seriously swings.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 170
Trumpet Range

Solos

Vestigiophony

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

Vestigiophony is a winding dance tempo swing tune that is loosely based on Wayne Shorter's composition Footprints, if that tune was written and arranged by Duke Ellington for Johnny Hodges' seven piece band. Horns are often concerted in 4-part voicings, all building to solos, then to a shout chorus with drum solo fills.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 160
Trumpet Range

Solos

Up An Atom

as performed by Gene Krupa and His Orchestra

$80

Another killin' Edwin Finckel original, Up an Atom pushes Gene Krupa's young orchestra to the limit, blurring the line between swing and bebop. Long stretches of solo space and plenty of great ensemble passages makes this a great flagwaver.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Bebop, Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 212
Trumpet Range

Solos

The Wilhelm Scream

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

The Wilhelm Scream is a flag waving jam session tune in the spirit of a Basie-style Lester Leaps In or a Shaw-style Diga Diga Doo that is open for solos for any/all instruments in the band. Built modularly, there are unique horn backgrounds that can be played depending on which instrument is soloing, with a final cued shout chorus that brings the house down!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 230
Trumpet Range

Solos

The Right Idea (reduction)

as performed by Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra

$60

Charlie Barnet wrote a trio of "Idea" pieces: one that paid tribute to Duke Ellington, one that parodied the unhip bands of the day, and this one, The Right Idea, a piece that Barnet felt represented a quintessential swing chart. With solo space for several instruments and some great riffs and lines, you can tell right away that Barnet was spot on!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 185
Trumpet Range

Solos

The Right Idea

as performed by Charlie Barnet and his Orchestra

$80

Charlie Barnet wrote a trio of "Idea" pieces: one that paid tribute to Duke Ellington, one that parodied the unhip bands of the day, and this one, The Right Idea, a piece that Barnet felt represented a truly quintessential swing chart. With solo space for several instruments and some great riffs and lines, you can tell right away that Barnet was spot on!

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 185
Trumpet Range

Solos

The Intimacy of the Blues

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

The Intimacy of the Blues is notable not just for it's striking melody--this was one of the very last compositions ever written by longtime Ellington collaborator Billy Strayhorn. This medium tempo Eb blues is good for a band of any skill level, and a great historical addition to your book.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	1
TEMPO	= 110
Trumpet Range

The Holly and the Ivy

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

The Holly and the Ivy is presented here in a contemporary arrangement that puts a new spin on an old classic. The first half is in an aggressive fanfare style with rapid fire harmonized lines and quick tonal shifts. The second half goes to a half time feel with three part harmony over a fusion jazz style tuba line. All of this ends with a punchy coda and a bold final chord. Basically, this one is super fun to play!

Instrumentation	Brass Quartet
Style	Classical, Modern Jazz
Level	4
TEMPO	= 120
Trumpet Range

Solos

The Back Room Romp (A Contrapuntal Stomp)

as performed by Rex Stewart and His 52nd Street Stompers

$60

Back Room Romp is basically a simple blues in Ab, but there is a twist: the head is a series of building independent lines, thus a "Contrapuntal Stomp." Every horn player gets a solo chorus. The lead trumpet part is a bit of a blow, but this was written for longtime Ellington sideman, trumpeter Rex Stewart, who had the chops to play all day.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 154
Trumpet Range

Solos

That’s Rhythm

as performed by Rex Stewart & His 52nd St. Stompers

$60

The unassumingly-titled "That's Rhythm" is a colorful tune that straddles the line between the swing era and the bebop era. Written by Ellington sideman Rex Stewart for his own shorter-lived 4-horn band, "Rhythm" features a punchy and memorable head and lots of solo space.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 148
Trumpet Range

Solos

Swinging in the Dell

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

This upbeat Hodges/Ellington piece is a variation on the old nursery rhyme The Farmer in the Dell. After a statement of the melody, it's all solos with background riffs until the melody comes back at the end. Swinging in the Dell is a very simple solo vehicle that's great for getting dancers on the floor!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 190
Trumpet Range

Solos

Swingin’ the Blues

as performed by Count Basie and His Orchestra

$80

This early Count Basie barn burner absolutely crushes on the blues, with catchy section work, a killer shout chorus, and solo space for both tenors and two trumpets. Starting small up front in the key of C, this arrangement builds up with great riffs, a Durham/Lunceford style chromatic modulation, and a massive shout chorus in two parts.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 225
Trumpet Range

Solos

Swingin’ on the Campus

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Swingin' on the Campus is an aggressive hard swinging tune jam packed with killer riffs and solo space. This simply-constructed piece is built on a variation of rhythm changes and is a difficult level 2 because of the relatively high tempo and brass endurance.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 195
Trumpet Range

Solos

Swing Psychometry

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

Swing Psychometry is a trumpet feature that pushes the limits of swing era vocabulary. Full of 10 bar phrases and Ellington and Coltrane-inspired harmony, this interesting piece pops out in your book as something unusual yet familiar.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 175
Trumpet Range

Solos

Song of the Volga Boatman

as performed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra

$80

This swingin' Bill Finegan arrangement of a traditional Russian folk shanty has some great ensemble work, several peaks, and a rare jazz canon for the brass! Some simple plunger work helps ground it in the swing era, and a huge finale with harmony way ahead of it's time makes Song of the Volga Boatman a killer addition to any big band book.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 135
Trumpet Range

Solos

Solo Flight (reduction)

as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra with Charlie Christian

$60

Around the age 24, Charlie Christian, not content with playing rhythm on every tune, wrote himself a soloing feature that has since become the guitar standard of the swing era. Solo Flight has lots of great wild punches from the band but it's all secondary to the guitar improvisation that dances around them. The chord changes have some familiar structures, but mixed in are slightly more modern chords with flashes of early bebop.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 180
Trumpet Range

Solos

Solo Flight

as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra with Charlie Christian

$80

Around the age 24, Charlie Christian, not content with playing rhythm on every tune, wrote himself a soloing feature that has since become the guitar standard of the swing era. Solo Flight has lots of great wild punches from the band but it's all secondary to the guitar improvisation that dances around them. The chord changes have some familiar structures, but mixed in are slightly more modern chords with flashes of early bebop.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 180
Trumpet Range

Solos

Skunk Hollow Blues

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Skunk Hollow Blues is a very laid back colorful blues and a fantastic rare gem of the swing era. The intro and head features plunger trumpet on one line, bari and trombone on another, and the alto on a third melody, a rare true 3-part counterpoint! Riffs and triadic voicings back up a couple of solos, leading to an ending chorus that is half based on the head and half new material full of creeping chromatic motion full of dynamics.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 125
Trumpet Range

Solos

Silent Night

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

This 19th century Christmas standard belongs in every brass quartet book, and this new arrangement puts it right on the edge of traditional and modern. Featuring a solo tuba up front and bringing the other instruments in with heavy functional reharmonization, the piece beautifully makes its way to a melancholy but resolved conclusion.

Instrumentation	Brass Quartet
Style	Classical, Modern Jazz
Level	1
TEMPO	= 120
Trumpet Range

Solos

Savoy Strut

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Savoy Strut is a major hidden gem from the swing era! Duke Ellington starts the tune up with an unusually angular intro, which takes us to a winding but singable head. The soloists play over a beautiful and remarkable chord progression which also features some player-specific orchestration choices that take advantage of the unique sounds of his players. A must-have for any Ellington 7-piece ensemble!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 160
Trumpet Range

Solos

Ruined

as performed by the Danny Fratina Jazz Orchestra

$95

Ruined is a funky chamber jazz tune with feature space for guitar and trumpet. It starts with saxes only with no rhythm section, adding in trombones, then trumpets, before building into a guitar solo. The trumpet solo gets some space over trombone chorale before the rhythm section jumps back in, and it ends with a dismantling of each section until nothing is left but the five saxes. Each horn player keeping good time is critical for this composition, but the reward is a lush and exciting groove-based piece.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Modern Jazz
Level	4
TEMPO	= 90
Trumpet Range

Solos

Rendezvous with Rhythm

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Rendezvous with Rhythm is a unique tune that bridges the gap between hot jazz and swing with plenty of space for solos. Simple riffs and a tidy shout chorus drive this deceptively swinging Ellington/Hodges chart to a quiet and abrupt ending.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 194
Trumpet Range

Solos

Pletchtastic

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

Pletchtastic is a tongue-in-cheek titled song commissioned for Club Drosselmeyer. A simple Bb blues riff melody, solos for every instrument, no backgrounds, and a big intro and ending makes this a great opener, closer, or mid-set rest piece for your horns.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 175
Trumpet Range

Pickin' the Cabbage 4-horns score sample

Solos

Pickin’ the Cabbage (reduction)

as performed by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

$60

Written for Cab Calloway's band, Pickin' the Cabbage is Dizzy Gillespie's first ever big band composition. The slick tune features a great melody for a trio and many hints of modern bebop and afro-cuban music that would later be Gillespie's trademark.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 184
Trumpet Range

Solos

Pickin’ the Cabbage

as performed by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra

$80

Written for Cab Calloway's band, Pickin' the Cabbage is Dizzy Gillespie's first ever big band composition. The slick tune features a great melody for a trio and many hints of modern bebop and afro-cuban music that would later be Gillespie's trademark.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 184
Trumpet Range

O Tannenbaum

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

O Tannenbaum, also known as O Christmas Tree, is typically played in a slower 3/4 time. Here, it's in a swinging 4/4 groove with textures that jump in and out of solo, concerted and counterpoint with harmony ranging from traditional to a more aggressive Duke Ellington style.

Instrumentation	Brass Quartet
Style	Bebop
Level	3
TEMPO	= 130
Trumpet Range

Solos

O Holy Night

as performed by the Beantown Swing Orchestra

$95

From the Beantown Swing Orchestra 2011 holiday album A Beantown Christmas, what starts as a traditional-sounding orchestral jazz arrangement of the Christmas classic warps into a Duke Ellington style R&B swinger. Reflective and introspective moments balance against soulful bluesy cries in this powerhouse arrangement that has a little something for everyone.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
Vocals	Male
TEMPO	= 65
Trumpet Range

Minnie The Moocher's Wedding 4-horn score sample

Solos

Minnie the Moocher’s Wedding (reduction)

as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra

$60

This wild piece starts out with Fletcher Henderson quoting of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," but after two bars it's off to the races with tons of intricate riffs, solos, and a rowdy shout chorus at the end. Watch out for the lightening quick mute changing, which was standard practice in the 1930s. This piece makes a great wedding reception opener and many working bands using it now will open up the first solo section as a vamp to introduce a wedding party.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 185
Trumpet Range

Solos

Minnie the Moocher’s Wedding

as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra

$80

This wild piece starts out with Fletcher Henderson quoting of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," but after two bars it's off to the races with tons of intricate riffs, solos, and a rowdy shout chorus at the end. Watch out for the lightening quick mute changing, which was standard practice in the 1930s. This piece makes a great wedding reception opener and many working bands using it now will open up the first solo section as a vamp to introduce a wedding party.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 185
Trumpet Range

Solos

Melanchology

as performed by the Danny Fratina Jazz Orchestra

$95

Melanchology is a moody medium tempo piece that is designed to be sophisticated but accessible. The opening march-like texture is supported by colorful nonfunctional harmony, leading all the way to a diminishing spacey ending. It's an easy level 3 with solo space for your best trumpet soloist and a little space for guitar and piano.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Modern Jazz
Level	3
TEMPO	= 150
Trumpet Range

Solos

Margie

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

Margie is a classic early jazz standard that was popular during the hot jazz and swing eras and is due for a comeback! This alto feature is built up like a Sy Oliver/Jimmie Lunceford arrangement, with a simple melody part and a bouncy and angular 3-part horn counterpart.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 150
Trumpet Range

Solos

Man From Mars (reduction)

as performed by the Artie Shaw Orchestra

$60

Man From Mars is an uptempo puncher with some slick solo spots and cool riffs for each section. A little intricate for a level 3, but not quite as demanding as a level 4, this piece swings hard and ends with a bang.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 230
Trumpet Range

Solos

Man From Mars

as performed by the Artie Shaw Orchestra

$80

Man From Mars is an uptempo puncher with some slick solo spots and cool riffs for each section. A little intricate for a level 3, but not quite as demanding as a level 4, this piece swings hard and ends with a bang.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 230
Trumpet Range

Solos

Lumbersexual

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

Lumbersexual is a grooving blues at the perfect medium dance tempo that features a catchy melody, built-in call and responses with soloists, and a huge final chorus. This original Rocco and the Stompers tune works well as a set opener, closer, or mid-set energy booster and never fails to get dancers engaged!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 160
Trumpet Range

Solos

Look for the Silver Lining

as performed by Rocco and the Stompers

$65

This alto feature is a perfect tempo for new dancers and has some very cool background lines from the trio of trumpet, trombone, and bari sax. Let your alto play out a la Johnny Hodges and have your trio dig in with some conviction and this chart will swing hard.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 125
Trumpet Range

Lindyhopper's Delight 4-horns score sample

Solos

Lindyhopper’s Delight (reduction)

as performed by the Chick Webb Orchestra

$60

As standard dance repertoire, Lindyhopper's Delight is a catchy riff tune with a startlingly modern middle chorus that features some relatively harsh sax harmonies flanked by thickly-voiced plunger-supported brass hits. The final chorus is a raucous one, even though the brass are in full octave unison on a concert Bb! This is a great tune for any library though, and a good, albeit sometimes tricky, introduction to plungers for younger brass players.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 195
Trumpet Range

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