Browse All Songs

Chorale #2

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

Chorale #2 is a short original piece written for brass quartet in the spirit of the holiday season. At once a gentle fanfare, a lament on the darkness of society, and a celebration of the best humankind has to offer, Chorale #2 churns and crawls its way to a triumphant final chord.

Instrumentation	Brass Quartet
Style	Classical
Level	3
TEMPO	= 80
Trumpet Range

Angels We Have Heard on High

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

Angels We Have Heard on High is a Christmas standard so old that we don't know who wrote it or when it was written. A few tasteful and understated 20th century reharmonizations dot this simple and classic traditional chorale, a must-have in every holiday brass quartet book.

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

Solos

A Form of Art

as performed by the Danny Fratina Jazz Orchestra

$95

A Form of Art is a wild alto sax feature filled with the vocabulary of Duke Ellington and Paul Gonsalves. This is a frenetic, crescendoing rhythm changes tune featuring the alto soloing throughout. It's purely an improvisation vehicle; there is no melody for the alto to play. You must have an alto saxophone player in your band who is comfortable keeping the energy up across one long extended solo.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 220
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

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

Burgundy, Pine, and Goldenrod

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

Burgundy, Pine, and Goldenrod is a fanfare-ish chorale with 19th and 20th century functional harmony that features each of the four players in the quartet. With each melody switch-off comes a new key and a new accompanying orchestration, providing a range of colors across its short run.

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

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

as performed by the Danny Fratina Brass Quartet

$35

This classic Christmas carol has been tastefully arranged with some traditional harmony and some modernized harmony. This is an easy but sophisticated arrangement designed for a flip book and outdoor performing.

Instrumentation	Brass Quartet
Style	Classical
Level	2
TEMPO	= 100
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

Flip Lid (reduction)

as performed by Les Brown and His Band of Renown

$60

Flip Lid comes from the peak of Les Brown's band, coming out of the swing era with Lunceford and Basie sensibilities, but tapping into the bebop era of Dizzy's and Woody Herman's bands. Featuring the horn section throughout the head and a well balanced shout chorus, this swingin' chart sits right in between two eras of jazz.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Bebop, Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 188
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

Calling Doctor Gillespie

as performed by Gene Krupa and his Orchestra

$80

This Edwin Finckel rarity swings hard and doesn't shy away from its bebop influences. Straddling the line between the two eras of jazz, Calling Doctor Gillespie features some infectious melodies and singable shout choruses. High Gs for lead trumpet are all optional - without them the highest note is a Bb above the staff. A couple of solos in the middle round this out.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 136
Trumpet Range

Solos

Hot Springs

as performed by Gene Ammons

$60

Hot Springs is a catchy mid-tempo Gene Ammons tune that shows jazz in 1949 in flux, transitioning from swing to bebop. The solo order and instrumentation has been slightly altered to fit with the Hodges horn lineup.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Bebop
Level	3
TEMPO	= 144
Trumpet Range

Solos

Brother Jug’s Sermon

as performed by Gene Ammons

$60

Gene Ammons preaches on in Brother Jug's Sermon, a soulfully grooving dance tune that now fully features bari sax. The horn backgrounds are simple enough--a couple of horn turns and a few suggested high notes in the bari make this an easy level 2. Swing music has never been so hip!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Bebop, Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 145
Trumpet Range

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

Do Some War Work, Baby

as performed by Cootie Williams and His Rug Cutters

$60

This Cootie Williams number is a great easy piece that still authentically swings hard. Do Some War Work, Baby has a vocal chorus in the middle, but an instrumental adaptation is available here, replacing the vocals with a solo chorus for bari sax and altering the ending.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	1
Vocals	Male
TEMPO	= 140
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

Flying the Coop

as performed by the Chubby Jackson Big Band

$80

A huge fanfare-ish intro announces this amazing Tiny Kahn tune, and Flying the Coop is quickly off to the races. Unison sax and brass lines at a breakneck tempo fill the head, while the meat of the arrangement features big bebop statements, sax solos, and an old-fashioned trombone chase (an early teaming of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding).

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Bebop
Level	5
TEMPO	= 123
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

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

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

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

Solos

Junior Hop

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Junior Hop is a nice walkin' alto feature with some simple but melodic three-part backgrounds. The trio takes over for a bit on a catchy new melody built on strong triads. The trombone part is a little on the high side for a Level 2 (up to high A).

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 140
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

I Know What You Do

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

This obscure tune swings along with great riffs and colorful ensemble moments. I Know What You Do is a bit more chromatic than other level 2 Ellington pieces, but it all fits nicely together.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 180
Trumpet Range

Solos

King Porter Stomp

as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra

$80

When Benny Goodman hired Fletcher Henderson, he turned the band's sound upside down, ushering in a new era of popular music. King Porter Stomp is demonstrative of the Henderson arranging style and is truly a Swing Era anthem. Solo space for several instruments, lots of tight ensemble work, and a roaring finish at the perfect dancing tempo makes this a quintessential piece in any big band's library!

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 184
Trumpet Range

Solos

Bugle Call Rag

as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra

$80

Bugle Call Rag is an all out flag waver that was a major hit for Benny Goodman. With simple chords and riffs and lots of solo space, this burning boogie-woogie/swing hybrid swings hard and is a quintessential swing era anthem.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 235
Trumpet Range

Solos

Annie Laurie

as performed by Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra

$80

This is a killer arrangement of an old Scottish song that is full of meat and potato ensemble work. Beware the aggressive brass solos though: Solo trumpet plays up to a high F at the end, and they'll need to pull off the Paul Webster fireworks before then (the exact solo is written out but optional). You'll also need a lead trombonist to blast his way up to a HIGH F.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	4
TEMPO	= 160
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

Diga Diga Doo

as performed by the Artie Shaw Orchestra

$80

Diga Diga Doo was a heavily covered tune in the 1920s and '30s, but Artie Shaw's version was one of the tightest. A hard swinging and nimble riff vehicle that has some room for solos as well, Diga is a great upbeat piece that isn't too tricky and has lots of fun moments! Saxes configured as CAATT.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 205
Trumpet Range

Solos

Keep Punchin’

as performed by the Lee Norman Orchestra

$80

Also known as "The Big Apple Contest," this is a swing dancer staple and a must-have for any band that will ever play for swing dancers! After the famous simple intro a brass trio work plays off of a sax riff, and from there on it's simple burnin' riffs all the way home, with lots of great brass plunger work.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 200
Trumpet Range

Solos

Lindyhopper’s Delight

as performed by the Chick Webb Orchestra

$80

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	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 195
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

Let’s Do It

as performed by Benny Goodman Orchestra with Peggy Lee

$80

The lead trumpet part here is tough for a 2 but overall this is an easy grooving arrangement that is one of the few swing era vocal charts to feature the singer fully throughout the form. Peggy Lee's cool performance on this recording brought the tune to a new height, with a swinging even-tempered arrangement to contrast and support her. The lead trumpet part here is almost a 3, but otherwise this is a solid 2. Vocal range is Bb3 to A4/C5.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
Vocals	Female
TEMPO	= 121
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

Eager Beaver

as performed by Stan Kenton Orchestra

$80

Stan Kenton's early band came out of the swing era with dance charts like Eager Beaver, his first hit, but even here you can see the band trying to push the limits of swing and jazz. This piece has a lot of components that all work together, including lots of meaty low trombone notes, fanfare-ish trumpet lines, smooth swinging saxes, and even moments that feature the rhythm section. This is a little tricky for a 3 but not quite as intense as a 4.

Instrumentation	Big Band
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 155
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

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

Empty Ballroom Blues

as performed by Johnny Hodges

$60

Empty Ballroom Blues (which is not a blues!) is an Hodges/Ellington piece with great big riffs and big solo sections, and it makes for a great finale number!

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	3
TEMPO	= 190
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

Dancing on the Stars

as performed by Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra

$60

Dancing on the Stars is a catchy head arrangement that features some nice counterpoint, solo backgrounds, sophisticated harmony compared to many other pieces from the Hodges/Ellington book.

Instrumentation	Ellington 7-Piece
Style	Swing Era
Level	2
TEMPO	= 185
Trumpet Range

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