-
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 -
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 -
Jet Lag is an Ellington-inspired riff tune with a serious harmonic twist. The serpentine changes in Bb are functional and logical but require a bit more focus than usual and the slightly behind-the-chords melody all work together to bring the title to life. This is an experimental chart that is a great workout for your best improvisers.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 4 TEMPO = 190 Trumpet
Range -
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 -
Also known as "The Big Apple Contest," Keep Punchin' 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 Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 2 TEMPO = 200 Trumpet
Range -
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!
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 205 Trumpet
Range -
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 -
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 Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 235 Trumpet
Range