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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
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An original song off the 2011 Beantown Swing Orchestra album A Beantown Christmas, Christmas Memories is designed to sound as if Glenn Miller had performed this in 1938, complete with the classic clarinet-led reed section. To add to this effect, the song lyrics are about holiday nostalgia, connecting the past with the present.
Instrumentation Big Band Style Swing Era Level 2 Vocals Female TEMPO = 70 Trumpet
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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
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Coming out the same year as Prohibition, Avalon is one of the earliest jazz standards of the 20th century. Here, it's slowed down to a super slick beginner's dancing tempo featuring trombone on a staccato melody with a sassy background trio of cup mute trumpet, alto and bari sax almost taking over as a new melody over the bone.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 120 Trumpet
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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
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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
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Dysthymia, Maybe is an easy walkin' tune featuring a simplified bluesy unison riff for the melody and easy solo changes in F. This is an easy head tune that gives your horns a nice break while keeping dancers on the floor.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 2 TEMPO = 125 Trumpet
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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
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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
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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
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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. A couple of solos in the middle round this out.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 136 Trumpet
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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
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Hobbledehoy is a long outdated word meaning a clumsy or awkward youth. This tune captures that spirit while still swinging and providing a perfect foundation for dancers. The melody is mostly in unison with some riffs and 3-part background lines behind the solos. This one is a hit that your band will love!
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 2 TEMPO = 140 Trumpet
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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
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This Cootie Williams number is a great easy piece that still authentically swings hard. The original recording of Do Some War Work, Baby has a vocal chorus in the middle, but this transcription replaces it with a solo chorus for bari sax and alters the ending to make it fully instrumental. The vocal version can be found here.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 1 TEMPO = 140 Trumpet
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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
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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
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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
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Good Queen Bess is a standout riff tune from the Hodges/Ellington book, complete with a lighthearted, catchy melody, and player-unique background voicings. The solo changes are fairly standard but colorful and make for a great jam vehicle for your band.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 150 Trumpet
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Emerald is a Rocco and the Stompers original that primarily features the alto sax with triad counterpoint a la Johnny Hodges and Duke Ellington. This is a fun an interesting chart considering how relatively easy it is, and it's always a hit with dancers!
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 2 TEMPO = 150 Trumpet
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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
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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
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A well-rounded starter chart (especially for younger bands), Goin' Out the Back Way features a nice melody with every instrument in the comfortable zones of their ranges, simple backgrounds, cool chord changes, and a medium tempo. A couple of instruments that don't get too many solos have their space here as well. Slightly tricky for a level 1, but nothing crazy!
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 1 TEMPO = 155 Trumpet
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Johnson Rag is an old, relatively obscure tune, seen here fleshed out into a fat swinging arrangement influenced by the writing style of Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson. The chart includes a bass/piano/bari riff, the trombone on the melody, a trumpet/alto pep section, and an original bridge, all with a middle section featuring a brass battle.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 2 TEMPO = 160 Trumpet
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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
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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
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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
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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
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A Stompers Recrudescence is a killer finale piece. It starts with a windup intro, like a train leaving the station, before hitting a pre-head fanfare, then goes on to features all four horn players, an infectious blues head, and a huge final two choruses.
Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 175 Trumpet
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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American Patrol hit #15 on the Billboard charts in 1942 and was one of Glenn Miller's last hits before joining the military and powered by a creative Jerry Gray arrangement it still holds up today. Mostly full of tight ensemble playing and only a single 16-bar solo, American Patrol is a staple of every big band book.
Instrumentation Big Band Style Swing Era Level 3 TEMPO = 184 Trumpet
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