Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Swing - Medium Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

The naturally bluesy qualities of Fats Waller's Ain't Misbehavin' are ramped up to their maximum potential in this Quincy Jones arrangement for Ella Fitzgerald and the Count Basie Orchestra (Ella & Basie, 1963). Taken at a slow swing feel, it's a mostly manageable technical performance, with the challenge primarily stemming from keeping your band's approach stylistically appropriate.

A bluesy sax riff and a quick Joe Newman trumpet cameo set the stage for Fitzgerald taking the melody at measure 5. The majority of the arrangement has Fitzgerald as the featured performer, with the band's accompaniment ranging from simple muted trumpet fills to twisty bebop-influenced sax lines. Occasional bursts in dynamic intensity should stand out, but never overstay their welcome.

Just as the band seems to be getting ready to launch into a shout chorus at measure 37, they pull back to let Fitzgerald resume melody duties, using backgrounds either directly recycled from or slightly altered from before (note in particular the sudden high trumpet burst at measure 44). A quick tag sets up the return of the introductory sax riff, which is followed by a standard Basie piano plink and one last brass chord to finish things up cleanly and concisely.

This publication was prepared from the original set of parts used for the 1963 recording session - this is not a transcription. The vocal key is F.

Full Score
Vocal
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
5 Trumpets
3 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drum Set

Vocal Key: F
Trumpet 1: G6
Trombone 1: A4