Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

In 1939 Tommy Dorsey needed to shake things up with his band. He hired Buddy Rich as his new drummer (Rich had just left the Artie Shaw band) and Sy Oliver as an arranger. Since 1934 Oliver had been a trumpet player and main arranger for the Jimmie Lunceford band. There was still a piece missing: a new male vocalist. In 1939 Frank Sinatra was a member of the Harry James Orchestra, having been hired by James in July of that year. It was with the James ensemble that Sinatra had made his first studio recordings (arrangements by Andy Gibson). As it turned out, both the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras were in Chicago in December of 1939. Tommy asked to see Sinatra in his hotel room and offered him the opportunity to join the band: Sinatra accepted and went on the road with his new organization.

In July of 1941, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra went into the studio with Frank Sinatra and recorded this Sy Oliver arrangement of the Irving Berlin standard Blue Skies. The arrangement is a combination feature for Tommy Dorsey's trombone playing as well as Sinatra's singing. Behind the vocal chorus the whole band is featured singing somewhat comical interjections, a stylistic gimic of the day. If desired, this could be eliminated altogether and have the vocalist sing with the rhythm section. After the vocal feature the ensemble re-enters to feature the first trumpet for eight measures (originally a brief showcase for high-note specialist Ziggy Ellman). An eight measure shout leads to an eight measure piano solo. After this solo the band shouts for the last eight measures of the arrangement.

This publication was based on the original set of parts - this is not a transcription. The vocal key is F.

Full Score
Vocal
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets
3 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drums

Vocal Key: F
Trumpet 1: F6
Trombone 1: B4 (Optional Eb5)