Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Medium Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

One of the first arrangements he wrote for the Count Basie Orchestra, Neal Hefti's Fawncy Meeting You features his textbook riff-based arranging style infused with a few bebop-influence twists. It's an arrangement that works well at several different tempos, so feel free to experiment in order to find what speed best fits your group.

An inviting but brash introduction leads not into the tune's melody, but a chorus of piano at measure 9. There are some sax backgrounds that should be played as soft as possible in order to keep out of the soloist's way. The melody finally arrives at measure 41, and is marked by a key change. Handled mostly by the saxes, the brass occasionally deviate from their accompanying role to briefly join in alongside. The writing calls for a lively performance, so don't be too concerned about holding your volume level back.

Following the melody are two solo choruses - the first for tenor sax, the second for trumpet. Each solo has a short, 4 bar ensemble interlude halfway through to provide the soloists a chance to catch their breath. One more key change at measure 137 signals the start of the final shout chorus, with the entire horn section united in joyful melody wrapped around a series of drum fills. The tune's form is slightly extended at the end, with a traditional conclusion consisting of a simple Basie piano fill before one last proclamation from the band.

On the original studio recording, the Basie band made a couple of cuts to Hefti's original score, likely for time purposes. First, Basie's piano solo was shortened by half, with measures 9-24 being removed. Second, the trumpet solo was removed entirely by cutting from measure 104 to measure 136. These cuts are wholly optional, as the Basie band regularly played the arrangement in its entirety during live performances.

This publication was prepared using the original set of parts used by the Count Basie Orchestra in 1952 - this is not a transcription.

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

Trumpet 1: Db6
Trombone 1: Cb5