Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Medium Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

John La Barbera's treatment of Frosty the Snowman for the Glenn Miller Orchestra will be a wonderful addition to your band's holiday concert. It manages to give the classic wintertime tune a fresh coat of paint while not relying on some of the more common cliches associated with the Miller sound.

A pedal point provides a solid underpinning for the arrangement's introduction, with the saxes handling the "thumpity thump" melody line with the barking plunger muted brass providing interjections. The main melody commences at measure 9 in the form of a warm trombone choir. Some cup-muted trumpet backgrounds add variety. The whole band comes together for the latter half of the bridge, with the introductory pedal point serving as a send-off into a tenor sax solo at measure 44.

After a half chorus of tenor sax and a trombone solo on the bridge, the brass take over melody duties at measure 68 while the saxes play a moderately knotty line that weaves in and around the main theme. A tag sets up a key change at measure 80, where a sax soli serves as a nice melodic change of pace. The second half of this time through the form is built around a trumpet solo before the full band comes in for the raucous, shouting final chorus.

There are no saxophone doubles.

This publication was prepared using John La Barbera's original score and the set of parts used for the recording session - this is not a transcription.

 

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

Trumpet 1: C6
Trombone 1: Bb4