Edition: Jazz Little Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Ballad - Medium

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Ella Fitzgerald and Billy May collaborated on just one recording session: 1961's "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook." Featured was this laid back arrangement of the Arlen/Harburg standard Happiness Is a Thing Called Joe. The song was written for Ethel Waters for the 1943 musical Cabin in the Sky.

Guitar and vibraphone start off the arrangement before the vocal enters at bar 5. Everyone in the ensemble - including the vocalist - needs to approach this chart with an easy and subdued feel. There are a couple of 2-bar trumpet fills.

This arrangement has been prepared from Billy May's pencil score and the original parts used during the recording session - this is not a transcription. Also, please note the instrumentation that calls for 5 saxophones but only 1 trumpet and 1 trombone (with rhythm section and vibraphone). The vocal key is F and there are no sax doubles.

Full Score
Vocal
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet
Trombone
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Vibraphone
Drums

Vocal Key: F
Trumpet: Eb5
Trombone: G#4