Edition: Jazz Octet Arrangement

Description: Swing - Medium Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

One of the oldest members of the Great American Songbook catalog, Jack Montrose's reworking of If I Could Be with You (One Hour Tonight) for the Dave Pell Octet puts an innovative fresh coat of pain on the classic tune. The primary difficulty of this arrangement stems from its counterpoint-heavy structure; the moments where two instruments are playing a unison figure are few and far between. After a rubato guitar interpretation of the verse, the band settles into a gentle tempo that stays steady for the rest of the performance. The arrangement is almost completely through composed, with the only exception being a few measures of improvisation for trombone in the middle. Each instrument gets a chance to handle melody duties, so be sure your musicians keep their ears open at all times and are aware of when to step into or recede from the spotlight. When the appropriate balance is struck, all eight voices weave in and around each other in a consistently delightful fashion that is engaging for players and audience members alike. This arrangement was recorded in 1956 for the Love Story album.

Note: the guitar intro was composed by Jack Montrose and is included as-played.

This publication was prepared using the original set of parts from the 1956 recording session - this is not a transcription.

Full Score
Tenor Saxophone
Baritone Saxophone
Trumpet
Trombone
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drum Set

Trumpet: F#5
Trombone: G#4