Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

This Don Redman arrangement was first recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra for their 1955 album "The Count!" It serves as a fascinating example of how Redman's writing style continued to evolve as time went on, incorporating bits and pieces from all of the major developments in jazz over his 20 years in the spotlight.

The fun begins with a startlingly hostile blast before Basie's piano pacifies the mood for the melody at measure 9. A gently swinging sax riff is enveloped by some punchy but not overwhelming brass hits. The mood is interrupted with a bike-horn like honk from the trumpets, but only briefly, as the volume drops off for a simple sax and trombone riff at measure 23.

A quick trumpet fanfare sets the stage for a Basie blues piano chorus at measure 35, accompanied by some simple sax backgrounds. The trombone section gets a soli spotlight at measure 47, followed by a quick tally-ho from the saxes before Basie's piano briefly wrestles the spotlight back at measure 59. The full ensemble reconvenes at measure 64 for a quick but exciting riff before a moderately lengthy low-key unison sax and trombone passage beginning at measure 67.

Measure 87 marks the beginning of a tenor sax solo, originally handled by Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. The altos switch to clarinet and trumpets go into straight mutes to provide some backgrounds reminiscent of Redman's earliest writing for Fletcher Henderson. The sax solo is broken up by a soli of this same group of instruments at measure 111, but the harmonic and rhythmic content is much more modern sounding.

The melody's re-entrance at measure 131 is a bit different from the beginning in that it is initially broken up by series of solo breaks (piano, then drums, then piano again). The brass and saxes engage in some call-and-response fun at measure 143, coming back together briefly before the volume drops down significantly at measure 155. The final figure slowly ascends in both volume and register across the whole band. The saxes then play one final break before the brass join in for the last held chord.

This publication is not a transcription - it has been prepared from the set of parts used during the recording session. For time purposes, there were a number of sections that were cut from the original recording. They have been included here with optional cuts indicated should your ensemble wish to recreate the recorded version. Otherwise we encourage you to perform the full arrangement.

 

Full Score
2 Alto Saxophones (Both Double Clarinet)
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Saxophone
4 Trumpets
4 Trombones (Trombone 4 Optional)
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drums

Trumpet 1: Eb6
Trombone 1: Db5
All 3 Trombones: Eb2 (need F Trigger/Attachment)