Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Rock - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

'Mornin' Reverend' was one of the earliest additions to the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra's extensive catalog, having been performed on the band's opening night at the Village Vanguard on February 7, 1966. It was first officially recorded live at the Vanguard for the band's 1968 album 'Monday Night,' and although it is one of Jones's lesser-known compositions, it ranks up with his best in terms of quality.

A steadily pulsating bass line and rock groove from Lewis sets up the brass entrance at measure 9. The trombones mimic the bass line in a series of staggered hits while the trumpets counter with an almost nagging wah-wah plunger attack. The pickups to measure 17 see the woodwinds enter with the off-kilter melody, which oftentimes sounds almost like it could have been transcribed from one of Jones' adventurous trumpet solos. The trumpets ditch their plungers for a more unified ensemble sound at measure 33, but return to them just a bit later at measure 65.

This pattern continues until measure 89, where the instrumental congregation comes together for one more "amen" before launching into an extended tenor saxophone sermon (courtesy of a particularly rambunctious Joe Farrell on the original recording). This tenor solo is over the form of the tune, and can be opened up for as many choruses as your tenor player can handle before a punchy series of brass hits usher in the backgrounds at measure 181. Measure 197 sees a dramatic drop in volume underneath the still-wailing tenor that gradually builds to another full band "amen" at measure 221. The tenor solo resumes following this, with the ensemble continuing to feverishly build underneath until a two bar drum break cues the abrupt, dissonant honk to bring things to a blunt end.

This arrangement is for jazz big band. It is not a transcription - it has been prepared from Thad Jones's original set of parts.

 

 

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

Trumpets 1 and 2: Eb6
Trombone 1: Ab4