Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Advanced

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Benny Carter's 1942 arrangement of Ol' Man River turns the Kern/Hammerstein Showboat classic on its head, swapping out the traditional dirge-like tempo the song is typically associated with for a blisteringly fast 2-beat. If executed well, this chart is a thrilling show-stopper, but be advised that it will give your ensemble quite a challenge.

The intensity is already at near-maximum levels right from the start, with the brass gradually building atop a saxophone drone before the melody practically explodes into being at measure 21. Handled at first by the saxes, the brass play some hard-punching hits to keep things moving along before taking the melody themselves on the bridge. A thunderous send-off sets up Carter for an alto sax solo at measure 106 before the trombone section gets to shine with a slip-sliding soli at measure 137.

A fanfare-like interlude establishes a key change for a trumpet solo at measure 157. Halfway through this chorus, the sax section is handed the spotlight for a relentlessly brisk soli section that strongly hints at the at-the-time burgeoning bebop movement. The drama kicks into high gear at measure 205 with an implied half-time feel in the melody in the brass before an 8 bar drum break sets up another key change for the finale. The tempo suddenly cuts in half before the trumpets scream atop the rest of the band for an appropriately powerful conclusion.

Benny originally wrote the arrangement to feature himself on both alto saxophone and trumpet; however, for the performances he stayed on alto saxophone throughout. This publication was prepared using Benny Carter's original pencil score - this is not a transcription.

 

Full Score
Solo Alto Saxophone
2 Alto Saxophones
2 Tenor Saxophones
4 Trumpets
3 Trombones
Guitar
Piano
Bass
Drum Set

Trumpet 1: D6 (Optional F6)
All Trombones: Bb4