Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Swing - Difficult

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Despite being known in the public eye for their sweet ballads, the bands led by trumpeter Harry James often displayed a significantly progressive bent, especially with their embrace of bebop in the 1940s. This Johnny Thompson arrangement of "Shine" from 1946 is an outstanding example of the forward-thinking nature of James' groups at the time.

Some rapid fire saxophone runs and snappy brass hits lead into the melody at measure 9, handled with near-military precision by a trumpet section soli. The saxophones provide some brisk backgrounds beginning at measure 25 before the trombones join in with the trumpets on the melody at measure 33 before launching into a chorus of James' trumpet at measure 41. The backgrounds are simple but must be kept on top of the beat so the tempo doesn't start to drag.

An eight measure send-off sets up an alto sax solo at measure 79, with backgrounds that are even simpler than the ones behind James' trumpet solo. Things begin to get trickier at measure 109, with some false-fingered brass blasts ramping up the intensity a bit before a piano solo at measure 117. The ensuing saxophone figures at measure 133 are pure bebop, as is the flashy trumpet soli break at measure 145.

The whole ensemble comes together in gloriously chaotic soli at measure 149, with continued false-fingered trumpets and occasional rapid-fire bebop runs sprinkled liberally throughout the remainder of the chart. Just as all seems on the verge of completely collapsing in on itself, Thompson's writing wraps everything back together at measure 189 with some powerful brass hits blaring over speedy saxes before the triumphant concluding chord.

This arrangement is for jazz big band with trumpet soloist. It is not a transcription - it has been prepared from Johnny Thompson's original score.

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

Trumpet 1: E6
Trombone 1: Bb5 (Optional D5)