Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement

Description: Ballad/Swing - Advanced

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

Street of Dreams is the opening track on 1962's Listen to Art Farmer and the Orchestra, and it wastes no time in showcasing both Farmer's romantic flugelhorn and Oliver Nelson's dense, complex arranging style. Don't be fooled by the slow tempo - this is a highly challenging piece that will require minute ensemble precision to pull off, but the end result is more than worth the effort.

A short, semi-atonal introduction suddenly leads into Farmer's first melody. The background figures in the horns should be viewed almost as a collaborative, rather than supporting, effort, as they can get quite busy at times while never outright outshining the star. A cascading figure that crosses over ensemble registers brings in a double time swing feel for Farmer's first improvised chorus at measure 20. Here, the backgrounds shift from their more flowing, lyrical style for the melody to a more percussive, syncopated approach.

Farmer wraps up for the moment at measure 35, where the ensemble gets to show off in a lengthy, dreamlike passage that features lots of cross-sectional interactions. It is imperative that everyone knows their role in the proceedings during this part in order to both keep the flow of the performance going, and to avoid getting lost. Farmer returns at measure 50, with the ensemble thinning out quite a bit for most of the rest of the performance. A short flugel cadenza is ultimately joined in by a series of stacked chords across the horns to wrap things up in a warm, embracing manner.

In order to make this arrangement playable for more ensembles, included are alternate 3rd and 4th woodwind parts that have transposed the English horn doubling for Bb clarinet instead. In addition, an optional piano part has been included.

This publication was prepared from Oliver Nelson's original pencil score - this is not a transcription.

 

 

 

Full Score
Flugelhorn/Trumpet Soloist
Woodwind 1: Clarinet
Woodwind 2: Piccolo/Clarinet
Woodwind 3: Piccolo/English Horn/C Flute
Woodwind 4: C Flute/English Horn
Woodwind 5: Bass Clarinet
4 Trumpets
2 Horns in F
3 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Guitar
Piano (Optional Added Part)
Bass
Drum Set (with Triangle)
Alternate Woodwind 3: Piccolo/Clarinet/C Flute
Alternate Woodwind 4: C Flute/Clarinet

Trumpet 1 and 2: C6
Trombone 1: A4