Edition: Jazz Big Band Arrangement with Vocal

Description: Swing - Medium

Publisher: Jazz Lines Publications

The sheer diversity of ensembles that were employed on 1959's "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook" played a huge role in making sure that the material never got repetitive or cliched. For his arrangement of the Gershwins' "They All Laughed," Nelson Riddle finds himself employing a standard sized saxophone and trombone section, but only a single trumpet, often paired with the saxophones for ensemble purposes. This created a significantly lighter overall sound to the proceedings.

The arrangement begins very simply, with Fitzgerald singing the verse with solo guitar accompaniment. The full ensemble enters with the tempo at measure 19, with the saxophones and trumpet performing a tricky figure over top of an F pedal in the trombones and rhythm section. The melody proper begins at measure 23, with the backgrounds being mostly handled by the woodwinds and trombones, with an occasional muted trumpet interjection for good measure. These backgrounds can be surprisingly intricate at times, but should be executed to the point of sounding effortless.

The arrangement reaches its peak volume at a brief four measure send-off into the second chorus that begins at measure 53. This second chorus features a slight uptick in intensity from the first; the backgrounds in the woodwinds and trombones become a little less complex, but a bit more aggressively executed. Some background figures are recycled from before beginning in bar 72, but they should continue to be approached in a more driving manner. The final section beginning at measure 81 sees a tagged ending that features the ensemble playing one final cascading figure into the arrangement's abrupt but appropriate ending.

This arrangement is written for jazz big band featuring female vocalist. As opposed to a full trumpet section, this arrangement features a single trumpet as well as an optional vibraphone part. It is not a transcription - it has been prepared from Nelson Riddle's original score.

Full Score
Vocal
2 Alto Saxophones (Alto Sax 1 Doubles Clarinet)
2 Tenor Saxophones
Baritone Sax.
1 Trumpet
3 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Guitar
Piano
Acoustic Bass
Vibraphone (Optional)
Drum Set

Vocal Key: Bb
Trumpet: C6
Trombone: Bb4