Finally a great set of warm-ups for your beginning jazz ensemble. Chris Sharp draws from his experience as a public school jazz director and professional arranger to offer this useful set of warm-ups. The six exercises are designed to teach the different harmonies styles and rhythms of popular and traditional jazz. Included are chorales with extended harmonies rock swing and bossa styles. Perfect to ?wake up? your ensemble before a rehearsal or performance!

Jazz Ensemble Library ? Grade 4Made famous by John Coltrane but treated here in a more traditional Afro-Latin style this is something a little different for jazz ensemble. As with all Mossman charts the rhythmsection is meticulously notated to insure the correct style. The 3/4 pattern throughout draws heavily on African influences and the melody is masterfully passed from section to section. A single pentatonic scale works for the solosection making this a wonderful vehicle for involving many soloists.

Correlated to Unit 5 of Jazz Expressions?, Sweet Georgia Brown is a great jazz classic arranged by Mike Lewis at the easy level. The focus in this chart is on syncopation using easy rhythms, modest ranges, and clear articulation to provide an effective and consistent foundation for learning jazz. No improvised solos, only ensemble and section work in a traditional swing setting. Optional parts for flute, clarinet, horn, baritone horn, tuba, AND STRINGS - violin (2), viola, and cello. Wow!

Here's a fresh new take on a traditional jazz standard. The style is still uptempo swing and the saxes maintain a fair share of the spotlight along with ensemble hits and solo spots for drums. However there is a brief excursioninto 5/4 and a few other meter surprises that help give this outstanding chart a contemporary edge.

Not to be confused with the same titled piece from the Nutcracker Suite, this tenor sax feature from Duke's later years has an open almost 'world music' groove that transitions to straight ahead swing. Contrasting traditional harmonic sections with vamp like textures, odd phrase lengths and his usual colorful orchestration, makes this one of Duke's great compositions. / Ensemble De Jazz

Beautifully scored in a traditional Basie swing style this chart allows each section a chance to shine in addition to showcasing solid ensemble playing. Includes a written or ad lib solo for trumpet.

Holiday Jam, based on the traditional carol Angels We Have Heard on High, will be the highlight of your holiday concert performance. Written for the very beginning jazz student, this chart is carefully crafted for the limitations of the beginner. Arranger Victor Lopez provides many instrumentation options, easy ranges and rhythms along with a fail-safe solo section. Blues it up for the holidays!

From the James Williams CD Alter Ego (Sunnyside 1007) this beautiful arrangement features lush harmonies and a moderate tempo. The recording features a front line of Flute Soprano Sax and Guitar; however a more traditional instrumentation works effectively as well.

Using a Basie-style swing treatment and written in 4/4 rather than the traditional 3/4 here is a great-sounding chart from Mark Taylor that will go together quickly. All sections get a chance to shine one this one!

In the Basie tradition of high-powered flag wavers this Mark Taylor original is an impressive concert opener. After the intro bones and tenors take the lead but the ensemble builds quickly with some full ensemble hits. Thesolo section features dueling tenors and there is a short drum solo before the final chorus. A real scorcher!

Ce qui compte dans un chemin, ce qui compte dans une ligne, c'est toujours le milieu, pas le début ni la fin. On est toujours au milieu d'un chemin, au milieu de quelque chose. ' (Gilles Deleuze, Claire Parnet, Dialogues.)Charmediterrannéen représente un moment très significatif de mes recherches sur les relations entre notre langage maternel (les musiques ethniques de la Méditerranée, surtout de l'Afrique du Nord, du sud de l'Italie et de la Sardaigne, lieu de mes racines) et le jazz contemporain.Le but, c'est de mettre en route des collisions de différentes qualités de langage pour inventer des images nouvelles, le devenir d'une rencontre dans le temps d'éléments contraires, qui se révéleraient complémentaires ? régularité / irrégularité - continuité / discontinuité - vitesse / lenteur - présence / absence - musique et? poésie, photographie, danse? - blanc / noir - saleté / propreté - juste / faux - son / silence - vide / plein - tradition / innovation - jazz / non jazz?A la recherche d'une ligne de passage des formes à l'action, ce qui, sur le plan musical, signifie réussir à aller au-delà des partitions, qui seront rigoureuses et soignées. Il s'agit toutefois de découvrir ce qu'il y a derrière l'écriture? L'essence du matériel, dans sa différence, est ce qui dépasse la structure, c'est l'aspect merveilleux de l'art de l'improvisation que je définis comme ' un geste, quelque chose qui intéresse la culture refoulée du corps et de ses émotions, qui synthétise en un seul instant/instinct créatif les étapes caractérisant les processus de l'art de composer : connaissance, pensée, décision. ' / Big Band

Continuing the fine big band tradition of Count Basie and Thad Jones John Clayton's exquisite chart on this standard tune blazes a trail of excitement and power. Written as a medium up-tempo swinger the saxes are featured offthe top followed by trade-off solos for trombones and trumpets and later a tenor solo. A screaming shout chorus takes us out.