This original swing tune features a medium tempo with a bluesy feel and a touch of gospel. The opening is set over a stop-time background feel and throughout the composition the rhythms are kept very easy and with moderateranges. There is a flexible solo section and the changes are easy for beginning improvisers.

What better instrument to feature on a bluesy ?bump and grind? swinger like this than baritone sax? Written in a medium slow 12/8 feel this chart will make your entire band sound great plus allow an often neglected player to really shine.

Here is a great rock original for beginning groups that sets up a nice groove between the bass line and melody played first by trombones/tenors. Later the altos and trumpets take the lead. Also included is a solo (or soli) fortrumpet and a short sax soli with brass background figures. Your young players will love playing this one!

Note from the composer: Little Lucas is dedicated to my 2 year-old son. It is a happy medium swinger that captures his mischievous nature with the deceptively difficult movement of major 7th chords in the A sections. The melodynotes are for the most part the 7th of each chord and these notes follow a diminished scale sequence--going up a half-step and then down a major third repetitively. The B section features a 2 five sequence that moves in majorthirds. Originally I wrote this tune for a quartet date. For this arrangement I added a line played by the bass and piano at the end of each A section and voiced out the horns in open drop 2 voicings for a clear and cheerysound.

Originally heard on the landmark Miles Davis album Birth of the Cool this arrangement for little big band contains elements of the “cool school” along with some modern touches. (Grade 5)