SKU: A0.961552

Big City Blues is a classic 12-bar blues piano solo featuring swung quavers and the 'blue notes' (lowered third, fifth and seventh) of the F major scale:

A variation on the theme is presented in the second 12-bar blues section, in which you'll find the complete F blues scale in a descending pattern. To make these accidentals a little easier to coordinate, each hand moves separately.

Big City Blues walks along steadily at a 'street wise swing' tempo of 100 bpm. Keep an eye out for the articulations, especially the staccato notes at the end of phrases, as these will help the piece to 'swing'.

Learning to swing eighth note quaver rhythms is a skill that can take time to develop. For practice, try playing a C major scale in a swing style where each pair of quavers forms a tied triplet:

Saying doo-be-doo-be-doo... can also help you to get into the swing.

The play-along MP3 backing track is also available to download at Sheet Music Plus.

Explore more fun piano sheet music by Olly Wedgwood at OllysPianoSheets.com

SKU: AX.00-PC-0017093_VA1

UPC: 029156178791.

Go back to the heyday of the Big Band era with the music of Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman and others. Calvin Custer takes you on a musical trip with this medley of the big hits from that time. Titles include April in Paris, Serenade in Blue, Sing, Sing, Sing, Pennsylvania 6-5000 and more! (7:54).

SKU: A0.957968

Lively, fun and entertaining, Big Top Boogie is based on a boogie progression. Big Top refers to the circus-like sound of the piece.

SKU: A0.1225975

CONSTANT CONSTABLE OF THE RUE NOIR- for big band/ jazz ensemble.  You can hear the gritty street of a big city in this piece.  A ‘walking the beat’ ostinato with a tough, dense harmonic A section contrasted with a lyrical B section.  Trumpet and guitar solo. 5-4-4-5 (opt vibes & congas).  A soprano sax is preferred on the top of the sax section, but and alternate alto sax part is provided. Intermediate level. Lead Tpt C6.

SKU: A0.1273503

Briar Rose was the name of an early version of Sleeping Beauty.  Here, Tchaikovsky’s famous Sleeping Beauty Waltz is perked up a little, and re-imagined for a standard junior high/early high school, jazz big band (5,4,4), and played in 4/4 time.

Difficulty:  junior high to early high school band.

Designed to help students learn jazz.

Key:  F (original ballet key is B-flat)

Highest lead trumpet note: concert E (last note), in the treble clef.

There are no solos.  Exposed parts have at least two players.

The rhythms swing, but are kept predictable, without too much variety.

Rhythm section play-along here:  https://youtu.be/rhlifLTzHC8

Additional Parts Included:

                Score, transposed

                Score, concert pitch

                Piano/Guitar showing Bass in L.H.

                Piano/Guitar only, no Bass

                Piano with jazz ideas/options written out

                Drum set notation

                Drum set kicksheet

Measure 71 (at approx. 1:51) could serve as an Optional Ending, and the director will be able to edit the measure as desired—beef up the “& of two� if desired, and/or add horns on beat 4, etc.  If done in class, as my teachers occasionally did, it can show the students the process of arranging, and might encourage some in that direction.

As a classical-turned-jazz pianist, my best memories are of those who helped me bridge the gap from verbatim part-playing to the concepts of learning jazz harmonies and its own unique form of counterpoint.  Writers' suggestions--like Sammy Nestico's, who occasionally specified voicings--were invaluable.  So, for classically-trained pianists who are interested in jazz, I’ve included a couple versions of the piano part—a fairly standard “lead sheet�, but also one with ideas for voicings, especially quartal, which the classical artist might not have considered.  Further study on YouTube and other Internet sites will help them hear and visualize the difference between jazz and classical.

The Bass part gives the student the option of playing the changes, or the written notes.

I’ve also included two kinds of drum parts—one with notation for those just starting out, and another “kick sheet� for those with more experience.

Manuscript made with Finale v26

Sounds from Finale and Garritan “JABB3� (Jazz And Big Band)

MP3 courtesy of OnlineAudioConverter.com.

SKU: AX.00-PC-0017083_H2

UPC: 029156972870.

Big band is here to stay with Jack Bullock's fantastic medley of some of the greatest big band tunes of all time. A crowd pleaser for sure! Titles are Racing With the Moon, Sing, Sing, Sing, Chattanooga Choo Choo, Johnson Rag, I'm Getting Sentimental Over You, Don't Get Around Much Anymore, Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree, Little Brown Jug, It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing), Stomping at the Savoy, Don't Be That Way, Eager Beaver, Moonlight Serenade, and Two O'clock Jump. (5:57).

SKU: A0.940658

A big band, latin feel version of the traditional Greensleeves with Gustav Holst's In the Bleak Midwinter used as a contrasting section in the middle. The arrangement would suit an aspiring big band and has had warm receptions when performed at Christmas. Scored for:

5 Saxophones
4 Trumpets
4 Trombones
Rhythm Section
Additional Percussion.