Big Band

PH · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 6:18 am Post subject: Big Band

The orchestral cats have a reasonably clear idea of what excerpts they need to know cold and they all devote time to Ballerina's Dance, Promenade, Posthorn solo, etc. Knowing these licks inside out is a given for the well prepared player

No such list (or excerpt book) exists for aspiring big band players. It would be interesting to see what the professional players on TH would include in a list of the 50 charts every player should know.

I'll ty to start and come back and add some things as we go. Meanwhile, I also want input from Jeff, Rich, Chris (Mr. Hollywood), Charly, et al.

Off the top of my head:

Shiny Stockings
Lil' Darling
Corner Pocket
A Train (original, including Ray Nance solo)
In the Mood (lead, Bobby Hackett solo, coda-all parts)
String of Pearls Hackett solo
Moten Swing (Ernie Wilkins arr.)
Youngblood (Kenton)
I Can't Get Started (Berigan solo version)

There's a start. Keep 'em coming!

jazz_trpt · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 7:06 am Post subject:

I suspect this is tough, because like many of us here, most of the gigging in which I'll be called upon to read big band stuff now is highly regionalized. And, up until a few years ago, there was a pretty heavy Basie/Ellington bias around here.

So, with that said...some of the nastier stuff that comes up...

Whirlybird (Basie)
Sing Sing Sing (the classic record copy)
Things to Come (Gil Fuller/Diz)
Little Pixie #2 (Thad/Mel) - esp. the 3rd and 4th parts!
Big Dipper (Thad/Mel) - esp. solo changes
Tiptoe (Thad/Mel) - solo and tutti stuff
West Side Story Medley (Buddy Rich) - lead is tough
Big Swing Face (Buddy Rich)

Some Basie arrangements that get bandied about alot...not too hard to read down, but good to have a handle on...

In A Mellow Tone (probably good to know both the O. Nelson arr. and the F. Foster)
Who, Me? (Foster?)
Four-Five-Six (Foster?)
Corner Pocket (Green)
Down for Double (Green)
Honeysuckle Rose (vocal feature for Ella)
Blee Blop Blues (trumpet solo, tutti parts)
April In Paris (lead and Thad's solo)
Jumpin' at the Woodside
Moten Swing (solo changes are good to know - Wilkins arrangement)
(there are alot of Nestico arrangements that used to be very common)
(there are some Ernie Wilkins arrangements that escape me at the moment)

Ellington stuff...

Take the "A" Train (w/Ray Nance solo -- see link below)
Concerto for Cootie (Cootie's solo feature)
Tutti for Cootie (Cootie's solo feature)
Harlem Airshaft (trumpet solo)
Diminuendo/Crescendo in Blue
(this list will get longer as the Lincoln Center project continues to get stuff published)

I'm omitting alot of the dance band stuff, assuming that you'd read it. Obviously the Glenn Miller classics are important to know well enough to carry off, especially the solos on "In the Mood" and "A String of Pearls", which one is expected to play as originally recorded.

It's interesting to note that the "in vogue" stuff that gets played at high school jazz festivals doesn't stay that way. The Gordon Goodwin charts of today are the "Basie Straight Ahead", "A Switch In Time", "Tuning Up" of tomorrow, I guess...it would be interesting to see a list of what people were playing at US contests in the 70s and 80s and compare it to now. Perhaps another thread...
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Jeff Helgesen
Free jazz solo transcriptions!

_bugleboy · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 10:15 am Post subject:

These are all famous arrangemants

720 In The Books (Jan Savitt)
920 Special (H.James)
American Patrol (GM)
And The Angels Sing (Z.Elmon solo)
April In Paris (Basie/2nd tp solo)
Artistry Jumps (Kenton)
Begin The Beguine (Shaw)
Cherokee (C.Barnett)
Cherry Pink And AppleBlossom White (P.Prado/Billy Regis solo/optionaldbl C’s in lead pt)
Eager Beaver (Kenton)
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (L.Brown/Jimmy Zito solo)
I've Heard That Song Before (H.James)
Lazy River (Sy Zentner)
Leap Frog (L.Brown)
Little Brown Jug (GM)
Mack The Knife (B.Darin version)
Mambo Jambo (Prado)
Mambo No 5 (Prado)
Moonlight Serenade (GM)
Night Train (B.Morrow)
One O'Clock Jump (Basie)
Opus No One (T.Dorsey)
PA 6-5000 (GM)
Sing, Sing, Sing
Song Of India (T.Dorsey/Berigan solo)
Stardust (B.Butterfield/A.Hirt tp solo)
Sugar Blues (C.McCoy)
Swanee River (T.Dorsey w/2nd tp solo)
Two O'Clock Jump (James)

[ This Message was edited by: bugleboy on 2004-03-11 09:37 ]

PH · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2004 1:22 pm Post subject:

Man!

Can anybody figure out a legal way to put together and sell an excerpt book like this? We could chip in and pay off Todd's house!

dbacon · Heavyweight Member Joined: 11 Nov 2001 Posts: 8592

All About Rosie-George Russell
The Duke-Clare Fischer
That Old Black Magic-Arr. Manny Album
10th Avenue-Patrick Williams
More Than You Know-Arr. Phil Wilson
El Camino Real-J.J. Johnson
Love Surrounds Us-Arr. Jerry Hey
All Heart-Billy Strayhorn
Paper Man-Charles Toliver
Viva Tirado-Gerald Wilson
Pentonville-Francy Boland (Clarke-Boland)
Make Me Smile-Bob Brookmeyer
Suite For Pops-Thad Jones
23 Red-Bill Chase
Cuban Fire-Johnny Richards

Anything by Bob Florence....

robbie · Veteran Member Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Posts: 306

marie (bunny berigan solo)
lazybird(woody herman, 3rd trumpet solo as played by bill stapleton)
corner pocket (basie)
shiney stockings(basie)
tuxedo junction(glen miller)
big swing face( rich)
norweigian wood(rich)
basicly blues(2nd trumpet solo)(rich)
cheers (woody herman)(2nd and 3rd trumpet)
the chicken
april in paris( basie)(particularly the 2nd trumpet solo" pop goes the weasel "version)
the odd couple(3rd trumpet solo)
old man river(basie)
sing sing sing (woody herman)

that's just a few of the top of my head, but i would also include the lead and 2nd parts for frank sinatra big band vocals
robbie.

Strawdoggy · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 4:10 am Post subject:

Some other good excerpts for trumpet:

I Had the Craziest Dream

I've Heard that Song Before

_bugleboy · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:33 am Post subject:

Everything (so far) alphabatized.

10th Avenue-Patrick Williams
23 Red-Bill Chase
720 In The Books (jan Savitt)
920 Special (H.james)

A Train (original, including Ray Nance solo)
All About Rosie-George Russell
All Heart-Billy Strayhorn
American Patrol (GM)
And The Angels Sing (Z.Elmon tp solo)
April In Paris (Basie/2nd tp solo)
Artistry Jumps (Kenton)

basicly blues(2nd trumpet solo)(rich)
Begin The Beguine (Shaw)
Big Dipper (Thad/Mel) - esp. solo changes
Big Swing Face (Buddy Rich)
Blee Blop Blues (trumpet solo, tutti parts)

cheers (woody herman)(2nd and 3rd trumpet)
Cherokee (Charlie Barnett)
Cherry Pink And AppleBlossom White (P.Prado version w/tp solo)
Concerto for Cootie (Cootie's solo feature)
corner pocket (basie)
Corner Pocket (Green)
Cuban Fire-Johnny Richards

Diminuendo/Crescendo in Blue
Down for Double (Green)

Eager Beaver (Kenton)
El Camino Real-J.J. Johnson

Four-Five-Six (Foster?)

Harlem Airshaft (trumpet solo)
Honeysuckle Rose (vocal feature for Ella)

I Can't Get Started (Berigan solo version)
I Had the Craziest Dream
In A Mellow Tone (probably good to know both the O. Nelson arr. and the F. Foster)
In the Mood (lead, Bobby Hackett solo, coda-all parts)
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (L.Brown/Jimmy Zito solo 2nd tp solo)
I've Heard That Song Before (H.James)

Jumpin' at the Woodside

Lazy River (Sy Zentner)
lazybird(woody herman, 3rd trumpet solo as played by bill stapleton)
Leap Frog (L.Brown)
Lil' Darling
Little Brown Jug (GM)
Little Pixie #2 (Thad/Mel) - esp. the 3rd and 4th parts!
Love Surrounds Us-Arr. Jerry Hey

Mack The Knife (B.Darin version)
Make Me Smile-Bob Brookmeyer

Malaguena - Kenton http://www.carminecaruso.net/mala1.jpg

Mambo Jambo (Prado)
Mambo No 5 (Prado)
marie (bunny berigan solo)
Moonlight Serenade (GM)
More Than You Know-Arr. Phil Wilson
Moten Swing (solo changes are good to know - Wilkins arrangement)

Night Train (B.Morrow)
norweigian wood(rich)

old man river(basie)
One O'Clock Jump (Basie)
Opus No One (T.Dorsey)

PA 6-5000 (GM)
Paper Man-Charles Toliver
Pentonville-Francy Boland (Clarke-Boland)

shiney stockings(basie)
Sing Sing Sing (the classic record copy)
sing sing sing (woody herman)
Song Of India (T.Dorsey/Berigan solo)
Stardust (B.Butterfield/A.Hirt tp solo)
String of Pearls Hackett solo
Sugar Blues (Clyde McCoy tp solo)
Suite For Pops-Thad Jones
Swanee River (T.Dorsey w/2nd tp solo)

Take the "A" Train (w/Ray Nance solo -- see link below)
That Old Black Magic-Arr. Manny Album
the chicken
The Duke-Clare Fischer
the odd couple(3rd trumpet solo)
Things to Come (Gil Fuller/Diz)
Tiptoe (Thad/Mel) - solo and tutti stuff
Tutti for Cootie (Cootie's solo feature)
tuxedo junction(glen miller)
Two O'Clock Jump (James)

Viva Tirado-Gerald Wilson

West Side Story Medley (Buddy Rich) - lead is tough
Whirlybird (Basie)
Who, Me? (Foster?)

Youngblood (Kenton)
________________
Charles Raymond

Jon Arnold · Heavyweight Member Joined: 07 Jan 2002 Posts: 2025

trumpetdiva1 · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:53 pm Post subject:

Here's my list:

COUNT BASIE
Cute
Shiny Stockings
Lil' Darling
April in Paris
One O’Clock Jump
Jumpin’ at the Woodside
Corner Pocket

DUKE ELLINGTON
Ko-Ko
Cotton Tail
Harlem AirShaft
Take the “A” Train
Mood Indigo
Caravan
Jumpin’ Pumpkins
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore
Sepia Panorama
Clementine
The Mooche
In a Mellow Tone

BENNY GOODMAN
Sing, Sing, Sing
Don’t be That Way
Down South Camp Meeting

THAD JONES/MEL LEWIS
Tiptoe
Fingers
Big Dipper
Little Pixie #2

STAN KENTON
Eager Beaver

GLENN MILLER
String of Pearls
In the Mood
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Tuxedo Junction
American Patrol

CHARLES MINGUS
Ecclusiastics
Boogie Stop Shuffle

BUDDY RICH
West Side Story
Love For Sale
Channel 1 Suite
Groovin’ Hard
Basically Blues

Janell Carter

JackD · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2004 12:57 pm Post subject:

This is an interesting thread - but I suppose there is a problem re: different arrangements when trying to learn excerpts for big-band charts.

The lick from boogie-stop shuffle (the one that starts F#, G, C,G,F,Eb,B,C,F) is a good one to learn though

trumpetdiva1 · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2004 6:32 am Post subject:

Good point about which arrangements to use. I had debated to put Mingus on there but we really do play his music here. Maybe it is the region. I am not sure. By the way, I can play that lick in "Boogie Stop Shuffle" from 210-230. It is a good lick to work on.

Janell Carter

_bugleboy · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 5:23 am Post subject:

trumpetteacher1 · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 7:50 am Post subject:

Janell - I don't see the problem with different arrangements, if you group them as you did, by bandleader.

A lot of other classic charts from great bands that you could add.

Only one Kenton band chart?

Jeff

trumpetdiva1 · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:10 am Post subject:

How about adding Stan Kenton’s “Malaguena” or "Send In the Clowns" (John Harner’s solo) to the list?

Janell Carter

[ This Message was edited by: trumpetdiva1 on 2004-03-19 13:24 ]

_bugleboy · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 10:27 am Post subject:

Malaguena is already listed

trumpetdiva1 · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:33 pm Post subject:

Sorry, Charlie. Thanks for the link.

trumpetteacher1 · Posted: Fri Mar 19, 2004 1:53 pm Post subject:

Here's That Rainy Day
A Little Minor Booze

musicemt · Veteran Member Joined: 04 Jan 2004 Posts: 419

I was at the National Trumpet Competition last week, and saw a little book of something like nine lead charts to the tunes from one particular Basie album. I can't remember which album it was, but it's not really important. To answer the question on a previous post, it looks like you might be able to publish a book like you're suggesting. Looks like you've got enough material to cover volumes 1 through 4!

Oh yeah....Such Sweet Thunder by DE is a good chart to know, too.

Ben
_________________
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-Clark Terry

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Bach C 239 w/ Blackburn pipe/slide
Weril Regium flugelhorn
Yamaha 14B4-GP
Yamaha Shew-lead

trumpetdiva1 · Posted: Sun Mar 21, 2004 9:40 am Post subject:

I ‘d like to add these two to the list. I did not see them on the new updated list.

Hoe-Down (Oliver Nelson)
Stolen Moments (Oliver Nelson)

Janell Carter