Instrumentation: Ellington 7-Piece

STYLE
DIFFICULTY
VOCALS
PERFORMER
SOLOS
    • Solos
    • Bari
    • Trumpet

    That’s Rhythm

    as performed by Rex Stewart & His 52nd St. Stompers
    $60
    The unassumingly-titled "That's Rhythm" is a colorful tune that straddles the line between the swing era and the bebop era. Written by Ellington sideman Rex Stewart for his own shorter-lived 4-horn band, "Rhythm" features a punchy and memorable head and lots of solo space.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 2
    TEMPO quarter note = 148
    Trumpet
    Range
    G5
    • Solos
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone
    • Piano

    Johnson Rag

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    Johnson Rag is an old, relatively obscure tune, seen here fleshed out into a fat swinging arrangement influenced by the writing style of Duke Ellington and Fletcher Henderson. The chart includes a bass/piano/bari riff, the trombone on the melody, a trumpet/alto pep section, and an original bridge, all with a middle section featuring a brass battle.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 2
    TEMPO quarter note = 160
    Trumpet
    Range
    F5
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Tenor
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone
    • Piano

    Man From Mars (reduction)

    as performed by the Artie Shaw Orchestra
    $60
    Man From Mars is an uptempo puncher with some slick solo spots and cool riffs for each section. A little intricate for a level 3, but not quite as demanding as a level 4, this piece swings hard and ends with a bang.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 230
    Trumpet
    Range
    D6
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Tenor
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone

    Lindyhopper’s Delight (reduction)

    as performed by the Chick Webb Orchestra
    $60
    As standard dance repertoire, Lindyhopper's Delight is a catchy riff tune with a startlingly modern middle chorus that features some relatively harsh sax harmonies flanked by thickly-voiced plunger-supported brass hits. The final chorus is a raucous one, even though the brass are in full octave unison on a concert Bb! This is a great tune for any library though, and a good, albeit sometimes tricky, introduction to plungers for younger brass players.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 2
    TEMPO quarter note = 195
    Trumpet
    Range
    A5
    • Solos
    • Clarinet
    • Tenor
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone

    Bugle Call Rag (reduction)

    as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra
    $60
    Bugle Call Rag is an all out flag waver that was a major hit for Benny Goodman. With simple chords and riffs and lots of solo space, this burning boogie-woogie/swing hybrid swings hard and is a quintessential swing era anthem.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 235
    Trumpet
    Range
    C6
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Trumpet

    Minnie the Moocher’s Wedding (reduction)

    as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra
    $60
    This wild piece starts out with Fletcher Henderson quoting of Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," but after two bars it's off to the races with tons of intricate riffs, solos, and a rowdy shout chorus at the end. Watch out for the lightening quick mute changing, which was standard practice in the 1930s. This piece makes a great wedding reception opener and many working bands using it now will open up the first solo section as a vamp to introduce a wedding party.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 4
    TEMPO quarter note = 185
    Trumpet
    Range
    C6
    • Solos
    • Guitar

    Solo Flight (reduction)

    as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra with Charlie Christian
    $60
    Around the age 24, Charlie Christian, not content with playing rhythm on every tune, wrote himself a soloing feature that has since become the guitar standard of the swing era. Solo Flight has lots of great wild punches from the band but it's all secondary to the guitar improvisation that dances around them. The chord changes have some familiar structures, but mixed in are slightly more modern chords with flashes of early bebop.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 4
    TEMPO quarter note = 180
    Trumpet
    Range
    D6
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Tenor
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone

    Keep Punchin’ (reduction)

    as performed by the Lee Norman Orchestra
    $60
    Also known as "The Big Apple Contest," Keep Punchin' is a swing dancer staple and a must-have for any band that will ever play for swing dancers! After the famous simple intro a brass trio work plays off of a sax riff, and from there on it's simple burnin' riffs all the way home, with lots of great brass plunger work.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 2
    TEMPO quarter note = 200
    Trumpet
    Range
    Eb5
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone

    King Porter Stomp (reduction)

    as performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra
    $60
    When Benny Goodman hired Fletcher Henderson, he turned the band's sound upside down, ushering in a new era of popular music. King Porter Stomp is demonstrative of the Henderson arranging style and is truly a Swing Era anthem. Solo space for several instruments, lots of tight ensemble work, and a roaring finish at the perfect dancing tempo makes this a quintessential piece in any big band's library!
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 4
    TEMPO quarter note = 184
    Trumpet
    Range
    Eb6
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Tenor
    • Bari
    • Trombone

    Diga Diga Doo (reduction)

    as performed by the Artie Shaw Orchestra
    $60
    Diga Diga Doo was a heavily covered tune in the 1920s and '30s, but Artie Shaw's version was one of the tightest. A hard swinging and nimble riff vehicle that has some room for solos as well, Diga is a great upbeat piece that isn't too tricky and has lots of fun moments!
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 205
    Trumpet
    Range
    Eb6
    • Solos
    • Tenor
    • Bari
    • Trombone
    • Piano

    Calling Doctor Gillespie (reduction)

    as performed by Gene Krupa and his Orchestra
    $60
    This Edwin Finckel rarity swings hard and doesn't shy away from its bebop influences. Straddling the line between the two eras of jazz, Calling Doctor Gillespie features some infectious melodies and singable shout choruses. A couple of solos in the middle round this out.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 136
    Trumpet
    Range
    Bb5
    • Solos
    • Trumpet

    Pickin’ the Cabbage (reduction)

    as performed by Cab Calloway and His Orchestra
    $60
    Written for Cab Calloway's band, Pickin' the Cabbage is Dizzy Gillespie's first ever big band composition. The slick tune features a great melody for a trio and many hints of modern bebop and afro-cuban music that would later be Gillespie's trademark.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 184
    Trumpet
    Range
    C6
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Bari

    Look for the Silver Lining

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    This alto feature is a perfect tempo for new dancers and has some very cool background lines from the trio of trumpet, trombone, and bari sax. Let your alto play out a la Johnny Hodges and have your trio dig in with some conviction and this chart will swing hard.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 2
    TEMPO quarter note = 125
    Trumpet
    Range
    F5
    • Solos
    • Bari
    • Trombone

    Avalon

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    Coming out the same year as Prohibition, Avalon is one of the earliest jazz standards of the 20th century. Here, it's slowed down to a super slick beginner's dancing tempo featuring trombone on a staccato melody with a sassy background trio of cup mute trumpet, alto and bari sax almost taking over as a new melody over the bone.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 120
    Trumpet
    Range
    G5
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Bari

    Margie

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    Margie is a classic early jazz standard that was popular during the hot jazz and swing eras and is due for a comeback! This alto feature is built up like a Sy Oliver/Jimmie Lunceford arrangement, with a simple melody part and a bouncy and angular 3-part horn counterpart.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 4
    TEMPO quarter note = 150
    Trumpet
    Range
    Gb6
    • Solos
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone

    Lumbersexual

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    Lumbersexual is a grooving blues at the perfect medium dance tempo that features a catchy melody, built-in call and responses with soloists, and a huge final chorus. This original Rocco and the Stompers tune works well as a set opener, closer, or mid-set energy booster and never fails to get dancers engaged!
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 160
    Trumpet
    Range
    C6
    • Solos
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone
    • Piano

    Swing Psychometry

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    Swing Psychometry is a trumpet feature that pushes the limits of swing era vocabulary. Full of 10 bar phrases and Ellington and Coltrane-inspired harmony, this interesting piece pops out in your book as something unusual yet familiar.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 4
    TEMPO quarter note = 175
    Trumpet
    Range
    C6
    • Solos
    • Bari
    • Trombone
    • Piano

    Jet Lag

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    Jet Lag is an Ellington-inspired riff tune with a serious harmonic twist. The serpentine changes in Bb are functional and logical but require a bit more focus than usual and the slightly behind-the-chords melody all work together to bring the title to life. This is an experimental chart that is a great workout for your best improvisers.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 4
    TEMPO quarter note = 190
    Trumpet
    Range
    C6
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone

    A Stompers Recrudescence

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    A Stompers Recrudescence is a killer finale piece. It starts with a windup intro, like a train leaving the station, before hitting a pre-head fanfare, then goes on to features all four horn players, an infectious blues head, and a huge final two choruses.
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 175
    Trumpet
    Range
    Bb5
    • Solos
    • Alto
    • Bari
    • Trumpet
    • Trombone
    • Bass
    • Piano
    • Drums

    The Wilhelm Scream

    as performed by Rocco and the Stompers
    $65
    The Wilhelm Scream is a flag waving jam session tune in the spirit of a Basie-style Lester Leaps In or a Shaw-style Diga Diga Doo that is open for solos for any/all instruments in the band. Built modularly, there are unique horn backgrounds that can be played depending on which instrument is soloing, with a final cued shout chorus that brings the house down!
    Instrumentation Ellington 7-Piece
    Style Swing Era
    Level 3
    TEMPO quarter note = 230
    Trumpet
    Range
    Bb5

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