The Jazz Charts Plus approach ensures flexibility in instrumentation allowing band directors to utilise a chart even when they are missing players for key parts
Con Artist.
IThe is a big band version of an example that I used in a composition class to demonstrate building a song from a single riff and how a melodic line can have more than one harmonic progression under it.
Blue Funk.
This is a big band version an original chart that was originally an instrumental played by a band I was in called Ademas that performed in the Pacific Northwest of USA in the seventies. This features a trumpet 2 solo and alto 1 solo.
I Need Love (From Above).
This is a Big Band arrangement of an original song I wrote in the mid 70s for a band named Molasses that performed in the Pacific Northwest. It originally had lyrics but this is an instrumental version of the tune. It has a Funk Rock feel to it with a splash of jazz that features a tune percussion (vibraphone) solo with an optional piano solo.
Coniption Fit.
This track is an original big band chart that features Bari Sax and Tune Percussion on the lead melody. It has three distinctive grooves; Triplet Swing, Swing and Shuffle. It features trumpet 2 solo , trombone 1 solo and tenor 1 solo, each with optional tuned percussion solo or double. The melodic line uses the compositional device of octave displacement. It is for an intermediate level band and primarily aimed at high school, college or community level band.
Eleven Seventy Four (11/74)
Continuing my fascination with odd time signatures this chart is in 11/4 (3,3,3,2 and 3,3,2,3), 7/4 and 4/4. In addition it was originally written in November 1974 for a combo I was in at the time and was performed as a big band chart at Berklee College of Music by Phil Wilson’s lab band in 1983. It features an alto 1 solo and an optional piano or vibraphone solo. This chart has swing and latin grooves that provide contrasting section of the charts. It is aimed at high school, college and community big band advanced intermediate.
To My Sin (A Night On The Las Vegas Strip)
This is an original song that I wrote for a band called Molasses in the mid 1970s that is jazz rock chart as I was influenced by Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power at the time. This charts is one of my jazz rock series scored for a standard 8 and 5 big band with tuned percussion. This features a Tenor Sax 1 solo and a Trumpet 2 solo. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to a repertoire.
Without You (I Stay Home All Alone)
This is an original song that I wrote for a band called Molasses in the mid 1970s that is jazz rock chart as I was influenced by Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power at the time. This charts is one of my jazz rock series scored for a standard 8 and 5 big band with tuned percussion. This features a Trumpet 2 solo. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to a repertoire.
Somewhere (Love Is Living another Life)
This is an original song that I wrote for a band called Molasses in the mid 1970s that is jazz rock chart as I was influenced by Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power at the time. This chart is one of my jazz rock series charts scored for a standard 8 and 5 big band with tuned percussion. This features a Marimba solo with optional piano solo. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to a repertoire.
The Taipan’s Song
Written in far north Queensland it evokes the image of the coastal taipan that is resident in this part of Australia. The main melody starts out in 6/4 and gives the impression a a Taipan slithering through the grassy marsh and then moves to 5/4, 3/4 and 4/4. It features a tenor 1 solo and a trumpet 2 solo. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to a repertoire.
Cane Toad Boogie
This chart was written whilst I lived in tropical north Queensland during the first wave of the Cane Toad invasion. At night we would go out in our yard and collect cane toads to get rid of them. They had the unusual trait of moving quickly and then stopping as if we couldn’t see them. I was directing a big band in Townsville and they were the first to perform this chart. It features an optional alto 1 or tenor 1 solo and an optional trumpet 1 or trumpet 2 solo. The main melodic hook is the melody stopping and staring again. This is aimed at high school, college or community band intermediate level.
Five Tracks South
Originally a composition for didgeridoo and alto sax I rescored this for big band. The didgeridoo influence is the drone like bass line in the two main sections. This piece is in 5/4 swing and features an alto 1 solo and trombone 1 solo. It starts with a brass choral section, without rhythm section backing, that occurs again in the middle and DC sections with the sax section added. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to a repertoire.
Monday Mixup
This chart was originally part of a series I wrote for concert band called A Week Suite. This series had a composition for each day of the week. I rescored this for Big Band as I was directing the Stokes Nicholson Big Band in far north Queensland at the time. It has been performed many time over the years by several bands. It features alto 1, trumpet 1, tenor 1 solos and band soli. It is aimed at high school, college and community big band intermediate level. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to a repertoire.
Sweet Samba Friday
This chart was originally part of a series I wrote for concert band called A Week Suite and as the title suggests it is a samba. This series had a composition for each day of the week. I rescored this for Big Band as I was directing the Stokes Nicholson Big Band in far north Queensland at the time. It has been performed many time over the years by several bands. It features an optional alto 1 or tenor 1 solo, optional trumpet 1 or 2 solo, trombone 2 solo and optional tenor 2 or baritone solo. It is aimed at high school, college and community big band intermediate level.