Bob Freedman, Arranger

Arrangements
Big Band - School Series
Big Band - Pro Series
-----17-Piece
-----16-Piece
-----15-Piece
-----12-Piece
Octets
Sax Ensembles
Bio
Shameless Self-Promotion
Contact Me

Big Band Arrangements 

 

I have not graded these high school level arrangements for difficulty because I believe that the composite skills of any group of students is unique to each

situation.  Sample score pages have been posted to allow you to make your own assessment as to whether or not a particular piece is suitable for your purposes.

 

If you have questions that are not answered through viewing the samples please CONTACT ME and I'll be glad to respond to your concerns.

 

Your purchase will be delivered as 8-1/2 x 11" PDF's (Adobe Acrobat Reader) in a Zipped Folder. 

 

You will be able to download your purchase immediately.

 

School Series - Jazz Masters Collection

Sunday, It Always Seems to Rain Anymore

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Count Basie once did me the honor of asking me to write something for his band. This tune was the result. It’s in the style of the beloved Basie “swing ballad” and makes use of some subtle changes of dynamics.

Key Signature: B-Flat

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 88

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written G above the staff

Solos: Piano

And We Listened

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


I created this adaptation of my composition and arrangement originally written for Maynard Ferguson (CD: A Message from Newport, 1958) with the needs of the developing high school musician in mind.

Key Signature: F, G

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 112

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written A

Solos: Alto 2, Trumpet 2

A Quick Sketch

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


This tune by Ron Carter is founded on an insistent ostinato over which are built a variety of timbral colorations. The form of the piece itself is unusual: Intro, A, Interlude, B, C, D (expressed as an improvised bass solo), Interlude, A, E (tag).

Key Signature: F

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 140

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written G

Solos: Bass

Theme in 3/4

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


This Ron Carter composition is a gorgeous ballad that slips seamlessly through three related tonalities (G Minor, B-Flat Major and G Major.)  The arrangement utilizes quite a bit of inter-sectional contrapoint as well as independent motion within sections.  The voicings span a wide scope of textures.

Key Signature: G Minor

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: ca. 88

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written A

Solos: Tenor 1, Trombone 1

Bossa For Pam

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Jazz legend Dick Johnson composed this tune for his daughter, Pam. The arrangement presented here is quite similar to the one which Dick recorded on his Star Dust & Beyond CD except that I have modified it to be playable by high school ensembles and I've eliminated the clarinet part.

Key Signature: F

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 105

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written G

Solos: Piano

Turn the World Around (in 5/4)

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


The style of this piece is Afro-Caribbean. Harry Belafonte and I wrote the song for one of his world tours. Since then it has been performed by Harry on a PBS television special and on The Muppet Show. Choral versions are extremely popular with choirs in high schools, churches and music camps. This big band arrangement reflects the same kind of rhythmic jubilance.

Key Signature: F and G

Time Signature: 5/4

Tempo: ca. 164

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written A

Solos: No improvised solos

School Series - Educators Collection

Ballad For A City

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Ballad For A City provides students with the experience of dealing with lush voicings. It takes time and experience to learn - to feel - how to blend individual parts into such fully harmonized sounds.

Key Signature: D-Flat, F, E-Flat

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 67

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written B-Flat

Solos: none

Easy Five

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Easy Five is intended to help students build confidence working in the 5/4 time signature. The basic metrical division throughout is 3+2. There are occasional variances from this pattern but they always lead back to the relative safety of 3+2. In addition to the normal full ensemble voicings there is soli space for each of the sections.

Key Signature: A-Flat

Time Signature: 5/4

Tempo: ca. 145

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written G

Solos: Trumpet 2

Minor Adjustment

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Minor Adjustment is a 16-bar blues in a minor key. One function of this arrangement is to help students distinguish the difference between on-the-beat attacks and anticipations. They get to face the challenge of ‘switching gears’ within phrases while maintaining consistency of the swing feel. This is the easiest piece in the series.

Key Signature: C Minor

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 124

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written F

Solos: Trumpet 2, Tenor 1

Not Quite Four

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Not Quite Four is a jazz waltz. The rhythmic figures that occur within this arrangement are standard within the 3/4 swing genre. A unique aspect of this tune is that the bridge is 16 bars in length instead of the usual 8. In addition to the normal full ensemble voicings there is quite a bit of interplay among sections.

Key Signature: G, A-Flat

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: ca. 139

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written G (last chord Written B-Flat)

Solos: Trombone 1, Trumpet 2

Diversión y Juegos (Fun and Games)

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


Fun and games with a purpose. This arrangement promotes rhythmic responsibility in every chair. Ongoing interplay among the sections results in an overall unity with great potential for producing strong Latino swing. Helping young players increase their endurance is an added benefit. Every wind instrument is playing most of the time throughout the three minute duration of the chart, still there are ample opportunities to rest chops in order to avoid undue strain.

Key Signature: D minor

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 150

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written B

Solos: no jazz solos

Savannah On My Mind

Big Band (17-piece) 5 Saxes - 4 Trumpets - 4 Trombones - 4 Rhythm


This medium slow swing chart provides students with an accommodating opportunity to increase their self-confidence in dealing with sharps and double sharps - which are abundant throughout the piece. Once the challenges have been met the band will have a nice addition to its repertoire.

Key Signature: D and G

Time Signature: 4/4

Tempo: ca. 83

Top 1st Tpt Note: Written A (Last chord optional Written B)

Solos: Tenor 1, Trombone 1