Jazz Ensemble Music

Your students and audiences will LOVE these big band arrangements of the 6 Improv Pathways head charts. Each one starts with a BANG, gives important lines to EVERY instrument, and finishes BIG. Plus, each chart correlates with the chords learned in the jazz improvisation method, so that students can be well-prepared to play amazing improvised solos. Each chart comes with a full-length recording (which includes exciting, but playable solos your students can transcribe), and a motivating play-along track of the solo section. Because each piece is downloaded as a PDF with 2 MP3 files, you can send the parts out digitally for distance learning or print them out for face-to-face instruction.
When planning for your next concert or festival, you have plenty of mix-and-match options for complete festival sets as suggested below. There are 2 swing charts, 2 ballads, and 2 "other" charts (rock & latin). Have a listen, then purchase and download by clicking on an image below or visiting our STORE.

One For The Road

Rock: Hard hitting from start to finish, the rhythm section is constantly featured in one-measure trade-offs with the horns. The shout chorus begins with a trombone soli and, after adding everyone else, climaxes with a drum solo that can be expanded past the written 4-measures. The open solo section uses only the Bb7 chord.
00:00
00:00

One for the Road

Solista Suave

Ballad [Bossa Nova]: This tasty, easy-going latin ballad is titled "Smooth Soloist". It begins with a trumpet solo and horn trio, and later features 4 stop-time solos for bass and/or drum set, leading into a moment of pure, brassy power! The open solo section uses only the Bb7 and Eb7 chords. It works as a medium-tempo ballad, although it's full of latin flavor!
00:00
00:00

Solista Suave

Backseat Driver Blues

Swing: This medium-tempo swing chart features a riff-based melody over the classic 12-bar blues. The piano and rhythm section have plenty of moments, while the trombone section alternates with the rest of the band. A sax soli leads into the solo section, which uses the Bb7, Eb7, and F7 chords. The drummer kicks the band into a final out-chorus, and everybody survives the ride!
00:00
00:00

Backseat Driver Blues

It's a Figure of Speech

Swing: The up-tempo feel kicks off with a unison melody which then separates into tasty back-and-forth sax and brass riffs. The additive shout chorus builds into a classic swing-era climax, complete with trombone glisses and big trumpet punches! The open solo section uses only the Bb7 chord.
00:00
00:00

It's a Figure of Speech

Late Night Lemonade

Ballad [Swing]: The super laid-back feel of this triplet-swing ballad starts with tenor and/or alto saxophone solos, and then features trombone section and sax section solis, but throughout the piece every chorus ends BIG! The solo section uses the Bb7 and Eb7 chords, and is punctuated by heavy, bluesy background figures.
00:00
00:00

Late Night Lemonade

Blue Salsa

Latin/Salsa: Fast and furious, this 12-bar blues kicks off with tasty latin horn riffs, then lets your piano player lead the way into an infectious latin groove! A unison trio plays the first chorus, followed by good times with the full band. The open solo section uses the Bb7, Eb7, and F7 chords, and the drummer trades 2's with the band before the final fiesta...er, chorus.
00:00
00:00

Blue Salsa

FREE Jazz Articulation and Style Exercises

Picture
Use this step-by-step series of short jazz exercises to teach your jazz ensemble how to play with perfect swing style. The rules discussed and practiced include:
​
A. Long "DAH" Notes
B. 8th Note "DAHS"
C. "DOT" Notes
D. "DAH-DOT" Combinations
E. "DOO" Notes
F. "DOO-WAH" Notes
G. Extra Accents
​H. Slurs Between 8th Notes

​Download these 2-page exercises as PDF and MP3 files for FREE by right-clicking the links below.