Advanced Swing Sheet Music

Kapustin combines his flair for swinging melodies and improvised harmonies in this work. Intrada and Finale is a welcome challenge for sextet formations, but enchants musicians and audience with its l...

From the movie 1941 this is John Williams' big band era extravaganza from the dance marathon scene. Written in a '40s swing style, this up-tempo burner gives every section a feature spot and is guaran...

As its title suggests, Happy Swing is a rather jazzy piece that should be played with energy. Written with uneven eighth notes, it is full of syncopations, off-beats, and other rhythmic quirks. You wi...

for Bells/Field (or Tenor)Drum, Xylophone (or Marimba, Vibes)/Woodblock, Timani (2)/Triangle, Snare Drum, Bass Drum, and Cymbals

In this terrific tip-of-the-hat tribute to Don Menza's famous Groovin' Hard chart, saxes get the major workout, supported by cleverly written brass parts, all in a shuffle swing style. Solos are given...

This is a superb transcription of Frank Comstock's absolutely brilliant chart of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite written for the Les Brown band. It is seven and a half minutes of musical inspration, an...

The opening cut from the Mingus Big Band CD Gunslinging Birds is this raucous and blistering jazz waltz. Mingus wrote this piece as a tribute to Charlie Bird Parker with the subtitle If Charlie Parker...

From the Mingus Big Band CD Blues and Politics!, this intense minor blues opens with a bass solo then gradually unfolds layer by layer until the entire ensemble is screaming. Includes plenty of solo s...

This swingin' Basie-style shuffle starts out with a piano chorus followed by the saxes and finally a roaring brass section. Also featured are solos for tenor and trumpet and a fabulous shout chorus th...

Monk tunes are always creative and a bit out of the ordinary. Also out of the GRP All-Star Big Band book, this marvelous orchestration explores a variety of dissonances, textures, and styles. The temp...

From the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra CD Shout Me Out!, the title cut features a medium slow shout chorus surrounded by solo choruses. Hard-hitting swing at its best! Recording courtesy of Fable Re...

John's arrangement of this jazz classic was written specifically to feature Milt Jackson with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra; however, just about any instrument can play the head at the beginning...

This up-tempo swinger begins with the full ensemble on a quasi improvisation line based on the changes to this well-known Cole Porter standard. Solos for trumpet and flute (opt. tenor) follow along wi...

As performed by the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, this Michael Abene chart opens in a relaxed swing style in a moderate tempo. Michael brings as much of himself to this chart as the original song itself, a...

This John Clayton original from the CD Groove Shop explodes into a medium swing groove, then features a small group (soprano, tenor, trumpet and trombone) on the first go-around of the tune. The saxes...

Written for the Ellington orchestra by saxophonist Johnny Hodges, this catchy riff-based tune swings hard from beginning to end. After the hard-hitting opening, solos are exchanged by tenor, trombone,...

Written specially for Steve Houghton, this up-tempo swinger provides an impressive way to feature your drummer. Also including a solo for tenor sax, this flag-waver swings hard from beginning to end a...

Recorded on the Grammy-nominated CD I Am Three by the Mingus Big Band, this composition was originally written by Mingus for a 1959 television drama. Arranged here for the Mingus Big Band by the late...

This recent adaptation by bassist Boris Kozlov presents the marvelous Mingus composition in a rich setting containing a variety of musical styles. Opening in a quasi-classical style, the piece quickly...

Here's a terrific medium swing chart (recorded by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on Heart and Soul) featuring a great groove, a catchy melody and the craftsmanship of jazz master John Clayton. Al...

After an opening ensemble blast and short piano statement, a trio of flute, muted trumpet and guitar take the reins on this medium swing gem by John Clayton (Recorded by the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orch...

Here's a fresh new take on a traditional jazz standard. The style is still uptempo swing, and the saxes maintain a fair share of the spotlight along with ensemble hits and solo spots for drums. Howeve...

Recorded by John Pizzarelli and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra on the CD Dear Mr. Sinatra, here is John Clayton's adaptation of the chart he penned on the standard Nice 'n' Easy. Featuring a rela...