Ballads for Jazz Ensemble

This composition by Oliver Nelson was recorded by the Jazz Interactions Orchestra in 1967, an ensemble led by pianist Billy Taylor. This lovely ballad was written as an alto feature for the great Phil...

Written by French composer Leo Delibes in 1874, 'The Maids of Cadiz' was mostly known as a vocal piece before arranger Gil Evans heavily reworked it for inclusion on his 1957 collaboration with trumpe...

Bess, You Is My Woman Now' is a crucial plot point in George and Ira Gershwin's opera 'Porgy and Bess;' it serves as the moment when the title characters admit and embrace their love for one another....

Gil Evans's arrangement of 'Here Come Da Honey Man' is the shortest track on Miles Davis's 1958 version of 'Porgy and Bess.' In the original opera, it serves as a brief but effective introduction of P...

Much like 'Bess, You Is My Woman Now,' 'I Loves You Porgy' serves as a declaration of love between the title characters of the Gershwin/Heyward opera 'Porgy and Bess.' Gil Evans's arrangement for Mile...

This beautiful ballad by the legendary trumpeter Freddie Hubbard was originally recorded on his 1970 album The Black Angel in small group form. This big band arrangement is courtesy of trombonist John...

Well, here is one of the most famous holiday season arrangements of all time! You can't close out a New Year's Eve performance without this song. This version was arranged and recorded by Guy Lombardo...

Duke Pearson toured with singer Nancy Wilson in 1961, during which time he traveled to Brazil. During his visit there he was inspired to pen one of his best-known pieces, 'Cristo Redentor.' This becam...

RECORDED BY THE TERRY GIBBS DREAM BAND ARRANGED BY AL COHN, EDITED BY JEFFREY SULTANOF Here is an absolutely gorgeous chart by master arranger Al Cohn. This was written for the Terry Gibbs Dream Band...

By the time Mary Lou Williams composed 'Aries Mood,' she had all but completely retired from the public spotlight, instead working behind the scenes as one of jazz's first great educators. On the few...

AS RECORDED BY HELEN FORREST WITH HARRY JAMES TRANSCRIBED AND ADAPTED BY MIKE HENEBRY Recorded in 1942, this classic Harry James ballad featured singer Helen Forrest. The arrangement is very 'modern'...

AS RECORDED BY FRANK SINATRA WITH THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA ARRANGED BY BILLY BYERS Here is another classic arrangement by Billy Byers from the Frank Sinatra 'Live at the Sands' recording with the Cou...

AS RECORDED BY GLENN MILLER ARRANGED BY JOE PRINCE Here is the classic Miller version of Indian Summer as recorded on November 5, 1939 with vocalist Ray Eberle. This is an especially sweet version of...