In A Mellow Tone

Composed by Duke Ellington, arranged by Oliver Nelson

In A Mellow Tone Buddy Rich (1966)

Oliver Nelson's arrangement of Duke's classic In A Mellow Tone is from the Buddy Rich 1966 Swingin' New Big Band album.

Walter Battegello, Yoshito Murakami, Bobby Shew, John Sottile (t), John Boice, James Trimble (tb), Dennis Good, Mike Waverley (b tb), Gene Quill (as, cl), Pete Yellin (as, fl),  Jay Corre, Marty Flax (ts, cl, fl), Stephen Perlow (bari, b cl), Carson Smith (b), Barry Zweig (g), John Bunch (p), Buddy Rich (d).

Recorded live at the Chez Club in Hollywood on October 2, 1966.

A Hymn For Her

Composed and arranged by Fred Sturm

A Hymn For Her (publisher's sample), composed and arranged by Fred Sturm

A Hymn For Her is an original ballad by composer/arranger Fred Sturm.

Fred Sturm

Red Tape Blues

Composed and arranged by Geoff Keezer

Red Tape Blues (publisher's sample), composed and arranged by Geoff Keezer

Geoffrey Keezer

Night in Tunisia

Composed by Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Paparelli, arranged by Sammy Nestico

A Night in Tunisia, Sammy Nestico arrangement performed by the Air National Guard Band of the Southwest/562nd Air Force Band

There are many versions of Dizzy Gillespie's 1942 classic A Night in Tunisia. Ours is an arrangement by the great Basie composer/arranger Sammy Nestico.

Night in Tunisia was one of the signature pieces of Gillespie's bebop big band, and he also played it with his small groups. In 2004, Dizzy Gillespie & his Sextet’s 1946 Victor recording was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Night in Tunisia Dizzy Gillespie & his Sextet, 1946 Victor recording

Dizzy Gillespie (tpt), Don Byas (ts), Milt Jackson (vib), Al Haig (p), Bill DeArango (g), Ray Brown (b), J.C. Heard (d). Recorded February 22, 1946.

And then there's Charlie Parker's 1946 "famous alto break." On the first take, Parker took a solo break which absolutely floored the musicians and engineers. The rest of the take proved unusable, but Ross Russell eventually decided to issue the fragment.

A Night in Tunisia Charlie Parker Septet, 1946 "Famous Alto Break" (Dial LP 905)

Miles Davis (trumpet), Charlie Parker (alto saxophone), Lucky Thompson (tenor saxophone), Dodo Marmarosa (piano), Vic McMillan (bass), Roy Porter (drums). Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA, March 28, 1946.

Given its popularity, there's a lot of history to this song.

Groovin' Hard

Composed and arranged by Don Menza

Groovin' Hard, Buddy Rich (1970)

Don Menza's Groovin' Hard appeared on Keep the Customer Satisfied (Liberty/Pacific Jazz LST 11006),  recorded by the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1970 live at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.

Personnel: Joe Giorgiani, John Madrid, Mike Price, George Zonce, trumpet; Rick Stepton, Tony Lada, trombone; Larry Fisher, bass trombone; Jimmy Mosher, Richie Cole, flute, alto sax; Pat LaBarbara, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute; Don Englert, tenor sax, soprano sax, flute; Bob Suchoski, baritone sax; Mickey McClain, piano, organ; Rick Laird, electric bass; Buddy Rich, drums.

Katy Do

Composed and arranged by Benny Carter

Katy Do, Count Basie and his Orchestra (1960)

Katy Do is another wonderful Benny Carter composition/arrangement from Kansas City Suite: The Music of Benny Carter (Roulette YW-7548-RO), recorded by the Count Basie Orchestra in 1960.

Thad Jones, Snookie Young, Sonny Cohn, Joe Newman(tp); Henry Coker, Al Grey, Benny Powell(tb); Marshall Royal(as,cl); Frank Wess(as,ts,fl); Billy Mitchell, Frank Foster(ts); Charlie Fowlkes(bs); Count Basie(p); Freddie Green(g); Eddie Jones(b); Sonny Payne(d); Benny Carter(arr). Recorded November 17, 1960. NYC.

The Groove Merchant

Composed by Jerome Richardson, arranged by Thad Jones

The Groove Merchant, Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra (1969 Central Park North)

Thad Jones (flugelhorn); Snooky Young, Richard Williams, Danny Moore, Jimmy Nottingham (trumpet); Jimmy Knepper, Bennie Powell, Eddie Bert, Cliff Heather, (trombone); Jerome Richardson, Jerry Dodgion (alto saxophone); Joe Farrell, Eddie Daniels (tenor saxophone); Joe Temperly (baritone saxophone); Mel Lewis (drums); Roland Hanna (piano); Richard Davis (bass); Barry Galbraith, Sam Brown (guitar)

Jerome Richardson's Groove Merchant first appeared in 1967 on his album of the same name (Groove Merchant, Verve V6-8729). But it's the recording of Thad Jones' arrangement on the 1969 Central Park North (Solid State SS-18058) that is the one most jazzers think of first.

Here's a live version, with a great intro by Sir Roland Hanna (this version is much closer to the transcription in the IHBB book):

The Groove Merchant, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra (1968)

Footprints

Composed by Wayne Shorter, arranged by Matt Harris

Footprints (publisher's sample), arranged by Matt Harris

Our arrangement of Wayne Shorter's classic Footprints is a new take by Los Angeles composer Matt Harris. The chart includes dense, satisfying voicings. Plenty of solo space for tenor sax and either piano, guitar, or bass.

Footprints first appeared on Wayne Shorter's 1966 Adam's Apple (Blue Note BST 84282).

Footprints, Wayne Shorter (1966, Adam's Apple)

The better-known version is from Miles Davis' landmark 1967 Miles Smiles, featuring Miles' "second great quintet."

Footprints, Miles Davis (1967, Miles Smiles)

Boplicity

Composed by "Cleo Henry" (Miles Davis and Gil Evans), arranged by Les Hooper

Boplicity (publisher's sample), arranged by Les Hooper

Our cover of the cool jazz anthem Boplicity is an arrangement by composer/arranger Les Hooper.

Of course, this Miles Davis/Gil Evans collaboration originally appeared on Miles' 1957 Birth of the Cool album (recorded in 1949/50) on Capitol Records (Capitol T 792).

Boplicity, Miles Davis (1949)

Miles Davis (trumpet), J.J. Johnson (trombone), Sandy Siegelstein (French horn), Bill Barber (tuba), Lee Konitz (alto saxophone), Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone), John Lewis (piano), Nelson Boyd (bass), Kenny Clarke (drums), Gil Evans (arranger). Recorded at WOR Studios, NYC, April 22, 1949.

Hobo Flats

Written and arranged by Oliver Nelson

Hobo Flats, Count Basie Orchestra (1970)

Our version of Oliver Nelson's Hobo Flats is a transcription of the chart as it was recorded on the brilliant 1970 Afrique by the Count Basie Orchestra. This chart was originally written for a Jimmy Smith album. It's a 12/8 blues feel, with room for piano, trumpet and alto saxophone solos.

Paul Cohen, George Cohn, Waymon Reed, Pete Minger (trumpet, flugelhorn); Steven Galloway, Bill Hughes, Mel Wanzo, John Watson, (trombone); Bill Adkins (alto sax), Bobby Plater (alto sax, flute), Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis (tenor sax), Eric Dixon (flute, tenor sax), Bob Ashton (alto, baritone & tenor sax, flute), Oliver Nelson (arranger, conductor, tenor sax), Cecil Payne (baritone sax, flute), Hubert Laws (flute); Freddie Green (guitar), John Williams, Norman Keenan (bass), Harold Jones (drums), Warren Smith, Jr. (drums, percussion, vibes), Richard Landrum (percussion), Sonny Morgan (bongos), Buddy Lucas (harmonica), Count Basie (organ, piano). Recorded : December 22nd and 23rd, 1970.

Here's the original Jimmy Smith 1963 version, from the album of the same name.

Hobo Flats, Jimmy Smith (1963)

Check out that lineup! Joe Newman, Ernie Royal, Clark Terry (trumpet); Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Quentin Jackson (trombone); George Dorsey, Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Al Cohn, Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Smith (organ); George Duvivier (bass); Bill Rodriguez (drums); Oliver Nelson (arranger, conductor). Recorded NYC, March 20, 1963.

Oliver Nelson recorded Hobo Flats again shortly after on his own 1964 Argo album Fantabulous. This one has a much different feel.

Hobo Flats (from Oliver Nelson's 1964 Fantabulous)

Oliver Nelson - tenor saxophone, arranger and conductor
Phil Woods - alto saxophone, clarinet
Kenny Soderblom - alto sax, flute
Bob Ashton - tenor sax, clarinet
Jerome Richardson - baritone saxophone, flute, alto flute
Art Hoyle, Snooky Young - trumpet
Ray Weigand - trombone
Tony Studd - bass trombone
Patti Bown - piano
Ben Tucker - bass
Grady Tate - drums

Strayhorn

Composed by Clare Fischer, arranged by Bill Dobbins

Strayhorn (publisher's sample), arranged by Bill Dobbins

Strayhorn, from Clare Fischer's Surging Ahead (1963)

Clare Fischer originally recorded Strayhorn in 1963 with his trio on Surging Ahead (Pacific Jazz PJ 67). Clare Fischer (p), Ralph Pena (b), Larry Bunker (d). The album is now out of print, but it's available in whole as part of the excellent Mosaic Select 19: The Pacific Jazz Piano Trios, a collection of recordings featuring trios led by Russ Freeman, Richard Twardzik, Jimmy Rowles, and Clare Fischer.

Bill Dobbins arranged it as a piano feature for big band, and he completely wrote out the solo piano part so that it can also be played by good classically-trained musicians with little jazz experience. Jazz pianists are, of course, invited to improvise the solo. The arrangement is published by Advance Music.