Looking for Big Band Charts

[Ed Svoboda]

I'm looking for some Big Band Charts for the summer group I play with. This year we're thinking of doing a Fusion themed show. I know we have a nice chart of Birdland but beyond that I'm not sure what we have on hand.

Any great resources I should check out?

[Gandalfe]

Two places I like; http://www.sheetmusicplus.com and http://www.marinamusic.com.

[SteveSklar]

jWpeppers

i bought Birdland and PinkPanther from them back in 1982 when you could peruse the isles looking at charts. I stil have the directors copy ...the rest of it seems to have gone missing .....

[Gandalfe]

jwpeppers

i bought Birdland and PinkPanther from them back in 1982 when you could peruse the isles looking at charts. I stil have the directors copy ...the rest of it seems to have gone missing .....Oh, I did forget them and they are really good. http://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/welcome.jsp

[Merlin]

I'd offer you some lifts, but they're not really in the bag you're after.

[SOTSDO]

A lot depends on what you're willing to pay. "Commercial" charts, ones that come from a music store, usually retail in the $45.00 to $60.00 range, and are relatively thin on the ground (as you have already found). A couple of the arrangers that I use (Walt Stuart and Dick Spencer) charge a bit less (and, in the case of Spencer, can customize a chart by key (to suit a vocalist) or instrumentation (to shift a solo from trombone to baritone, for example)). However, there is a bit more of a lag between order and procurement when dealing with them. If this is coming up soon, they may take too long. (Both are listed in the AFM newsletter each month.)

Spencer charts take about six weeks from order to receipt. Walt's not doing too much new these days, so charts from his "book" only take about a week from order to receipt.

If you are going the dirt cheap route, you could try Yestertunes (http://www.yestertunes.com). Not all first class stuff, but a lot of "lab band" stuff that trends towards the jazzier side of the spectrum. He also has a lot of obscure big band stuff from the 1920's and 1930's.

Am I correct in understanding that this is a "community" type job? Or, is it a "seat tax" operation?

[Ed Svoboda]

Terry,

Thanks for the tips. This is a local community type group. A good bunch of players and folks. A lot of us play together in other groups as well.

[HaRon]

Checking some usb sticks later today, at least the Chicken and Sesamestreet (Ferguson) should be on one of them.

[Gandalfe]

Oh, I forgot to mention having picked up about ten Basie Charts, I have yet to find one that isn't a killer chart. Queen Bee, Hayburner, 88 Basie Street, ... Well you get the idea. They are readily available at most sheet music sites.

I usually go to Marina Music (http://www.marinamusic.com/) first as they have sound clips and they are located right down the coast from my location.

[Dave Dolson]

I was going to mention "yestertunes" - I know the guy who owns it, Jim Jones. Good banjo player and active in old-tyme jazz in SoCal. I've seen the collection with my own eyes - amazing, and lots of material.

But, it is old music (my kind of music, alright). If your players and listeners occasionally enjoy something like that, it would be a kick to hear a normally modern-sounding band break out something from 1928!! DAVE

[Ed Svoboda]

Dave,

My wife and I checked out the West End Jazz Band a couple of years ago when they played the next town over for a festival. You would love them. Mostly arrangements from the 20's. Great stuff.

[Gandalfe]

Dave,

My wife and I checked out the West End Jazz Band a couple of years ago when they played the next town over for a festival. You would love them. Mostly arrangements from the 20's. Great stuff.You can't hardly find that stuff anymore which is a shame.

[Ed Svoboda]

The leader transposes most of the arrangements or so I have been told.

I've found a lot of interesting old sheet music at various old bookstores over the years. I suppose that could form the basis of an arrangement. You just need really good ears to fill in the other parts.

I just bought "The Birth Of The Cool" original scores off of amazon. My first glance says it's well done.

[saxmanglen]

How large or what is the instumentation of your big band?

[Ed Svoboda]

The summer group I play in typically is very sax heavy.

Four tenors
Four altos (two on first and two on second)
One or Two Bari players (typically just one)
We have players who can double on clarinet and generally one guy will bring a soprano.

Four to six trumpets
two to four bones
drummer
bass
guitar
vocals
piano/keyboards

[saxmanglen]

Wow! That is BIG....Not the traditional 5+5+5 and a rhythm section.

[HaRon]

Wow! That is BIG....Not the traditional 5+5+5 and a rhythm section.

Oops, our band has

7 to 9 trumpets
6 Tbones
2 tenors and 2 altos (lead doubling on sop)
1 bari
1 bass
1 drummer
1 percussion
1 piano
1 singer
and also our leader takes his solo's on trumpet and flugelhorn

Several years ago we also had 2 to 3 french horns.

With gigs we often are with less people, because of the dayjobs we now normally can get a full band together.
Depending on what's needed I play 2nd, 3rd or bass trombone. Hoping to switch one row to the front after summerbrake.

[Gandalfe]

We had 14 saxes, six bones, eight trumpets and four rhythm for about two years. So I finally got the band to split into two, one funk and one old school. Adding the people on the waiting list we are now:

- 6 saxes
- 4 bones
- 6 trumpets
- 4 rhythm

in each band.

[tictactux]

We had 14 saxes, six bones, eight trumpets and four rhythm for about two years.

Hey! And where are the clarinets, huh?

Here it's
Nine small woods (one flute/piccolo, eight clarinets)
Seven saxes (three tenors, four altos)
Seven small brass (trumpets, cornets, flugel)
Six big brass (two basses, two baritones, two 'bones)
Three percussion

Plus occasionally an add'l 'bone, bassoon, oboe, cor, french horn.

[Ed Svoboda]

I've been trying to talk a bassoon player who normally plays alto with us into playing some jazz on the bassoon. You should hear Tim Price on bassoon. That will open up your ears!

I'm also working on a french horn player from the classical group I play with on doing something with the jazz group. I love those early Mulligan arrangements and the Thornhill stuff.

If I do a group I want to try and include some interesting and out of the ordinary instrumentation. I'd also like to see the sax players play multiple members of the sax family instead of just saying "I'm the alto guy" or "I'm the tenor guy".

[SOTSDO]

One of the problems with purchasing used charts is that often one or more parts are missing from the arrangement. Typically, I have found the vocal part missing (the most common situation), with the second most common being a missing guitar or drum part.

Rolling out a huge group like those described doesn't bode too well for paying anything like a worthwhile wage. I hope all of your work is with defense contractors and oil companies; they're the only ones with that kind of money.

[Ed Svoboda]

I just wanted to give a quick thank you to the various people who have been kind enough to hook me up with some charts. Many thanks.