Big Band Arrangements

[Linky Lee]

Do any of you know anywhere to get hold of some quality big band arrangements at quite a high technical standard? The University Big Band is looking for some new more challenging music.

 

[spike]

I'd recommend Bob Mintzer - go to his website and look around, he's done charts for big bands and young big bands and combos and whatever, apart from playing sax that's what he does and how. P.S. You'll find a lot of his stuff at advancemusic dot com and mega-more big band arrangements besides, I'm sure you'll find something "anspruchsvoll genug" there.
gruss - spike

 

[Pete Thomas]

Let me know if you want some easier stuff, Stick it to em off Mr Lucky is available and "The Organisation". Also Mango Banana.

 

[Linky Lee]

Hi Pete and Spike, thanks for the responses.

I bought the complete notation package thing you did for your album and suitably lost it when my hard drive was wiped, I'm not sure if they'd work as I seem to remember them being reasonably small bands, we have a 5,4,4,4 set-up.

Spike, I really like Bob Mintzer, I'd forgotten about him, I have one of his books with some etudes in which are really nice to play to the backing track or improvise over. I'll check the website out, und vieleicht etwas unterladen 😱

I did find this site www.lushlifemusic.com which has quite a nice array of tunes and has audio and score samples. I'm thinking of a few on there, namely 'Glen Island Special', 'In a mellow tone' and 'Whirly Bird' so I get a nice long solo 😛

 

[Pete Thomas]

No, I'm talking about big band arrangements, not the PDFs you bought.

NB I'll resend the small band PDFs if you've lost them anyway

 

[Linky Lee]

Pete,
that would be great, thanks!

I'm sure it couldn't hurt to have them in the library so to speak.

Once again, cheers.

 

[suethesax]

You could try Andy Scott - astute music

 

[Linky Lee]

Thanks Sue, will check him out.

 

[rhysonsax]

As sources of good arrangements I would really recommend Lush Life (excellent prices, paper and clarity) with the ability to hear recordings of many of their charts (or the original versions that they have been transcribed from).

Another good source is Ian Steele from American Stage Band Music who gives decent discounts and has a very good stock. http://www.jazzuk.demon.co.uk/

If the big band is looking for some challenging charts I would recommend several by the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis orchestra. I think that lots of them are available published by Kendor Music and there is some great, modern writing there.

The Ellington charts transcribed by David Berger in the Lincoln Center series are excellent to play if you are looking to learn about the best ever big band. http://www.ejazzlines.com/JAZZ-AT-LINCOLN-CENTER-LIBRARY-BIG-BAND-ARRANGEMENTS-c790.html

Good luck

Rhys

 

[Linky Lee]

Thanks for the responses everyone, I'm looking around for some now, thanks.

I like lush life, and will probably get 1 or 2 from there.