Anatomy of a Jazz Combo Chart | My Romance w/ Musical Examples

[@jaijeffcom]

Really good. Nice, clear plan. My challenge to self. Pick 10 tunes out of Dick Hyman’s fake book and bang out charts in this template.

[@jazzarrangingclass8974]

That's a good challenge! How is it going?

[@jaijeffcom]

@@jazzarrangingclass8974 I have Satin Doll mapped out in outline the way you demonstrated in another video. I wrote down the map of your chart for My Romance to start me out: Intro 8; A1. Tpt lead/accom 8. Saxes unis 4. Tpt lead/ accom 4. A2 Ten/tbn unis 4. etc. I find my eyes cross when I contemplate what I want to do. I'm well-educated in music theory, but a tyro arranger. When it's time for me to generate stuff myself, I realize I don't have it internalized. So I think if I just get a map out describing the sections, it will overcome my fear. Then just lay out the whole dang thing and then I can absorb myself in the details. I'm in the laying out part now. Just filling in the tune throughout so I have a skeleton. I figure by the third one of these, I won't act like a baby as much as I do now!

[@jazzarrangingclass8974]

@@jaijeffcom Awesome! The most important step is to just start and keep "practicing" your arranging skills. I recently found a hand written score of a big band chart I did when I attended Eastman summer arranging class with Bill Dobbins 40 years ago. I couldn't believe how lame it was! If I get time, I'll put it into Finale and make a video on all the things that could have been better.

[@jaijeffcom]

@@jazzarrangingclass8974 Okay, I finally finished my first one of these, my arrangement of Satin Doll. It took forever because part of the challenge is overcoming my own fear about it. But, hey, I actually like what I came up with! Thank you again for this video and for your whole channel. If you see this, I have one question. I wrote the first statement of the head and then a tutti statement with an outro. In between, I intend for the form to be open for solos. Which way is typical in a chart like this? 1. Include chord symbols in notated parts of the Rehearsal A statement, and at performance time say it repeats for whomever solos. 2. Between the two statements of the head (Rehearsal A and Rehearsal C), include an additional Rehearsal B with just slashes and chord symbols. Do players want to see chords over their arranged parts (for a shorter, but maybe visually distracting part), or prefer a dedicated layout of just the chords for open solos?

[@jazzarrangingclass8974]

I'm not sure exactly what you mean in your description of how the chart lays out, but to answer the open solos question - yes, you can provide players with just chord changes and have the entire form repeat for open solos. I oftentimes write out a written solo, and give the other players just changes. I do that in case it is being played by younger players or inexperienced improvisers. In that case, the one player can use the written solo and then the chart just moves on. Another option is to intermix shorter solos within the form. So you could have say trumpet play the AA, and the tenor sax picks it up at the bridge to the end of the form. 16 bar solo for each in a 32 bar song form. Good to hear you are taking action! The hardest part is just starting a chart and sticking with it til its done.@@jaijeffcom

[@dieg0o0s]

Thanks for this great video! 😊👍👍👍

[@EberFilipeSunlight91]

👏👏👏

[@jaijeffcom]

I'm looking for recordings to serve as models for this format. Any suggestions?

[@jazzarrangingclass8974]

do you need a recording for this chart specifically?

[@jaijeffcom]

@@jazzarrangingclass8974 Hi! Your chart is cool and if you have a live setting that would be swell to hear. I meant a play list of examples of this instrumentation. I found some, more or less. Wayne Shorter, The All Seeing Eye. Herbie Hancock, Speak Like a Child. Thelonius Monk, Monk's Music. That Monk isn't really it. That one is more about head charts and blowing changes. There isn't much in the way of horn arranging. If you have examples more in the style of what you wrote, I would enjoy learning from them.

[@jazzarrangingclass8974]

@@jaijeffcom You can hear many combo charts at this link tinylink.net/dUR8m

[@jaijeffcom]

@@jazzarrangingclass8974 Nice. Are those yours? It's nice to attach a name after enjoying your channel for a while now.

[@jazzarrangingclass8974]

@@jaijeffcom Yep, I add to that page regularly. Thanks for following the channel!