Big band arrangement to little big band

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watasnake
Posts: 29
Joined: Nov 05, 2019

by watasnake »

I have about 20 “little big band” charts for piano, bass, drums, alto, tenor, bone, and trumpet. I would like to be able to use some full big band charts I have so I don’t have to buy anymore little big band charts. Is there an arranger that writes so just alto, tenor, trumpet, and bone (one each) and the writing makes sense? Or.... do I have to buy more little big band charts :(
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cmcslide
Posts: 130
Joined: Apr 01, 2018

by cmcslide »

Many old “stock” arrangements from the ‘30’s and ‘40’s will work that way, as they are written for flexible instrumentation. Some newer charts will work that way too, but you need to check for who is playing solos and for special effects. Easier charts will work better. Some writers, like Dave Wolpe, offer the same charts in both lineups, but they are separate purchases.
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watasnake
Posts: 29
Joined: Nov 05, 2019

by watasnake »

Ah yes. I have a few old Art Dietrich tunes in my library. Thank you.
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Kingfan
Posts: 1371
Joined: Apr 11, 2018

by Kingfan » (edited 2023-10-15 1:03 p.m.)

SORRY, THEY ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THEY WERE PICKED BY A LOCAL ENSEMBLE. I have 120 old stock arrangements collecting dust. Fifty by Johnny Warrington, a dozen each by Paul Weirick and Jack Mason, plus others. If you (or anybody else) is interested, please let me know. I have a complete list on Excel I can send on request.
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boneapart
Posts: 85
Joined: Aug 13, 2018

by boneapart »

Your terminology is not quite right. A "little big band" is usually more like an 8- to 10-horn band. What you want is charts for a four-horn combo. I have a suggestion that I sent by email.
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baileyman
Posts: 1169
Joined: Mar 24, 2018

by baileyman »

[quote="Kingfan"]I have 120 old stock arrangements collecting dust. Fifty by Johnny Warrington, a dozen each by Paul Weirick and Jack Mason, plus others. If you (or anybody else) is interested, please let me know. I have a complete list on Excel I can send on request.[/quote]

Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.
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BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

[quote="baileyman"]<QUOTE author="Kingfan" post_id="129412" time="1604287757" user_id="3053">
I have 120 old stock arrangements collecting dust. Fifty by Johnny Warrington, a dozen each by Paul Weirick and Jack Mason, plus others. If you (or anybody else) is interested, please let me know. I have a complete list on Excel I can send on request.[/quote]

Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.
</QUOTE>

You and me both. :hi: :cool:
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AndrewMeronek
Posts: 1487
Joined: Mar 30, 2018

by AndrewMeronek »

I write for jazz ensembles of all sorts of different sizes.

As stated above, old "stocks" are organized to be played with some various-sized ensembles. The tradeoff is that this involves flipping around voicings so that sometimes individual parts designed to accommodate this flexibility don't make a ton of sense on their own merits. I don't think that modern arrangers do this all that often, both because of this effect, and because with modern orchestrating tools, especially advanced notation software, it's relatively easy to just write out separate charts that get rid of these kinds of voicing quirks - plus, there's just not a lot of demand.

That said, a 4-horn chart is usually referred to as a jazz septet or octet, depending on whether there is an auxiliary rhythm section part for guitar or vibraphone, in addition to the "typical" piano/bass/drumset. Or - simply a "4-horn chart".
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dershem
Posts: 117
Joined: Aug 16, 2018

by dershem »

[quote="baileyman"]<QUOTE author="Kingfan" post_id="129412" time="1604287757" user_id="3053">
I have 120 old stock arrangements collecting dust. Fifty by Johnny Warrington, a dozen each by Paul Weirick and Jack Mason, plus others. If you (or anybody else) is interested, please let me know. I have a complete list on Excel I can send on request.[/quote]

Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.
</QUOTE>

His stuff might not swing in the same way later arrangers do, but it always *works*.
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BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

[quote="dershem"]<QUOTE author="baileyman" post_id="129444" time="1604323093" user_id="160">

Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.[/quote]

His stuff might not swing in the same way later arrangers do, but it always *works*.
</QUOTE>

Baileyman and I play (played?) in a band that plays senior centers for dancers. They aren't looking for exotic jazz; just a good tune to cut a rug. Warrington arrangements work great for this, and the book is full of them. As somebody who grew up in the wake of the Big Band era I thought I knew a lot of tunes, but the book has a bunch I'd never heard before :o
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baileyman
Posts: 1169
Joined: Mar 24, 2018

by baileyman »

Yeah, that was so BC.
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BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

[quote="baileyman"]Yeah, that was so BC.[/quote]

BC as in Before Coronavirus? When we get a vaccine do we go to AV? ;)
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andrescoli
Posts: 3
Joined: Oct 06, 2023

by andrescoli »

[quote="Kingfan"]I have 120 old stock arrangements collecting dust. Fifty by Johnny Warrington, a dozen each by Paul Weirick and Jack Mason, plus others. If you (or anybody else) is interested, please let me know. I have a complete list on Excel I can send on request.[/quote]

Hi KingFan, I will love to have those arrangement for my study, can you safer them?

Thanks.