Original Big Band Charts

CADENCE - A delicate ballad in 5/4 inspired by Kenny Wheeler featuring flugelhorn & chromatic harmonica but can be a feature for any melodic instrument. Lots of reed doubles. Cadence - Excerpt

CHUNKY - Funky James-Brown based big band number featuring guitar and tenor sax but room for more solos. Chunky - Excerpt

COUNT UP - Challenging original piece based on John Coltrane's "Countdown" - solos for tenor sax & guitar. Count Up - Excerpt

DJEMBE - Grooving African flavor in 9/8 with lots of room for blowing. Djembe - Excerpt

THE FLEA - Boogaloo band rap number with trombone section feature. Lots of room for blowing. The Flea - Excerpt

FOURTH FLOOR - Uptempo swing Bb blues with a 4th-based melody. Multiple solos possible. Fourth Floor - Excerpt

THE GOSPEL (According to Agnes) - 3/4 big band gospel feature for alto saxophone also with a piano solo. The Gospel - Excerpt

JUST ABOVE (For Harry Carney) - Baritone sax feature original tune that combines ideas from both Duke Ellington and John Coltrane's "Naima". Requires doubles in the reed section. Just Above - Excerpt

KANGAROO - Latin Jazz/Rock with flute doubles in the reeds. Guitar feature with solos for soprano sax & piano. Kangaroo - Excerpt

NIGHTFALL - Tenor sax ballad in the Gil Evans tradition with enlarged ensemble adding 2 french horns, vibraphone, and tuba. Nightfall - Excerpt

NUMBER ONE - Swinging long-form F minor Blues. Multiple solos possible. Includes a saxophone soli section. Number One - Excerpt 

POINSETTIA - Kenny Wheeler inspired work with lots of energy and odd-time signatures. Feature for vibraphone and flugelhorn and doubling in the reed section. Poinsettia - Excerpt

THE RUB - Contemporary Latin Jazz/Rock full of challenging sections. Guitar solo but can also feature other soloists. The Rub - Excerpt

THE SLIPPERY SLOPE - Challenging modal uptempo swing with Mintzer influences. Solos for tenor sax, trombone, and drums. Slippery Slope - Excerpt

THEN SHE WALKED IN - Down-home bluesy swing. Tenor & Trombone feature. Then She Walked In - Excerpt

TWO HOURS TO NOWHERE - Challenging uptempo straight 8th tune with Indian classical elements. Feature for soprano sax and trumpet and ends with an exciting drum solo in 7/4. Two Hours to Nowhere - Excerpt

THE TURN- Modern jazz modal piece with a long, slow build. Guitar and tenor sax feature with drum solo out front and includes wordless vocals á la Kenny Wheeler. The Turn - Excerpt

UNDERTOW - 3/4 ballad flugelhorn feature. Lots of doublings. Piano solo (other instruments possible as well). Undertow - Excerpt   

UP THE CREEK - Swinging Thad Jones-style blues in Bb with lots of ensemble work. Solos for trumpet and guitar, but can be opened up for any instrument. Up the Creek video

WEEDEATER - Contemporary uptempo swing and chord changes. Can feature one or both tenor saxes. Weedeater - Excerpt

Jazz Standard Arrangements

FLYING HOME - Funkified version of the Goodman/Hampton classic based on transcriptions of the original. Feature for guitar and clarinet or soprano sax. Flying Home - Excerpt

I LET A SONG (Go Out of My Heart) - This Ellington swinger reharmonized with Coltrane changes on the bridge. Solos for trumpet & tenor sax.  I Let a Song - Excerpt

INVITATION - Hard grooving samba version of this Kaper and Webster classic. Originally scored for wordless voice and chromatic harmonica, melody also works well with flute.

ON THE TRAIL - An uptempo swinger with bebop elements of Ferde Grofé's signature composition. 

STEEPLECHASE - A slowed-down version of this timeless Charlie Parker rhythm changes number. Lots of room for blowing.

Vocal Big Band Arrangements

CHAIN REACTION - Original composition - Tower of Power style funk with flugelhorn feature (D-). Chain Reaction - Excerpt

EAST OF THE SUN - This great standard in a bossa nova format (G).

I SHOULD CARE - Lush orchestral textures support this beautiful ballad by Stordahl, Weston & Cahn (C). I Should Care - Excerpt

JUST IN TIME - A real swinger in the classic tradition. Lots of room for blowing and voice takes part in the shout section (C).

NO MOON AT ALL - Afro-Cuban meets swing in this fun tune (Bb minor). No Moon at All video

SWEET PUMPKIN - Classic Basie-style approach to this lesser known piece (Ab). 

THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU - Straight ahead swing in the Basie/Sinatra tradition (Ab). The Very Thought of You - Excerpt

WHATEVER LOLA WANTS - A Marty Paich inspired version of this classic from the musical "Damn Yankees" and goes from mambo to swing (D minor).

Arrangements of the Music by Contemporary Composers

A SLOW ONE - A Basie-style swinger by Hendrik Meurkens. A Slow one Video

HERB’S SAMBA - A song inspired by the horn-driven Brazilian sambas of the 1960s and ‘70s by Hendrik Meurkens dedicated to Herb Alpert.

LINGUA DE MOSQUITO - Hendrik Meurken’s choro arranged for big band! Lingua de Mosquito Video

RUTH - Flugelhorn feature of this piece by Jim Rotondi plus full trumpet section. Also features tenor sax solo. Fun to play! Ruth video

SAMBA TONTO - A “crazy” samba in 7/4 by Hendrik Meurkens.

A SUMMER IN SAN FRANCISCO - A lush bossa by and arranged for Hendrik Meurkens. Features chromatic harmonica and wordless vocals. Flute, guitar, or melodica can also work well in case no chromatic harmonica is present. Summer in San Francisco - Excerpt