Description
Publisher: Darmon Meader
Year of publication: 2024
Voicing: Big Band (5/4/4)
Duration: 4:30
Level: 3
In 2016, the Maine Music Educators Association asked me to compose a piece for the Maine All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble. As a Maine native, I felt inclined to write something that reflected my love and nostalgia for my home state. The lyrics paint a very New England-esque picture, without ever mentioning the name of the state or any specific location. This is an instrumental big band arrangement of the song, in the tradition of classics such as “Li’l Darlin’” and “Girl Talk.”
This laid back swing ballad is ALL about ensemble sound, feel and interpretation. Though this song is not particularly challenging in terms of rhythms and chord complexity, this will be a good workout for your ensemble when it comes to mature phrasing and expressiveness. The rhythm section should lay down a relaxed swing groove, that keeps a very steady feel, allowing the horns to lay back against the trio. I’ve given you two versions of the piano and bass parts – one fully notated for novice players, and one with a mixture of notation and chords for more advanced players.
Lead trumpet tops out at Concert Bb above the staff, and the highest notes in the lead trombone part are Ab above middle C. In case you do not have a lead bone player with this type of range, I’ve included the high lead bone section (bars 13 – 20) in the 4th trumpet part for optional doubling.
The preview link below sends you to a demo “Score Play” on YouTube. The current demo is mostly midi (with real Alto & Tenor Saxes), but it’ll give you the general vibe of the song.
You should be able to download the complete set of PDFs after purchase. If you have any problems receiving the files, let me know.
Preview Audio & Score: CLICK HERE
