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Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:06 pm
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 :(

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:23 pm
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.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 2:40 pm
by watasnake
Ah yes. I have a few old Art Dietrich tunes in my library. Thank you.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band LONG GONE

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:29 pm
by Kingfan
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.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2020 11:06 pm
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.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:18 am
by baileyman
Kingfan wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:29 pm 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.
Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:43 am
by BGuttman
baileyman wrote: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:18 am
Kingfan wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:29 pm 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.
Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.
You and me both. :hi: :cool:

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:08 am
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".

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 8:42 am
by dershem
baileyman wrote: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:18 am
Kingfan wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:29 pm 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.
Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.
His stuff might not swing in the same way later arrangers do, but it always *works*.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 8:51 am
by BGuttman
dershem wrote: Sun Nov 08, 2020 8:42 am
baileyman wrote: Mon Nov 02, 2020 6:18 am

Warrington, an always tasteful sensible dance band writer. Sure hope to be able to play his stuff again, with dancers, too.
His stuff might not swing in the same way later arrangers do, but it always *works*.
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

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:05 am
by baileyman
Yeah, that was so BC.

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:36 am
by BGuttman
baileyman wrote: Sun Nov 08, 2020 11:05 am Yeah, that was so BC.
BC as in Before Coronavirus? When we get a vaccine do we go to AV? ;)

Re: Big band arrangement to little big band

Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2023 3:03 pm
by andrescoli
Kingfan wrote: Sun Nov 01, 2020 8:29 pm 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.
Hi KingFan, I will love to have those arrangement for my study, can you safer them?

Thanks.