New Small Band Chart - Samba (Listen)

I just got a rough recording of another small band chart I wrote this summer.  You can listen to it below. I thought it came out very nicely and I think I'll make it into a big band chart eventually.  This instrumentation is 2 tpts, 2 bones, alto, tenor, bari, and rhythm section.  I'll add it to the upcoming "small band" page on the website as soon as I get some time.

I have a hard time writing original tunes, writing completely from scratch.  It helps me to have something to go on.  If you are in the same boat, try this next time.  Take the chord changes to a standard tune that you like and write an entirely new melody to it.  Then go back and see if you can alter the changes or add new ones, maybe extend a section or even add a section (i.e. change the form).  That's what I did with this chart.  See if you can tell which nice standard tune I started with.  Maybe it's obvious, maybe not. The changes are similar but I found that as I wrote the melody, new chords kind of worked their way in, and of course the melody is different. 

Check out the contrapunctal fugue-like section at the end!  Here it is....