Tony’s Bounce (Brad Schoener)

TITLE: Tony’s Bounce
COMPOSER: Brad Schoener
PUBLISHER: Schoener Custom Music
LENGTH: 2:33
GRADE LEVEL: Easy
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This is a swing piece suggestive of the 1940s big band style.
The tempo is bright at a quarter note =160 throughout, and the arrangement is in the key of F major.

The ending riff is reminiscent of “Woodchopper’s Ball.”

There are written out parts for “comping” piano, walking bass, and drum kit. The relative difficulty of the walking bass part would raise this piece easily to an easy-medium level. The bass part is doubled in the written out piano part.

The arrangement opens with short chord-hits by the ensemble while the high hat swings actively in four. A three bar drum solo leads us to letter A.

Letter A introduces a two eighth note figure stated by the brass, oboe, and clarinets, answered by a figure stated by the saxes and flutes.

Letter B has a written out solos for tenor sax or flute.

Letter C, is a repeat of letter A.

Optional 16-measure solos begin at letter D, followed by eight measures of solos with a sparse band background. These solos may be played with any combination of instruments.

Letter G is a repeat of letter A.

Syncopations characteristic of the big-band era are used throughout the piece. The syncopated rhythms elevate the arrangement from easy to medium.

Instrument ranges are comfortable for all players, but the use of tied notes, eighth note triplets, and chromatics will challenge your players.

A typical big band riff occurs at letter H using ties that are written across the bar line. The first statement at letter H, the band is instructed to play the riff at a pp level. On the repeat at an ff level.

This dramatic contrast in dynamics will no doubt please the audience.

The ending contains two short solo passages cued for two or more instruments, and the ending closes with a loud tutti chord, although no dynamic marking is given.

I recommend this as a “fun” piece that will introduce the big band swing feel to your students.

Vince CorozineMusic, Author of “Arranging Music for the Real World” by Mel Bay Publications
Web: www.vincecorozine.com
e-Mail: vince@vincecorozine.com
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