Maynard Ferguson

Pretty Little Nieda

As recorded by the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra (and included in the Mosaic CDs The Complete Roulette Recordings of the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra), this is one of those charts that escaped notice for many, many years. Don Sebesky, one of the world's premier arrangers, took a magnificant Rolf Ericson tune and created an arrangement unlike anything you've heard before. The melody is stated by alto saxophone and trumpet, weaving in and out of various textures created by muted brass. The waltz feel begins to accelerate and rise at a climactic point where the melody is once again taken over by a solo trumpet and alto saxophone. Surprisingly, brass ranges are moderate. If you wish to program a piece which will have a very unique flavor and great audience appeal, this would be the chart! 5-4-4-3 (opt. original instrumentation available as 4-4-2-3).