Big Band Original-Arrangements

As recorded on the brilliant recording 'A Dream Deferred' (Flying Dutchman CYL2-1449), by the Oliver Nelson Orchestra. It opens with the 'countdown to launch' and proceeds to a bright swinging tempo i...

Also known as Patterns For Orchestra (as recorded on the Verve jazz masters 48 CD), this is one of Nelson's very interesting charts. It has a very angular, exciting melody in a brisk swing tempo, and...

Nelson wrote an album for Johnny Hodges (Black, Brown and Beautiful, RCA) featuring the compositions of Duke Ellington and also some of his original things. This Ellington tune starts out with a rhyth...

Bill Holman titled this one after the signs which used to be in the old-time dance halls around the country. Written in the '50's for Maynard's Birdland Dream Band, this chart is a laid back, swinging...

This wonderful, quiet, Li'l Darlin'-ish chart was recorded by Maynard as Easy Chair. It has a great melodic and harmonic sense that puts it in a class all its own. This version has been edited to excl...

Undoubtedly one of the best big band charts EVER written! This was recorded by Maynard's incredible band on the Message from Newport LP. It is the blues, both minor and major changes, lots of solo spa...

Also part of the Message from Newport album, this chart features tenor, trombone, and great contrapuntal writing with great changes and a terrific straight-ahead, swinging feeling. Nothing but the bes...

This is a great, HOT chart from Maynard's Dream Band book. Beautifully written, with tenor and trumpet solos. This is the one everyone has been asking for! Included in the new Smithsonian recording of...

Oliver Nelson wrote this one for the Maynard Ferguson Band Library. Recorded on the Come Blow Your Horn LP. Features a great tune and trumpet throughout. Printed as originally scored (4-4-2-3), but in...

Sierra continues to find the lost treasures from Maynard Ferguson's Birdland Dream Band Library. A Country Boy starts out with a lazy trombone solo on the written melody and swings along from there. R...

Another great chart from Maynard Ferguson's Birdland Dream Band Library. If you want to feature 2 trumpets, it doesn't get any better than this! Printed as originally scored (4-4-2-3), but including e...

Another great chart from Maynard Ferguson's Birdland Dream Band Library. It features baritone sax (written for Frank Hittner) and trumpet solos. A nice, easy swing with a great harmonic scheme. Record...

The Maynard Ferguson Band performed a lot of Abene's charts over the years. This chart is an excellent example of Abene's very musical approach to a great jazz standard. Very reasonable ranges through...

Can you imagine a chart which is this easy to play being played and recorded by Maynard Ferguson? Well, that just demonstrates how catchy and wonderful this chart is. It doesn't need higher-louder-fas...

As recorded on the BMG CD 'The Big Shorty Rogers Express', this is a terrific romp through a fast Swing, featuring solos by Alto Sax, Tenor Sax, Bari. Sax, Trumpet, Trombone and Piano. Shorty uses mod...

As recorded on Portrait of Shorty, (including the best of West Coast jazz musicians such as Herb Geller, Bill Holman, Jack Montrose, Frank Rosolino, Conrad Gozzo, Conte Candoli and others) this isa me...

As recorded on Portrait of Shorty, (including the best of West Coast jazz musicians such as Herb Geller, Bill Holman, Jack Montrose, Frank Rosolino, Conrad Gozzo, Conte Candoli and others) this is a g...

As recorded on 'Portrait of Shorty', (including the best of West Coast jazz musicians such as Herb Geller, Bill Holman, Jack Montrose, Frank Rosolino, Conrad Gozzo, Conte Candoli and others) this is a...

The Stan Kenton Orchestra was always an ideal showcase for the outstanding soloists within its ranks. This piece was written to feature Frank Rosolino on trombone. Absolutely the best! A trombone feat...

This is another of the many wonderful charts arranged by Holman for the Stan Kenton Orchestra. He is the master at creating exciting, up-tempo flag-wavers. Solos for alto, trumpet and tenor. Recorded...

This is one of the amazing stories of finding what was thought to be a long-lost chart. After extensive research, it turned up as an untitled set of parts in the North Texas Kenton archives. We are pr...

Exactly as recorded on the Kenton / Capitol Retrospective CD (and the original Milestones LP). This was Stan's first long version of the theme Artistry in Rhythm and is a great piece to program. Featu...

Hank contributed so much to the Kenton book in the '70's, and this chart is one of the best of the bunch. A lovely, melodic, easy-flowing piece in 5/4 which is a great vehicle for getting into odd-met...

This is another of the many wonderful charts arranged by Niehaus for the Stan Kenton Orchestra. A splendid rendition of a great standard, and it swings like crazy! It contains all of the elements so a...

Rarely does a piece turn up like this one. Although written for Stan Kenton (the mid-1950s), the chart never was recorded by the band (Holman doesn't know why), and it was lost for years. It is a sens...