Band Essentials 2 | Big

Volume 1 charts often set up call-and-response (Trumpets answer Saxes). Volume 2 relies on "unison solis" where all five saxes play one complex line, then the brass play another. This requires listening across the stage, not just down the row.

You cannot have Volume 2 without a "flag-waver." This is the closer. It is fast, dissonant, and unapologetically modern (for 1946, and still today). big band essentials 2

Written by Billy Strayhorn, this tune became the signature of the Ellington Orchestra. It perfectly encapsulates the "sophisticated lady" vibe of the New York jazz scene. The way the brass imitates the sound of a train pulling out of the station is a masterclass in programmatic music. 3. "Four Brothers" - Woody Herman Volume 1 charts often set up call-and-response (Trumpets