Saturday, April 28, 2007

Jazzy flute choir pieces with percussion?

A band-teacher wrote:
I am looking for some jazz-styled arrangements for flute choir (including alto & bass) with a rhythm section. These charts are needed April 2008 for a Band Camp that will be all jazz. Your help would be invaluable. Best, B.

Dear B,
Here is the information that I collected today by google searching and checking with the various saved emails from the four or five flute discussion groups that I happen to belong to. (see below).

You'll need to judge what level of flute playing you're expecting from your students before deciding on a piece or pieces. You should also contact some flute choir directors and ask for their suggestions; specifying student flute grade level, the fact that you want percussion/bass and that the style of jazz includes Latin or other cross-over style.
Here are some sound samples (updated 2012) of some attractive (some jazz-related) flute choir repertoire some with piano or percussion, but most without:
http://www.joueursdeflute.it/cd_eng.html
Hope this helps. Also see titles of works below.
Best,
Jen Cluff
P.S. I hope that by posting this on my blog, more flute choir members will suggest jazzy choir pieces with optional percussion etc. Thanks; just use the comment button! :>)
======================
Jazz flute choir pieces that spring to mind:
============================

Flute Quartets:
From a quartet website:

In the past few years there have been several new jazz flute quartets published. These quartets include Divertimento Jazz by Raymond Guiot and Four for Jazz by Russell Stokes. Bill Holcombe is another composer who has published several jazz pieces for flute quartet which include
many stylistic markings to aid in interpretation. Among his pieces are An American in Vienna's Blue Danube, Seven Come Eleven, Blues Sophisticato, Christmas Jazz Suite, Swing, and Super Flutes Jazz Suite.

You can look up these pieces by title at: www.fluteworld.com
---------------------
Flute Choir with and w/o percussion/bass:
------------------------
Burnette's Jazzscapes for 2 picc, 4 flu, alto, bass opt. fl5:
See page sample:
http://members.aol.com/SBurnPCMP/FluteChoir/JazzDance.htm

To contact Burnette see:

http://members.aol.com/SBurnPCMP/FluteChoir/flute.html

For Burnette, also see:
http://www.fluteworld.com/index.php?action=prod&wart=45792
or: http://www.justflutes.com/pages/sheet-dets.php?sheet_id=6475
------------------------------
-
Bill Holcombe's Super Flutes Jazz Suite Vol 1. 4Fl/AFl/BFl Opt Bassoon or String Bass

See: http://www.billholcombe.com/CATALOG.HTM

See sample page Vol 1: http://windmusicplus.safeshopper.com/133/6356.htm?745
Sample page Vol. 2: http://windmusicplus.safeshopper.com/133/6357.htm?745
--------------------------
Jonathan Cohen, Flutes and Vegetables:

Flutes and Vegetables offers a full daily recommended allowance of energetic dances sure to hold the interest of you and your audience, and consists of four courses. The meal begins with Pepper Presto, a fiery Latin number of fast syncopation and drama. Next is The Enchanted Eggplant, a wonderfully demented waltz in harmonic minor, bringing to mind TV shows and movies that blend humor, magic, and the dark side. Sweet Potato Jig is a lively jig with Celtic elements,
including long rolls, drones, and the piccolo acting as a tin whistle.
For dessert is Dance of the Radishes, a happy reel that builds and accelerates to a dizzy ending that will leave everybody smiling. Performance time: approximately 6 minutes. Scored for piccolo, 4 C flutes, alto flute, bass flute, and optional contrabass. There is also a sub-contrabass flute part upon request.

See: http://www.fallshousepress.com/catalog/item/1695131/2951113.htm

-------------------------------------
Autumn Reunion - Gariglio, Raymond
Flute ensemble (solo flute, 4 C flutes, optional alto flute, and optional string bass), designed as a show piece, it alternates between characteristic Charleston rhythms and a light jazz feeling.
Intermediate level.
-------------------------------
MOST POPULAR JAZZ PIECE FOR INTERMEDIATE FLUTE CHOIR WITH PERCUSSION/BASS:

Pink Panther Suite 1 - Henry Mancini
Flute Choir with bass & drums,
Quote: A fun and exciting arrangement of: The Pink Panther Theme, It Had Better Be Tonight, Royal Blue. Scored for 4 C flutes, 2 alto flutes (C flute parts included), and bass flute with optional string bass and drums. The C flute parts are frequently divisi allowing for larger ensembles. (6:30)

See: http://www.justflutes.com/pages/sheet-dets.php?sheet_id=6345
--------------------------------------
To search www.justflutes.com for flute choir with percussion, search
for PERC at:
http://www.justflutes.com/pages/sheet-list45.htm
==============================
MORE FLUTE CHOIR JAZZ-BASED WORKS:

From Alry publishers:
http://www.alrypublications.com/catalog/Flute_Choir.pdf
===========================
Close Enough for Jazz FC-163
Elton Burgstahler $23.00
A delightful work for flute ensembles reflecting the jazz style, yet very accessible. Scored for 8-part flute choir, incorporating piccolo, 5 C flutes, alto, and bass. An optional C part is included for the alto flute, as well as an optional part for suspended cymbal. This piece is fun to play and a
great addition to a program. (3:20) LEVEL III (of IV)
------------------------
Dance Suite EMC-3
John Harmon $24.00
FOR FLUTE CHOIR—A jazz-infused Caprice, Lyric Dance, Pas de Chat, Nostalgic Dance, and Comedic Dance from American composer Harmon. For 4 C flutes, alto flute, and optional cello. From Expanded Musical Concepts. (1:15+1:00+:40+:40+2:10=5:45) [IV]
---------------------------------
Hill Country Sketches FC-254
Catherine McMichael $42.00
Three movements: Lago de los Lupinos (Lake of the Bluebonnets), El Vuelo de las Murcielagos (Flight of the Bats), Fiesta de las Flautas (Festival of the Flutes). Inspired by the unique attributes of the Texas Hill Country surrounding Austin, the proud city with great natural beauty and curiosities. Scored for piccolo, 3 C flutes, alto, and bass, with optional percussion. (9:00) [IV]
---------------------
If You Could See Me Now FC-143
Dameron & Sigman, arr. Rich Shanklin $16.00
A bebop-era piece with a beautiful melody, intricate rhythms, and a lush harmonic palette. Scored for 6-part flute choir with 2 alto flutes and bass flute (optional C parts included). (3:30) [IV]
------------------------
Over the Edge FC-136
Benjamin Boone $30.00
Commissioned by the Blumenthal Foundation and the Flute Industry Council in honor of the 25th anniversary of the NFA. Premiered at the NFA convention in Chicago, 1997, and available on the recording Over the Edge by The National Flute Choir. This is a major new work for flute choir, scored for piccolo, 4 C flutes, alto, bass, and percussion. Energetic, rhythmic, sassy, and seductive, this will be a challenge and a reward for any ensemble. (9:55) *R-9
---------------------------
Rhumba FC-160
Michael Coolen $8.00
An original work in this familiar style, designed to encourage eye contact and interaction between performers and audience members. Scored for 6-part flute choir, with piccolo, four C flutes, and alto and/or bass flutes. An audience pleaser! (2:40)
-----------------
Reflections FC-22
Ricky Lombardo $16.00
A composition written to show off the lustrous array of tone colors available in the flute family. Very melodic with the use of contemporary harmony. Scored for 8-part flute choir with optional alto and bass flutes.
(3:15) *R-5 [III]
-----------------
St. Louis Blues FC-834*
W. C. Handy, arr. Ziggy Hurwitz $20.00
A fun work for 4 or 5 C flutes and piano. Part 5 optional bass or alto included. (2:45) *R-28 [III]
------------------
Swing Along FC-228
Nancy W. Wood $13.00
Keep rocking and swinging and having a ball with this energetic piece!
Scored for piccolo, 3 C flutes, alto (with opt. C part), and bass. (3:00) [III+]
---------------------

=================
LINKS and titles of repertoire lists:
======================
Accessable flute choir rep. list by difficulty and style:
http://www.phyllislouke.com/

Flute-Ensemble (Yahoo group) has a data file of all repertoire with instrumentation and comments on each piece. Must join to view:

http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/flute-ensemble/database?method=reportRows&tbl=2


FallsHousePress Flute choir repertoire:
http://www.fallshousepress.com/page/page/1695131.htm

====================================

From flute discussion groups:
---------------------

Latin Jazz for flute choir w. percussion:
---------------------
Christopher Caliendo's Milonga (pub. by Caliendo)--I think this is for about 6 flutes (not sure that there are alto & bass parts)

Rhumba by Michael Coolen (pub. ALRY) (picc, 4 flutes, alto/bass)
--------------------------
For Latin Jazz:
If you have a flute choir, you MUST get La Milonga and Ven a Mis Brazos both by Christopher
Caliendo at www.christophercaliendo.com or Fluteworld! La Milonga won the first prize
for newly published music with the NFA in 1999. It was also recently performed at the NFA convention in Pittsburgh by the Florida Flute Orchestra and twice during the Florida Flute Association Convention this past January by the University of Huston flute choir and the FFA High School Honors Choir.

Ven a Mis Brazos is newly arranged for flute choir, originally arranged as a flute solo. It's premier performance was at the Florida Flute Association Convention by the Florida Flute Orchestra this past January as well and was very well received. Very stimulating, energetic, electricfying!

These two pieces are also arranged not only as flute solos with either guitar or piano but as other ensemble groupings as well.

Both pieces are FUN and EXCITING not only to perform but to practice as well.
I guess you can tell I am a real fan of Caliendo music but it's because of these very reasons. His music has flavors of Afro Cuban, Brazilian, Spanish, Italian and Columbian and is a breath of fresh air in our flute industry and my students "fight" over his solos to perform for recitals!


One more to add: Four flutes and bass only; Latin Music

The Celso Woltzenlogel Collection volume 3 contains eight arrangements by Murilo Barquette. Sambas, choros, brazilian polkas and bossa-nova.All songs are arranged for flute quartet. The publisher is Irmãos Vitale.
There is an audio demo to LISTEN to.

You can buy the Latin Quartets online here.

It would be straight forward to add percussion to the Latin Quartets.

====================end Jen's lists

Jennifer Cluff
www.jennifercluff.com
Comments (2)
Blogger Unknown said...

There are bunch of charts for jazz flute choir with rhythm section on a new YouTube channel called Flute Adventures, with recordings and links how to buy. These are arranged and my jazz flutist and arranger David Heywood, and feature both large and small flute groups in a variety of styles.

Friday, May 21, 2021 7:26:00 AM

 
Blogger jen said...

Thanks so much for your comment and the link to Flute Adventures; will check it out.
Useful info. Thanks again!

Friday, May 21, 2021 11:20:00 AM

 

Post a Comment