Jazz Ensemble Ballads

One of the loveliest ballads ever recorded by the Kenton band. Recorded on the "Stan Kenton Plays Chicago" CD. This is one of two original pieces by Bob Curnow from this album. Features a 3-horn melodic

This lush chart on Alone Together is a beautiful ensemble jazz ballad with a haunting melody and lots of interesting counterpoint and harmonies. Written with comfortable ranges and played

Here's the magnificent Slide Hampton chart on this timeless Thelonious Monk composition as recorded by the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra. It has all the elements expected from a gorgeous ballad, plus a

As recorded by the Kenton band on the 7.5 on the Richter Scale album, this all-time great standard receives a fresh sound with the impeccable scoring talent of Marty Paich. This arrangement has it all:

This chart is a slow swinger in 3/4 with elements of sparsity and transcendence throughout, along with an abundance of solo space for flugelhorn that really intensifies the sentiment.

Originally arranged for George Roberts and the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Johnny Richards' treatment of the beautiful Jerome Kern ballad Yesterdays is a bass trombone feature throughout. In typical

A beautiful, concise, yet elegant ballad, Bob Curnow once again turns one of Pat Metheny's amazing compositions into an arrangement meant for a big band. Don't Forget (Renato's Theme) features a

As recorded by the Oliver Nelson Orchestra on their album Berlin Dialogue for Orchestra, A Relative Calm is a beautiful ballad that features trumpet throughout. There is very little improvisation,

An exquisite ballad dedicated to Neil Slater, Neil features piano with a lot of room to improvise combined with gorgeous, lush, legato ensemble passages. Quite playable by most bands, this chart

Wannsee is the second movement of the Impressions of Berlin suite. This lovely, beautiful, haunting melody features flute and flugelhorn, as they each have the opportunity to state

One of the last original pieces composed by the late Fred Sturm, this may be one of the most beautiful. Sensitively arranged by David Springfield as a quiet ballad concert piece with no improvisation,

Rich DeRosa has composed a fascinating, brooding, and pensive composition entitled Mixed Emotions. Set in a very contemporary feel with lush harmonies and reasonable brass ranges (the

As recorded by the Oliver Nelson Orchestra, Heidi is the third movement of the Impressions of Berlin suite. A gorgeous solo feature for alto saxophone throughout, this piece builds from a

This is a gorgeous ballad arranged by Willie Maiden for the great Maynard Ferguson Orchestra. There is wonderful ensemble writing that is playable by most bands, and it also features a short improvised solo

Much like the arrangements of Quincy Jones, Billy Byers provided the Basie band with some of their best music ever recorded. From their album Frankly Speaking: Count Basie Plays the Hits of Frank

Much like the arrangements of Quincy Jones, Billy Byers provided the Basie band with some of their best music ever recorded. From Basie's album Frankly Speaking: Count Basie Plays the Hits of Frank

Here is a beautiful, lush, straight-eighth ballad on the popular Cole Porter standard Easy to Love. This short and quite danceable chart exemplifies the Kenton band's warm and rich ensemble sound

Here is a deeply emotional, gorgeous ballad from the self-titled album Lyle Mays. It begins with a written piano solo and moves into a lush ensemble setting. There is a short, improvised Tenor solo

Pat Metheny is known for his beautiful melodies, and Back in Time is no exception. Featuring a flugelhorn or trumpet soloist throughout on a written-out solo with chords included for improvisation,

This arrangement of I Hope In Time a Change Will Come came about through a desire to hear and play more than one chorus of this stunningly beautiful blues tinged melody by Oliver Nelson. The basis