(8-10 Brass) One of my best; actually two charts in one. May be performed as one composition with two sections or either "view" can be performed as an individual piece. A celebration of the Ellington tradition. View 1 is a lush, romantic ballad a la Warm Valley. View 2 is a good old back beat shuffle a la Things Ain't What They Used To Be. View 1 features bari solo in the style of Harry Carney. Difficult, but playable sax soli makes use of double time feel. Extended piano solo opens the piece, which has a beautiful melody. View 2 has tricky head with triplet rhythms that will drive you crazy. Solos for trumpet and trombone can be opened. Some Ellington plunger mute effects. Ends with a Cat Anderson style lead trumpet chorus. Worth the effort.

View all charts by Neal Finn

NEAL FINN has completed his second year as a jazz teaching assistant at the University of Northern Colorado, where he is completing work on a Doctor of Arts in Theory and Composition with a secondary emphasis in Jazz Pedagogy. He holds a bachelor's degree in jazz studies and a master's degree in theory and composition from California State University, Los Angeles. Neal has been active as a jazz educator since 1980, teaching instrumental music and jazz classes at Rancho Santiago College, Fresno City College and Cabrillo College in California. As a composer, Neal has more than 40 jazz compositions in print through Walrus Music Publishers, Sierra Music Publications, Union Dues Music Publications and beginning in 1992 with UNC Jazz Press. He is currently Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Arizona.