Publisher: Hal Leonard
The journey one travels when first learning to arrange in the jazz style

"Basics in Jazz Arranging" is a guide through the essential elements of successful writing, chapter by chapter, as follows:

1. Chapter One leads the reader through the process - how and where to start.

2. Having chosen a tune to arrange, its melody must be treated sensitively for the rest of the journey to be worthwhile. After choosing a performing ensemble, we select the best key and style (whatever area of jazz and/or pop) and create an outline the project so that our time is well spent.

3. Harmony then enters the picture, serving carefully to enhance the product, and individualize our work. Decisions on how much of the original harmony to use or amend is a sensitive issue, since over-writing will compromise our work.

4. Composition is always present, whether in one’s original music or in the process of arranging. When we compose, we then arrange; when we arrange other composers’ music, we use the compositional process to enhance the product without altering unnecessarily the composer's original music.

5. Whatever the size and makeup of the performing ensemble, we search for the best idiomatic treatment of the music we arrange and/or orchestrate, including our own compositions!

6. We then focus on giving the rhythm section (small or large) the information they need for the best possible performance.

7. And finally, we make sure that the written product is accurate, with as professional an appearance as possible.

Basics in Jazz Arranging comes with a CD containing recordings of the music used in each chapter.