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Anyone know of a good vibraphone feature for big band? I want to do one with my college band but can't find much on youtube outside of combo stuff. Thanks!

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DanaSud Sat, 02/25/2012 - 17:21

Hi Ben,

I would always just comb the library for a flute, guitar or trumpet feature to steal from them ;)

Never found any good vibe features in the libraries I had access to.

TerryGibbs.com has some of his Dream band arrangements for sale.

I'm sure more members will pipe in on this with great suggestions.

Dana

tonymiceli Sat, 02/25/2012 - 19:33

I had someone do a vibes feature of the Emerson Lake and Palmer tune Karn Evil 9. I'm sure the arranger is selling that.

you can email me (tonymiceli@gmail.com) for more info.

c.stallard22 Sun, 02/26/2012 - 00:49

I play vibes in a big band. Here's what we did with vibes features last year:

-Flying Home (definitely my favorite!)
We did an arrangement by Med Flory, which Terry Gibbs played with his band. It was published by Jazz Lines Publications and says "The Jeffrey Sultanof Master Edition" on the sheet music. Lots of fun!

-Mumuki, by Astor Piazzolla, arranged by Fred Sturm (from Sierra Music Presents The Fred Sturm Big Band Series)
This one was really different, but SUPER fun if you're into playing eerie minor stuff. There's a vibes part, but the director gave me the "Soloist in C" part instead. Man, that was a cool one to work on.

-Reverence by John Clayton
...unfortunately I can't find the music right now, and I don't remember if there was actually a vibes feature or if we just made it into one...

I attached recordings of Mumuki (one with a bandonean feature by Piazolla, and one by the Saint Rose jazz ensemble with me on vibes), Flying Home (one by the LA Jazz Ensemble with Terry Gibbs, and one by Saint Rose), and Reverence (by Saint Rose).

...it's funny listening to the Saint Rose recordings now (they're all from last year) and hearing to how different my playing was then compared to now. I'd like to think I learned a lot in the past year! :)

This semester we're about to start an arrangement of Oleo that has a vibes feature...don't have the music yet but I can let you know who it's arranged by when I get the part!

c.stallard22 Mon, 02/27/2012 - 10:00

I was talking to my jazz director yesterday, and I mentioned your question (he was impressed that a site like this exists, btw!).

Anyway, he gave me the contact info. for a friend of his who runs a big band publishing company, and they gave me a list of other vibes features. Most of them are from the Terry Gibbs Dream Band book. Hope you find something good! :)

http://www.ejazzlines.com/c1264/Vibraphone-c1281.html

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