Vocal jazZZ

Jazz Choir(:

When you're planning a three or four-tune festival set, openers and closers come in mighty handy!  These are charts with impact, often written for the specific purpose of wowing the audience at the start or finish of a show.

Openers and Closers

Whether or not their arranged in a "standard" way, all of these tunes are considered standards of jazz repertory.

Standards

humanstuffs

vocal jazz chart

Leonard Cohen's moving song was transformed by the incomparable duo of Kate McGarry and Keith Ganz, and this adaptation brings the McGarry/Ganz to vocal jazz ensembles. A beautiful lyric message..."There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in"...will give your choir a great opportunity for storytelling, with some understated moments of vocal writing matched with soaring phrases to give listeners chills. Space for vocal or piano improv in the middle is followed by an a cappella breakdown feature, some gorgeous floating vocal figures, then a rousing final chorus that leads into an exciting finish for the whole group. Brief solo spots for an alto or soprano with some low notes available. "Ring the bells that still can ring!"

Fully-notated piano and bass parts, drums

Commissioned by C-Sus Voices from Sacramento State, Gaw Vang-Williams, dir. (2021)

Important: This arrangement sold at SheetMusicDirect.com at a much lower price than the standard flat-fee range ($60 to $75) does NOT come with a demo recording or any rehearsal audio aids.

Visit KerryMarsh.com and purchase the "SkyTracks Mixer MINUS Chart" package and receive access to:
1. Arrangement Demo
2. SkyTracks Mixer access
3. Vocal Part Tracks
4. Minus-One Tracks
5. Rhythm Track
6. Recording Stems (for those who wish to use their own Digital Audio Workstation)

Anthem (SSATB - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

SSSAAA voicing also available

A rich acappella arrangement of the Etta James classic, with a slowly swinging 12/8 feel like the James' famous recording, but with a bit of reharmonization for contemporary color. Features a soulful sop/alto solo in several spots throughout. 

acappella with optional vocal percussion

Commissioned by The Merimanders from Bates College (2013)
Mixed voicing arranged in 2022

At Last (SSATBaB - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

An a cappella arrangement of the Etta James classic, written for women's choir.  12/8 ballad, like the original recordings, but with a bit of reharmonization for contemporary color.  

At Last (SSSAAA - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

The old standard is updated in a fun Take-6-style swinging a cappella arrangement.  

Give Me The Simple Life - SSATBaB Level 5

Matthew Chalmers's arrangement of the Sara Bareilles song of empowerment for women and girls, with a great driving groove and lots of syncopation. Vocals are mostly written in two parts, with occasional splits to three and four parts. Pop inflections are carefully notated throughout to match the demo recording. Chalmers reharmonizes the second verse for some vocal jazz flavor before returning to the strong pulse. Could serve in any programming role.

Armor (SA w/ divisi Lv 3) KerryMarsh.com Demo

For advanced women's groups! This setting of Julia Dollison's "derangement" of the classic standard pulls no punches, and is meant for top-level high school and college treble vocal jazz ensembles. With challenging harmony for the singers and complex modern conceptual playing for the rhythm section, this chart will push your group to a new level and serve as a deeply artistic take on a familiar song. 

All the Things You Are (SSAA - L4.5) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

This is an arrangement demo of Simon Åkesson's arrangement the J.S. Bach composition "Air on a G String", as performed by the international a cappella group Accent. 

This arrangement is like a vocal jazz "vignette"...a brief but very effective swinging, heavily reharmonized take on a ubiquitous melody by J.S. Bach. 

Lowest regularly occurring bass notes is D, and the lower notes written (as low as B in a couple spots) are singable up an octave to good effect if necessary. 

Air on a G String (SSATBaB - L5) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

Wild harmonies in this Jamie Cullum-inspired retake of the "My Fair Lady" classic
a capella

I Could Have Danced All Night (SSATBaB - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

The Katy Perry hit from the Summer of 2012 is set with thick voicings and a driving pop groove, with just a touch of jazz reharmonization to add an element of surprise.

Wide Awake (SSATBaB L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

A choral/vocal jazz arrangement and adaptation of Bon Iver's haunting solo looping/autotune/vocoder piece. 

Woods (SSAATTBaB - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

A straight-ahead fast swing arrangement of the standard from "Brigadoon", featuring brief lyric solos and improv solo space, as well as an impressive soli section and a strong finish!  Features solo space, a group scat soli and the ensemble trading with the drums (which are played, on this demo, by Matthew Chalmers of Toronto, Canada).

Almost Like Being in Love (SSATBaB - L5) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

The Sound Of The Smiths [Deluxe Edition]

The Smiths - Asleep

David Bowie - Heroes

Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By The Way

This is the full collection of recordings released on four albums by Sacramento State Vocal Jazz under the direction of Kerry Marsh.  The albums were released between 2003 and 2008.  Plans are underway for a fifth album to be released in the Spring of 2013!
'
The albums represented here are "On the Outside", "In the Winelight", "In Your Eyes" and "Pale Blue Dot".

Scarborough Fair, arr. Marsh

The mind-blowing a capella quintet Pentatonix ("The Sing Off") arranged this already super-cool Imogen Heap tune from "Ellipse", and my job here was to thicken it up and make a few tweaks that helped it fit a larger vocal jazz ensemble.  There's some added complexity, compared to their version, but the chart retains their futuristic spirit and nuance.  

https://www.kerrymarsh.com/collections/main-catalog/products/aha-pentatonix-plus-version-saatbab-l4

Ah-ha (SSAATBaB - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

A song written over 100 years ago and recorded countless times is arranged here in an unconventionally burning swing tempo! A blast of sound kicks off the chart, and then the verse is utilized as essentially as a long introduction to the chorus melody of the tune, which is sung mostly be the ensemble, with a brief solo breakout. Improv space is included, with backgrounds, an exciting, but singable, soli section and trading section with the drums develops the chart before a key change and big final chorus sendoff. Great as an opener or closer for an experienced ensemble!

Baby Won't You Please Come Home (SSATBaB - L5) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

The funky Maroon 5 mega-hit from 2004 is arranged here for six-part acapella vocal jazz with (preferably) a baritone soloist. Just a touch of reharmonization gives the tune some new life in this version while still preserving the original song's flavor, making it a sure audience favorite!

Sunday Morning (SSATBaB - L4) - KerryMarsh.com Demo

The Cole Porter standard from the Great American Songbook is arranged for a capella vocal jazz ensemble in sort of a Take 6 style.

What Is This Thing Called Love

A women's vocal jazz ensemble arrangement of my original piece "Zemabia"