Proverbial Thumbs
Splendance
and other jazz ensemble charts
(1978 – 1984)

published by Sweet Child Music

My earliest consistent training and experience as a composer was in the field of jazz arranging/composing, mostly for big band.  Even though I am no longer consistently active in jazz, it continues to influence my work in numerous (and often subtle) ways, and I periodically work on projects which directly utilize my background in jazz.

I wrote perhaps a dozen or so jazz charts in my early years, a mix of arrangements and originals.  These two original charts are perhaps the best of the bunch.  Proverbial Thumbs is a straight-ahead chart, featuring the trombone section.  Splendance is an up-tempo jazz waltz, quirkily interrupted by bridges in 5/4.