The Carioca

Having honed his craft to perfection writing for the biggest names the Swing Era, it should come as no surprise that Jerry Gray's arrangement of The Carioca became one of Artie Shaw's biggest hits. With its catchy melody and infectious beat, this chart provides fun for dancers, listeners, and performers in equal measure. Things begin with a bit of a fake-out in the form of a medium "jungle-style" feel in the tom toms and some wah-ing plunger muted brass, initially giving the impression that this is going to be a heavy, grinding affair. This notion is quickly dispelled when a four-bar drum break establishes the brisk swing feel that carries through the rest of the performance. The melody begins at measure 11, and alters back and forth multiple times between minor and major key motifs. The saxes carry the tune at first before the brass join in with them at measure 22. The tune's second main melody comes in over a return of the initial tom-tom groove in the drums at measure 38. This part of the arrangement features an elongated form consisting of 9- and 14-bar segments, which despite being unusual feels completely natural when well-executed. Shaw's clarinet finally leaps into the fray at measure 70, soloing over the top of some gentle sax pads and plunger mute antics in the brass. A typically virtuosic break leads the arrangement into a more soloist-oriented section at measure 88, with a tenor sax solo preceding another clarinet solo at measure 100. Although only played once on the original recording, it can be opened up for additional solos should you wish to do so. A thrilling ensemble shout chorus begins at measure 118, with the saxes and brass giving chase to one another, with Shaw's clarinet playing lead atop the proceedings. After the ensemble gets a bit to themselves, Shaw returns at measure 150, soloing over the top of a hard-riffing horn section and a churning rhythm section that continues to build in raucous intensity all the way up until the end. Shaw plays one final brilliant clarinet break over the tom-toms before the ensemble crisply concludes the festivities. This publication of The Carioca includes optional baritone saxophone and 4th trumpet parts that were included in the original set of parts but not used on the original recording.