Jazz Ensemble Ballads

Farewell is a heartwarming rock ballad featuring solo alto saxophone. The tender melodic statement tells the story as the alto soloist plays the rich written melody. The soloist has an opportunity

For Lillian is a fresh, lyrical and flowing ballad featuring the trumpet section on optional flugelhorns. It's very playable, yet richly musical, and gives the melody to every section at some

Henry Mancini's steamy and sultry theme is instantly recognizable from just the opening phrase. Rick Stitzel's medium-slow swing arrangement is largely ensemble based, and will sound great with young

Although the first hit recording of this enduring standard was by the Glenn Miller Orchestra in 1940, Hoagy Carmichael's The Nearness of You has remained popular through the ages with recordings by

With a haunting melody, this minor-key ballad is the perfect feature for promising alto saxophone or trumpet/flugelhorn soloists. The featured solo part is fully written, although some embellishment by the

Your flugelhorn or trumpet soloist is wonderfully showcased in this rock ballad that features a lyrically beautiful melody and lush harmonies.  Everything about this chart is accessible, from the 80

Tomorrow Is Always a Good Day is a sensational ballad feature for solo trombone or tenor saxophone. This lovely composition begins in a minor key, keeps building to a modulation to major, then

A lush jazz ballad solo feature for alto sax, tenor sax or trumpet/flugelhorn, Radiant Morning features a full-ensemble introduction leading into the beautiful and melodic solo. The sax

Andy Farber is a master at composing beautiful ballads, and this one is pure jazz! Fully featuring an alto sax soloist with outstanding melodic content, there is a slow, nostalgic feel here with just a hint

Now in print for the first time, this was originally written in 1987 for the Richard Stoltzman album titled Ebony, featuring the Woody Herman Big Band. Duke Ellington's Come Sunday featured

Oh, yes! This is a superb setting of the iconic jazz ballad that features the alto sax star in your band. The alto solo is mostly written with opportunities to improvise around the melody, and the ensemble

You simply cannot go wrong with this Matt Harris chart on this great jazz ballad ideally set as a tenor sax solo feature! The tempo is about 98 bpm with the tenor solo written and improvised.

Kris Berg has composed a beautiful, sensitive and mature solo feature for B-flat, E-flat instruments or trombone. The ensemble is equally important in this setting at around 74 bpm that transitions

Here is a wonderful alto saxophone ballad feature by master composer Patrick Williams. Optional woodwind doubles are for alto flute and clarinet and there are optional parts for two horns in

This moving, lyrical ballad features solo flugelhorn or trumpet throughout with written and improvised sections, a double-time bossa in the midsection, and a strong, dramatic finish. The saxophone section

Paying tribute to the great Thad Jones, this expressive ballad with rich harmonies and flowing lines provides a perfect showcase for flugelhorn or trumpet. The beautiful melody is supported by a lush

This accessible ballad in the style of Count Basie emphasizes lyricism, lush harmonies, unified phrasing and a wide range of dynamics. The full ensemble has the memorable melody at the top and continues for

Poolside is a wonderful ballad that works for all levels of jazz ensembles. The very moderate ranges make it accessible, and allow the focus to be on the trademark Basie ballad style. Rhythm

Cathy's Army is a tender ballad featuring solo trombone. The other trombone parts are optional, making this a perfect chart for a band with incomplete instrumentation. In fact, the solo part can be

Set in the famous Basie ballad style, Gentle One will be a wonderful experience for jazz ensembles and audiences. Careful scoring makes this chart secure to perform and enjoyable for all to

Here is a wonderfully sensitive jazz ballad that features a tenor sax soloist throughout. This stunningly beautiful work features optional woodwind doubles and lush harmonies with muted brass textures.

At around 72 bpm, Is That All There Is? is a beautifully melodic ballad solo feature for tenor saxophone. The solo part is fully written with chord symbols provided for improv

John Fedchock's chart on this Monk classic is an all-out trombone solo feature, though it also showcases the band's restraint and ability to shift dynamically between piano and fortissimo. The