By Duke Ellington. By Duke Ellington and Irving Mills. Arranged by R. Elkjer & Gh. Brănici. This edition: pdf, streaming. Broadway, Jazz, Musical/Show, Swing. 12 pages. ElgiraMusic #1371486. Published by ElgiraMusic (A0.1811373).
It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) is one of the most iconic pieces in jazz history, composed in 1931 by the great Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills. The piece marks the beginning of the swing era and quickly became a symbol of the energy and vitality of American big band music.
The song conveys a simple yet essential message for the entire jazz aesthetic: any melody loses its meaning if it doesn’t have swing. This floating, off-beat rhythm full of spontaneity is the spirit that defined an era and continues to inspire musicians and audiences around the world.
The version presented today is an arrangement for brass quartet, based on the original trombone quartet arrangement created by Robert Elkjer, widely known for his refined adaptations for brass ensembles. This new version preserves the vivacity, the contrast between sections, and the playful character of the piece, highlighting the specific colors of the brass ensemble and calling for both rhythmic precision and interpretive freedom.
Through this adaptation, the famous swing standard gains a fresh sonic palette while remaining faithful to Duke Ellington’s unmistakable spirit.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global
self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters.
ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular
titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on
your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music,
you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and
you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page
that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are
only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not
digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not
print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
By Duke Ellington. By Duke Ellington and Irving Mills. Arranged by R. Elkjer & Gh. Brănici. This edition: pdf, streaming. Broadway, Jazz, Musical/Show, Swing. 12 pages. ElgiraMusic #1371486. Published by ElgiraMusic (A0.1811373).
It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) is one of the most iconic pieces in jazz history, composed in 1931 by the great Duke Ellington, with lyrics by Irving Mills. The piece marks the beginning of the swing era and quickly became a symbol of the energy and vitality of American big band music.
The song conveys a simple yet essential message for the entire jazz aesthetic: any melody loses its meaning if it doesn’t have swing. This floating, off-beat rhythm full of spontaneity is the spirit that defined an era and continues to inspire musicians and audiences around the world.
The version presented today is an arrangement for brass quartet, based on the original trombone quartet arrangement created by Robert Elkjer, widely known for his refined adaptations for brass ensembles. This new version preserves the vivacity, the contrast between sections, and the playful character of the piece, highlighting the specific colors of the brass ensemble and calling for both rhythmic precision and interpretive freedom.
Through this adaptation, the famous swing standard gains a fresh sonic palette while remaining faithful to Duke Ellington’s unmistakable spirit.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global
self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters.
ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular
titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.
About Digital Downloads
Digital Downloads are downloadable sheet music files that can be viewed directly on
your computer, tablet or mobile device. Once you download your digital sheet music,
you can view and print it at home, school, or anywhere you want to make music, and
you don't have to be connected to the internet. Just purchase, download and play!
PLEASE NOTE: Your Digital Download will have a watermark at the bottom of each page
that will include your name, purchase date and number of copies purchased. You are
only authorized to print the number of copies that you have purchased. You may not
digitally distribute or print more copies than purchased for use (i.e., you may not
print or digitally distribute individual copies to friends or students).
Preview: It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)
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