Jambalaya (on The Bayou) by Hank Williams Small Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

Small Ensemble Drums,Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.802680

By Hank Williams. By Hank Williams. Arranged by Richard Carpenter & Peet du Toit. Country. Score and parts. 30 pages. Peet du Toit #6383245. Published by Peet du Toit (A0.802680).

"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Hank Williams that was first released in July 1952. Named for a Creole and Cajun dish, jambalaya, it spawned numerous cover versions and has since achieved popularity in several different music genres.

Since the original melody of the song was from "Grand Texas", the song is a staple of Cajun culture. However, although Williams kept a Louisiana theme, the song is not a true cajun song, which helped the song gain widespread popularity:

Ethnic music is usually unpalatable for a mass market unless it is diluted in some way (Harry Belafonte's calypsos, Paul Simon's Graceland… the list is endless). The broader audience related to 'Jambalaya' in a way that it could never relate to a true cajun two-step led by an asthmatic accordion and sung in patois.

The Carpenters featured the song, in an up-tempo pop version with country flourishes, on their 1973 album Now & Then. Their version was released as a single outside the United States in 1974 and sold well in the UK (peaking at number 12 in the charts) and Japan.

Presented here as a brass quintet with up-tempo percussion, there is some resemblance of the Carpenters' cover, but also demands spectacular playing from all the players. Enjoy!