Superman Jazz Ensemble - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1874808

Peter Stöve ‘What If Benny Goodman…’ series, Vol. 12! (A take-off on events that could have happened with the Benny Goodman Orchestra’s book of arrangements if things in jazz history had taken another turn).

What if Benny Goodman had already recognized the quality of Eddie Sauter’s arrangements and compositions as early as 1935? He must have known Sauter; as an arranger for vibraphonist Red Norvo’s orchestra, he had contributed to that band’s success.
Benny Goodman’s triumphant rise as the “King of Swing” began in August 1935 with the band’s performances at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. The audience was enthusiastic about the perfect danceability of the Fletcher Henderson arrangements in Goodman’s repertoire. This reinforced Goodman’s conviction that these pieces were his band’s greatest draw.

But starting in 1939, Eddie Sauter was asked to write pieces for the Goodman band. These were mainly accompaniments to popular songs for vocalists, but in three cases they were original compositions by Sauter. One of them is the piece he wrote in 1940 for the band featuring ex-Ellington trumpeter Cootie Williams, “Superman.”
Benny did not always treat Sauter’s work with respect. In Ross Firestone’s book, it is noted that trumpeter Jimmy Maxwell felt that “Benny used to edit his (Sauter’s) arrangements brutally.” This was certainly the case with “Superman.” Compare the manuscript of “Superman” with the recorded version, and you will notice that the entire intro has been cut.
By 1940, Goodman’s orchestra had expanded by two musicians compared to the 1935 lineup: a fifth saxophonist playing alto and baritone saxophone, and a fourth trumpeter. This gave the band a somewhat deeper sound at the time. But what if Goodman had asked Sauter to write for the band as early as 1935? How would “Superman” have sounded then?

'Superman' is presented here as a piece that could have been a cornerstone of the Goodman band library as early as 1935. Based on the original score from the Irving S. Gilmore Music Library of Yale University, it now starts with the intro that was deleted on the recording. Written for the 1935 Benny Goodman Orchestra lineup: solo clt/solo tpt/2 as/2 ts/2 tpt/2 trb/rhy. No doubling; trumpet 1 to D3. The trumpet soloist must be well versed in the “Ellingtonian” style of trumpet playing. The clarinet soloist must be a first-class ‘BG-wannabe’: fluent soloist, comfortable in the upper register. If your band has two such players: have fun! The music example is an audio excerpt from my Sibelius file.