Woody at Ronnie Scott's in London ... I am guessing 1975.

Was that really 38 years ago. Anyway - here is my chart on

Chick Corea's "Spain" .. the always amazing Lyle Mays on the rhodes

and my good buddy Dennis Dotson on Flugelhorn. This was an early

version that later added a trombone soli, extended shout chorus and drum solo.

This is the 1980 version. Compare it to the next version of Fanfare

which is only 2 years earlier. You'll hear how backgrounds and the ending

evolve. Arrangements for any group that plays as a unit often will constantly update themselves through a form of musical osmosis.

The 1978 version. Closer to what was originally written this arrangement came about because of a dare. The "Chopper" was into his auto-pilot mode in the programming department and we were closing every concert with MacArthur Park. Beautiful piece, great arrangement - but the weariness of

nightly performances was wearing the band down. While backstage before a concert, Buddy Powers (tpt) offered me $100 if I could come up with a chart to replace our current closer. I answered that not only could I do that, I would have the chart on the stand for the end of tonight's gig.

With that I borrowed someone's score of Copland's masterpiece, quickly just re-orchestrated for 5 trumpets & 3 trombones (using the baritone sax

in the trombones for force) and gave the rhythm section a vamp that was based on a "lick" that Lyle Mays liked to sing a lot; "bring out your dead" based on the scene in Monty Python's "Life of Brian". I just told the rest of

saxes to play percussion and pointed to Woody when it was time for him to improvise... and it evolved from there !

My chart on Faure's classic "PAVANE" pretty much was complete

at the first time the Herd read it down. The instrumentation has changed over the years but here is the '78 Herd with Nelson Hatt on piccolo trumpet,

Frank Tiberi, bassoon and Bruce Johnston sounding brilliant on bass clarinet. Looking back I realize what a remarkable gathering of young guns was one of the best.

My ensemble in Las Vegas, the suMMit, paying tribute to Woody

and my all-time favorite arranger -to not only listen to but also play the charts down- Bill Holman. Here is my 2012 rendition of Holman's chart for the 1964 "Swingin' Herd" on "After You've Gone".