Compositions and Arrangements
Choral and Vocal Jazz Ensemble
All GWA Music compositions that are available for sale (and a few that aren't) can be found below. Many are available for purchase here on the site. Others may be purchased through other vendors for which links are provided.
COMMISSIONS ACCEPTED. GO TO MY CONTACT PAGE FOR INFORMATION.
GWAM 1013
Blue Skies
The classic Irving Berlin staple is re-imagined for SSATTB/combo Vocal Jazz ensemble with a combination of meters and rhythms, including an a cappella setting of the rarely-heard verse. Available through the GWA Music Store.
GWAM 1011
California, Here I Come
Setting for SSA of this beloved American musical tune introduced and popularized by Al Jolson. Great for youth choirs and up! Available soon in the GWA Music Store.
GWAM 1006
All My Past Life
Setting of a poem by English poet John Wilmot (1647-1680) for unaccompanied SATB choir. It is available for purchase in the GWA Music website store.
GWAM 1001
Awakening
Awakening is a setting of a poem by American ice skater Laurence Owen for SATB choir, piano, vibes, flute, and french horn. It is available for purchase in the GWA Music website store.
California Soul
This Ashford and Simpson song was recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell as well as The 5th Dimension in the late 60s. It receives a loyal tribute here for 6 voice vocal jazz ensemble, full rock combo and horn section plus flute and percussion. (For the complete arrangement, be sure to purchase the instrumental parts available separately). The vocal score is available here at Sheet Music Direct.
Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
This delightful song song has been a part of the vocal jazz lexicon for over 70 years and was featured by the Manhattan Transfer in the film "A League of Their Own." This arrangement (licensed for sale by Arrange Me) has all the fun of that version and more, a great tune for any level group. Vocal piano score is available HERE and the combo parts are available HERE.
GWAM 1015
Christmas is Always Here
A wonderful holiday anthem that expresses the wish that the goodwill and spirit of the season could last all year long. For SSA choir, piano, and flugelhorn. Both this voicing and SSATB are available in the GWA Music Store.
The Christmas Song
"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire," is one of the most reconizable phrases of the holiday season. This Mel Tormé favorite is given a jazzy treatment that is ideal for your small or large ensemble, even a 4-person caroling group. Available through SMP Press.
GWA-1012
Christmas
(This Song of Love)
Your choir and audience will love this setting for unaccompanied SATTB voices of this beautiful ballad by songwriters David Francis and Gavin Dillard. Its lush and un-expected melodic and harmonic twists, along with the sentimental warmth of its text are perfect for the holiday season. Available soon in the GWA Music Store.
Celebrate Me Home
"Home for the holidays" is how this great Kenny Loggins song begins its story of how we all long to return to our roots, especially when we feel lost or at a crossroads. The arrangement was premiered by Nash Vocal Ensemble and is as yet unpublished. Watch this space for developments.
GWA-1017
Crescent Moon
Singer/Songwriter Ron Mesa captured the flavor of a classic "Tin Pan Alley" romantic ballad in this heartfelt lament about a special, yet short-lived love and evening. Lush SSATTB harmonies make this a perfect song for small ensembles. Available in the GWA Music Store.
Don't Pass Me By
One of the rare Beatles songs penned solely by drummer Ringo Starr, this selection from the "White Album" is transformed from country blues to a funky vocal jazz boogie. Catchy bass lines and fun jazz harmoines and accessible to all levels of experience. Available at Sheet Music Direct. (be sure to purchase the band parts sold separately here.
Down To Earth
The closing credits song from the Pixar favorite "WALL*E" re-imagined for vocal jazz ensemble. Available to purchase at this link through Sheet Music Direct. (Instrumental parts available separately here.)
GWAM-1002
Do It Again
An early Gershwin offering gets a makeover for vocal jazz and combo in this setting that combines a latin-feel with some jazz waltz. Fun and playful lyrics too! Available in the GWA Music Store.
GWAM-1020
Three Poems by E. E. Cummings
(Maggie and Milly and Molly and May/9/All in Green Went My Love Riding)
SSA with piano. Quirky poetry requires quirky music.
These pieces combine lots of syncopations over 5/8 and 3/4 meters, with the third piece combining the two time signatures into 11/8. The harmonies are open, with dissonances as the rule, but tonality prevailing throughout.
Challenging for choir, pianist, and conductor, but worth the effort. A very good High School group might be up for the challenge but this is more suited to good collegiate and professional ensembles. The composer recommends performing them as a set, but they may be done separately or in pairs if desired.
GWAM-1024
Fascinating Rhythm
The classic George Gershwin song re-imagined with a nod to Miles Davis. For vocal jazz ensemble and combo. It is available for purchase in the GWA Music website store.
GWAM-1026
Fern Hill - SATB
An exercise in an acting class long ago led to this. I was performing a scene from the play "Dylan" in which the title character, famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, recites the first two stanzas from this poem. The exercise for me was to compose a song to those stanzas to help me connect more directly with the role. A few years later, I decided to finish setting the entire poem. The result was a song for voice and piano. After some encouragement from friends and colleagues who heard the song, I decided to expand the setting to a choral version. Here it is. Available for purchase in the GWA Music Store.
Getting Better
Lennon and McCartney at their best, a little ditty from the Beatles' "Sgt .Pepper" album gets an exciting latin waltz and funk makeover in the hands of Gregory Amerind. You will absolutely love this SSATTB/combo arrangement that was written for "Pacific Jazz & Electric" and is available to purchase at Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct.
Feelin' Good
This pop and jazz standard originally from the musical "The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd" was arranged for the vocal jazz ensemble Pacific Jazz & Electric. It's got a great 7/4 meter that both swings hard and keeps you a bit unbalanced. Intermediate-advanced with a great tenor solo in the middle. Order this song SMP Press.
GWAM-1014
For the Sake of Peace
Written specially in response to the 9/11/2001 attack on America, this song expresses the hope that we can live in a world without hatred and violence. For SATB, combo, flute, trumpet, trombone, tenor sax, strings, and percussion. Background tracks are also available. Order the kit from the GWA Music Store.
GWAM-1018
GoddesSongs
A choral song cycle of 8 compositions that represent the Sabats of the Nordic/Celtic Pagan wheel of the year. (Click Here for You Tube Playlist) For unaccompanied SSATTB choir and soloists, this can be performed in concert as a complete set or individual pieces may be performed to commemorate each holiday. The set is available in the GWA Music Store.
GWAM-1014
Heart of a Lion
Written on the 2-year anniversary of the 9/11/2001 attack, this song SATB plus children's choir and band offers a message of hope that our youth will make the planet a more peaceful place to live "with the heart of a lion." Backing track is also available. Order the kit in the GWA Music Store.
Got to Get You Into My Life
This classic Beatles romp from "Revolver" got a makeover by Earth, Wind, and Fire in the 1970s which is the inspiration behind this exciting and fun SATB arrangement. Includes combo and horn section and is available at either Sheet Music Direct or Sheet Music Plus.
Hobo's Blues
Paul Simon wrote a blues and teamed up with Stephane Grappelli who created a magnificent violin solo. This adaptation adds a vocalese lyric to that solo and some juicy jazz harmonies that results in a challenging romp through the changes. Intermediate to advanced. It is available for purchase at SMP Press.
Milestones
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Classic tune from "Meet Me in St. Louis" gets a great treatment for your vocal jazz ensemble. For unaccompanied SATB choir, this song is available to purchase at Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct.
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows
GWAM-1021
A swingingly sensational setting of this old chestnut reminiscent of the Manhattan Transfer or New York Voices, great for an intermediate vocal jazz ensemble. The final chorus includes homages to some of the best songs about rainbows. Available for purchase from the GWA Music Store.
GWAM-1005
Love's Philosophy
A poignant poem by Percy set as a lovely ballad for SATB choir and piano. Fine for a high school or collegiate group or any community group. Available in the GWA Music Store.
Nothing too crazy here. This is a vocal harmonization for vocal jazz ensemble of the classic from the Miles Davis Quintet. A fast bop that is loads of fun and great for improvisation. Only the vocal sheet is included with guitar chords for the band. Since this is a standard, most jazzers will know it. Note that to better accomodate singing ranges, the key is a step lower than the original. Available at Sheet Music Direct.
Nights on Broadway
A great update to the Bee Gees anthem from the 1970s. It gets funk-fied for either SATB or male chorus and band but still retains the textures infused by the Brothers Gibb. Now available at SMP Press
MacArthur Park
Jimmy Webb's masterpiece in choral form. This arrangement stays true to the original Richard Harris recording with strings, flutes, and horns to back up a soaring SATB choir. Available for purchase at SMP Press.
N. Y. C. from "Annie"
This setting for Treble Choir and Orchestra of the show-stopping number from that Broadway smash about a poor red-haired girl that makes it big is perfect for your youth choir. An especially good opening number if you are doing a concert of Broadway hits or a tribute to the Big Apple. Vocal and Piano score available at SMP Press. Orchestra parts available soon.
Nowhere to Run
Great arrangement for soloist and vocal ensemble. Horn parts available as well. This one really ROCKS!
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Available at SMP Press.
GWAM-1008
O magnum mysterium
A modern setting of this advent mainstay. However, the 3-part voicing (Alto or countertenor, tenor and bass) and textures are reminiscent of the renaissance period. Unlike most settings there is a postlude after the alleluia that restates the opening text within unresolved harmonies, leaving the listener with a sense of the mystery behind this ancient tale. Available in the GWA Music Store.
Once Was a Time I Thought
A little-known ditty from The Mamas and the Papas from the mind of John Phillips. Adapted for vocal jazz ensemble. A great entry-level piece but fine for any degree of experience. Be sure to order the combo parts sold separately. SATB score available here at Sheet Music Direct.
Overs
This Paul Simon "break-up" song was one of the best of the Simon and Garfunkel years, appearing on the Bookends album. This arrangement for unaccompanied SATTB choir was written for Pacifc Jazz & Electric and was always an audience and fan favorite. Available for purchase at SMP Press.
Punky's Dilemma
More Paul Simon from the Bookends album. This mildly anti-war jaunt stays close to the original although it jazzes it up a bit with lush harmonies, solos and a brief scat-soli section for the entire ensemble. Voiced for SATTB and accompanied by combo, this is available for purchase at SMP Press.
Paperback Writer
Another Lennon/McCartney masterpiece, re-imagined for a cappella SATTB choir with some great expanded jazz harmonies and a little doo-wop flavor to spice things up a bit. Available to purchase at SMP Press. Band parts are also available if you prefer.
Quiet Corcovado Night
You need this chart!!! For SSATTB jazz choir and band, this one starts off quietly with an a cappella setting of Quiet Night by Rodgers and Hart then glides smoothly into Tom Jobim's Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) that is anything but quiet. Have I said the word quiet enough yet? Should I be quiet now? Due to restrictions on medleys and mash-ups, the two songs are available separately at SMP Press but they are easily stitched together as they truly belong. Here are the links:
Save the Country
Laura Nyro is an American treasure. She penned this song at the height of the civil unrest of the late 1960s as a plea to everyone to fight together rather than against each other. Its message is timeless. Both her recording as well as the well-known version by The 5th Dimension inspired my version. You may purchase this arrangement for SATB choir and band at SMP Press.
Savoy Truffle
Sailing
Rudy Red Nose
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has a very shiny vocal jazz arrangement for a cappella SATB. Great for a small ensemble, even a 4-piece caroling group. Doo-wop flavors abound and all the usual ad-libs ('like Monopoly!") are thrown in for good measure. Available at SMP Press.
Christopher Cross' classic tribute to riding the waves (in a boat of course) gets a beautifully poignant treatment here for SATB and combo. Appropriate for vocal jazz ensembles as well as any traditional choir of mixed voices. This arrangement is very approachable for any level group, staying true to the original but lushly realized for vocal ensembles. It is available for purchase at Sheet Music Direct.
True Beatles fans will remember this nugget from the 4th side of the White Album by George Harrison. Harrison wrote this as a nudge to his friend Eric Clapton's notorious sweet tooth. I've taken the original hard rock feel and given it a whimsical, doo-wop flavor with some fun choral and vocal jazz twists and turns. Inspired by "The Bobs" arrangements, and written especially for Heatwave, ASU Vocal Jazz Ensemble (Novemeber 2011), this a cappella SATB chart is available to purchase at Sheet Music Direct.
GWAM-1023
Se tu m'ami
SATB with some divisi, percussion (triangle, tambourine, bongos). This is the third in an ongoing series of compositions by Gregory Amerind which reset text in choral form arias from The Anthology of Italian Song. This setting’s text, from the pen of noted Italian librettist Paolo Antonio Rolli (1687-1765), comes from Volume One of the anthology, composed by Giovanni Pergolesi (1710-1736), a composer largely overlooked during his very brief career and short lifetime. His setting of this text has an operatic form and has thusly been a favorite of opera singers and recitalists for nearly 300 years. Pergolesi is perhaps best known for his final composition, the beloved and much-performed setting of Stabat Mater for Soprano, Alto, Strings and Continuo which is considered a masterpiece of the Baroque era. This arrangement is available in the GWA Music Store.
Something
George Harrison's beloved tune from "Abbey Road," The Beatles' final studio album, gets a great reimagining in this vocal jazz ensemble arrangement that is perfect for any experience-level group. Beginning with a lush close-harmony a capella, it segues into a bluesy feel and features a great solo opportunity to pay tribute to George's solo on the original. Available through Sheet Music Direct. Choral and Piano score sold separately from Combo parts. (click on links)
Spain (I Can Recall)
Vocal Jazz rendition of the classic Chick Corea tune with lyrics by Al Jarreau. Starts of kind of mellow then heats up to a fever pitch and a screamin' ending. Level IV. You'll want to view the entire demo by clicking "watch." The price for this chart includes vocals and instrumental scores with a license to make any necessary copies for your ensemble. This license is non-transferable. Available to purchase at Sheet Music Direct.
GWAM-1022
Sento nel core
SATB/divisi, intermediate to advanced. This is the second in an ongoing series of compositions by Gregory Amerind which reset text in choral form arias from The Anthology of Italian Song. From Volume Two of the anthology, comes this setting of the anonymous text for Sento nel core was composed by Alessandro Scarlatti (1659-1725), the acknowledged founder of the Neapolitan school. He was known for his flowing style, his introduction of the da cappo aria form, and his virtuosity as a singer, harpist, and keyboardist. It is his compositional style that inspires and offers a departure point for this modern choral setting. This arrangement is available in the GWA Music Store.
Stairway to Paradise
A rockin' fresh take on an early Gershwin gem, featuring solos, tight harmonies, and all the vocal jazz flavors you need. Intermediate to advanced, mostly SATB but with a small amount of S/T divisi. This arrangement is available in the GWA Music Store.
GWAM-1003
GWAM-1004
Toyland
This title song from the beloved Christmas fantasy operetta "Babes in Toyland," arranged for SATTB in a capella-vocal jazz style, is perfect for your holiday program or adventurous caroling group. Accessible to intermediate ensembles. This arrangement is available in the GWA Music Store.
Tuxedo Junction
Inspired by the Manahattan Transfer, this is an a cappella treatment for SATTB that is perfect for any level ensemble looking to revisit the Big Band era in style. A walking bass line plus some terrific solo breaks makes this one a winner. Available for purchase at Sheet Music Direct.
Up, Up and Away
A great vocal jazz treatment of the classic Jimmy Webb tune recorded by The 5th Dimension. Perform this with combo or full big band. This arrangement is available for purchase at SMP Press. You may purchase the vocal and combo score alone. Big Band score and parts sold separately.
GWAM-1007
Tu Mancavi a tormentarmi
SATB Unaccompanied - Appropriate for intermediate to advanced chorus, preferably 24-32 singers.
This anonymous text of poetry dates from approximately the early to middle 17th Century. It’s well-known setting by Italian composer and tenor Pietro Antonio (Marco) Cesti (1623-1669) was my inspiration, although stylistically this setting shares little with that of Sr. Cesti’s. The themes of unrequited passion and the heart-wrenching pain of lost love so typical of many Italian cantatas from the early Baroque period are somewhat implicit in this text. This is one of the qualities that has always drawn me to the poem. Also, the structure of its stanzas, with their unorthodox rhyming patterns present a great foundation on which to build any kind of musical form. This arrangement is available in the GWA Music Store.
Welcome
A great concert opener for your youth or treble choir, this song about family from Disney's "Brother Bear" sets just the right tone. Accessible for any level choir and a real audience pleaser. Be sure to order the instrumental pack (sold separately) to have the complete performance package. Vocal score available here at Sheet Music Direct.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
A classic Beatles tune from "The White Album," this lush and sweeping choral treatment will thrill your ensemble and audience as well with its poignant re-harmonizations and at times surprising turns. Ideal for a group of 12, but will also work with one per part or in larger choral settings. Available to purchase at SMP Press.
White Christmas
My most popular arrangement by far, set for either SATB or TTBB. Sweet and juicy harmonies and accessible for a large group or a quartet and everything in between. Purchase both settings at SMP Press.
Who Will Buy?
A very accessible but still interesting setting of this beloved tune from the Oscar-winning musical "Oliver!" - great for treble choirs of all ages. SSA, with Piano (Guitar, Bass and Drum parts available). For purchase at SMP Press.
Why Should I Worry?
From the beloved Disney film "Oliver and Company" that reimagines the Dickens classic in NYC with a group of canines standing in for the boys. This number introduces us to that film's version of the Artful Dodger, voiced and sung by Billy Joel. This arrangement is a reimagining into a vocal jazz format for SSAB voicing. Lots of fun and a great chart for any level of expertise. Be sure to purchase the combo parts (sold separately) Vocal score available here at Sheet Music Direct.
GWAM-1009
Yosemite
SSA - plus piano, percussion, bass, and flute. Celebrating the most beautiful place on Planet Earth where I had the pleasure of living and visiting so many times. Great for women's choir or youth choirs and adaptable to TTB groups as well (send me an email if you are interested in this) SSA version is available here in the GWA Music store. Demo coming soon.
Your Mother and Mine
The lovely lullaby that Wendy sings to the lost boys in Neverland finally has an a cappella choral arrangement. Great for a Mother's Day tribute in your spring concert! Appropriate for any level of choir from High School onward. Available here at Sheet Music Direct.