Glen Island Special – Eddie Durham – Myles Collins

Score and parts, For big band. Medium to advanced level. Instrumentation: 5 Saxes (AAATT) – 4 Trumpets – 4 Trombones – Rhythm (pinao, Bass, Guitar, Drums) – Full Score. Glen Island Special is a very quick swing chart written by Eddie Durham for the Glenn Miller band, and on first hearing it you could be forgiven for thinking it to be a Basie chart. At 240 beats per minute this chart rips from start to finish. It features ad-lib solos for 2nd Trumpet and 1st Tenor and has plenty of visual appeal too, with much plunger / hat work in the Brass. The Saxes are scored for 3 Altos and 2 Tenors, with no doubles. The Trumpet ranges are very moderate, with lead only reaching a G. The Sax parts do require very nimble fingers, and we have graded the chart as Medium Advanced purely because of this. If you play to a dance crowd the dancers will need a rest afterwards!