Novello New Choral Series-Craig McLeish writes of The Negro Speaks of Rivers; Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was the first black American to earn his living from writing. He was an innovator of jazz poetry becoming part of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote plays short stories novels and his poetry was widely read. He was also a journalist columnist and lecturer. The Negro Speaks of Rivers was perhaps his earliest published work written when only 17 and while travelling by train to Mexico to visit his father. As the train crossed the Mississippi he suddenly began thinking about how rivers had impacted on Negro history particularly in the fight against slavery.The four rivers mentioned in the poem lent themselves to using musical influences from those particular regions. However I have tried to keep these links fairly tenuous to avoid overt pastiche. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to work with Congolese musicians. These sessions led to the intricate rhythms in The Congo. The Mississippi mentions New Orleans so a jazz fugue seemed the most appropriate compositional device to weave into the texture. The spirit of The Nile was gauged from many hours listening avidly to Egyptian music.Craig McLeish began his musical life as a chorister at St Paul’s Cathedral. As a bass guitarist conductor musical arranger and composer he has worked with a wide variety of groups in several genres and scored a hit with the cult pop band ‘Fat & Frantic’. He is musical director of Young Voices UK and conducts several youth and community choirs in and around Milton Keynes. Listen to an excerpt from Craig McLeish's The Negro Speaks Of Rivers:  

ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE CARAVAN FLY ME TO THE MOON MISTY MOONGLOW ARRANGED IN A JAZZ VOCAL STYLE BY GWYN ARCH

Originally released in 1945, this standard continues to touch hearts. Langford's advanced vocal jazz setting, dividing into multiple voice parts, really brings the melody and lyrics to life. Worth the rehearsal time! / Choeur Mixte (SATB) A Cappella

This tender a cappella ballad recorded by Alison Krauss captures all the emotion and expressiveness you could ever want. Perfect for jazz and pop groups you'll create sheer magic in concert! Available: SATB. Duration: ca. 3:10.

Four poems sharing a common motif of 'Night' provide the texts for my choral cycle Nocturnes, the American Choral Directors Association's commissioned work for its 2005 national convention. For Rilke's atmospheric ?Sa nuit d'ete,? several melodic themes are supported by dense, colorful harmonies in both the choral and piano parts, leading to a climactic section where all are combined and stated simultaneously. Neruda's ?Soneto de la Noche,? from his Cien Sonetos de Amor, speaks of an eternal love that transcends death while reaffirming life. My a cappella setting of this gorgeous poem is predominantly quiet, serene and folk-like, utilizing direct harmonies accompanying long, lyrical vocal lines. Agee's wondrous ?Sure on this Shining Night? is set much like a song from the American musical theater, a genre for which I have held a life-long esteem. Rilke's poignant ?Voici le soir? recalls the opening bell sounds and jazz-tinged chords of the first movement and serves as an epilogue, quietly concluding this cycle of night songs as darkness descends.

Arrangement: Mattson. Par WEILL / ANDERSON. This a cappella arrangement of the vocal jazz standard will leave your audience spellbound. Stunning! / Date parution : 2007-11-14/ Feuillet / Voix Mixtes

9 songs from around the world-This exciting new collection by Bob Chilcott gives a jazzy twist to nine favourites.

The works of Swiss composer Ivo Antognini have been described as sublime. This setting of the beloved hymn by Franz Gruber certainly qualifies as sublime with the rich jazz chord voicings and unique choral textures. It may be performed by a vocal jazz group, chamber choir or larger concert ensemble for a beautiful and warm concert moment. / Choeur Mixte (SATB) A Cappella

SATB. From Contemporary A Cappella Publishing comes this collection of some of the great jazz standards of all time in a cappella settings. Includes: Autumn Leaves Fever I Could Write a Book If I Loved You It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) Steppin' Out with My Baby Walkin' My Baby Back Home. Available for SATB.

However often Bennett may have employed serial techniques or introduced jazz and modern elements into his work his Choral compositions are always tonal and melodic. In A Farewell To Arms he displays an exquisite sensitivity to the poetry of Ralph Knevet (17th century) and George Peele (16th century) and their mediations on the homely life after years spent soldiering. The Cello can be heard to serve as the ‘Voice’ of the old soldier. The music combines the jaggedly Romantic Cello line with Choral writing that suggests early music motifs and harmonies.Composer performer and arranger Richard Rodney Bennett was internationally respected for his serious music and manyaward-winning film scores (Murder on the Orient Express Nicholas and Alexandra) as well as his works for children and his religious pieces. In addition this markedly versatile musician frequently performed as a jazz pianist.

POD-Richard Rodney Bennett's Lullaby Baby is dedicated to the Choir of King's College Cambridge. This work for SATB choir unaccompanied is a setting of text by John Phillip.Duration: 3 minutes. 'This delightful setting of a 16th-century text was written for the choir of King’s College Cambridge and requires fine intonation especially in the jazz-influenced harmonies. A good performance of this carol will create a momentary time of peace amid the jollity of Christmas'. 'Sunday by Sunday’ December 2017   Lullaby Baby a 1986 setting of words by the 16th-century John Phillip (alsoset by Britten) is dedicated to King's College Cambridge and needs such a choir to do justice to the richly varied harmonies which set the repeated stanzas and refrain. Organists Review December 2017

Par RUBINO JERRY. C'est l'anthologie chorale parfait pour tous les choeurs mixtes qui sont sûrs que le Père Noël arrive en ville! Cette collection rassemble une douzaine arrangements éblouissants des meilleurs classiques de Noël par certains des meilleurs musiciens de jazz de l'Amérique et arrangeurs vocales. Il ya le sentiment de vacances, Broadway verve, esprit froid dans les douze accords stimulantes et engageantes. En outre, chaque arrangeur a écrit les notes de performance pratiques, qui offrent des conseils à la fois chef d'orchestre et chanteur sur la façon de faire de la musique de ce style viennent à la vie. Noël vient juste épicé, alors soyez prêt pour égayer votre concert de vacances et de laisser le public (et chanteurs) pour demander plus! Matériel d'orchestre est disponible à la location pour Winter Wonderland, il faut un peu de Noël, Que faites-vous le réveillon du Nouvel An', Je serai à la maison pour Noël, et c'est le moment le plus merveilleux de l'année./ Recueil / Choeur

Love Reckons By Itself Alone is a work composed by Tarik O'Regan for Unaccompanied SATB Chorus. Commissioned by ASHINAGA for the 'At Home in the World' concerts the piece received its world premiere on 10th June 2015 at Jazz at Lincoln Center New York USA. This work lasts around 7 minutes and is a setting of three poems by Richard Ntiru Tsuboi Shigeji and Emily Dickinson.