Gene Krupa

Disc Jockey Jump

This chart is very clever in its concept, as it is both big band and an 8-piece bebop all rolled into one. Both the Gene Krupa and Woody Herman bands played this chart regularly. The front line is a quartet of Alto, Tenor, Trumpet and Trombone taking the unison melody line, with the rest of the blowers providing the backing support. All of the quartet have solos. This chart in a way reflects its time in history, with the shift from the big band format of the 1940's to much smaller outfits in the 1950's. Disc Jockey jump is not a demanding piece to play, though the Quartet need to be tight. It also works well at reduced tempo. Another lovely transcription by Bob Martin.