Dizzy Gillespie

Whisper Not

One of the most well-known jazz standards of the 1950s, Benny Golson's 'Whisper Not' began life innocently enough as an arrangement for trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's 1956 State Department big band. Although 'Whisper Not' may not be as complicated or intricate a form as some of Golson's other compositions, the disarming melody is underpinned by some sneakily complex harmonies. In particular, bars 17 and 19 of this arrangement contain specifically written voicings in the piano part that Golson considered to be as integral to the tune as the melody itself.

Appropriately enough for the title, this arrangement begins at a barely audible volume level, with only occasional louder bursts until the brief shout chorus at bar 54. The famous 'march time' segment of the piece occurs at bar 86, where the volume level tapers off to a medium-soft level once again. The piece crescendos to a dramatic ending starting around bar 110.

Gillespie was a lifelong talent scout, always willing to be generous in showcasing young up-and-coming musicians. On the original recording, Gillespie yields the spotlight to an 18-year-old Lee Morgan for the trumpet solo. The original recording also features solos from the composer Golson, alto saxophonist Ernie Henry and pianist Wynton Kelly, all up-and-coming stars in and of their own.

This arrangement is for standard big band instrumentation (with the exception of three trombone parts instead of four) and has been published from the original parts used during the recording session. This is not a transcription. We hope you enjoy playing this arrangement as much as we enjoyed preparing it for you!