Jazz Lines Publications Mele Kalikimaka - Schoen/Lorentz - Jazz Ensemble/Vocal/Vocal Trio - Gr. Medium Difficult

Adapted from the recording by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters

Composer: R. Alex Anderson
Arranger: Vic Schoen
Transcribed/Adapted: Jonathan Lorentz
Format: Score and Parts
Instrumentation: Jazz Ensemble, Male Vocal and Female Vocal Trio (SSA)
Vocal Key: D modulating to Eb
Style: Swing
Level: Medium Difficult

Anyone who's seen the Chevy Chase holiday classic movie 'Christmas Vacation' (which is a lot of people) knows this song and the scene that it comes from. Clark W. Griswold is gazing out the kitchen window dreaming of the swimming pool that he wants to install and this song is playing in the background. Mele Kalikimaka was written in 1946 by R. Alex Anderson and became a major hit for the unbeatable combination of Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters in 1949. It was originally featured on a Crosby record simply titled 'Merry Christmas' released on Decca.

This is not a technically demanding chart for the band. However, your singers need to be able to pull off this WWII-era vocal trio style, which sounds easier than it is. Plus, there is a male vocal part that needs to seamlessly blend in as well. The well-known Hawaiian slide guitar introduction has been scored into the ensemble as very few bands would have access to this instrument (or something that could approximate the sound).

The ranges are very moderate with trumpet 1 only getting up to a high A. Trombone 1 gets to a high B flat. The vocal key starts in D for Bing and then modulates to E flat for the Andrews Sisters' entrance. There are no saxophone doubles. The vocal trio part is written up an octave for ease of sight reading.