Picking jazz rep is where great jazz bands are made - or quietly held back. The wrong chart can flatten your section, frustrate your rhythm players, and kill momentum fast. The right one can build confidence, teach style, and turn a mixed lineup into a band that swings.
On this panel, Mr. Ashley is joined by Kyle Smith, Keith Heim, and Trent Warner to break down how experienced directors choose repertoire that fits real school ensembles - not idealized ones. They get into the practical decisions that matter most when you open a chart at a convention, from brass range and trombone register to rhythm section demands, orchestration thickness, and whether a tune is actually playable with your current kids.
You'll discover how these directors handle nontraditional instrumentation, why blues is such a powerful teaching tool across every level, and how to balance swing, Latin, rock, ballads, and standards without losing your audience or your students. They also share how they think about improvisation, written solos, student suggestions, and the difference between a chart that looks easy and one that actually rehearses well.
Just as importantly, this episode makes the case for active listening, flexible programming, and building jazz culture in a way that includes more kids instead of narrowing the field. If you're a director who wants to choose better charts, stretch your ensemble without overwhelming it, and keep your program musically alive, this conversation is full of immediately useful ideas.
Perfect for jazz directors, band directors new to improvisation, and anyone trying to program a concert that is both educational and exciting to play.
00:00 - Why this is the first of a three-part jazz rep series
00:58 - Kyle Smith, Keith Hyme, and Trent Warner introduce their jazz programs
02:30 - How each director evaluates ensemble strengths and weaknesses
03:44 - Matching charts to the exact band you have
04:49 - Trent’s auditioned high school jazz setup and feeder program approach
06:16 - What to do when your instrumentation is unusual or unbalanced
07:27 - Keith on welcoming nontraditional players and building beginners into jazz
08:53 - Why bringing in everyone can create more doublers later
09:49 - Jazz as a way to make students well rounded and connected to American music history
11:53 - First things to check on a chart: trumpet range, trombone range, and rhythm parts
13:47 - Why guitar voicings, chord changes, and bass lines matter for beginner groups
15:57 - Choosing composers and keeping program history balanced
17:49 - Knowing when a chart is too easy or too hard for your students
19:23 - Why easier charts can still build style, confidence, and exposure
21:49 - Starting with simpler music and hearing students grow over a semester
22:42 - What a well rounded jazz concert should include
24:16 - Programming for your audience, not just for festival judging
26:23 - Matching chart choice to audience and occasion
28:21 - Why the blues is foundational to jazz style and history
32:15 - How much student input should shape repertoire choices
35:31 - How much improvisation should be in a concert program
37:57 - Directors asking for help with improv teaching
39:09 - How different directors handle written solos with their students
42:23 - When a written solo is essentially part of the chart’s tradition
44:52 - How to spread solos around without overloading the audience
48:18 - The teacher’s role in creating positive early improv experiences
50:16 - Balancing audience enjoyment with giving everyone solo opportunities
52:52 - Cutting tunes when the solo section makes the concert too long
55:41 - Stretching yourself as a teacher by learning unfamiliar jazz styles
57:52 - Starter chart recommendations for younger groups
66:53 - Closing encouragement for directors choosing jazz rep
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