Symphony in Riffs

Symphony In Riffs is Benny Carter’s most famous piece. Originally composed and arranged in the 1930’s for 4 reeds and 5 brass, Benny re-scored this version for a larger band some 50 years later. Benny was known for his idiomatic saxophone writing and this chart is a great example of that. Just when you think that the soli chorus at D is as good as his saxophone writing can get, he modulates and tops it with the brilliant new section at I. This is a transitional piece between the pre-swing of the 1920s and the mid-1930s swing.