The Chicken, arr. Kris Berg – Score & Sound

The Chicken
By Alfred James Ellis / arr. Kris Berg
Item: 00-JEM01050
Series: Jazz Band Series
Level: 3

Whoa, hold on to your feathers! If you want energy and excitement and a funky groove, then check out Kris Berg's chart, The Chicken. The legendary electric bassist Jaco Pastorius recorded this powerhouse tune and arranger Kris Berg has adapted it for the Jazz Band Series. If you have a strong electric bass player, then you have found yourself a showstopper with this arrangement. The tenor sax solo (written solo provided), the optional guitar solo, and the solo bass line will showcase your soloists. Your ensemble will totally devour The Chicken. Guaranteed to pluck the audience right out of their seats! (4:37)

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[Youngy]

When the jazz band teacher plays a recording of this before rehearsing it, and you're sitting on the drumset, and u hear the fills at the start...and then notice the entire jazz band has turned around and is now staring at you.

[EagleScout]

I love how there’s a written solo for tenor 1 and he improvised the whole thing instead. True jazz

[astre]

For all fellow junior high/high school bassists that are playing this song: This score is pretty terrible if you want to sound like Jaco - it's mostly just the main riff with a few measures of sauce added scarcely throughout. I found that by watching covers of some of his live concerts with tabs and watching some videos about his playing style, you can improvise/recreate much more of Jaco's signature style... more fun to play and more fun for the audience!

[jerkface]

I had a bass solo where the brass solo was! First and probably ONLY standing ovation I'll EVER get ( this was when the school held their reward ceremony circa 2020 )

[theimprovedbore]

this song's so fun to play on the drums dude

[captinsmig]

I was gonna play THE CHICKEN, CARAVAN, AND THIS OTHER SONG CALLED BLUE BONES in 2020 for festival in middle school on bass BUT COVID cancelled all concerts. From there my skill went down hill, but im applying to this art high school and im auditioning with this piece in hope of making it in. Wish me luck yall ✌️

[cacawsthelaw]

Playing this in jazz band as bass trombone! Let's go.

[krol]

The only piece where 1st trumpet gets it easier than 3rd.

[edwardjones]

"Designed for high school and advanced junior high school band"

Edit: I’m now a freshman in high school playing this song with my school’s top jazz band. How the turntables 😅

[arihrico]

Saw him perform yesterday at Northwest Jazz festival in Powell wyoming. My friend Even got to ask him questions about his chicken charts. Incredible musician and will always be one of my favorites. An honor to be in his presence.

[alexandermaldonado]

I was gonna play this on a drum set. But due to covid the concert got canceled (, :

[jonconboi]

Yesterday, my high school jazz banf had a performance where we had the honor to play with Ed Calle for this song. I don't think I'll ever experience the energy and emotions I had yesterday, it was incredible.

[shampoo]

I play bari saxophone and I’m playing this song for my up coming jazz concert and festivals and I really like it

[jackp-w]

Never before has an F that high appeared on a grade 3 Alfred chart

[KubikDezimeter]

Wow, thanks for all those great recordings 👍🏾 We're playing three of the songs (Moon Dance; Sing, Sing, Sing; The Chicken) in our school Bigband :D

[stone]

Instead of the drum solos at 0:41 the teacher had a soprano sax do a solo and Ngl it was like gold

[CheezPuffs_]

At the start i thought it was going to be boring. Like a movie starting but its actually a lot better than i thought. This is legendary

[LeotheTiger]

It begins in 3/4 and goes to 4/4, but it's not the song I was thinking of; my high school's jazz band played a different selection entitled "Tastes Like Chicken." That one also begins in 3/4 and goes to common time, 4/4.

[alyssawall]

Playing this on the vibes for melody and piano wish me luck 😀..

[williamsanborn]

Where was this when I worked at the jazz club as the sound guy?! They played this ALL the time and I woulda loved to join in! 😭