This is one of the best pieces on the subject by Jeff Anderson, Musical Director, Indianapolis Jazz Orchestra

Often, the inexperienced director gives little thought to the placement of students within the jazz ensemble. Typically the “tried and true” concert band method is used. That is, the best student on the first part, the next best on the second part, etc. While this strategy may work well for the concert or marching band, it’s not always effective for addressing the special needs of the jazz band. Unlike concert and marching band arrangements, jazz ensemble charts are designed to sound best with only one person on each part. Also, because of tradition and practice, many positions within the jazz ensemble have developed specific roles and expectations. These roles tend to differ substantially from other large instrumental ensembles. The scholastic band director must keep all of this in mind when trying to develop a young jazz ensemble.

The following positions are listed in their relative order of importance to the modern big jazz band. They’re listed from most important to least important. It’s critical to fully understand this general hierarchy before trying to develop a young jazz ensemble. Although this hierarchy certainly applies to all big band jazz ensembles (professional and otherwise), this particular version is tailored to fit the high school or young college band.

1. Lead Trumpet and Drum Set
These two positions are unquestionably the most important parts of any big band jazz ensemble. Without strong and mature players in both of these spots, it’s almost impossible to have an outstanding performing group. Any director of a developing jazz band should expend maximum effort in nurturing, developing, and maintaining these positions.

The lead trumpet establishes the sound, style and direction of the ensemble. When choosing a trumpet player to lead a big band, range should not be the sole (or in some cases even the primary) factor to consider. A young lead trumpet player must first be a leader who has a good overall understanding of (or the ability to learn about) differing musical styles. Next, the young lead trumpet player must have a strong and mature sound that can easily command the attention of the group. Good sight-reading ability is also extremely important. Jazz improvisation ability should not be a major factor in choosing a lead trumpet player.

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