Big Band (5/4/4)

• Style: ECM (Straight 8ths)
• Grade 4: High School
• ~5-5:15
• Soloists: Trumpet 2 (Flugelhorn)

This piece was originally commissioned by Aaron Snipes for the Braswell High School Jazz Ensemble and their performance at the 2025 Jazz Education Network Conference. This piece is inspired by Theo Croker and Joel Ross and their use of semi-classical sounding themes and chord progressions for ballads. The chart is designed for solid 1st and 2nd trumpet players, in addition to piano as it highlighted throughout. This song gets its title from one of the first times I visited California to see my girlfriend. Before my flight home we had to drive out of a small town at 4 in the morning to get the airport for an early flight. During the drive the full moon shined bright on the California rolling hills and that’s where I got the inspiration for the title.