Okay, I have decided to step in help you fellas out here......

The best book ever written for sight reading is "Dance Band Reading and Interpretation" by Alan Raph. It was published way back in the early 1960's. Its still in print and it still costs less then 10 bucks.

It breaks down almost every rhythm you would ever see in big band music. THe problem with sight reading in the Arbans and other etude books are that the figures are not "swing" figures. Raph's book focuses solely on swing type figures that you see all the time in Sinatra, Basie and yes MF charts. There is also a "key" where he shows you how to decifer any rhythm you come across.

After you buy the book and get your first lead trumpet gig I'll expect you to name your firstborn "JohnsonLong".

Thats how good the book works.

JL