Style: Ballad (Alto Sax Featured) Samantha was originally written for and played by Bud Shank, it is a showpiece for alto saxophone. The arrangement carries a wide dynamic range, and needs a very soft but smooth approach for background figures. An extremely large swell in bars 32 and 33 lead to a very powerful few bars of ensemble. It remains full until bar 50 and progresses into a quiet ending containing a brass pyramid.