Connecticut Avenue SUVs
Shifting time funk! The title expresses my disdain for contending with monster SUVs when driving on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, DC. Recorded by Jason Shapiro, soprano saxophone; E. Shawn Qaissaunee, guitar; Brian Howell, bass; Skip Rohrich, drums; and David Arivett, horn section tracks. The complete instrumentation in the demo is trumpet, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, trombone, tuba, guitar, bass, and drums.
Note: There are differences between the score and the demo recording. The small group recording was made by Jason Shapiro's quartet from a lead sheet several years before my mid-size ensemble score was written as a revision. For this new recording, David Arivett added the horn parts in my score to Jason's recording. The video syncs the score and recording as closely as possible.
Note: There are differences between the score and the demo recording. The small group recording was made by Jason Shapiro's quartet from a lead sheet several years before my mid-size ensemble score was written as a revision. For this new recording, David Arivett added the horn parts in my score to Jason's recording. The video syncs the score and recording as closely as possible.
This piece is a minimalist composition -- the melody is only 16 bars. However, it has expanded improvisation concepts for the soloist and the ensemble. The ensemble's collective improvisation is intended to sound like music coming out of car windows in traffic. The sounds change quickly. Different kinds of music come, go, and overlap. Radios or electronics may be used for additional layers of sound.
The soloists use four chord progression patterns. Each soloist determines which patterns to play and their sequence. The patterns can be played in any order. Ideally, the patterns are determined within a performance instead of before. The soloist communicates the patterns, and when to shift to a new pattern, to the ensemble by hand signals. The ensemble (including horn players) can improvise backgrounds and interactions with the soloist. Musical styles can also shift within a solo. Performers can take the music in any creative direction they want to go with it.
The mid-size ensemble score is for 5 wind instruments and rhythm section. Flexible instrumentation is used to enable the music to be played by many combinations of instruments. Mid-Size Ensemble describes the concepts that I used in this piece. There is also a lead sheet version so it can be played by small groups.