Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Franz Gruber Arranger: Jock McKenzie
Duration: 4:00 Minutes
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
3 Trombones
1 Euphonium
1 Tuba
4 Percussion (Optional)
Percussion section requires: Drum Kit, Bongos, Tambourine and Cowbell
This carol (one the most popular in the world) was composed in 1818 by Franz Gruber to words by Joseph Mohr. It was first performed on Christmas Eve 1818. This took place in St Nicholas parish church in the village of Oberndorf near Salzburg, Austria. A popular (but spurious) tale tells how the priest Joseph Mohr, whilst making preparations for the Christmas Eve mass, found the church organ to be not working. This supposedly was caused by rats having chewed through the leather bellows of the organ. Joseph Mohr, having previously written the words presented them to Franz Gruber (a local schoolmaster and organist) in the hope that he could set them to music ready for use that same day, but on guitar rather than the broken organ. It is Gruber’s distinctive melody and simple harmonic accompaniment that has allowed this carol to become so enduring.
My arrangement seeks to turn the serene beauty of this carol on its head !
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Chris Wilcox
Duration 5.30
Scored for :
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
4 Trombones
1 Tuba
1 Drum Kit
2 Percussion
Trumpet 4 doubles on Flugelhorn.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation :
Eb. soprano Cornet
Eb. Tenor Horn
Bb. Trombone
Euphonium/ Baritone in TC
Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Put simply, a ‘Raga’ is a scale used in Indian music, but aside from being a series of ascending and descending notes, ragas are also associated with different moods and with particular times of the day or year. A Redbridge Raga is influenced by the use of the ‘Raga Bhairav’ (a morning raga) which is clearly outlined in the mysterious opening of the piece. The following section is much more lively, incoprorating elements of Bhangra (a musical style emanating from the fusion of Indian folk music with British pop culture). The title reflects the location of the first performance that took place at Redbridge Town Hall, East London. Chris Wilcox Chris Wilcox studied the tuba at the Colchester Institute and later at Trinity College of Music where he graduated in 2003 with a postgraduate diploma. A year later Chris toured Japan with his quintet Docklands Brass who were the winners of the Philip Jones Brass Chamber Prize. As a soloist, Chris has performed the Gregson and Ellerby Tuba concertos and he continues to perform regularly in the London area. Previous teaching posts have included Brass Co-ordinator for Redbridge Music Service and Head of the Deptford Music Centre in Lewisham. As a composer, Chris has written a large amount of educational music and songs. Previous commissions have included work for the History Channel and Sky TV. In 2012 Chris premiered his work ‘Olympic Visions’ at the Royal Albert Hall which received widespread praise. In 2014 Chris returned to the Albert Hall to conducted 3 further works for symphony orchestra and choir: What if, Be The Change & My Dream. Further information about Chris’s music can be found by visiting his website: www.chriswilcoxmusic.co.uk
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Traditional
Duration: 2:30 Minutes
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
4 Trombones
1 Tuba
3 Percussion (Optional)
Percussion section requires: Timpani, Tambourine and Glockenspiel
The English custom of ‘Wassailing’ is the seasonal act of singing carols door-to-door and wishing good health. The singers and dancers (often very poor) would do this in the hope of being offered a drink from the ‘wassail bowl’ – a warm broth of hot ale, fruit and spices; good sustenance for those who were cold and often homeless. It is thought that this carol (composer unknown) was composed c.1850
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Jean-Baptiste Lully Arranger: Jock McKenzie
Duration 2.30
Scored for : 4 x Bb. Trumpets 1 x Horn in F 4 x Trombones 1 x Tuba 1 x Drum Kit 3 x Percussion - Shaker, Ethnic Drum and small bass drum
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) was born in Florence, Italy. He worked his way up the hierarchy at the palace at Versailles, from kitchen-boy, language teacher, dancer, and finally court composer to the King Louis XIV, the “Sun King”. His duties included supplying music for the most grandiose court entertainments; to this end he, in collaboration with the great playwright Molière, created a new form entitled the “comédie-ballet” such as operas and ballets, to more intimate settings such as music to accompany banquets. This piece is part of the music to Moliere’s sharply satirical comédie-ballet “Le Bourgeois Gentil’homme”. In this simple and effective arrangement by Jock McKenzie the highly decorated solo line was recorded with poise and elegance on the piccolo trumpet by Philip Cobb.
Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) was born in Florence, Italy. He worked his way up the hierarchy at the palace at Versailles, from kitchen-boy, language teacher, dancer, and finally court composer to the King Louis XIV, the “Sun King”. His duties included supplying music for the most grandiose court entertainments; to this end he, in collaboration with the great playwright Molière, created a new form entitled the “comédie-ballet” such as operas and ballets, to more intimate settings such as music to accompany banquets. This piece is part of the music to Moliere’s sharply satirical comédie-ballet “Le Bourgeois Gentil’homme”.
In this simple and effective arrangement by Jock McKenzie the highly decorated solo line was recorded with poise and elegance on the piccolo trumpet by Philip Cobb.
Air Des Espagnoles, arranged by Jock McKenzie, is available on the CD 'Under the Spell of Spain' by Superbrass.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Chris Wilcox
Duration: 8:00 minutes
Alloy was originally commissioned in 2009 by Redbridge Music Service as a performance goal for beginner brass instrumentalists who had received free tuition in schools across the borough. The aim of the piece was to provide an inspirational opportunity for beginner players to perform alongside intermediate and advanced level instrumentalists. Alloy is an 8-minute work for metallic instruments, which is reflected in its title. It is a fusion piece with elements from traditional Indian Raga, Drum & Bass grooves, Jazz, Rock and African rhythms alongside the more ‘classical’ melodic brass styles. What culminates is a vibrant and exciting contemporary work. Also included are 4 optional easy beginner brass parts in all keys
Percussion: 2 Players playing drum kit and vibraphone
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Chris Wilcox
Duration 8.00
Scored for : 4 Trumpets 1 Horn in F 3 Trombones 1 Euphonium 1 Tuba 1 Drum Kit 1 Percussion
Also included are 4 optional easy beginner brass parts
Percussion requires: Vibraphone
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Alloy was originally commissioned in 2009 by Redbridge Music Service as a performance goal for beginner brass instrumentalists who had received free tuition in schools across the borough. The aim of the piece was to provide an inspirational opportunity for beginner players to perform alongside intermediate and advanced level instrumentalists. Alloy is an 8-minute work for metallic instruments, which is reflected in its title. It is a fusion piece with elements from traditional Indian Raga, Drum & Bass grooves, Jazz, Rock and African rhythms alongside the more ‘classical’ melodic brass styles. What culminates is a vibrant and exciting contemporary work. Chris Wilcox Chris Wilcox studied the tuba at the Colchester Institute and later at Trinity College of Music where he graduated in 2003 with a postgraduate diploma. A year later Chris toured Japan with his quintet Docklands Brass who were the winners of the Philip Jones Brass Chamber Prize. As a soloist, Chris has performed the Gregson and Ellerby Tuba concertos and he continues to perform regularly in the London area. Previous teaching posts have included Brass Co-ordinator for Redbridge Music Service and Head of the Deptford Music Centre in Lewisham. As a composer, Chris has written a large amount of educational music and songs. Previous commissions have included work for the History Channel and Sky TV. In 2012 Chris premiered his work ‘Olympic Visions’ at the Royal Albert Hall which received widespread praise. In 2014 Chris returned to the Albert Hall to conducted 3 further works for symphony orchestra and choir: What if, Be The Change & My Dream. Further information about Chris’s music can be found by visiting his website: www.chriswilcoxmusic.co.uk
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Keiron Anderson
Duration 4.00
Scored for : An Original Composition for Superbrass.
4 Trumpets 1 Horn in F 4 Trombones 1 Tuba 1 Drum Kit 1 Percussion 3 Percussion (Optional)
Trumpet 4 doubles on Flugelhorn. Percussion section requires: Bongos or congas and Woodblocks. (Optional Percussion requires: Timps, Tambourine, Xylophone)
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Aviator is a bright, lively piece, which attempts to show the fast moving and complex world of the stunt pilot who mixes simplicity and style with mad aerobatic prowess. The work shows the take off and landing but in the middle, a multiple time signature section mixes cut common and triple time signatures to take the Band on a white-knuckle ride before returning to the main theme for a safe landing.
Keiron Anderson Keiron studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Philip Jones OBE at a time when the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble was established as a real force in brass chamber music. He was fascinated by the methods used by Philip Jones to achieve the unique and sophisticated blend of the instruments and players and how to apply the techniques to other same-family instrumental groups. At the RNCM, Keiron experienced a wide range of musical styles including founding the college Big Band and Light Orchestra which involved arranging film music and jazz classics. After graduating, Keiron worked as a freelance trumpet player with many orchestras around the UK including the soon to be disbanded BBC Northern Radio Orchestra. He then spent several years with his own group as a Musical Director for Cunard Line before returning to the UK to compose, conduct and teach music. He now conducts the acclaimed Harlequin Brass Ensemble, Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Phoenix Concert Band and works with many ensembles around the country. He has written music in a vast array of styles for Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Clarinet Choir, Flute Ensemble, Brass dectet, Saxophone Groups and String Orchestra as well as several musicals and vocal works.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Traditional Arranger: Ryan Linham
Duration: 4:00 Minutes
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
4 Trombones
1 Tuba
Away in a Manger is one of the most popular Christmas Carols, heard every year in a wide range of styles and arrangements. This arrangement uses the standard ‘Cradle Song’ melody sung in England, not the ‘Mueller’ American melody. A popular with both children and adults alike, this close harmony arrangement brings out the glorious homogenous sonorities of brass instruments combining. After the introduction which hints at the tune we are about to hear, the first section uses the trombones to create a moving carpet of sound whilst a trumpet, or optional flugelhorn recites the melody. The second section has cup muted soft trumpets playing little falling snow/bell motifs as the trombone continues the melody, until the whole ensemble join but die away. This leaves the horn to interpret the melody with the trombones as a reharmonised chorale, until the heraldic trumpets enter with fanfares which crescendos to a rousing key change and ending, all parts moving and intertwining. With subtle hints of other Christmas melodies in the texture, the piece dies away to the most beautiful pyramid chord ending, finishing with that first flugelhorn reminding us where it began.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Keiron Anderson
Duration 2.30
Scored for :
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
4 Trombones
1 Tuba
1 Drum Kit
Trumpet 4 requires Flugelhorn.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation :
Eb. soprano Cornet
Eb. Tenor Horn
Bb. Trombone
Euphonium/ Baritone in TC
Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
This work was written to illustrate some of the main features of a classic jazz style created by the likes of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. The music was fast in tempo and in harmonic rhythm with irregular phrases built from developing motifs. Often the first chorus presented a melodic figure that sounded improvised yet was often played in octaves by the trumpet and saxes. Subsequent choruses were built on the harmony and improvised in a technically stunning fashion by the players one by one. The music would finish with a rework of the original melody and come to a sudden end. This work does add a couple of ensemble interventions from the big band era but they are there to make the piece inclusive and fun to play.
Keiron Anderson
Keiron studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Philip Jones OBE at a time when the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble was established as a real force in brass chamber music. He was fascinated by the methods used by Philip Jones to achieve the unique and sophisticated blend of the instruments and players and how to apply the techniques to other same-family instrumental groups. At the RNCM, Keiron experienced a wide range of musical styles including founding the college Big Band and Light Orchestra which involved arranging film music and jazz classics. After graduating, Keiron worked as a freelance trumpet player with many orchestras around the UK including the soon to be disbanded BBC Northern Radio Orchestra. He then spent several years with his own group as a Musical Director for Cunard Line before returning to the UK to compose, conduct and teach music. He now conducts the acclaimed Harlequin Brass Ensemble, Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Phoenix Concert Band and works with many ensembles around the country. He has written music in a vast array of styles for Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Clarinet Choir, Flute Ensemble, Brass dectet, Saxophone Groups and String Orchestra as well as several musicals and vocal works.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Keiron Anderson
Duration 3.30
Scored for :
An Original Composition for Superbrass.
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
3 Trombones
1 Euphonium
1 Tuba
1 Drum Kit
Trumpet 4 doubles on Flugelhorn.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation :
Eb. soprano Cornet
Eb. Tenor Horn
Bb. Trombone
Euphonium/ Baritone in TC
Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Blewz
There are many harmonic forms of the blues from a standard chord sequence to a more complex set with a circle of fifths. This bright, entertaining work is fun to play and easy to programme with a hint of jazz and a swing feel, complete with a little interplay section for bass trombone and tuba, which adds to the entertainment value of this piece.
Keiron Anderson
Keiron studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Philip Jones OBE at a time when the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble was established as a real force in brass chamber music. He was fascinated by the methods used by Philip Jones to achieve the unique and sophisticated blend of the instruments and players and how to apply the techniques to other same-family instrumental groups. At the RNCM, Keiron experienced a wide range of musical styles including founding the college Big Band and Light Orchestra which involved arranging film music and jazz classics. After graduating, Keiron worked as a freelance trumpet player with many orchestras around the UK including the soon to be disbanded BBC Northern Radio Orchestra. He then spent several years with his own group as a Musical Director for Cunard Line before returning to the UK to compose, conduct and teach music. He now conducts the acclaimed Harlequin Brass Ensemble, Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Phoenix Concert Band and works with many ensembles around the country. He has written music in a vast array of styles for Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Clarinet Choir, Flute Ensemble, Brass dectet, Saxophone Groups and String Orchestra as well as several musicals and vocal works.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Terry Johns
Duration 5.30
Scored for :
A Solo Feature for Tuba
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
4 Trombones
1 Tuba
1 Drum Kit
1 Percussion
Percussion section require: Vibraphone
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation :
Eb. soprano Cornet
Eb. Tenor Horn
Bb. Trombone
Euphonium/ Baritone in TC
Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Blue Bombazine
The word Bombazine is derived from the obsolete French word Bombasin. Largely made in the Norwich area, Bombazine is a twilled fabric made of silk used mainly in dress making and popular in England in the reign of Elizabeth I. The image and feel of warm, smooth, opulent silk is aptly suited to a solo feature for tuba. Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs and the RAF Music Service commissioned Blue Bombazine for solo tuba and brass in 2014, for Senior Aircraftman Jonathan Gawn and the RAF Central Band. It was first performed at The Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, on the 11th April 2015 at the British Festival of Wind Bands. The music is written in the jazz idiom with a testing solo part. It is available with brass band accompaniment or brass dectet.
There is also a “recital” version available for tuba and piano.
Terry Johns
The son of a Welsh miner, Terry Johns is a french horn player with a distinguished career as a member of the Royal Philharmonic and the London Symphony orchestras, the Barry Tuckwell horn quartet, the Alan Civil horn quartet, and the Jack Brymer wind soloists. He played with many jazz “greats”, including Tubby Hayes, Kenny Wheeler, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Phil Woods, and John Dankworth. He is also a composer of music for the studio, television. He has written music for the RPO and LSO brass and he composed the theme and incidental music for Harlech TV’s “The Pretenders”. For this he recruited players from the ranks of the RPO, and the LSO, for the studio orchestra led by Sidney Sax, and conducted the sessions himself. In 1984 the actor Robert Hardy while arranging the memorial service for Richard Burton at the church of St Martin in the fields, invited Terry to arrange the final hymn (Battle Hymn of the republic) for the Rhos Cwm Tawe male voice choir and to compose an obbligato solo trumpet part for Maurice Murphy. The music was completed in a sleeper compartment between Edinburgh and London just hours before the service, with the soloist proof-reading from the top bunk! Terry has recently published the first part of his autobiographical “Letters from Lines and Spaces”. The second part is to be published in 2013.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Traditional Arranger: Jock McKenzie
Duration: 3:00 Minutes
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
3 Trombones
1 Euphonium
1 Tuba
3 Percussion (Optional)
Percussion section requires: Drum Kit, Tambourine, Sleigh Bells and Xylophone
The Boar’s Head carol is a fifteenth century carol. It describes the ancient tradition of sacrificing a boar and displaying its head on a platter at a seasonal feast. This tradition goes back at least to Anglo-Saxon times. The head, complete with apple in its mouth was carried to the banquet table on a silver or gold platter to the sounds of trumpets and singing minstrels. My arrangement of this carol seeks to bring something to the party in the style of the acclaimed folk band “Bellowhead”.
Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Keiron Anderson
Duration 3.30
Scored for :
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
3 Trombones
1 Euphonium
1 Tuba
1 Drum Kit
1 Percussion
Trumpet 4 doubles on Flugelhorn.
Trumpet 4 requires improvising skills.
Percussion require Congas or Bongos and Samba Whistle.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation :
Eb. soprano Cornet
Eb. Tenor Horn
Bb. Trombone
Euphonium/ Baritone in TC
Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
The Samba has a special significance in Brazilian musical culture and it is symbolic of sheer joy and energy. Music is a mix of communication and energy and this work is designed to allow the players to generate that energy, thus communicating it to the audience. That infectious drive and musical energy will be a high point of any live performance or recording. Keiron Anderson Keiron studied at the Royal Northern College of Music with Philip Jones OBE at a time when the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble was established as a real force in brass chamber music. He was fascinated by the methods used by Philip Jones to achieve the unique and sophisticated blend of the instruments and players and how to apply the techniques to other same-family instrumental groups. At the RNCM, Keiron experienced a wide range of musical styles including founding the college Big Band and Light Orchestra which involved arranging film music and jazz classics. After graduating, Keiron worked as a freelance trumpet player with many orchestras around the UK including the soon to be disbanded BBC Northern Radio Orchestra. He then spent several years with his own group as a Musical Director for Cunard Line before returning to the UK to compose, conduct and teach music. He now conducts the acclaimed Harlequin Brass Ensemble, Yorkshire Wind Orchestra, Nottingham Symphonic Winds, Phoenix Concert Band and works with many ensembles around the country. He has written music in a vast array of styles for Wind Orchestra, Brass Band, Clarinet Choir, Flute Ensemble, Brass dectet, Saxophone Groups and String Orchestra as well as several musicals and vocal works.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Mykola Leontovych Arranger: Ryan Linham
Duration: 2:30 Minutes
4 Trumpets
1 Horn in F
3 Trombones
1 Euphonium
1 Tuba
1 Percussion (Optional)
Percussion section requires: Glockenspiel
Carol of the Bells is a popular carol composed by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych. Although not originally written as a Christmas song, recent inclusion in films such as ‘The Santa Claus’ and ‘Home Alone’ combined with the addition of English lyrics, have secured it’s place in modern Christmas popular culture. It is characterised by the famous 4 note bell motif, passed through the trumpets and later throughout the ensemble, marking both the beginning and ending of this work. ‘Bell tone’ notes combined with muted trumpets, fast moving inner parts and an optional Glockenspiel part make this work a vibrant and effective addition to any Christmas programme, and a welcome change to the more usual Christmas melodies. As the work progresses, it slowly builds towards the glorious ‘Gloria in excelsis Deo’ moment, the first time we hear a major tonality. As this falls away we are reminded of the minor 4 note bell motif which fades away into the distance.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
The composer writes:- “Castles In Spain is loosely inspired by the Gil Evans/Miles Davis album Sketches Of Spain . The stately theme and broody atmosphere to me conjure up the visionary adventures of Don Quixote on his travels through Spain. The muted trumpet solo represents the impassioned Saeta flamenco singing, and the processional feel throughout possibly conjures up images of the religious festival Semana Santa”. Mark Lockheart is being characteristically modest in this description of a very original work indeed. His imaginative use of the marimba enables him to create an ostinato which would be unidiomatic and fatiguing on brass alone. In the main section, the scraps of melody seem to float capriciously above this hypnotic background, and the tempo slightly speeds up for the sections featuring free improvisations.
Mark Lockheart Mark Lockheart is one of the most distinctive and creative musicians on the current British music scene. As a saxophonist and composer, his work often defies categorisation and crosses the boundaries of the jazz, new music and folk worlds. Mark came to prominence in the mid 1980s with the influential big band 'Loose Tubes' and after the demise of 'Loose Tubes' in 1990 formed the quartet 'Perfect Houseplants'. 'Perfect Houseplants' went on to release six highly respected albums including several cross-over collaborations with the 'Orlando Consort' and with the recorder virtuoso Pamela Thorby. Mark has toured and recorded with Django Bates' 'Delightful Precipice' and recorded with jazz, folk and pop artists June Tabor, Stereolab, Jah Wobble, Robert Wyatt, Prefab Sprout, Thomas Dolby, Anja Garbarek and Radiohead. In 1997 Mark was awarded the 'Peter Whittingham Award' to record his semi-orchestral eleven-piece group the 'Scratch Band'. This formed the basis of the CD "Through Rose-Coloured Glasses", which was released in 1998 to critical acclaim and voted by Time Out as one of the Top Ten albums of 1998. A commission from the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Birmingham Jazz led to a suite of pieces inspired by dance forms, which formed the basis for the 'Scratch Band's' second album, "Imaginary Dances". In 2003 Mark joined Seb Rochford's 'Polar Bear' and has toured throughout Europe with the group and recorded four ground breaking albums, the 2005 CD "Held On The Tips Of Fingers" was nominated for the Mercury Award that year and later appeared in Jazzwise's '100 Albums That Shook the World'. Also in 2005 Mark released "Moving Air", a quartet album but featuring Mark's multi-tracked reed playing, In 2007 Mark was featured soloist in Mark Anthony Turnage's "About Water" which was premiered on the Southbank in June 2007. 2009 became a hugely busy year with the release of his CD "In Deep" which the Manchester Evening News gave 'Five Stars' and said it was 'The Key Record of The Second Golden Age of British Jazz'. The following year (2010) saw Mark being awarded 'Parliamentary Jazz Musician Of The Year' and releasing his first big band album "Days Like These" with the Hamburg based NDR big band. Recent projects have included Mark Anthony Turnage's opera 'Anna Nicole and a brand new project entitled 'Ellington In Anticipation" featuring Mark's deconstructions of Ellington compositions. Mark has also composed music for BBC Drama and contributed to the Associated Board Jazz Syllabus and also just about finds time to teach at Trinity College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.
Castles in Spain by Mike Lockheart is available on the CD 'Under the Spell of Spain' by Superbrass.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Chuck Mangione Arranger: Jock McKenzie
Duration 6.30
Scored for : 4 x Bb. Trumpets 1 x Horn in F 4 x Trombones 1 x Tuba 1 x Drum Kit 1 x Percussion - Congas and bongos
* Trumpets 2 and 4 and Trombone 1 players require improvisation skills.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
The Children of Sanchez is a 1961 book by the American anthropologist Oscar Lewis and tells the story of a Mexican family living in the slum of Tepito in Mexico City. Due to its criticisms’ of the ruling Partido Revolucionario Institucional government and the fact that the book was written by a foreigner, the book was banned in Mexico for many years until pressure from literary figures resulted in its publication in Mexico itself. The film based on the book was directed by Hall Bartlett and was released in 1979 and starred Anthony Quinn. It tells the story of an abusive womanizing widowed farmer trying to care for his family in Mexico City. Mangione won a Grammy for the Film Score and the film’s title song arranged here also won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance.
Chuck Mangione Charles Frank “Chuck” Mangione is an American born flugelhorn player and composer. He was born in 1940 in Rochester New York and achieved international success in 1977 with his jazz-pop hit Feels So Good. With his piano playing brother Gap they led the Jazz Brothers, a group that recorded 3 albums for Riverside Records. In addition Chuck himself recorded more than 30 albums. Chuck attended Eastman School of Music leaving in 1963 to join Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. In 1970 Chuck won his first Grammy in the category of Best Instrumental Composition for Bellavia, his composition Chase the Clouds Away was used in the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympics and another later composition Give it All you Got was used for the theme for the 1980 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, New York. Along with Children of Sanchez he wrote the theme music for The Cannonball Run. In the animated TV series King of the Hill, Chuck plays himself as a celebrity spokesman for Mega Lo Mart, always wearing the trademark red and white shirt from the cover of his Feels So Good album. A recurring joke throughout the series is that whatever tune he plays on his flugelhorn it inevitably shifts into Feels So Good after a few bars.
A short, fun 'potpourri' of Christmas Fayre for Brass Tentet featuring Ding Dong Merrily on High, Silent Night and I Saw Three Ships with a few other recognisable snippets thrown in for good measure.
Category: SUPERBRASS 10 Part Composer: Paul McGhee
Duration 3.30
Scored for : 4 x Bb. Trumpets 1 x Horn in F 4 x Trombones 1 x Tuba 1 x Drum Kit 1 x Percussion - Claves, Snare Drum anda Tambourine on a stand.
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
Clapp!!!! was originally written in 2006 whilst Paul was studying at Music College and was written for two people at one piano. The music uses the rhythmic phasing from Steve Reich’s Clapping Music with each rhythm assigned it’s own tone cluster. As each repetition leads to a shift in the rhythm the change also results in a change in the harmony. Melodic passages are created through these shifts in rhythm and harmony, but only occurring within the given rhythmical parameters. The piece aims to be a study in momentum, with its unrelenting pulse driving us through the music. This version of Clapp is taken from the Brass Band version, which was premiered by Manger Musikklag at the 2010 BrassWind festival in Bergen, Norway and has been especially arranged by Paul himself for Superbrass, who has since adopted it as a regular item in their concert repertoire. The exclamation marks are intentional and are there to encourage you to announce the piece in a loud and aggressive manner.
Paul McGhee Paul McGhee was born and grew up in Corby, Northamptonshire and began to play the Tuba at age 13 whilst at Beanfield Comprehensive School. In 2002 Paul began studies in composition at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff under Andrew Wilson-Dickson. In his final year at college his piece, The Ministry Of Love, was premiered at the 2006 RNCM Festival of Brass as part of the 'young composer premiere' competition and in July of that year he graduated with a 2:1. Since graduating from Music College Paul’s music has continued to explore the technical capabilities of the modern day brass instrument. In 2010 his piece, Waiting For A Pain Hit!??!!?, was selected as the championship section set work for the Swiss National Brass Band Championships and received it's premiere performance at the Stravinsky Hall in Montreux. In 2012 his piece, Lullaby, won first prize at the E.B.B.A Composers Competition in Rotterdam, Holland. Paul’s music has been broadcast on BBC Radio in the UK and NRK Radio in Norway and has featured at festivals throughout Europe including RNCM Festival of Brass, Cardiff New Brass Festival and BrassWind in Norway.
Scored for : 4 x Bb. Trumpets 1 x Horn in F 4 x Trombones 1 x Tuba 1 x Drum Kit 2 x Percussion - Large Bass Drum, Tubular Bells in F# and B, two hand drums - high and low.
Trumpets 1 and 2 require Piccolo Trumpets in A
* Alternative Parts are included for standard British Brass Band Ten Part Instrumentation : Eb. soprano Cornet Eb. Tenor Horn Bb. Trombone Euphonium/ Baritone in TC Eb. and Bb. Bass parts in TC
The Cantigas de Santa Maria (Canticles of the Blessed Virgin Mary), composed at the Court of King Alfonso X of Castile in the second half of the 13th century, are a vast repertory of poetry in medieval Galician. The 420 compositions include 353 narratives of miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as numerous devotional and liturgical poems, almost all set to music. Jock McKenzie’s fine arrangement of this canticle, in which contrasting meters evoke the limping of a lame man then healed by the Virgin Mary.
This arrangement was written especially for Superbrass and featured the fabulous piccolo trumpet playing of both Brian Thomson and Paul Mayes and can be heard on our 2011 debut recording “Under the Spell of Spain”
Como Poden Per Sas Cupas, arranged by Jock McKenzie, is available on the CD 'Under the Spell of Spain' by Superbrass.
