POONA

2010

10 min.

Jazz Orchestra (4 sax, 4 tp, 3tbn, t, pno/rhodes, b, dr)

Finalist in the ArtEZ international Jazz Composition Contest

Available through www.ShopTheComposers.com

Premiere: Enschede, NL 22.5.2010

Millenium Jazz Orchestra

Programm Notes:  

The piece originated from a study I did on Duke Ellington’s „Depk“ while I was still studying at Berklee in 2005. In the original attempt I copied Dukes form and instrumentation as close as possible.

A few years later I picked up the material and completely reworked into something more original, leaving only the main theme as it was. As in Dukes „Depk“ the piece describes my own Far East experience, that I had during my stay in Poona / India. I have a strong personal connection to this city as I have been there several times to study, perform and recently to attend a dear friends wedding, which turned out to be a once in a lifetime experience.

The composition has an idiomatic eastern theme in an unusual rhythmic division of the 4/4 meter, that functions as a kind of clave for the piece. There is a lot of interplay between thick and thin instrumentation. Right at the beginning half the band is asked to clap the clave. Also the piano has some solo spots in interchange with the full band. Soloists are alto sax and piano.

The piece was composed (in its eventual form) in spring 2009 and was selected as a finalist in the international ArtEZ Composition contest in Enschede, Netherlands. It received its premier in Enschede by the Millenium Jazz Orchestra.