Description
Pocket Change is a lively feature piece for Solo Euphonium and Solo Contra-Bass Tuba accompanied by Wind Band. (Solo Bass Tuba can be substituted for the Solo Euphonium). The title refers to the jazz player’s term “in the pocket”. The original version with 8 Trombones was commissioned by Portuguese Tuba virtuoso Sergio Carolino and was premiered by him with his Porto Symphony colleague Bass Trombonist, Nuno Martens and the Wild Bones Gang –August 2
6, 2014 at GRAVÍSSIMO!, the Alcobaça International Low Brass Academy & Festival in Portugal. The concert was recorded live and is available on CD.
This new version with Wind Band is soon to recorded by the Portuguese Army Symphonic Band with soloists Euphoniumist Jukka Myllys and Tubist Sergio Carolino.
Much of the piece is in 3/4 meter but the general feel is 6/4. This gives a lot of freedom to have mixed meter and hemiola rhythms throughout. An energetic opening in the band is followed by a statement by the soloists. The drums set up the first “groove” with a “chattering”, pointillistic accompaniment. A 4/4 interlude leads to slow accelerating duet in the solo instruments setting up the 2nd “groove”, a syncopated pattern with anticipations that make every 3rd and 4th bar feel like odd meters. More background chatter follows under a quasi-Latin groove while the soloists trade figures. The slow middle section has the impression of free time with the solo euphonium and solo tuba playing a challenging duet. The next part has bongos accompany each of the soloists with the other soloist providing the underlying groove. The final section is a high-energy double-time feel in the drums with everyone coming to final low pedal Bb. There is an optional slow, “bluesy”” coda where the soloists play brief improvised solos. Pocket Change is for advanced players. (8 Min.)
Jim Self is a Los Angeles free-lance musician, a veteran of thousands of motion pictures, television shows and records, and tuba soloist on many prominent movies. He is Principal Tubist with the Pasadena and Pacific Symphonies, the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and the Los Angeles Opera and Opera Pacific orchestras. His compositions and arrangements include works for solo tuba, brass quintet, and other brass and woodwind chamber music.
More about Jim and his recordings can be found here:
Basset Hound Music – http://www.bassethoundmusic.com
