Seven Dances & No Looking Back
orchestration guitar quartet
duration 18:00
orchestration guitar quartet
duration 18:00
1. Hook
From the opening hocketing low E flats and shifting time signatures, the tension then builds over a repeated rhythmic riff before reaching the Latin/Jazz influenced ‘hook’.
2. Hip
A piece that respectfully utilises well known jazz phrases or motifs, and develops them within a more ‘classical’ context. Inspired by the playing of jazz guitarist John Scofield.
3.Wire
The title is a reference to both a drummers brushes and guitar strings. At the back of my mind when writing ‘Wire’ was the concept of space and sound that someone like Pat Metheny uses at times.
4. Line
A quirky, direct and very short piece where the melody is presented by the quartet as a single line, extra lines gradually being added, before a final brief ‘soli’ section.
5. Easy
An Americanism that refers to a relaxed feel or style. Technically this piece isn’t easy to play, the art is to make it sound easy. Influenced by the chamber jazz of groups such as Oregon.
6. Film
The opening section of Ennio Morricones classic ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ is the influence behind this piece, purely in terms of form and shape. Some people say that a key element of the great film composers is an ability to self-edit their music, getting straight to the musical point.
7. Big!
The title refers to the chunky sound and voicing of the guitars. Influenced by the great jazz composer and pianist Chick Corea and his ground-breaking works ‘La Fiesta’ & ‘Spain’, which fuse elements of music from America and Spain.
No Looking Back
Ironic in that this piece reprises elements of all seven dances. For the first time each player is featured with solo cadenzas, ideas being bound together by a rhythmically free harmonic backdrop. This is a time of reflection and an intimate musical conclusion.
Seven Dances and No Looking Back was commissioned by Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and funded by Sunbeams Musical Trust.
From the opening hocketing low E flats and shifting time signatures, the tension then builds over a repeated rhythmic riff before reaching the Latin/Jazz influenced ‘hook’.
2. Hip
A piece that respectfully utilises well known jazz phrases or motifs, and develops them within a more ‘classical’ context. Inspired by the playing of jazz guitarist John Scofield.
3.Wire
The title is a reference to both a drummers brushes and guitar strings. At the back of my mind when writing ‘Wire’ was the concept of space and sound that someone like Pat Metheny uses at times.
4. Line
A quirky, direct and very short piece where the melody is presented by the quartet as a single line, extra lines gradually being added, before a final brief ‘soli’ section.
5. Easy
An Americanism that refers to a relaxed feel or style. Technically this piece isn’t easy to play, the art is to make it sound easy. Influenced by the chamber jazz of groups such as Oregon.
6. Film
The opening section of Ennio Morricones classic ‘Gabriel’s Oboe’ is the influence behind this piece, purely in terms of form and shape. Some people say that a key element of the great film composers is an ability to self-edit their music, getting straight to the musical point.
7. Big!
The title refers to the chunky sound and voicing of the guitars. Influenced by the great jazz composer and pianist Chick Corea and his ground-breaking works ‘La Fiesta’ & ‘Spain’, which fuse elements of music from America and Spain.
No Looking Back
Ironic in that this piece reprises elements of all seven dances. For the first time each player is featured with solo cadenzas, ideas being bound together by a rhythmically free harmonic backdrop. This is a time of reflection and an intimate musical conclusion.
Seven Dances and No Looking Back was commissioned by Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and funded by Sunbeams Musical Trust.