Struttin' - (Level IV) This medium-tempo shuffle swings hard from beginning to end. The head of the tune is scored for a small group within the big band, including two trumpets (one player on optional flugelhorn), tenor and bari sax. This main theme is somewhat reminiscent of those great old Blue Note records from the 1950s and 60s. Lead trumpet will have to handle high Ds and Es and, for that matter, no one can sit back and relax. Several key changes occur along the way in the typical Caffey tradition and serve as pleasant diversions from the expected; the harmonic progression is also deceptive. Just when you are convinced the music is based on a Bird blues formula, the composer adds a new twist. Nothing seems to be missing from this chart including a nice shout chorus, sax soli, clean unison writing, accurate articulation and dynamic markings, and a strong finish. This chart should be of interest to those in need of a good, straight-ahead and demanding concert number. Recorded by the Cal State L.A. Jazz Ensemble on The New In You. (8 Brass)
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View all charts by David Caffey
H. DAVID CAFFEY has served as Director of the School of Music at the University of Northern Colorado since July 2005. Previously, he was the Associate Dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences and Professor of Music at California State Polytechnic University, Pamona. Before arriving at Cal Poly Pamona in 2001, he was a Professor of Music at California State University, Los Angeles for seventeen years, serving as Chair of the Music Department for the last eight. Mr. Caffey's work as a college professor spans more than 30 years and includes previous appointments at the the University of Denver Lamont School of Music, Sam Houston State University, and Southern Oregon University. He is an internationally recognized composer with many published compositions. He has won awards for musical composition from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and the National Association of Jazz Educators. His articles have been published in the Journal of Jazz Studies and the Jazz Educational Journal. Mr. Caffey is also well known as a music educator and served as prsident of the International Association for Jazz Education from 2004-2006. He has appeared as a clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor at music festivals, conferences, universities and schools throughout the United States, in Canada, and in Europe. Mr. Caffey's degrees were earned at the University of Texas Austin. He completed a Certificate in Executive Leadership from Claremont Graduate University's Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management in 2000. He has also studied at the Eastman School of Music, DePaul University and California State University, Northridge.
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