Trombango

Trombango was wrritten for Brett Baker in 2015. It is a lighthearted, but virtuosic take on Argentine Tango Nuevo. The player has the option of stamping out the archetypal tango rhythm if desired, or take a more formal approach by omitting this feature. It has been recorded by Brett Baker and the Black Dyke Band on the Doyen label Contrasts. Trombango is available for trombone & piano, trombone & brass band, or trombone & concert band and will also be available for trombone & orchestra. The 'extra parts supplement' contains additional transpositions for Eb Horns, Euphonium (treble clef), Eb Bass and Trombone 2 (treble clef). This is light classical music in the best sense, tuneful, energetic and skilfully scored. For me this is in no sense a pejorative description. It applies to music of excellent craftsmanship, technical skill and musical memorability. There are many works that strive for something all-together more lofty and serious which fail miserably by those criteria....There follows another premiere recording, Stephen Roberts's Trombango written for Brett Baker. This is the real showstopper on the disc. Roberts was the horn and founder member of the Fine Arts Brass. Again, he is a composer/player who knows how to get maximum effect from the experience of being inside an ensemble. What a stunningly fun piece! Think Piazzola goes to Yorkshire. Argentinian New Tango is the primary influence but superbly transported to the medium of Brass Band and solo trombone. I love the stalking Euphonium lines so characteristic of the genre. Yet again Baker makes light work of what sounds like a terrifyingly tricky solo part. I could imagine this being (or becoming) a cornerstone of a trombonist's repertoire and bringing the house down in any performance. Nick Barnard's review of Brett Baker's CD Contrasts (Classical Music Web)