About the Tunes
Suite for the Duo
Vaughn Wiester, former teacher and now my mentor and friend, transcribed this work from a variety of sources and mailed it to me with the message "Something to Live For." Composed by Billy Strayhorn (collaborator with Duke Ellington) he wrote this suite for the famous jazz duo Willie Ruff (horn) and Dwike Mitchell (piano). We are presenting the first of three movements here today as a perfect recital opener. Personally, the tune nudges me to face fears of the ubiquitous high A pitch that bedevils many hornists like me.
Four 2-Bit Contraptions
This charming little duet for flute and horn depicts themes of days gone by in four programmatic movements. The first lightly smirks at an arrogant second lieutenant for his visions of grandeur, while the second trips in elephantine grace the sounds of an out-of-tune calliope. The third movement spins a pinwheel ride at a circus to the point of breathless. And for those of you who remember how vinyl records could "skip" from a scratch, the last movement will bring you back with the scratchy sound of an old gramophone.
Soundings
Last year, I conducted research as a Fulbright scholar with the topic "Making Music in a Throwaway Culture." I explored the intersection of Music + Sustainability by creating sounds out of discarded items - paper, plastic, cans. It seemed that Soundings by James Naigus offered a perfect opportunity to bring these items into a performance. With the audience participating at the section where horn improvises. Let's jam with trash, everybody! And thanks to Dave for playing on various items drum and recycled, such as plastic water bottles pumped with air through bike tire stems!
Western Carol
Stephanie Wieseler brought in this tune during a rehearsal for another tune, and we immediately loved it. It is beautifully written, lovely to play, and a thoughtful contemplation of the many gifts our national parks offer.
Drive, Baby, Drive!
What does a soul sound like when a beloved one is torn from its heart unexpectedly, violently? So many endure profound loss, walking as wounded souls through a life marked by pain that seems endless. There is no blueprint, no fixed path for healing. It's messy. This piece is a sonic contemplation of some of the early steps in traumatic loss. Use of guitar pedals, whistles, and crystal singing bowls underscore the unsettling balance in this epic journey of grief. The title refers to the last words heard by Renee Good heard before Jonathan Ross shot and killed her at the intersection of 34th and Portland in Minneapolis, January 7th, 2026.
And It's Beautiful
This tune came over Jazz88 radio one afternoon when I was merging onto I-35W from Highway 62. The tune socked me so deeply that I had to pull over to the curb to weep. It seems a tenderly-worded response to the previous piece. Further, it is an opportunity for me to step into singing again, with a voice much different from my youthful days singing bluegrass and country music. It's the voice you can hear in The New Entangled Particles, a band I have joined as the hornist and vocalist
Remembrances
I heard hornist Wendy Tsymbal play this piece when I was up in Canada doing my Fulbright work. She played it stunningly, and I wanted to learn the piece. The melodic lyricism and lush harmonies sit perfectly on the horn's mid-register. And I am thrilled to collaborate on it with Julie Ciurleo. If you don't see much eye contact between us as we play, it's because I don't want to get weepy and mess up my embouchure. She and I have been through lots together.
Look for the Silver Lining
This tuneful melody is from a broadway musical Zip Goes a Million (1919) that was a total flop. The tune re-appeared the next year in Sally, which became a hit. And then the musical became a film in 1929, and a new film When the Clouds Roll By (1949) also featured the tune. Why so popular? Well, because Jerome Kern wrote hits, and because the tune's original appeal boosted the spirits of folks right after the end of World War I.
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life
A toss-up between Monty Python or Tom Lehrer to end the recital, because those of you who know me know that I can't be serious for too long a time. This piece, however, came out in shockingly bad taste at the end of the movie Life of Brian. But like all tunes with universal appeal, this one grew new legs that walked into lots of new references. Now even high school show choirs sing this song. Feel free to snap your fingers, whistle the response call, get up and dance. We're all still here, and that counts for something!