Review

Steve Holtman, Paul Klintworth, James Thatcher, Brad Warnaar
Music for Two Trombones, volume 1: Duets in a Jazzy & Classical Style:

Studio City, CA, United States
Publisher: Last Resort Music Publishing, Inc.
Date of Publication: 2001

Performance score

Primary Genre: Jazz Material - ensemble
Secondary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 2 trombones

All freelance musicians need excellent sight-reading chops. Nowhere is this truer than in the industry of recording motion-picture soundtracks. The four composers represented in Duets in a Jazzy & Classical Style have a wealth of experience in the Hollywood recording industry, a heritage that shows in what is an enjoyably challenging collection of duets. Carrying on in the tradition of the late Tommy Pederson, this book contains such quirky titles as Jasss Waltsss; Rented Tuxedo; Till, Meet Monk; and my favorite, Nonnahs the Goddess. As is typical in much of Pederson’s music, Music for Two features extensive use of syncopation, angular melodies, and varied articulations. Keys range from one sharp to four flats with many accidentals appearing throughout each duet. Rhythmic independence is likely to provide players with the biggest difficulty, notably in Funk Junk. Trombonists looking for a sight-reading workout need look no further than Music for Two. Most will find this challenge rewarding without being demoralizing (the famous book of Blazhevich duets might fall into the latter category when read at sight). Advanced musicians will enjoy reading straight through this collection of duets, while intermediate players will benefit from practicing and polishing each work.

-Donn Schaefer
University of Utah