Blue Book - Volume 2, The

A Test Guide for the Modern Percussionist

David Ratliff, James Campbell, Rob Parks, University of Kentucky Alumni

Level: Medium to Advanced

Pages: 162

Release Date: 2018

Product ID : TSPB-42

Price: $32.00

Item #: TSPB-42

Formats Available:

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Description

James Campbell and his former students are back at it with a second volume of the The Blue Book. 48 authors (including Mr. Campbell himself) have contributed a total of 56 individual pieces to this compendium of drumset, multipercussion, snare drum, and marching tenor solos. Much like its predecessor, these solos are ideal for contests, auditions, technique development, recitals, juries, or just for your drumming enjoyment!

Both the first and second volumes of The Blue Book represent several generations of students and alumni who have passed through the percussion studies program at the University of Kentucky. All have gone on to enjoy successful careers as teachers, performers, and composers and represent their alma mater dutifully in this eclectic collection of percussion solos!

The following are optional backing tracks for two solos in this collection:

Backing track for "What Are You Thinking" by Michael Aukofer (MP3 format)
Backing track for "Unexpected Encounter" by John Allnutt (MP3 format)

The Blue Book Volume 2 includes these 56 pieces:

DRUMSET SOLOS

Get on the Good Foot | John Willmarth | (Medium, 2:10)
Beatnik Blues | John Willmarth | (Medium, 2:35)
Dud It | Tyler Swick | (Medium, 1:55)
Blues for Bu | Scott Kretzer | (Med-Advanced, 1:55)
Blue Blues | Rande Sanderbeck | (Med-Advanced, 1:45)
Batuque | Aaron Graham | (Med-Advanced, 2:55)
Room 18 | Michael Gould | (Med-Advanced, 3:45)
What Are You Thinking? | Michael Aukofer | (Med-Advanced, 2:10)
The Toole Shed | Robert Rawlings | (Med-Advanced, 2:55)
Prepared | Matthew J. Skaggs | (Med-Advanced, 1:45)
Bourbon ’n’ Toulouse | Brian Nozny | (Med-Advanced, 2:15)
Pippin’s Persistence | Joshua Dekaney | (Med-Advanced, 2:15)
Ode to Ornette | Jason Tiemann | (Med-Advanced, 1:45)
The Art of Art | Jason Tiemann | (Med-Advanced, 1:15)
Blue Batucada | Paul Deatherage | (Med-Advanced, 2:05)
Fantasy on a Fifth | Glenn Kotche | (Advanced, 5:15)
Campbell’s Villain | Chad Floyd | (Advanced, 3:05)

MULTIPERCUSSION SOLOS

Game Show | James Campbell | (Medium, 2:45)
81 87 | Josh Smith | (Medium, 2:30)
El Guapo | Ralph Hicks | (Medium, 2:35)
With a Little Lime Juice | Francisco Perez (| Medium, 1:35)
Time | Colin Hill | (Med-Advanced, 4:10)
Pale Blue Dot | Dan Moore | (Med-Advanced, 3:50)
Sound of the Axe | Brad Meyer | (Med-Advanced, 2:50)
Don’t Worry…He Never Felt a Thing | Chris Butler | (Advanced, 2:10)
Rose Lane | Jordan Munson | (Advanced, 2:05)
Polyrhythm Study No. 1 | Andy Bliss | (Advanced, 2:30)
Maps! | Matt Geiger | (Advanced, 2:45)

SNARE SOLOS

Tree Frog | Jessica Dismukes | (Medium, 0:50)
Unexpected Encounter | John Allnutt | (Medium, 1:25)
Guiro Weekly | Katie Beckmann | (Medium, 1:45)
Beware of the black Box! | Gary Rudolph (| Medium, 1:05)
Euclid (Avenue of Champions) | David Ratliff | (Medium, 1:25)
M.C. | Emily Durocher | (Medium, 1:35)
Rocket Blast | Andy Salmon | (Medium, 1:10)
Two Twilight Fanfares | Kyle Forsthoff (| Med-Advanced, 1:55)
Backpack | Eric Willie | (Med-Advanced, 1:30)
Dragon Roll | Ellis Hampton | (Med-Advanced, 1:35)
Jolt | Jordan Williams | (Advanced, 1:30)
My Blue Cents | Jonathan Sharp | (Advanced, 1:45)
Scratch | Mark Hunter | (Advanced, 1:30)
Get Off My Lawn | Mark Casey | (Advanced, 2:40)
Secret Passage | Jim Corcoran | (Advanced, 4:30)
Age Out Suite, Opus 401K | Scott McCoy | (Advanced, 4:40)

TENOR SOLOS

The Speed Counter | Bryan Angel | (Medium, 1:00)
Beware of the black Box! | Gary Rudolph | (Medium, 1:05)
Euclid (Avenue of Champions) | David Ratliff | (Medium, 1:25)
Cold Hearted | Kelsey Collins | (Med-Advanced, 1:10)
Wawa | Andy Salmon | (Med-Advanced, 2:20)
Streaking Through the Quad | Ian Murphy | (Med-Advanced, 1:30)
Flam Dunk | John Willmarth | (Med-Advanced, 1:50)
1218 | Rob Parks | (Med-Advanced, 1:15)
Sum of Threes | Eric Willie | (Advanced, 1:35)
Caturday | Eliot Johnson | (Advanced, 1:00)
Papercut | Ellis Hampton | (Advanced, 1:45)
Can I Just Get a Buzz Roll | Brian Flack | (Advanced, 1:30)

Reviews

“If you are looking for a collection of music that will motivate and nurture your students’ technique and musicality, look no further! The Blue Book - Volume 2 is an exceptional collection of percussion solos for high school and college percussionists. Highly recommended!“
- Mark Ford
University of North Texas

“The Blue Book - Volume 2 is a wonderfully creative collection of solos for percussion. Going beyond rudimental solos, it includes drumset and multipercussion pieces. The solos are challenging, yet fun to play, and are loaded with great ideas and interesting grooves. ”
- Steve Houghton
Indiana University - Jacobs School of Music
Percussive Arts Society Past-President

"The pieces in the The Blue Book - Volume 2 cover EVERY area of timing, coordination, and musicality for those who like to play with sticks. This is a “must have” collection of for all levels of percussionists."
- Jeff Queen
Four-time World Snare Drum Champion

"The Blue Book, Volumes 1 and 2, should be a staple in every percussion program! Students can progress and grow as well-rounded musicians through this widely diverse, interesting, and fun-to-play collection of percussion solos."
- Dr. Brian Zator
Texas A&M Uniiversity-Commerce
Percussive Arts Society President

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If you enjoy The Blue Book – Volume 1, you are going to love the second installment! This 162-page collection includes over 50 compositions by students, alumni, and faculty of the percussion program at the University of Kentucky. Much like its predecessor, these pieces are ideal for auditions, contests, juries, and technical development, and they are most suitable for advanced high school to professional players.

While the first collection in the series contains snare drum solos, tenor solos, and bass drum ensemble pieces, Volume 2 is comprised of solo works written for snare drum, tenors, multiple percussion, and drumset. The inclusion of pieces for drumset and multiple percussion makes this volume widely appealing, especially to those with less interest in marching percussion. However, it is important to note that the entire book caters to a modern rudimental style of drumming. Biographical information on the composers and a short paragraph detailing their work is included for all pieces, as well as notation legends and suggested setups when needed.

My favorite segment by far is the solos for drumset. Though most are written for a four-piece kit, some require extended sizes, effect cymbals, or a double bass drum pedal. Furthermore, the influence behind many of the drumset solos include a range of styles such as James Brown funk, the solo vocabulary of Max Roach and Art Blakey, Brazilian, and second-line drumming. This makes these compositions both educational and enjoyable for any player.

The segment of multiple percussion solos is also quite impressive, varying in instrumentation, setup size, and difficulty to meet the needs of many students. Finally, though the solos for snare drum and tenors are well written, they do not provide much beyond those found in the first volume.

I would recommend the collection mostly for its contributions to drumset and multiple percussion literature. Overall, The Blue Book - Volume 2 should quickly become a staple in the modern-day percussion curriculum, and for the price, it is one of the better collections of its kind released in recent years.

—Danielle Moreau
Percussive Notes
Vol. 57, No. 3, July 2019