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Dedication by Brian Mueller is a an advanced chamber ensemble piece for marimba and a supporting piano trio. In true jazz form, the piece features improvisation in all parts, marimba, piano, bass guitar, and drumset. For the marimba and piano specifically, transcriptions of Mueller’s own tasteful improvisations are included to be used as references for those less experienced with improv. Dedication is filled with energy, excitement, and fun, with a hint of tenderness and will please audiences and challenge performers!
Dedication piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Marimba (5-octave, low C)
• Piano
• Bass guitar
• Drumset
Brian Mueller writes in the foreword to the score, “The main idea for this piece came...when I briefly experimented with recording drums, bass, keyboard, and marimba together on my computer.” The result is “Dedication,” a beautiful tune for marimba and jazz piano trio. All four players have opportunities to improvise. The score includes a written-out solo piano introduction and a marimba solo/cadenza, as well as transcriptions of the composer’s marimba and piano performances to use as a reference. However, Mueller encourages improvisation and for the performer to “feel free to perform [the transcriptions] as written, borrow ideas from them, or disregard them completely.”
The aforementioned piano intro is reflective and expressive. The tune proper kicks into gear with the marimba player introducing the primary thematic material. This leads into an open marimba solo, followed by an interlude and a piano solo. A marimba cadenza followed by transitional material leads back to the head. The tune is varied enough in thematic and harmonic material to keep the relatively simple structure interesting throughout. It really grooves!
I would recommend this tune for a student or professional recital. Advanced technical ability and improvisational facility are required. Additionally, I think the combination of marimba with a jazz trio is smart and works very well. I would love to see more repertoire for this instrumentation. This could work in a bar or club, if you feel like schlepping a 5-octave marimba and a drum set!
—Justin Bunting
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 1, February 2021
Dedication by Brian Mueller is a an advanced chamber ensemble piece for marimba and a supporting piano trio. In true jazz form, the piece features improvisation in all parts, marimba, piano, bass guitar, and drumset. For the marimba and piano specifically, transcriptions of Mueller’s own tasteful improvisations are included to be used as references for those less experienced with improv. Dedication is filled with energy, excitement, and fun, with a hint of tenderness and will please audiences and challenge performers!
Dedication piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Marimba (5-octave, low C)
• Piano
• Bass guitar
• Drumset
Brian Mueller writes in the foreword to the score, “The main idea for this piece came...when I briefly experimented with recording drums, bass, keyboard, and marimba together on my computer.” The result is “Dedication,” a beautiful tune for marimba and jazz piano trio. All four players have opportunities to improvise. The score includes a written-out solo piano introduction and a marimba solo/cadenza, as well as transcriptions of the composer’s marimba and piano performances to use as a reference. However, Mueller encourages improvisation and for the performer to “feel free to perform [the transcriptions] as written, borrow ideas from them, or disregard them completely.”
The aforementioned piano intro is reflective and expressive. The tune proper kicks into gear with the marimba player introducing the primary thematic material. This leads into an open marimba solo, followed by an interlude and a piano solo. A marimba cadenza followed by transitional material leads back to the head. The tune is varied enough in thematic and harmonic material to keep the relatively simple structure interesting throughout. It really grooves!
I would recommend this tune for a student or professional recital. Advanced technical ability and improvisational facility are required. Additionally, I think the combination of marimba with a jazz trio is smart and works very well. I would love to see more repertoire for this instrumentation. This could work in a bar or club, if you feel like schlepping a 5-octave marimba and a drum set!
—Justin Bunting
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 1, February 2021
