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Surfboard was written during the bossa nova explosion of the 1960s by Antonio Carlos Jobim, the world-renowned Brazilian composer and piano player. Jobim happened to be in Los Angeles making a record when he was taken by a friend to the nearby Malibu Surfrider Beach. He was so inspired by the scene there that he bought a surfboard to take back to Brazil as a present for his son. This instrumental number was presumably written shortly thereafter. It has since been re-recorded by many different artists, including Sergio Mendes (with will.i.am) and Stereolab (with Herbie Mann).
In this adaptation for intermediate to younger percussion ensembles, Murray Gusseck lays the groundwork for players to focus on the polyrhythmic “four over three" aspect of the melody while not requiring technique beyond 2-mallets. That, along with the tune’s overall chromatic nature, make it a good etude for less-experienced players as they learn to navigate the white and black keys while rhythmically playing over the barlines. Basic samba rhythms and a clever meter change before the recapitulation make for a catchy, groovy, memorable piece for percussion ensemble!
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and a set of printed parts.
Ensemble arrangements with pop or jazz elements serve multiple purposes, such as teaching musical phrasing, groove patterns, and ensemble skills. Also, performing music within popular idioms is well received by most audiences. This publication is quite unique in that the melodic content is very chromatic, but is also presented in a manner that is quite syncopated, creating patterns across the barlines and even having a feeling of “four over three” rhythms. This arrangement features a tune that has been recorded by several name artists, including Sergio Mendes and Herbie Mann.
There is some pedaling required in the timpani part, primarily for the 32-inch drum. It is also suggested that the timpanist alternate playing near the center and edge of the heads, to simulate the texture of sound heard on the surdo, found in Brazilian samba music. The keyboard percussion parts contain some brief passages where they perform on claves, cowbells, whistle, and tambourine. All of the keyboard parts can be played with two mallets.
The publication comes with a CD that includes a recording of the work, plus the ability to print the parts. This is an excellent arrangement for beginning to intermediate ensembles.
—George Frock
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 3, July 2015
Surfboard was written during the bossa nova explosion of the 1960s by Antonio Carlos Jobim, the world-renowned Brazilian composer and piano player. Jobim happened to be in Los Angeles making a record when he was taken by a friend to the nearby Malibu Surfrider Beach. He was so inspired by the scene there that he bought a surfboard to take back to Brazil as a present for his son. This instrumental number was presumably written shortly thereafter. It has since been re-recorded by many different artists, including Sergio Mendes (with will.i.am) and Stereolab (with Herbie Mann).
In this adaptation for intermediate to younger percussion ensembles, Murray Gusseck lays the groundwork for players to focus on the polyrhythmic “four over three" aspect of the melody while not requiring technique beyond 2-mallets. That, along with the tune’s overall chromatic nature, make it a good etude for less-experienced players as they learn to navigate the white and black keys while rhythmically playing over the barlines. Basic samba rhythms and a clever meter change before the recapitulation make for a catchy, groovy, memorable piece for percussion ensemble!
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and a set of printed parts.
Ensemble arrangements with pop or jazz elements serve multiple purposes, such as teaching musical phrasing, groove patterns, and ensemble skills. Also, performing music within popular idioms is well received by most audiences. This publication is quite unique in that the melodic content is very chromatic, but is also presented in a manner that is quite syncopated, creating patterns across the barlines and even having a feeling of “four over three” rhythms. This arrangement features a tune that has been recorded by several name artists, including Sergio Mendes and Herbie Mann.
There is some pedaling required in the timpani part, primarily for the 32-inch drum. It is also suggested that the timpanist alternate playing near the center and edge of the heads, to simulate the texture of sound heard on the surdo, found in Brazilian samba music. The keyboard percussion parts contain some brief passages where they perform on claves, cowbells, whistle, and tambourine. All of the keyboard parts can be played with two mallets.
The publication comes with a CD that includes a recording of the work, plus the ability to print the parts. This is an excellent arrangement for beginning to intermediate ensembles.
—George Frock
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 3, July 2015
