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Bart Marantz NPR/KERA Jazz Education Interview    Click below to listen to the interview  Click below to read the article 
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 Reviews "Pacific Coastin " Written and Arranged By: Kris Berg Instrumentation: Big Band Publisher: Kendor Music, Inc. Grade: 3 Latn/Funk Tempo = 192 $45.00 Kris Berg who is director of jazz studies at Collin County Community College in Dallas has penned a winner in the Lain/Funk style. This original has an 8/8 feel throughout and it is essential that the ensemble is aware of this very important point. Without this the band will not be able to insure that the pulse is evident allowing the rhythmic order to line up at key points in the chart. The harmon mutes are very important to the over-all feel and texture during the intro of the piece. Make sure they are cutting through the ensemble with a ff dynamic marking. The bass takes the melody at measure 11 which might be expected as Kris is a bass player as well as a graduate of The University of North Texas with a degree in jazz studies. Make sure that the bones do not cover up the bass solo here and that the flugel horn line at measure 19 remains in the same light texture even when the saxes join in the second time around. At measure 29 a new funk feel takes over and brings in a much heavier texture to the chart. Articulations should be very crisp at this point with lots of thrust. "Pacific Coastin'" returns to its Latin start at measure 55 and supplies an open solo section for whom ever the director deems is ready to improvise over some very playable changes with a written tenor sax solo provided. After the soloist have shown their wares it's time to head out at measure 73 with drum fills leading into the coda with a funk feel. "Pacific Coastin'" ends with some very firm and well placed quarter notes. This original chart is fun and will please the band as well as its audience listening to it. Top note for trumpet A above the staff. Bart Marantz
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