Jam and Toastfor solo horn - ca. 5'
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When Parker asked me to write this piece for him, I was thrilled! I often write music that draws from pop music or jazz sounds, but it's rare that a performer comes to me with an idea as exciting as this one. Jam and Toast pulls together the influential sounds of classic funk performers like Earth, Wind, and Fire, Tower of Power, and Stevie Wonder. At first, I wasn't sure how these sounds would work through the medium of a single french horn player, but working closely with Parker, listening to hours of stylistic music, and weeks of solo jam sessions on a guitar led to this virtuosic work. While very demanding of the performer, Jam and Toast allows a single performer to provide every part of a funk tune -- from the underlying bass groove to the melodic riffs to the screaming solo lines that cover the full range of the instrument. It asks the performer to be a "one-man band", be a little funky, and put on a show...even if he or she is just having a solo jam session with no one watching.