This piece is a fantastic rhythmic adventure that starts of with a full percussion suite banging away a straightforward rhythm that is quite danceable. It sounds like almost a detective theme or a theme with someone on the hunt. It is in a lovely G minor. It was commissioned by the Willow Wood Middle School among other bands that are primarily in the grade 3 standard music practice level for band music. The greatness in this piece is that it starts with this rocking rhythm that halts every three or four bars. This is very attractive. The pause in between the rhythmic sections leaves the audience hoping and waiting for the next surprise. The percussion section in the piece is paramount in the piece. There are so many different percussion—pitched and non pitched. There is a series of rattling objects along with woodblocks and other percussion instruments, including a spot of tubular bells. His timpani part is tuned on each timpani to the notes G, B-flat, D, and A respectively to make this highly interesting romp. It is fabulous the way this whole thing is executed. Even the simple time changes from from 4/4 and 2/4 yield some surprises. It is so worth listening to again and again. This is perfect for an advantageous young band that will play the tar out of it. This piece is perfect for competitions and it will win awards. This is also great for lower grade, rural high schools who are just starting and need some spark in their music programs.
Most of the percussion is interlocking eighth notes off of each other. All the rattling is awesome. It’s organized too. Composers like Mackey really know how to make these elements just shine out. This is probably one of the simplest and yet most sophisticated pieces for the wind band that I’ve heard in this level bracket. It has all the pop, pep and pizazz that is needed to keep audiences in sync around the country.
This piece has the 2/4 and 4/4 time shifts, but they are not strenuous like some other works by Mackey. Some of his works go up to 11/16 and back to 5/8 and back again. It’s only from 2/4 to 4/4 and back—perfect for middle schoolers. The melodies are a little more advanced but are melodious enough in the woodwinds and brass to keep people’s ears engaged. It’s a great piece to be welcomed into the concert band repertoire.
