Review

Traditional
Joshua F’it de Battle of Jericho :

Arranged by James Markey


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2013
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

In addition to being a phenomenal tenor and bass trombonist, James Markey is also a talented arranger. As recorded on his bass trombone solo CD On Base, Mr. Markey’s version of this well-known African-American spiritual for trombone octet is an exciting encore piece for any trombone choir performance. It is scored for six tenors and two basses, and its 82 measures fly by via an up-tempo swing beat.
 
This arrangement is best suited for advanced players due to its technical demands and use of extreme registers. The first trombone part plays up to f2, while the second bass trombone part plays all the way down to EE-flat. Additionally, the first three tenor parts frequently play above g1, while the first bass part often plays below C and trades off walking bass lines with the second. The arrangement features a section where written out solos are traded between the first two tenor and the second bass parts. While it is certainly possible to play improvised solos instead, there are no chord changes indicated in any of the parts. Score and parts are well edited and easy to read. With capable players, Mr. Markey’s Joshua F’it de Battle Jericho is sure to be a crowd pleaser!

-Greg Strohman
Dickinson College