Review

James Miller
Granger Oasis:
Trombone and piano

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 1994 / 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and solo part.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

It was winter, 1993, when I set off to drive my 1983 Subaru from New York City to the state of Iowa where I grew up. Traveling west on I-80, it was about 4 a.m. and a mere -4º F when my car decided to give out on me in the grand state of Indiana. I hobbled into a truck stop and slept in a TV chair (a lounge chair with a TV built into the arm rest) until a repair shop was open several hours later. Doubtful of my chances of getting anywhere, I entrusted my auto to the fine repair personnel of Granger, IN. The weather turned foul and the temperature dipped to -10 f when I ventured on foot to find food. The diner I discovered was friendly and warm and even allowed me to call the repair shop. After a hearty feast and good conversation with my fellow customers, I paid the $8 bill and went to retrieve my car. $20 for a fuel filter (including installation) and I was on my way! This piece is a tribute to the good people of Granger and a tone poem illustrating my adventures there. James Miller

Mr. Miller’s work is as Gordon Cherry describes it on the Cherry Classics website: Granger Oasis is a tone poem by James Miller, Trombonist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. It is exciting, poetic, contemplative, driving and heartfelt... and will challenge the skills of the very advanced performer.

You can listen to the work as performed by the composer on the Cherry Classics website. The demands on the trombonist are great, requiring mastery of multiphonics, greatly extended range - pedal GG-e-flat2 - and an advanced sense of drama and theatricality. Certain techniques require a bit of thought, such as wide glissandi. In the performance of the piece I heard some notes were puzzling, such as notes played as flats, but with no accidental in the score. All in all, I am impressed with the style and compositional skill in the piece, and especially with Mr. Miller’s beautiful performance of it!