Sore Chops Boogie - Trombone Quartet - Wills

A tune for the end of the day. This piece was written for the first BoneLab Summer School at Dartington College, England in 2001. It was conceived as a simple, convivial tune for players to wind down with at the end of a long day.

It has a serious side as well. A good warm-down is a very good for the playing muscles and is something that too many players neglect. To be effective, it needs to be warm, gentle and above all rhythmic so the Sore Chops Boogie can be used as therapy to loosen and focus tired players!

Notes on Performance

Any number of trombonists (or any other instrument for that matter) from 4 to 17,2003 may take part. Before a note is blown, everyone should slap or tap the first repeated bar until there is a perfect rhythmic unison. Once the piece begins in earnest, the taps on the 2nd and 4th beats of each bar MUST continue. Resting players (or sympathetic friends) can do this, or the more coordinated can play and stamp, in the manner of "A Breach of the Peace". The piece should end with a few repetitions of the first bar.

Play softly, play warmly, above all play in time. If you feel like leaving something out - fine. Someone else will play it for you.