Spring Street Strut - Matt Moore [DIGITAL]

Spring Street Strut is a love-letter to the sounds of New Orleans streets. Sitting somewhere between traditional jazz, dixieland, and ragtime, the piece attempts to bring these classic sounds to a concert percussion ensemble setting. Chord symbols are given in sections particularly suited to improvisation, including the optional addition of trombone toward the end of the piece!

Genre: Percussion Ensemble + Opt. Trombone | # of Players: 8 + 1
Series: N/A
Level: Intermediate | Duration: 5:30

Instrumentation
Xylophone, Medium Bucket
Vibraphone, Low Tin Can
Marimba 1 [4-octave], High Tin Can
Marimba 2 [4.3-octave], Low Bucket
Timpani [4 drums]
Snare Drum
Marching Bass Drum, Medium Tin Can
Washboard
Trombone [optional]

Program Notes
Commissioned by Chris Nguyen and the Salyards Middle School Percussion Ensemble for their 2022 performance at The Midwest Clinic, Spring Street Strut is a love-letter to the sounds of New Orleans streets. Sitting somewhere between traditional jazz, dixieland, and ragtime, the piece attempts to bring these classic sounds to a concert percussion ensemble setting.

Although my dad grew up in New Orleans and I’ve visited many times, I can’t claim too much personal authenticity with these styles. It’s my hope that “Spring Street Strut” performers and audiences are inspired to listen and connect to traditional jazz, and help keep America’s biggest contribution to popular music alive.

Performance Notes
Music in the original New Orleans style is almost entirely improvisational. While the solos and accompanying lines composed for this piece should do in a pinch, I encourage performers to explore “outside the ink” and find your own voice. Chord symbols are given in sections particularly suited to improvisation.