I thought that many of the following recordings were lost. However, while looking through the basement for something else I discovered a box of reel to reel tapes - many over 40 years old. I expected them to be so degraded over time that they would fall apart when played. Nevertheless, I took them to a studio and had them transfered to CDs. To my ear the recordings haven't degraded at all. What has degraded is my memory. There are some outstanding performances on these recordings but in most cases I have no idea who the performers were or what year the recordings were made. Many of these recordings were made at West Virginia University between 1970 and 1975 by the WVU Percussion Ensemble, Marching Band and Concert Band. However some were made in Southern California by Supercussion, the Santa Ana Percussion Ensemble and the Montebello Percussion Ensemble.
This is just the first batch of recordings. More are being converted featuring the Pittsburgh and Toledo Symphonies, Harvey Mason, and NPR radio broadcasts. If you know who the performers are on any of these recodings, please email me the info: kiducation@cox.net.
WARNING: The following recordings contain a great deal of percussion. Listening to the entire collection in one sitting is not recommended for those who have not been desensitized. Adverse effects could include (but are not limited to) extreme emotional trauma and possible brain damage. Proceed at your own risk.
RITUAL FIRE DANCE
Beautifully recorded by the WVU Percussion Ensemble in the late 80's or early 90's. This arrangement is a collaboration with Supercussiion pianist, Patty Pargee. The piece has been performed by several groups around the country.
BAGANDAN XYLOPHONE
Good quality recording by WVU Percussion Ensemble around 1971-72. I think Ross Riddel played the 1st part, Danny Greco played the 2nd part and I played the 3rd part, but I could be wrong.
BAGANDAN ENSEMBLE
Again an excellent recording by the WVU African Ensemble 1971-72. I don't remember who of the 8 performers played what.
Music was later played by the Santa Ana Percussion Ensemble and Supercussion.
2 IN 3 FOR 4
A wonderful performance by 4 WVU percussion majors in the early 70's. It was written on planes traveling between countries during the 1969 South American Good Will Tour. This piece is meant to contrast the use of 3/4 poly-rhythms found in traditional westerns music (1st movement) with poly-rhythms found in African music (2nd Movement). Hopefully you don't need to know this to enjoy the piece. This music has been performed both nationally and internationally.
APPALACHIAN UPRISING
Performed very well by the WVU Marching Band around 1973 this is a piece I am rather proud of. I wanted to write something for marching band that had never been done before. It's a programmatic piece depicting the geologic forces that created West Virginia's Appalachian Mountains. It was never performed on the field. Perhaps it was ahead of its time.
FANFARE AND DANCE
This the first composition I wrote upon coming to Los Angeles. It was written for the Montebello Percussion Ensemble - a group of amazing middle school students. They became so well known that they were invited to perform with the Los Angeles Philharmonic on several occasions including a 4th of July Concert at the Hollywood Bowl before 18,000 people. However the most memorable performance for me was an outdoor park concert on a cloudy day. After a rather soft intro the entire group thunders in. At that moment the clouds parted and beams of light lit up the park. It was surreal.
THE NOT-SO-SIMPLE SAMBA
This piece was commissioned by the Remo Drum Company for the 1985 Percussive Arts Society International Convention. It was performed by another excellent ensemble of middle school students from New York who traveled to L.A. to perform the piece. The title is a little misleading as the piece is not that complicated for older musicians, but can be a challenge for younger players.
THE 1812 OVER-EASY
Recoded by Supercussion around 1984, this is a semis-serious treatment of Tchaikovsky's famous overture. It has been played by a number of groups including the Boston Conservatory Percussion Ensemble. My fondest memory of the piece was on the 4th of July King Harbor Festival in Los Angeles (circa 1985). We were playing on the waterfront. Fireworks had been hidden in the rocks of the surrounding breakwater. Mark Zimoski was given a circuit board full of switches by the fireworks technician. He got to set off the fireworks in time with the cannon shots scored throughout the piece. Needless to say the crowd went bananas. The only problem for the players was to stay focussed on this rather challenging music as all hell broke loose!
DORIAN TOCCATA BY J.S. BACH
This is an excerpt of a recording made during a reading session by the WVU Concert Band. I am pretty sure that it was the result of an assignment in Don Wilcox's orchestration class. I took it as an opportunity to score one of my favorite, if lesser known Bach organ toccatas. I may have gone a little over the top on what was supposed to be a rather simple assignment. The band did an admirable job sight reading this rather challenging transcription. There are some rough spots but overall it's a good archive of the piece.
DOUBLE TOCCATA FOR DRUM SET AND TIMPANI
Performed by an unknown number of WVU music majors, this schizophrenic piece is a collaboration with keyboardist, J.P. Morgan.
It's an exploration of music in 7 written by a couple of young composers who had been listening to too much Frank Zappa. This recording of some pretty good playing is of its 1 and only performance in the Performing Arts Center recital hall (circa 1973).
MUSIC FROM THE FIREBIRD BY STRAVINSKI
This in not an historic recording, though I hope it may someday be. This arrangement is the most ambitious and challenging piece I have written for percussion ensemble. It is meant to be a theater piece. The transcription, written for over 20 players, is scored so that performers are flamboyantly moving from one instrument to another. Imagine Cirque du Soleil on percussion instruments. I believe the music stands on its own without movement, but remember Stravinsky was composing for the ballet.
