Say Cheese

I felt the urge to write something happy; something with a smile on its musical face. The end result…? Well, maybe it wears more of an inane grin than anything else, but at least it’s cheesy! A bit of a sun-drenched, lively Latin groove built around a persistent (almost to the point of annoyance) four bar harmonic 'vamp', this piece seeks to find a smile on its face via the various melodies & counter-figures written around it - rather like being persuaded to say "cheese" for an exasperated photographer.

J. M.

Jock McKenzie studied trumpet at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester where he was a joint recipient of the college’s concerto prize. Since 1987 Jock has based his musical career in Hampshire, working as a freelance trumpeter, conductor, composer, arranger and brass teacher. Currently Jock holds the position of Professional Leader (Brass) for Hampshire Music Service and is the Director of the Hampshire County Youth Band. It is the mix of all of these musical roles that has led to Jock establishing a reputation as a leading creator of brass music resources, particularly in the field of education and brass ensemble music.

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