Skippin’ the Groove by Brett Abiga...

By Brett Abigaña

Instrumentation: Wind Band
Grade Level: 5

Skippin’ The Groove was written for and is dedicated to the Lexington High School Wind Ensemble and their conductor, Mr. Jared Cassedy. The piece is based on a heavily-syncopated groove which appears in various iterations throughout the piece. That said, I was curious to know if one could write a piece that had no beginning. (As I told the students in the ensemble, sometimes the best way to start a new piece is to ask a ridiculous question!) The title refers to this conceit, in that the piece is developed in a way as to suggest an old vinyl record being played on a badly weighted turntable, such that the needle keeps skipping around the piece. As such, the piece actually begins with the middle, the tune already in the middle of its development, and resets several times, always with a tell-tale click as the needle skips out of the groove. In this haphazardly developed work, you encounter several different variations on the main motive, including a vaguely Glen Miller-esque presentation in the saxophones, Grainger-like variations in the clarinets, and even bluegrass-inspired dobro slides in the brass. In the end, I’m not sure if I was successful in writing a piece with no beginning, but I hope you agree that it’s fun to hear where the errant needle lands next.

(PBMF 2023 premiere by Lexington High School Wind Ensemble with Jared Cassedy, Director)