Cop Drama is
an homage to the groovy, retro sounds of classic American TV cop shows such
as "S.W.A.T," "The Mod Squad," and "The Streets
of San Francisco." With a large ensemble of colorful sounds and stylized
interpretation, Cop Drama is an enjoyable piece for medium to advanced
percussion ensembles.
A genre piece
through and through, the rhythm section of guitar, keyboard, bass guitar,
and drumset is the stylistic glue that keeps the mood intact. Combining the
sounds of funky 70's cop rock, mysterious noir jazz, and modern themes in
multiple meters, Cop Drama will provide some fun and entertainment
during percussion ensemble concerts or indoor concert competitions.
This
piece comes with a full, bound score and includes an MP3 recording and all
individual parts available for printing on the included CD-Rom.
Instrumentation: Glockenspiel,
chimes, xylophone, 2 vibraphones (with motor), 4 low-F marimbas (adaptable
for 2), bell tree, 2 octave crotales (adaptable for 1), 2 sizzle cymbals,
woodblock, 3 suspended cymbals, vibra slap, temple blocks, Chinese
opera gong, triangle, ribbon crasher, large Zil Bell, 2 concert toms,
egg shaker, wood guiro, metal guiro, bongos, congas, djembe, tam tam,
concert snare drum, cabasa, 2 cowbells, 2 splash cymbals, flexatone,
claves, high vibratone, synth keyboard with funky Rhodes and Hammond
B3 sounds, electric guitar (w/ wah pedal, wammy, volume and distortion
pedals), bass guitar, 5-pc drumset.
*All percussion sounds used in this recording were generated from Virtual
Drumline software also by Tapspace.
“Anyone who has enjoyed (or been amused by) television “cop show” soundtracks will find “Cop Drama” an entertaining (as well as challenging) six-minute percussion ensemble homage for the advanced high school or college group. Scored for 12 percussion plus rhythm section (electronic keyboards, guitar, electric bass, and five-piece drumset), it is composed in three sections that capture some musical fingerprints found in most police dramas – suspenseful funky rock with stop-time rhythms (think “The Streets of San Francisco” theme), a bit of hauntingly slow swing “film noir” lounge music (complete with solo hi-hat part) and modern, mixed-meter soundscape. “Cop Drama” captures the sound and style of its namesake very well.
It is thickly scored and may be possible to perform with fewer players (two marimbas instead of four), but four-mallet ability, familiarity with mixed meters (15/8, 7/8), and a strong sense of groove and rhythmic accuracy are a must for everyone. The guitarist and keyboardist must read notation and chord symbols, as well as be familiar with stylistic considerations (“clean” guitar solo, ability to switch between synth patches). The rhythm section is required to successfully replicate the instrumentation of the original genre.
A performance CD and pdf files of the parts are included. For those with a sense of humor and appreciation for the difficulty in actually performing this music, “Cop Drama” will be a fun, challenging piece for performers and audiences.”
