Jett Stream Blue

for Tenor Trombone and Piano

Jett Stream Blue is a light trombone feature that captures the thrill of driving a sports car painted in an attractive metallic shade of blue, known as Jetstream blue. The music opens in a bebop style that captures driving scenes of dazzling, hip Jetstream blue sports cars. This is followed by an elegant, slow ballad that portrays smooth driving scenes at night. The work ends with a jazz-samba finale that culminates the pride and vanity of being seen driving a sports car painted in the eye-catching metallic color.

Program Notes

Jett Stream Blue is a commissioned work written for trombonist Jett Walker. The music was inspired by driving scenes of sports cars painted in a shade of metallic blue paint known as Jetstream blue. At one time, this color of blue was especially popular with the Chevrolet Corvette. Capturing these scenes was achieved with two movements of the music utilizing jazz styles separated by a slow lyrical ballade.

The opening movement (I. A Cool Ride) is in the style of a bebop. There are many moments of interplay between the trombone solo and the piano. The rhythmic interjections and the walking bass line in the piano capture scenes of hippness as attractive Jetstream blue colored sports cars are cruising down the roads in the heart of the city. The following section (II. Late Night Drive in the City) is a slow, lyrical contrast as it portrays a somber setting of sports cars quietly driving in a leisurely pace. The final section (III. Looking Good While Driving in Jetstream Blue) is upbeat with its light jazz/samba style. A brief middle passage captures rowdy sounds of sports cars revving their engines. The music ends strong with a return of the two opening themes and finishing with a big samba finale.

Although the name Jett Stream Blue is inspired from an attractive blue paint color, the title also references the name of the trombonist who commissioned the work - Jett Walker!

Grade Level: 5
Copyright: 2021
Number of Players: 2
Duration: 8:40
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Type: Duet
Category: Brass

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Instrumentation

Tenor Trombone
Piano