The Commander

This patriotic piece will call your audience to attention with its high-energy 1940s big band-era attitude. This piece features your lead trumpet alongside their platoon in a roaring, swinging, high-velocity way.

We set the scene of being dropped off at boot camp in a mess of confusion and chaos, and are immediately commanded to attention by our soloist. Your soloist then moves to the front of the stage while our drummer sets the march for our journey ahead. Our soloist raises their horn and immediately calls cadence with our swingin’ bugle call. As our platoon joins in, our commander is able to take liberty and charge of the cadence in an improvisatory declaration of big band sound. Our wind instrumentalists later set the scene of military pride with “The Field Artillery Song” (The Army Song), and explode into a high-adrenaline drum solo, leading us into the Count Basie-inspired shout section.

This piece is inspired by the work of Sammy Nestico, arranger for the Count Basie Orchestra, and should be approached as a traditional 1940s big band style. This piece's ‘A’ sections are derived from Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” and is an excellent opportunity to showcase your instrumentalist’s improvisatory skill. The rhythm section has the opportunity to ad-lib. changes in the form and should be encouraged to communicate with the soloists. Solo Sections can be expanded to feature other instrumentalists.

This piece was composed and written as a gift to feature Lead Trumpetist Richie Thaller to celebrate his musical accomplishment, as well as a send-off into his new journey in The US Army Blues premier military ensemble.