Music for Art and Tom (1998)

I wrote this for the sax player Tom Bergeron and the pianist, the late Art Maddox (one time associate of John Cage and Lou Harrison) both residents of Oregon. It may reflect something of the West Coast vibe; at any rate it's a continuous span of five contrasting sections: the first, introductory and rhetorical, the second fast and rhythmic. Then comes the piece's still centre, a slow, rather forlorn lullaby, leading, after a reminder of the opening, to more fast, athletic music once more, Finally there is a blues in E flat major, built out of the same rising and falling major 3rds from the start.

I have been fortunate to have this piece recorded twice: by Tim Holmes with the composer on NMC D179, and on Clarinet and Saxophone Classics by Victoria Samek and Michael Bell CC0070

– Rob Keeley