Ricker, Ramon: Suspended Animation

"Suspended Animation" is a contemporary straight-eighth feel with sections that can be opened up for any player to solo. The entire composition is built on only two suspended chords, and is written in a manner that makes it easy for young bands to quickly get into the piece. With only two chords to worry about, much of the anxiety of wrong notes is eliminated and the student can immediately concentrate on making music. Professionals will also have fun with the chart when it is opened up for extended solos. The piece was inspired by an improvised solo and chord progression that is found in Volume 1 of the Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series. Beginning improvisers will find the brief Notes on the Improvised Sections helpful. But, a more thorough discussion can be found in Volume 1 of the Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series. Medium Easy Advance Music is proud to present our new Groovin' Easy Series. We've taken 10 tunes from two popular Advance Music publications (Reading Key Jazz Rhythms and The Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series) and asked our writers to give us creative and musically challenging charts that are also playable by young bands. To the normal big band instrumentation of 5 saxes, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and rhythm section we've added optional parts for flute, clarinet, French horn, guitar and auxiliary percussion. In addition, each chart is written to sound full with a reduced instrumentation of only 3 saxes, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone and rhythm section. The brass ranges are reasonable with the lead trumpet never going above a written C and the rhythm section parts are carefully notated and thought out.