3.2.5 Turnage & Simcock

In this chapter, Clark explores Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Blood on the Floor and the influencing elements of Jazz Fusion music – think Weather Report, Peter Erskine, Wayne Shorter. He also looks into Jazz musician Gwilym Simcock’s Move, exploring how the notation does not alway give enough information on how it should sound.

Excerpts explored in the above video:

Figure 23: Turnage – Blood on the Floor, Movement 7 (Trumpet part played on saxophone)

Figure 24: Simcock – Move, Movement 3 (Clarinet Excerpt)

Excerpts explored in the above video:

Figure 25: Turnage – Blood on the Floor, Movement 7 (Violin Excerpt)

Figure 26: Simcock – Move, Movement 3 (Violin Excerpt)

Key Points

• Understand how the lower notes of the phrase are significantly less important, and how this gives the music a forward motion and a fluency.
• Understand how the length of the accented notes may be critical in phrasing this music authentically.