Blues del Caribe

Composed in 1992, it's a busy little piece in E major, A walking bass line, initially quite repetitive, is garnished with two layers of fast food filling - spacious and with the occasional parallel fourth adding a little piquancy. Over the top is drizzled a slower, almost jazzy set of interjections; certainly not classical blues, and with the jazz shapes creating an airy, spacious feel. And so, subtle changes apart, this repetitive but nonetheless interesting mix of plodding bass, weaving interior and short one-bar decorations moves slowly and inexorably towards a big crescendo and a section marked «alla cubana«, where the harmonies are less «modern«, and the rhythm more insistent - it's a real contrast. There is a reprise of the opening section. Rather than leading back to the «alla cubana«, there is a sudden and expected silence from all forces. And the end of the piece beckons. The music is modest in its demands, and many of the difficult-to-read sections are actually very much under the fingers, and the piece is probably achievable by Grade six or seven players (possibly Grade five for the bass line), though probably, because of the chromaticism, not at sight. If pushed to describe the style, I'd say it was not so much blues as more a whimsical little doodle - nice interplay, and a light, modern feel.
Derek Hasted (Classical Guitar)