click to enlarge
solo alto saxophone
1995
3 minutes
excerpts performed by Barry Cockcroft
Shorlty before I composed this piece, I was demonstrating the saxophone for a small group of 5 year olds at a local primary school. Unfortunately two of the children would not listen to anything I had to say and so I decided that in order to get their attention I would sneak up behind them and play the loudest note I could. I achieved the desired silence but unfortunately the little boy turned to the little girl and punched her in the face!
Needless to say, it was a memorable moment and shortly afterwards I wrote what has become my most performed piece.
About Black & Blue
Black & Blue creates a ‘one-man-band’ by asking the saxophonist to simulate various other instruments during this energetic 3 minute unaccompanied piece. Beginning with solo bass guitar, the saxophone intersperses with short bluesy phrases and angular jazz rhythms. Moving into a chordal section the bass guitar motif is joined by electric guitar. This aggressive effect is achieved by the saxophone playing multiphonics (more than one note at a time).
More saxophone phrases continue to intermix with the band moving into a change of feel that begins with a bass guitar solo joined by distorted chordal guitar.
The saxophones multiphonics create the distortion like effect heightening the tension. This is relieved by the introduction of a new instrument – the drum kit. By beating the keys in a rhythmic fashion of the saxophonist must produce precise and ‘groovy’ drum solo complete with fills.
The final section brings the piece to a dramatic conclusion with intense ‘wa-wa’ effects reminiscent of 1960′s rock guitar. The circular breathing, rapid repeated notes and bluesy phrases culminate in the final coda of the piece. Something of cliché in rock music, the saxophone wails high notes descending through a catchy blues line to bring the piece to its natural conclusion.
Hey Barry nice piece,
Im doing an assignment on this piece and i was wondering, if you had to class this pieces structure what would you put it under? (i.e Binary, Ternary etc.)
Hi Max,
Luckily I don’t have to! However, it is developmental – no classical forms here.
regards,
Barry
Hey Barry, awesome song!
I’m playing this piece for my senior end-of-school music exams, and I’m doing a viva-voce on it.
Just wondering, which other of your compositions have used similar techniques to mimic the tone colours of other instruments?
thanks heaps
Riley
Hi Riley,
Great to hear you are playing my piece! Most of my compositions involve some form of imitation of other instruments including Beat Me, Slap Me & Rock Me. Pieces such as Ku Ku and Gorge imitate nature in some way. Very occasionally I write something that sounds like a saxophone!
All the best with the exams, Barry
I was wondering whether there is any specific reason for the title, “Black & Blue.”
Thanks.
Black & Blue = bruised
Blues = Blues music
regards,
Barry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbCjHjHnAVw
Just in case anyone wanted to listen to someone play it. That isn’t me by the way, it is just a movie I found on Youtube…
It’s somewhat amazing!
Hi Ryan,
This is Gerard McChrystal http://saxsaxsax.com/ – he is great!
regards, Barry
Hi Barry,
Is it possible to successfully play this piece on tenor sax? How about your other alto sax solo pieces like Gorge?
Thanks
Evan
Hi Evan,
I don’t mind personally, it is just that sometimes instrument specific devices will not work on different devices. English saxophonist Tony Davis does an excellent version of Ku Ku on tenor. The multiphoncics for Black and Blue should be okay on tenor, but perhaps not quite as effective. Gorge will not be as good on tenor. Rock Me, Bo and Beat Me, however work perfectly on the tenor. I hope that helps.
regards,
Barry
Hey Barry,
My name’s Jane-Lee Crombie, and I chose to do this piece for my VCE outcome task. I really love this piece, quite different from everything else i’ve ever done
… anyways, i was wondering if i could get a video of you playing Black and Blue, or use some of the audio already on your site for my project as we need to include recordings of other performers playing our chosen piece. Either option would be greatly appreciated 
Thanks,
Jellie
Hi Jellie,
Glad you are liking the piece – thanks for playing it. I don’t have a video at this stage, but I’m sure it is okay to use the snippet from the site. Otherwise the track can be downloaded at http://www.reedmusic.com/store/downloads/index.html.
All the best,
Barry
Thanks! Much appreciated! I’ll send you link to my website when it’s finished and you can have a look for yourself! Thanks again!!!
Hi Michael,
The video is a great idea – and I am working on this. Stay tuned!
Barry
Awesome
(btw, my wiki’s address is http://music-michael.wikispaces.com/)
Hey Barry,
Man I love this song, it’s just too bad that it hasn’t been around long enough so that others may have played it and posted a video of themselves on youtube or someplace similar.
The reason I say all that is because I was really hopping if you read this that you could perhaps send me a video of yourself playing Black and Blue so that I have something for my VCE outcome task (just go to my wiki website and look under ‘End of year program’ to see what I am talking about).
Thanks in advanced.