Junkyard Jam: (wp) B-flat Baritone B.C.
For Drums, Trash Cans, Buckets, and Band
By Kevin Mixon
Grade: 2 (Easy)
Item: 00-PC-0001678_wpBBBC
$3.00
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Description
You'll have to bring in the trash for this hard-driving number! The piece employs both rock and introductory Afro-Cuban styles, but with a twist: percussionists perform on optional "junkyard" instruments such as five-gallon buckets and plastic garbage cans and lids. A spirited middle section invites other band members to get into the act too. This one will be the band's favorite and bring the house down at your concert! (2:30)
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Additional Details
Series:
Belwin Young Band
Publisher:
Alfred Music
Page Count:
146
SKU:
00-PC-0001678_wpBBBC
More about this title
About the Composer: Kevin Mixon
Kevin Mixon brings classroom experience and scholarship together in his work as an instrumental music educator at Blodgett K-8 School in Syracuse City Schools, New York. His research and advocacy span urban and rural music education, inclusive pedagogy for learners with diverse needs, curriculum integration, and percussion instruction. He has presented at major conferences including the International Society for Music Education Convention, the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, and MENC events, and his articles appear regularly in Music Educators Journal, Teaching Music, The Instrumentalist, and the National Band Association Journal.
Mixon holds degrees summa cum laude from Onondaga Community College, Syracuse University, and the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign), and is pursuing a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership. He is the author of Reaching and Teaching All Instrumental Music Students and co-author of Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom (MENC/Rowman & Littlefield Publications). As a composer and arranger, his published works for band and orchestra reflect his commitment to making music accessible and engaging for young musicians.
Why we love this
Mixon understands what gets young musicians excited, and this piece delivers energy without sacrificing musicality. The built-in novelty of junkyard percussion gives every section of the band a moment to shine, and the optional nature of the unusual instruments means you can adapt it to what you have on hand. A Grade 2 piece that actually sounds and feels like a concert highlight, not a filler.
What to expect
A joyride that starts with raw, infectious rock energy and pivots into Latin heat. The soundscape shifts when buckets and trash cans enter the mix, creating a playful, industrial edge that feels both organized and slightly chaotic in the best way. By the time the full band is engaged in the percussion moment, the piece has evolved into something that feels genuinely collaborative and celebratory.
Who it's for
Concert bands at the Grade 2 level looking for a piece with genuine entertainment value and educational payoff. This works equally well for middle school ensembles seeking a morale booster and for younger high school bands that want something stylistically fresh and rhythmically engaging without technical burden.
How to get the most out of it
- Lock the rock groove early by establishing a solid backbeat with your snare and bass drum line; the Afro-Cuban section will sit on top of that foundation naturally.
- If using junkyard instruments, rehearse them separately first so the percussionists gain confidence with their unique sound sources before integrating with the full band.
- The middle section that invites other band members into the percussion parts works best when you prepare those students in advance; assign them to specific instruments during sectional rehearsals.
- Keep the tempo driving but controlled; this piece lives in its rhythmic precision, so a conductor's click or pulse reference will tighten the ensemble significantly.
How to use it
Position this as a second-half opener on a concert where you want to shift the energy and get the audience engaged. It pairs well on a program that includes one or two serious pieces, providing contrast and reminding listeners that band music can be fun without apology. The 2:30 length makes it ideal for fitting into varied concert formats.
Skills your students will build
- Reading and performing rock rhythm patterns with precision
- Switching stylistic approaches between rock and Afro-Cuban grooves
- Ensemble lock and groove-based listening
- Percussion improvisation and creative sound production on non-traditional instruments
- Balanced dynamic control within a high-energy context