The Dreaded Groove and Hook: Brass Band Score

Dobson captures the essence of modern groove-based music without sacrificing the technical demands that keep a brass band engaged. The piece balances solo spotlights with full-ensemble moments, giving every section meaningful material while maintaining the infectious momentum that audiences recognize from contemporary funk and acid-jazz.

Modern, energetic, and infectious. The groove sits somewhere between the syncopated funk of Jamiroquai and the New Orleans brass tradition, with full-band riff moments that land like a pop chorus hook. Soloists shine while the ensemble drives a locked, propulsive rhythm underneath.

Brass bands with strong soloists and comfortable with contemporary idioms. The piece rewards ensembles that have tackled standard literature and are ready to explore how popular music language translates to the brass band medium.

• Lock the rhythm section early. The bass lines anchor everything, so spend rehearsal time ensuring baritones and trombones establish a locked, groove-oriented foundation before soloists layer in.
• Treat the hook (the full-band riff) like a pop chorus: crisp attacks, synchronized articulation, and clarity of the melody line matter more than traditional legit sound here.
• Give soloists space to interpret their lines. This is jazz-inflected writing, so encourage rhythmic flexibility and phrasing that sits behind or ahead of the beat in the verses.
• Percussion carries energy throughout. Work with your percussionists to ensure their parts drive the groove rather than simply marking time.

Pair this with a traditional march or overture to showcase your band's range, or program it alongside other contemporary works to position your band as comfortable with 21st-century brass literature. The high energy makes it ideal for closing a concert or festival performance.

• Groove-based articulation and rhythmic cohesion in funk and jazz idioms
• Solo phrasing and interpretation in a jazz-inflected context
• Precision and synchronized ensemble playing in fast, syncopated passages
• Reading and executing syncopated rhythmic lines that sit outside traditional classical phrasing
• Balancing individual soloists with full-band ensemble moments