"Bambaduke" - USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra

Hey everyone, this is a piece I composed for the Night of Hope 2025, called Bambaduke. Last February, it was performed by the USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra, led by multi-Grammy Award-winning composer and arranger Vince Mendoza. The word "Bambaduke" is a combination of two words that mean a lot to me. "Bamba" is the nickname that my family gave to my grandma on my Dad's side, Beatrice Nokuri, who lives in Limbe, Cameroon. "Duke" is the last name of my grandma on my mom's side, Pamela Duke. Both of my grandmothers were teachers who loved working with youth and who also loved music. Bambaduke is the combination of Cameroonian and African-American music, how they interact, and how they can work together. Sheet music is purchasable on nokurimusic.com!