"Blue: A Broken Glass Bottle" by Ryan Middagh - Trombone and Loop Station

On the surface, Ryan Middagh's trombone & loop station work "Blue: A Broken Glass Bottle" does not seem to be a piece about gratitude. It’s dark, mesmerizing, and influenced by minimalism, rock guitar licks, and of course… the blues. There are moments of chaos and moments of serene calm, and about halfway through a primal scream brings the whole thing to a screeching halt. But then a section in F Major follows, and I resonate strongly with the defiant optimism and courage portrayed in that moment. For me, this piece is all about resilience, choosing joy over despair, and gratitude for the smallest rays of light that can burst through the darkness. Ryan Middagh is my Vanderbilt University colleague and friend, and Director of Jazz Studies at Vanderbilt's Blair School of Music. He wrote this for me several years ago, and I'm so glad I got a chance to put it onto my album, "For the Beauty of the Earth". You can learn more about Ryan and purchase the sheet music at ryanmiddagh.com Thanks for listening, and thanks to Continuous Motion Productions for the gorgeous video! cmotionproductions.com