Gavin Higgins

Coogee Funk (Score) (Faber Edition: Faber Wind Band Series) Gavin Higgins

Composers note:

Coogee Funk was inspired by a trip to Sydney, Australia. I had decided on a whim to travel to OZ and, after a lot of busking, managed to save up enough money. Once there I fell in love with the city instantly. The hedonistic mix of bars, beach and islands coupled with the desolate countryside and mountains was totally inspiring. I began sketching some ideas for this piece within a few days of arriving in Australia.

The piece has three main sections with a short coda at the end of the work.

The first part is fast and furious, loosely inspired by some of our more interesting nights out in the city. The second, a far more lyrical section featuring offstage saxophones and solo flugel horn is rather nautical in flavor with just a moment of nausea. The third is a funk explosion that gradually rears out of control with a funk fugue, of sorts. The piece ends darkly with a lonely horn solo, sadly slipping into a silent void.