Cemetery Salsa by Brian Slawson

Imagine what the skeletons hear while dancing through graves on a crisp All Hallows’ Eve, and this may be it! In Cemetery Salsa, three intermediate players are featured on a single 4.3-octave (low A) marimba. Brian Slawson takes traditional salsa chord changes and complements them with odd and fluctuating time signatures, providing a quirky and fun musical experience for both players and listeners.

For contrast, a waltz section appears in the middle, introducing a sort of playful yet sinister sound in which the music is soft, flowing, and connected. Players must develop smooth roll techniques while still playing in time and working together as they navigate their musical roles. The piece recapitulates with the opening 7/4 theme and ends with a bang!