Moving On Again! was written in 2007 and the suite of three engaging and vibrant pieces use a range of jazz and popular styles to create new and exciting music for the progressing bassist who is confident in thumb position. The pieces are typical of the player-friendly music of Tony Osborne and they have been a great success in performance. Music to get the toes tapping!

Blues with a Swing is lively and rhythmic with effective syncopations to move the music swiftly along. The piece begins and ends with a jazz pizzicato figure, contrasting a ‘swinging’ middle section, played arco, which employs a range of unison melodies with an independent and incisive piano accompaniment.

Cool Jazz, the shortest of the three movements, has a dance-like feel, a jig almost, but with a number of popular music influences. Much of the melodic material is given to the double bass and a strong rhythmic drive and momentum push the piece to a strong and successful conclusion.

Wild Ceilidh is full of rhythmic energy and drive, with an alternating 2/4 and 6/8 format throughout. A more relaxed and cantabile middle section is framed by music of great rhythmic momentum for both players. This is high octane music which offers effective musical and technical challenges and would suit anyone who has enjoyed Junior Jazz Book 1 and 2. [Programme note by Tony Osborne]

About the Composer

Born in 1947 into a musical family, Tony Osborne studied at the Royal Academy of Music (London) with John Walton (double bass) and Richard Stoker (composition), and divided a busy career between composing, teaching, and performing. A prolific composer and arranger, Tony’s original compositions include works in almost every genre, notably Chaconne Syncopations and Wainwright’s Ways for brass

quintet, Celebration Fanfare for brass ensemble, the musical A Fine Time for Wine, a beautiful and dramatic Requiem, and many works for string orchestra. Tony’s music for young bassists is very much at the heart of the teaching repertoire, particularly his jazzy and enjoyable bass trios and quartets, and he had the rare ability to create wonderful music which is always player and audience-friendly.

In 2001 Tony Osborne was elected an ARAM (Associate of the Royal Academy of Music) for his pioneering and important work for double bass and was a featured com- poser at Bass-Fest for over ten years. He was a very successful BIBF Composer-in-residence in 2002-3, was a judge for the British Composer Awards and a judge for the BIBF Composition Competition from 1999 until 2015.

Tony Osborne died on 30 March 2019 at the age of 71.