I met Professor Gary Mortenson from the International Trumpet Guild at Lieksa in 2002. The result was three commissions for Kansas State University, one of which, Aba-Zulu for trumpet ensemble, was premiered at the ITG’s world conference in 2008. Keeping mainly to 9/8 time, the work takes its name from Russ Manning’s comic Brothers of the Spear that appeared in the magazine Tarzan in the 1960s (issue 7/1967 is still missing from my collection). Aba-Zulu was the home town of Dan-El and Natongo. There are arrangements of the piece for 16 different line-ups; those for trumpet ensemble and flute choir are published by BRS Music (USA). Click the blue "webpage" -link for a live version by Boys of America Brass Septet.

Grade: 4

Duration: 2´30´´