Four Sleazy Dudes

for alto saxophone, bass trombone, viola and violoncello

Duration - approximately 4 minutes

Program Notes:

Four Sleazy Dudes… was written for the Miklos Quartet, an unusual collection of instruments and instrumentalists who enjoy performing new music.

The title is intended to poke fun at the four members of the group.  As the piece was being written, the title helped create a sort of comedy involving all four members of the group.  The story eventually worked itself out into something like this:

All four members of the group are out on the town after a long night of practicing.  They are at a local trendy bar, but, being musicians, they appear awkward and out of touch.  Each of the four attempt to use a smooth pick-up line to entice a woman to dance, but none succeed.  Each rejection is either followed by a silence.  The low “blat” of the bass trombone is used to represent the ridiculousness of their attempts.  Eventually, one of the four lures a woman onto the dance floor.  They dance a weird sort of tango, she rather well, him less than satisfactory.  The dancing woman quickly loses interest and leaves.  The lone dancer returns to his quartet and continues to lament their lack of success.  As the night draws to a close, each attempt a last ditch effort at a dance, but each time, they’re shot down.  They leave the club insulted and alone.  And their night ends with a final rejection, as the taxi they hail pulls up and immediately drives away…

After everything is said and done, Four Sleazy Dudes… is nothing more than a sardonic joke at the expense of the musicians who commissioned it.  I just hope they don’t get mad and play the wrong notes…

-Ryan Jesperson
Sept. 19th, 2006