Jazz Ballet

I was commissioned to write music for a ballet called ‘Troposphere’ by the San Diego Ballet. I wrote it in five movements, 1. Prelude, 2. Movement I, 3. Movement II,
4. Movement III and 5. Postlude.
The orchestra consisted of a jazz big band, an additional acoustic bass used as a solo instrument and percussion.
Personnel includes Jim Plank, Bob_Magnusson, Tony Marillo, Joe Marillo, Birdie Carter, Ray Heath, Butch Lacey, Gary Pack, Jeff Rew, Steve O’Connor, and many other top
musicians from the San Diego area of that time.

Tropsphere was recorded and broadcast in 1974 on station KPBS in San Diego on a show called San Diego Showcase produced by Gloria Penner. Troposphere was choreographed by Thor Sutowski and featured Anna Spelman, Karen Schaefer, Duncan Schute and Thor Sutowski. The performance utilized various excerpts from my jazz ballet.