Busted

Busted begins by exploring two elements: a loose, relaxed gesture of dropping the mallets on the drumhead and allowing them to bounce is contrasted with taut, tense, forceful attacks. These elements unfold in an odd, bumpy 7/4 time, which flirts with an elusive groove. The forceful attacks gradually take over with an increasing sense of desperation and “bust” through the complex patterns to a funky 4/4 groove (albeit with a subtle subtext of “7-ness”).

The title first occurred to me when I felt the need to derail a runaway groove with a police whistle. It also seemed appropriate to the way I imagined a percussionist busting through the drumheads with primal two-fisted attacks.

--SM