David Sampson

Powell Trio

The Powell Trio for tenor trombone, marimba, and piano was composed in 2009 for Michael Powell, a prominent New York trombonist. Composed of three movements—"Flow," "Stillwater," and "Eddies"—the work sonically depicts the diverse states of water as we experience them in nature. At the beginning of the piece, one can imagine a gently flowing stream winding its way through the landscape toward a cove or the open sea. Along the way, moments of stillness arise, contrasting with passages full of humor, anger, playfulness, and joy. Each movement captures a different facet of water—at times calm and introspective, at others turbulent and impetuous—with the three instruments passing the musical current back and forth among themselves. And, as the composer suggests, this ever-changing journey from the source to the sea is a metaphor for life itself. Recording: Chesapeake—The Music of David Sampson, Summit Records #639.