solo soprano saxophone
1997
6 minutes
I had been studying in France and one of the last pieces that I performed was Berio’s Sequenza VIIb for soprano saxophone. As I tend to do when practising, I improvised around the themes of the piece. I often found that to contrast the extreme nature of the Sequenza I would play long melodic lines. To contrast further with this, I would take some of the multiphonics used by Berio and add some funky rhythms. When a friend kindly told me that I sounded like a chicken it was amusing to extend on this idea.
Ku Ku remains my most widely played composition after Black & Blue.
Ignoring the spelling apparently:
Kuku in Swahili means chicken.
Ku-ku is a type of clock made in the Black forest.
Ku Ku means crazy.
There are happy hens, ones that live on an organic farm,
that have worms to eat and lay lots of eggs.
The air is fresh and the handsome rooster caters for all their needs…
There are other kinds of chickens,
ones that may have lost their mind, or their head!
Each day they do the same thing, they live in little boxes,
cluck, cluck…. cluck, cluck.
Ku Ku Performed by Christa Heimann
My composition Ku Ku performed by Christa Heimann (USA), soprano saxophone.
Ku Ku Performed by Dmitriy Pinchuk
My composition Ku Ku performed by Dmitriy Pinchuk (Russia – aged 16) as part of the Andorra Sax Fest 2021 Solo Competition.
Ku Ku Performed by Katherine Weintraub
My composition Ku KU performed by Katherine Weintraub, saxophone.
Filmed in June, 2020 in Ybor City, Tampa (United States)
Ku Ku Performed by Kyle Kelley
My composition Ku Ku performed by Ithaca College (United States) student Kyle Kelley.
Ku Ku Performed by Jeffrey Allardyce
My composition ‘Ku Ku‘ recorded live in Ciminelli Formal Lounge at the Eastman School of Music on February 22, 2020 by Jeffrey Allardyce, soprano saxophone.
Ku Ku Performed by Lawrence Man
My composition Ku Ku played by Lawrence Man (Hong Kong).
Ku Ku Performed by Leo Schlaifer
My composition Ku Ku performed by Leo Schlaifer (United States).
Ku Ku Performed by Tatjana Sandhöfer
My composition Ku Ku performed by Tatjana Sandhöfer, Soprano Saxophone.
Ku Ku Performed by James Wilder
My composition Ku Ku performed by James Wilder (United States).
Ku Ku Performed by Andrea Edlbauer
A rock star performance by Andrea Edlbauer of my composition Ku Ku.
Ku Ku Performed by Simone Moschitz
My composition Ku Ku performed by Simone Moschitz (Italy) at the Milan Conservatory.
Ku Ku Performed by Charlotte Jenkins
My composition Ku Ku performed by Charlotte Jenkins (United Kingdom).
Ku Ku Performed by Erik Steighner
My composition Ku Ku performed by Erik Steighner (United States). You can check out his website here: http://eriksteighner.com.
Ku Ku Performed by Elisabete Adão
My composition Ku Ku performed by Elisabete Adão (Portugal).
Ku Ku performed by JenUwin Saxophonic Spectacular
My composition Ku Ku performed by JenUwin Saxophonic Spectacular.
Ku Ku Performed by Gordon Gest
My composition Ku Ku performed by at Bates Recital Hall, Austin, TX by Gordon Gest, soprano saxophone (United States).
Ku Ku Performed by Thomas Kurtz
A performance of my composition Ku Ku by Thomas Kurtz, student at Michigan State University College of Music.
Ku Ku Performed by Pedro Simões (Portugal)
My composition Ku Ku performed by saxophonist Pedro Simões (Portugal).
Ku Ku Performed by Brendan Catalano (Canada)
My composition Ku Ku Performed by Brendan Catalano (Canada).
Ku Ku Performed by Brendan Catalano (Canada)
My composition Ku Ku performed by saxophonist Brendan Catalano (Canada). Third Year recital, University of Saskatchewan.
Ku Ku Performed by Lucas Knapp (Germany)
My composition Ku Ku performed by German saxophonist Lucas Knapp apparently under the youtube genre of ‘chicken’ – nice!
Ku Ku performed by Wang Titian (China)
My composition Ku Ku performed by Wang Zitian, soprano saxophone at the Marco Albonetti – Conservatorio di Trento (Italy).
Rock Me and Ku Ku in SaxArt, Italy
Ku Ku Performed by Roberto Armocida (Italy)
My composition Ku Ku performed by Italian saxophonist Roberto Armocida.
Ku Ku performed by saxophonist Simon Watts (Australia)
My composition Ku Ku performed by saxophonist Simon Watts (Australia).
Ku Ku Performed by Justin Kenealy
My composition Ku Ku performed by Justin Kenealy (Australia) at Goodson Recital Hall, Shenandoah University – Winchester, VA, USA
Ku Ku clucked by Chad Lilley (USA)
Chad Lilley gives a brooding but ‘eggcellent’ performance of my composition Ku Ku live with live chickens. He was literally walking on eggs shells for the quietest passages and he built up to an ‘eggsplosive’ and ‘eggciting’ finish. No birds were harmed in the filming of this video, although Chad was feeling a little hen pecked by the end. Chad played well and escaped without any egg on his face. I will stop the sick yokes now before you all crack up and go into shell shock. Chookers! Remind me to tell you all about my piece ‘Pluck Me’ some time…
Ku Ku Performed by Benton Case (USA)
My composition Ku Ku Performed by Benton Case, student at Stanford University.
Ku Ku Performed by Chad Lilley (USA)
My composition Ku Ku performed by American saxophonist Chad Lilley.
Ku Ku performed by Dustin Finer
My composition Ku Ku performed by Dustin Finer (Canada).
Ku Ku Performed by Romilly Whiteley
My composition Ku Ku performed by British saxophonist Romilly Whiteley at Trumpington Church, Cambridge.
Ku Ku performed by Mitch Rogalla
My composition Ku Ku performed by Mitch Rogalla, Illinois State University Recital.
Ku Ku Performed by Chemie Ching
My composition Ku Ku performed at 1st Year Master Recital at Crawford Hall, University of North Carolina School of the Arts by Chemie Ching.
Ku Ku Performed by Neal Postma
My composition Ku Ku performed by Neal Postma (United States) at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Great job Neal!
Ku Ku Performed by Benjamin James
My composition Ku Ku performed by Benjamin James (United Kingdom).
Ku Ku performed by Charles Ng
My composition Ku Ku performed by Charles Ng (Hong Kong)
Ku Ku Performed by Tony Davis
A superb tenor saxophone performance of my composition ‘Ku Ku‘ by British saxophonist and composer Tony Davis. World Saxophone Congress, Bangkok, 2009.
Ku Ku performed by Alastair Penman
British saxophonist Alastair Penman performs my composition ‘Ku Ku‘.
Ku Ku performed by Tak-Chiu WONG (Hong Kong)
Saxophonist Tak-Chiu WONG (Hong Kong) plays my composition ‘Ku Ku‘.
Ku Ku performed by Marie-Hélène Bilodeau
My composition ‘Ku Ku‘ skilfully performed by Marie-Hélène Bilodeau, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
Ku Ku – Dutch street busking by Ilse Bies
I love this setting of the first half of my composition Ku Ku by Dutch saxophonist Ilse Bies.
Ku Ku performed by 陳冠文 Kuan-Wen Chen
An exciting performance of my composition Ku Ku in Taiwan by 陳冠文 Kuan-Wen Chen!
Video: Steph Winzen plays Ku Ku
German saxophonist Steph Winzen plays my composition Ku Ku at the Conservatory of Mainz.
CD: Anisotrophies – Fatima Hidalgo Cabrera
Fàtima Hidalgo Cabrera CD
Great new CD featuring Spanish (Tarragona) saxophonist Fàtima Hidalgo Cabrera. She has done a fantastic recording of my composition Ku Ku and also includes works by Dimitri Tchesnokov, Juanjo Villarroya, David Salleras, Nicholas Prost and Eric Jehanno.
Video: Irish Saxophonist Gerard McChrystal plays Ku Ku
Gerard McChrystal sublimely plays my composition Ku Ku live at Aberystwyth Musicfest in Wales. I had the great pleasure to hear Gerard play this piece live in January at the British Saxophone Congress. Thanks Gerard! You can read more about Gerard on his website.
Video: Ku Ku played live by Isle Bies
A fantastic rendition of my composition ‘Ku Ku’ performed by Dutch saxophonist Isle Bies.
Video: Taimur Sullivan plays Ku Ku
A great performance by Taimur Sullivan (soprano saxophone) playing Ku Ku.