RODEO BLUE, composed in February 2022, is a propulsive romp intended to be energetic fun. The title is a whimsical projection of my view that the music is a cross between (A) “cowboy” music, (B) blue-groove music, which I call “the grinder,” and (C) wavelike music. These three ideas rotate through the work, with a new interlude appearing in bar 107 with a soaring melody. When an idea returns, it reflects exposure to the other ideas, a kind of leakage among the ideas.

My personal names for these musical ideas are simply my impressions of the music, although there are some objective characteristics that may be identified, such as the half-time, loping quality of the “cowboy” music and the syncopated, push of "the grinder." No attempt was made to capture the nature of authentic "cowboy" music or "the grinder," whatever the latter might be.

Here is a rough map of the music:
A - Cowboy - m.1
B - Wavelike - m. 27
C - Grinder - m.46
A’ - Cowboy recap (shortened) - m.84
B’ - Wavelike (shortened) - m.96
D - Interlude - m.107
C’ - Grinder return - m.119
Coda (Grinder extension/conclusion) - m.135

– Steve Rouse

Cover photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash