- A joyous and colourful setting of the Latin Missa brevis - Inspired by samba and bossa nova styles - Stylistic piano part that can be played as written or serve as a guide - Separate optional band part for guitar, bass, and drum kit for SSA or SATB, piano, and optional guitar, bass, and drum kit Samba Mass is a joyous and colourful setting of the Latin Missa brevis. The work is framed by the gentle bossa nova style of the warm Kyrie and relaxed Agnus Dei, which is prefaced by a funky Benedictus. The compelling rhythms of samba come to the fore in the second movement, a vivacious Gloria, which is followed by a beautiful Sanctus that offsets a steady flow of quavers with rhythmic syncopations. The stylistic piano part can be played as written or serve as a guide, and an optional guitar, bass, and drum kit part is available separately for band accompaniment. Performers will enjoy exploring the interplay between voices and the rich, warm colours of the samba and bossa nova styles. Programme Notes: In the autumn of 2001 I had a wonderful week working with a group of choral conductors in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. On three consecutive nights I went with a few of them to a club with a live samba band and they tried in vain to teach me to dance. My Northern European heritage really came to the fore at this point and despite my inability to move in any idiomatic way, from that moment on, the joyous and infectious music of samba and bossa nova captivated me. In this mass setting I have tried to colour the piece with a sense of this music, music that is sometimes gentle, sometimes high energy, that reflects the warmth and the smile that is so characteristic of the people and the country of Brazil. As with my other jazz mass settings, I have written out an instrumental accompaniment that is intended to be either played as written or used as a guide. A separate part is available with chord symbols and a percussion guide, and I would encourage performers to be as creative as they wish to be with the band part. Guitars with string bass or electric bass would work beautifully in place of the piano part, and any number of percussion instruments could be added. Please use what you can to give wings to the colour of the samba and bossa nova.