Ford-Head Talk (SP)-P - Product Information
Mark Ford's Head Talk provides the percussion quintet with a dose of sophisticated comic relief. The equipment necessary is somewhat unusual: six pretuned heads--ranging in size from a 10 to a 22; a used 14 snare head; two bongo heads; one 14 coated head; two Pinstripe heads; and five performer-prepared papered-heads for the surprise ending (each performer smashing the drumhead over the head of the drummer!). The five performers must have or develop a controlled sense of humor and must theatrically play off each other. The performers sit on the stage in a semicircle, and Head Talk starts with the pretuned heads being twirled on stage. The opening rhythmic motive has a definitive rock-samba groove to it, and each performer ends up imitating the opening motive. The composition lasts about nine minutes.
- Jim Lambert Percussive Notes, April 1996
- Number of Players: 5
- Difficulty: Grade 4
- Instrumentation:
- Player I: 2 Coated PTS Pretuned Heads, 14" or 15" Bottom Snare Drum Head, 14" or 15" Paper Head
- Player II: 10" Dark Coated PTS Pretuned Head, 2 Bongo Heads - 6" and 8", 14" or 15" Paper Head
- Player III: 12" Mellow Coated PTS Pretuned Head, 14" Coated Head, 14" or 15" Paper Head
- Player IV: 14" Mellow Coated PTS Pretuned Head, 10" and 14" Pinstripe Heads, 14" or 15" Paper Head
- Player V: 16" Dark Coated PTS Pretuned Head, 16" Pinstripe Head, 14" or 15" Paper Head
Mark Ford is the coordinator of percussion activities at The University of North Texas in Denton, Texas and Immediate Past-President of the Percussive Arts Society. He is a marimba specialist and the director of one of the largest percussion programs in the United States at UNT. Ford has premiered a variety of new works for solo marimba, and he is the author of Marimba:Technique Through Music, a marimba method book. Ford has been a featured performer/clinician throughout the states at universities and at music conferences including PASIC, MENC, TMEA, Mid-West and CBDNA. Mark has also performed at International Music Festivals in South America, Asia, Australia and Europe. With several marimba and percussion CDs to his credit, Mark's recordings have further established his dedication to excellence in music.
