Rush Hour Samba

by Eric Rath

Medium Concert Percussion

10-16+ Players

Instrumentation: 

• Chimes
• Glockenspiel
• Xylophone
• 2 Vibraphones
• 2 Marimbas — (1) low A, (1) low F
• Piano*
• 4 Timpani
• Bass guitar (or bass synth)
• Drums — drumset, bongos*, congas*, timbales*
• Cymbals and gongs — suspended cymbal*, splash cymbal*
• Accessories — 2 brake drums*, cowbell*, 2 shakers*, mark tree*

*optional

Rush Hour Samba by Eric Rath is a medium level samba-inspired groove for percussion ensemble. Featuring a large keyboard percussion palette, a full rhythm section, and Latin percussion, this upbeat piece delivers vibrant textures and an infectious energy.

Improvised solo space is built into the Vibraphone 1 part and can be repeated as needed to give more performers a chance to solo. Flexible doubling (or even tripling) across marimba, vibes, and auxiliary percussion makes the piece adaptable to various ensemble sizes. Optional instruments like samba whistle, cuica, shaker, and bongos can be added or substituted to encourage ensemble creativity and maximize participation.

Rush Hour Samba was commissioned as a tribute to Dr. David Bessinger and premiered in 2023 by alumni of Southwestern Oklahoma State University. It’s an exciting and crowd-pleasing piece that invites players to move, groove, and engage the audience.

This piece ships as a fully bound score. Individual parts come exclusively in PDF format.