Mike Herriott jazzes up William Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet with his new single Mercutio — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Embarking on a captivating sonic journey in this track from his most recent album Tales Of Tricksters And Vagabonds, the renowned Canadian trumpeter delves into the intricacies of one of The Bard’s most intriguing and mesmerizing characters. Drawing inspiration from Shakespeare’s insight into Mercutio‘s vibrant yet tragic existence, Herriott crafts a musical narrative that mirrors the multifaceted nature of this beloved character.
It has been said that Shakespeare found Mercutio so interesting that he had to kill him off, so attention wasn’t taken away from the story. Mercutio is Romeo’s close friend and becomes known for his humour and fun-loving demeanour.
Thanks to his friendship with Romeo and relation to the Capulets, Mercutio is able to move easily between the feuding houses, and eventually takes up his sword to battle Juliet’s cousin Tybalt on Romeo’s behalf. In his final moments, he curses both houses for their ongoing pettiness. His last words are a pun: “Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.”
Herriott’s piece explores the playfulness and offbeat character of Mercutio, who found humour is the juxtaposition of conflicting realities, as reflected in the juxtaposition of conflicting rhythms. The drum solo fits in to give us a version of his famous Queen Mab speech. The final statement of the melody gives us the struggle of Mercutio in his swordfight, with Romeo’s tragic intervention. In the end, listen as Mercutio’s essence dissipates into the universe with a short brass choral and piano arpeggio.
Check out Mercutio above, sample more from Tales Of Tricksters And Vagabonds below, and find Mike Herriott on his website, Facebook and Twitter.
