…And Justice For All

Marimba (2010)

This was the first piece I wrote for my friend Alejandro Ruiz. By the time he commissioned it I was overwhelmed by an amazing monologue performed by Al Pacino in the movie “…and Justice for All.” The main aspect that stroked me was its structure. The character is a defense lawyer who is giving his closing statement, and he makes you truly believe that the accused is innocent. The lawyer takes you through a long a finely constructed story that clearly supports his client’s innocence. But no, at the very end of his statement he changes his mind. The stream of accumulated energy and anticipation turns the other way, and he suddenly acuses his own client. It’s a very Pacino move! I thought it wold be fun trying to put all of this into music so this piece is my attempt at building a form that roughly follows that of the monologue.

Alejandro included this piece on his second album titled “La Marimba de los Compositores Colombianos Vol. 2.” Visit his website here.