Ransom was my first marimba solo written with a title based on a street name where I had lived. In this case, Ransom Drive is in Murfreesboro, Tennessee where I  taught at Middle Tennessee State University. It was at MTSU where I met Erik Johnson, then an undergraduate percussion student but now President of Innovative Percussion. Ransom is dedicated to Erik and our many adventures over the years with IP along with George Barrett and Chris Long. The later street marimba etudes ended up in my book, Marimba: Technique Through Music. -Mark Ford

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