Samenwerking was commissioned by the New York New Music Ensemble in May of 1986: however, I did not start composing the work until March of 1987. Structurally, the piece resembles Eric Dolphy's Iron Man; nevertheless, I did not conceive of Samenwerking as a jazz work. The format unfolds as follows: Theme One (the Ensemble plays in unison), bridge section, Theme One (harmonized), vibraphone solo, bridge, flute solo, bridge, violin solo, bridge, clarinet solo, bridge, cello solo, bridge, the Ensemble playing their solos together, the return of Theme One, bridge, Theme One (harmonized), bridge, Theme One, (modified), and a short closing section. Each bridge section following a solo omits that soloist.

Samenwerking is an old Flemish word that means "collaboration." I felt this title was appropriate for this particular piece which by its compositional nature requires true collaboration among the performers.