"Diversions" was composed in 1978 especially for the New York Tuba Quartet.  John Stevens was a member of the group at the time.  The work features styles of jazz and popular music that were not generally found in the tuba/euphonium repertoire at the time this piece was composed.

The Prologue and Epilogue are in a "jazz ballade" style.  The three main movements feature latin and jazz, slow blue and uptempo jazz waltz styles.  The concept behind the work is to employ the quartet as both the rhythm section and the melodic voice.  Each of the main movements features an improvised jazz solo.