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Originally Posted by christianm77
moreover, and without wanting to oppose things, I am surprised that speaking of compositions, we do not post here scores (partitions), but recordings that gives a possible version
it's a bit boring to appreciate separately a composition and such interpretations/improvisations
there are some really nice things to ear, and unless they're copyrighted, we'd like to see them written. There are a topic on pencils to write music, if that helps, unless the problem is specific to guitarist composers, it's a hypothesis that some have raised elsewhereLast edited by Patlotch; 02-14-2020 at 09:03 AM.
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02-14-2020 02:59 AM
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02-14-2020, 12:58 PM #202joelf Guest
A newer one, being premiered tonight at Fat Cat, NY:
(just a lead sheet---not the full chart w/2 soli---I'll look for that and post it later)
Ha ha---turns out Perk Up was the only piece we didn't play! Great night, anyway...Last edited by joelf; 02-15-2020 at 10:14 AM.
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02-15-2020, 10:16 AM #203joelf GuestOriginally Posted by Patlotch
But I agree we all should have the opportunity to scan and study the score as we listen...
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Originally Posted by joelf
referring to the "oral transmission", or the "Head Arrangements" of the first Count Basie in Kansas City*, that's very nice, but it doesn't seem to me that it corresponds to what happens between your compositions and your acting on stage, this unless you have great ears, of course, as 'professional musicians', ears almost better than the desk musicians and improvisers of Count Basie. How do you verbally transmit relatively complex harmonic sequences of chords that you write on paper?
* COUNT BASIE’S “HEAD ARRANGEMENTS”
as for referring to oral transmission in African music, I know it a little, since the group of djembe in which I participated was confronted with the reality of the reference recordings (Mamady Keïta) and its methods, transcribed inspired by western music (with the help of his german partner), which is a challenge, since there is no rhythmic build (3/4, 4/4, 6/8 ...) but a mixture/overlay of different beats, nor bar nor bar's with beginnings, it's constantly cyclical
and so the transcription is only a simplification, including what the "african composer" (Keïta is one of them) has in mind, which his musicians will only grasp by playing it. This is also the case with any transcription of the great classical composers, there is a huge loss and no way to find them, hence so many versions yet faithful to the writing
wouldn't there be a little fanfare to pretend that this is the case? Or I didn't interpret what you were saying correctly?
on the other hand,, how does a band other than yours to play your compositions, in your absence, what I wish it would happen to you (even to me, unknown little composer, it happened ...). It's not just about "study the score", it's just about being able to play itLast edited by Patlotch; 02-16-2020 at 02:59 AM.
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Written music can only go so far. There's so much that just cannot be communicated by writing it down, being it rhythmic like in african music, or melodic like in eastern ones. The more we look into cultures with a less mathematical approach, and a more verbal tradition of carrying the music to the next generation, folk idioms etc, the more this seems to be the case. The more we look in detail and depth into any kind of music really, the more it applies. I guess the only way for musicians to interpret it the best they can is to learn the language, which involves listening.. living.. being.. It's some serious amount of work!
There are a lot of composers in jazz, especially modern ones, that are very thorough, complicated and precise in what they write, but i 've always viewed jazz as music that is about collective improvisation, instant composing if you want, action and reaction to what's happening, and all this within a specific (or not so specific many times ) musical style. So i more or less see jazz compositions as a vehicle for musicians to play and create. There is great art in that of course, but i feel the essence of this music is in the playing. I felt so even more strongly after studying classical guitar and acquainting myself somewhat with the way the classical world works.. i 've discovered the jazz thing suits me better!
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02-16-2020, 05:10 PM #206joelf Guest
A lot of my pieces are tributes to musicians I've interacted with, and they had an impact. I have a set in shows where we do maybe 5 tunes with that theme. A big one was Eddie Diehl, ergo: Diehlin'
(Note, Final, and better changes on the 1st measure, bottom line, blowing part: G Maj 7/C Maj 7---2 beats each. I also like F7 #11 for the 1st chord of the next bar. (In other words, just play the changes over the damn melody!)...
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I don't think real jazz can be accurately notated, and have played for a few jazz orchestra directors that badgered the groups constantly about playing the "music", not the charts, because jazz demands more.
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02-19-2020, 09:37 PM #208joelf Guest
This one was originally in tribute to one Ben---then another passed away: Benson Gee, manager of Fat Cat and so beloved for his hard-working, generous and humble ways it's now his song forever:
Last edited by joelf; 02-19-2020 at 10:27 PM.
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Originally Posted by Patlotch
John
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02-23-2020, 10:35 AM #210joelf Guest
Gentle Ben, scanned---duh!:
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02-23-2020, 10:38 AM #211joelf Guest
(The above was originally in tribute to one Ben---then another passed away: Benson Gee, manager of Fat Cat and so beloved for his hard-working, generous and humble ways it's now his song forever)...
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Originally Posted by joelf
I stumbled through it. Haven't played a chord progression like that since my college big band days (around 1980). Really beautiful. Tried to somewhat chord melody it but really stumbled, I don't read much anymore (and not so good at transposing up the octave, not really a tranposition I guess, just the way guitar is usually written up an octave).
I'd love to hear this played properly.
Thanks for posting
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02-23-2020, 02:36 PM #213joelf GuestOriginally Posted by fep
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02-25-2020, 03:53 PM #214joelf Guest
If you have the time and inclination:
1) Not a Bad November was my first lyric. It's a ballad and the story will reveal itself. Many, myself included, feel it's my best song.
You can check the demo (Vicki Doney, vcl.; Steve Ash, pno) against the lead sheet.
2) Don't Step on my Dreams is a straight up swing shuffle, medium up. I should write this for a big band.
3) Leavin' is a bittersweet song w/lyric I wrote upon leaving NY---I thought for good---for Holland. Straight 8ths w/backbeat. Kinda slow.
4) The Man Who Cared Too Much is another straight 8th vibe, close to a bossa, but not really a bossa.
Hope you enjoy them...
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02-26-2020, 08:39 PM #215joelf GuestOriginally Posted by joelf
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03-02-2020, 03:29 PM #216joelf Guest
Tales of the Rocking Sea:
I wrote this in '95, a heavy year for me. I wrote a lot that year. This one was definitely influenced by Tom Harrell's writing---some of his tunes like Hope Street come to mind.
I had around 8 or 9 names for this, and every one bugged me---didn't seem to fit or seemed pretentious maybe. Mythology figures, Samuel Beckett, etc., etc. I settled on the title b/c it comes closest to what I seemed to be trying to depict: the angry sea roiling against some rocks.
The uneven bar amount is what it is. Maybe it's a challenge at first, but it feels natural after a time or two through:
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03-02-2020, 05:11 PM #217joelf Guest
OK, I'm cheating. Obviously I didn't write this---but there's no page for arrangements.
How Do You Keep the Music Playing:
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The inspiration for this was a youtube-gotten track of hand drums--moroccan, if memory serves.
There are four parts atop the drums:
1. piano
2. synth, alternating between a string patch and a trumpet/trombone patch
3. 'terz-tuned' ultra-short-scale electric bass guitar (25.4" scale, open strings from low-to-high tuned G-C-F-Bb
4. extra drums played with brushes on a Rhythm Tech 'Laptop' snare drum
Tho there is no guitar on this, IMO there IS a guitar, since I consider the bass guitar to be a guitar--in much the same way that, say, an alto saxophonist who doubles on baritone sax doesn't consider the lower-pitched horn to be an entirely different instrument. When I play upright bass my concept and approach on it sounds like 'bass'--not like guitar.
Indeed I often use multi-effect pedals for bass guitar and the most-used patches are those which add other intervals to the core sound, such as the fundamental tone with a third or seventh sounding as well....(instant 'fake horn section' harmony )
One fave patch, on a zoom B1, yields an upper interval--the (major) seventh interval sounding one or two octaves above the fretted note (ala a B above the fretted C) with the actual fretted bass note still clearly heard. It's kind of addictive.
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03-02-2020, 08:11 PM #219joelf Guest
Good stuff. Liking the percussion, especially. Piano 'out', and fun.
I'd like to get software and experiment. There's a whole world in it...
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Originally Posted by janepaints
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Originally Posted by joelf
it was recorded on a small tascam 8-track digital multitrack recorder, playing actual instruments, i dont use (or know how to use) software....i prefer the standalone multitackers because they most-resemble the old-school recording gear i grew up with.
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03-03-2020, 12:53 AM #222joelf GuestOriginally Posted by janepaints
One day...
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a quartet: drums, bass guitar, guitar and keyboard....
the instruments i used are seen on the video, except for the drums, which are a youtube-gotten drum track
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Originally Posted by mmuller
RIP Nick Gravenites
Today, 05:48 PM in The Players