Windowshade

TobinMueller

Genre: Funk

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Description

This is a collaborative mid-tempo jazz funk multiple sax piece between myself, Woody Mankowski and Mulletsrock. It is based on some loops Mulletsrock put together plus some of his original bass, then I added layered keyboards and organ and more MIDI drums, created some original loops for a coda, and we had Mullet Funk. This was the first step. I then cut and pasted Mullet Funk to make a different music bed, and added saxophones. There are 3 tenor tracks, 2 soprano tracks (one that I layered with itself using experimental effects to produce a jazz violin sound), and a few vocal noises from the players. The sop sax and violin morph into each other on occasion, which is my mixing highlight. I cut and pasted all the performances to fit, so everyone will be surprised when they hear the final version. I renamed it "Windowshade" becuz it reminds me of the veiled and air conditioned seductive mysteries behind a closed shade in the summer heat. (Art by Jan Ternald, "Flepotral Zen II")

A similar collaboration, Frankenfun II, features Ilya Gerasimenko on tenor sax, based on the original Frankenfunk.

More songs featuring some of the same players:
I Wanna Fly
Cliff's Edge
Windowshade
River Runs through Me
A Promise
Dreams III

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Lyrics

Instrumental. You may need to turn the track up a bit...

Song Stats

Hits: 4897
Comments: 36
Fans: 21
Plays: 980
Downloads: 312
Votes: 34
Uploaded: Jul 27, 2004 - 10:26:51 AM
Last Updated: Mar 19, 2007 - 08:14:37 AM Last Played: Nov 08, 2009 - 08:49:56 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Hardware:

Roland A-90ex; Selmer Tenor and Soprano saxes; B3.

Software:

GB, DP 4.

Comments

nobunaga	nobunaga said 1944 days ago (July 27th, 2004)
	refreshing! at last something different! love the saxes and the fat kb. darn good mix. no complaints at all 8988 Check out my latest song called Seven Dubs Four

Paul_T	Paul_T said 1944 days ago (July 27th, 2004)
	ANARCHY MADE FUN! I love how it's on the verge of being a free-form free-for-all, but still manages to hang together. Very difficult to pull off, but done magnificently! Sounds truly spontaneous. Kudos to all! Check out my latest song called Armor Pajamas

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1944 days ago (July 27th, 2004)
	ANARCHY MADE FUN! There's even a place just past the midpoint where we couldn't agree what key we were all in, so I played in Fm and Woody played takes in E and B (with modal accents). We endeavored to create solos that had melodies to them, as opposed to merely tooling around, which masked the amorphic anarchy inside our brains. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Del

Del said 1944 days ago (July 27th, 2004)

Cool heat
This song flames. It starts slow, with the building groove boiling up from behind, like shadows on a shade, and you can let yourself feel the cool heat without getting pulled behind. Unless you lean in. You cats choose some amazing notes. The instruments are recorded clean and straight, but the performances blaze (and the background chordal shifts are Mingus cool). I get used to rock music where the amount of distortion dictates how hot a solo should be... but these solos burn hole in the shade. Very nice art... I feel like my life is rolling up inside a shade some days. Or that I'm a huckster in a wasteland, like the guy.

Check out my latest song called The Androgyne

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1790 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Cool heat Thanks for noticing the art. Jan Ternald is incredibly creative. His Flepotronic art is wonderful: http://www.artsforge.com/jan/ternald.html Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

mcsweb	mcsweb said 1943 days ago (July 27th, 2004)
	Some of the BEST WORK I've heard hear yet. Bravo! Back in my college days, I would have purchased this... It's reminding a tad of Traffic, Brand X, Spyro Gyra, etc. Check out my latest song called Pearls of Perfection

hacked_to_pieces	hacked_to_pieces said 1943 days ago (July 27th, 2004)
	Very Cool I really enjoyed this pieces although its more jazz than funk, but you really have something special here. Check out my latest song called blues shuffle

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1725 days ago (March 3rd, 2005)
	Very Cool I know what you mean about it being more jazz than funk. The choice is really more wishful thinking on my part than precision in marketing. I wish I was funkier... Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Mcboy	Mcboy said 1943 days ago (July 27th, 2004)
	killer sax playing...... cut and paste is the wave........the production as always is on the money.....the playing ..impeccable.....i'm inspired to do a cut and paste piece myself after listening.........hehhehhe..... Check out my latest song called Heros( aclarke/mcboy)

SlimGirlFat	SlimGirlFat said 1943 days ago (July 28th, 2004)
	Speechless with envy!!! This is too much Tobin... those creative bugs are BITING YOU! IMHO, this is really the best track from you yet. that sultry sax just gets me... I sincerely hope you are releasing this to the GP... humbled! SlimGirlFat Check out my latest song called Not Enough

	said 1943 days ago (July 28th, 2004)
	nicely ametronomic Great cover art! Free ranging, fun jazz. Perhaps a little undisciplined and tangled at times? Nah. This is a refreshing break from GB's metronomic pitfall.

Cameron	Cameron said 1943 days ago (July 28th, 2004)
	rich and varied Wonderful conception/production/performance! I, too like the way this tune hovers between structure and free-flight. The combination of live instruments and software is very well integrated, the varied and tasteful synth snippets pop in and out at just the right times. Masterful job! Check out my latest song called EPONYM

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1790 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	rich and varied Thanks. Thats what we were going for, a tangled bit of tape around us all as we combined live and memorex. And having a great timing trying to fit on yet another layer... Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

thoddi

thoddi said 1943 days ago (July 28th, 2004)

you funky jazzist you
My first thought was that this could be one of "down to the bone" or "mezzofortes" tunes. But after a while I changed my mind, because they probably wouldn't do this piece so refreshing varied in themes and still letting the piece hang together as well as it does. I have just one wish... MORE B3 organ:-)

Way cool!

Check out my latest song called Don't tell me what I can't w/KTB and Ingve

Z293	Z293 said 1942 days ago (July 28th, 2004)
	Out classed. Accept my humble praise. Not only do you have tremedous talent, so do you friends. Is DP 4, Motu Digital Performer? Is it a worthy addition to GB? Check out my latest song called The Fine Line

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1941 days ago (July 30th, 2004)

Out classed.
I've been using Performer for 12-14 years. It is my favorite. It can do almost
everything you need with MIDI and live recording and handles it all really well.
Plus I use the MOTU 2408 as a digital-audio interface and the MOTU MIDID
Express 128 to plug all my synths and sound modules into the MIDI stream.
Thanks for the comments, by the way.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

ka-klick	ka-klick said 1942 days ago (July 29th, 2004)
	The groove reminds me Of a Maynard Furgusen piece I used to play. (Think it may have been Chameleon, but the title track is missing from that album on iTMS, so can't confirm ATM) Very cool stuff. Already on my Fav's. I'd second the move for more B3. Check out my latest song called Big Bad World - Live 1-16-2009 plus - MJRF

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1790 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	The groove reminds me I love Herbie Hancoc-k's Chameleon too. Did an arrangement of it once. Thanks for the mention in the same breath. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

earmark

earmark said 1941 days ago (July 30th, 2004)

Sweet and Meaty!
Great Brecker Brothers feel. I think one of the hardest
things to accomplish is to mix real/live instruments/
playing against a backdrop of synths and computers.
You've done very well in that regard. Great feel and
nuance in the playing. I think the drums need more punch
and sizzle, otherwise a great piece which stands head and
shoulders above the rest. Kudos!

Check out my latest song called My Favorites

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1725 days ago (March 3rd, 2005)
	Sweet and Meaty! Wo, the Breckers. How cool, I was actually listening to them before I came up with the idea for this... you have great ears. Nice catch. The best live sax player I have ever seen, Michael Brecker. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

macapa	macapa said 1941 days ago (July 30th, 2004)
	Great! Very impressive. Great production, great sax playing. Wow! Funny, though. There are parts at the start of the piece where I can almost hear Tobin singing. Great work!

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1790 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Great! I often sing parts to players to communicate ideas. I hoper I didn't leave any of that on the track! Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Wifty

Wifty said 1937 days ago (August 3rd, 2004)

That Soprano sax is magnificent!
I LOVE the sound of this, especially the sporano which
sounds amazing. The only thing I would say is that the
sax stings sound like they're synthesised? I don't know
why, maybe it's because they've been made into a loop, it
might be my ear picking up the exact repetition and
making me think it's not natural.

This is wonderful though - Are you playing one of the
saxes or did I not understand your description? Your
talent never ceases to amaze me, and my god you've got
some talented friends!

Keep up the great work Tobin. Pleasure as always!

Check out my latest song called Leave Me Gently

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 1790 days ago (December 28th, 2004)

That Soprano sax is magnificent!
The soprano sax was mixed in a few different ways. The section toward the
end features the sop put through several filters to give it an electric violin
sound; I did that for a fun variation. But I wouldn't call any of what I did to
the soprano sax as making into a "loop." I edited and moved some of the
sound clips, but never looped them, and looping wouldn't by itself change the
sound.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

mulletsrock

mulletsrock said 1929 days ago (August 11th, 2004)

Splicing King
The way you re-ordered the original, I really dig it. Better construction, more build, starts and ends with much more fascination and seductive power. The layers of saxes, great. Glad you renamed it. It is worthy of mullets all around. Love Woody's words at teh end... he's always ready for one more take. Made me laugh! (Gave it heart.... as well as soul.)

Check out my latest song called Frankenfun II (with iGStudio, Tobin, Suz...)

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1790 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Splicing King Thanks, glad you don't mind me messing with your originals. Thanks for the foundation. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

netgui	netgui said 1800 days ago (December 18th, 2004)
	Very sweet and new Congratulation, this is really something different and very melodic. Great one really relaxing. Go on further. :-) Check out my latest song called Dejà vu

thetiler	thetiler said 1730 days ago (February 26th, 2005)
	Nice funkyness I like how you get funky and don't get to loud. Nice going Check out my latest song called The Bluebird Cafe (with two other guest)

coolio	coolio said 1680 days ago (April 16th, 2005)
	KSVY hit Hey, heard this tune on the KSVY broadcast a couple of times. Totally hip. So pro, cool mix of tru players and comp grooves, the whole mod GB new wave... at its best. Nice work, dudes. Check out my latest song called coming out

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1623 days ago (June 13th, 2005)
	KSVY hit Thanks to Blaine Transue for that! Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

eDrew	eDrew said 1658 days ago (May 9th, 2005)
	Sax Some very nice sax work here, very tasty. A little cluttered for me harmonically in the beginning thankfully it evens out eventually. Good work guys. Check out my latest song called Corporate Presentation

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 1623 days ago (June 13th, 2005)
	Sax I decided to make this sort of a "bookend" production, to start with the ending and then build back to it again. It makes it start a little thick, but, hopefully, when it comes round again, there is a payoff. Thanks for continuing to listen to the entire track. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

FEEL	FEEL said 1650 days ago (May 17th, 2005)
	Very talented I can see your a man with a lot of talent. I'm empressed with what I hear from all your music love this horn tune. I'll be spending more time surfing your page. Way Smoove....John Check out my latest song called Pigs Fly

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 184 days ago (May 22nd, 2009)
	Longtime friend After 4 years of being your online friend and not-often-enough collaborator, it was cool to look back over my songs' comments and note that this was the track that got us acquainted. A window shade opened on friendship. Very cool. Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

timothy devine

timothy devine said 980 days ago (March 17th, 2007)

Tobin, I'm in Love with the synth sound
You got this happpening. The bass synth just is so rugged. I dig.
All the synth sounds are so well placed an tastfully played.
Nothing over played. Just right. Funky. Very funky with an improvisational feel.

Nice horn arrangments. Very hip tune. The Brecker Brothers come to mind when listening to all this funk and horns. The horn harmonies remind me of some early Tom Scott stuff from whay back when.

I'll have to check out more of those collabs you mentioned.

Thanks for shareing in my post and turning me on to this tune.
I'm gonna have to explore more Tobin.
Peace
Tim

Check out my latest song called Mankind Needs a Change/WoodstockII

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 184 days ago (May 22nd, 2009)

Brecker Brothers
That's what we were going for. Thanks. We expanded this tune by twice its length on the RAIN BATHER album. I added some more nifty organ hits, lines, etc. This particular track has gotten special mention in some reviews and received FM air time. I love the old school synths, rarely drag them out in the day of everything-inside-the-computer. Thanks for listening in.

Check out my latest song called Forge A New Life (MJRF)

Fan List

Del

Artist Info

Name: Tobin Mueller

I am a professional musician, composer, playwright and director. I lead a charmed life. I'm married to fellow MJer Suzanne and MJer Twonicus is my son. See my Spotlight Interview - Tobin Mueller: Talking With Myself in the Macjams Music Blog. You... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

Genre Info

Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e.g., James Brown and his band members (especially Maceo and Melvin Parker), and groups like The Meters. Funk best can be recognized by its syncopated rhythms; thick bass line (often

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