cool air space &mdash 08/07/08 - 09:55:28 AM
Very interesting piece. I imagine that the live version would be even more so; the "real" flute combined with the electronics would be quite effective.
I was particularly impressed with the panning of the percussion instruments in this recording. Nice spacial feel. Also, the pauses in the music added to this impression of space. The texture is rather spare and uncluttered.
Nice electric guitar. Congrats on your "debut"! I'd like to hear more of that in future submissions. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/07/08 - 11:38:02 AM
Thanks for being so quick off the mark with your comment, Cameron! I really appreciate it. The electronic part consists exclusively of basses and percussion, which is probably why you got a sense of spatial openness here. The guitar part was an afterthought, and I tried to make sure it didn't get in the way of everything else that was going on. [ Reply to This ]
Kind &mdash 08/07/08 - 12:05:43 PM
of a combination of King Crimson,Bitch's Brew, and Zappa with your quirky melodic sense.I love it!That minor blues in the middle is a great touch.Fantastic to hear you play guitar.Nice solo! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 04:28:38 AM
Thanks a lot, Mark! Coming from one of my favorite guitarists anywhere, a compliment about my playing from you means a lot. I'm also flattered silly by your references to King Crimson, Miles, and Frank, all artists whose work I love. I'm really glad you were able to have a listen! [ Reply to This ]
Hi CC.... &mdash 08/07/08 - 12:41:16 PM
This is a wonderful piece, full of goodies, that is arranged, performed and recorded extremely well.
Top notch music and I love it.
Take care.
Paul [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 04:42:40 AM
Thanks Paul! I'm really glad you like it, and I appreciate your comment. [ Reply to This ]
Funky &mdash 08/07/08 - 01:52:54 PM
Funkmaster, you have out done yourself. This is a very enjoyable and interesting piece of music. Your blend of classical and funk is startlingly original but easy on the ears :)
Thanks
Bill [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 08:15:19 AM
Thanks a lot, Bill. The idea of me as 'funkmaster' is pretty funny, which is why I used the term in my song description — I've never made any funk music in my life before this, and I'm not even sure this falls into the funk genre… not sure if it falls into any genre, come to think of it!
Anyway, thanks, and I just left a comment for your latest. [ Reply to This ]
Funk master- &mdash 08/07/08 - 04:30:36 PM
I never would've thought, but, of course, that's what makes it so much fun. I can imagine the additional layer of DJ/turntable and the live flute player made it even better. Lots of room here, but the parts all hang together quite well. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 08:20:52 AM
The idea of me as funkmaster (or master of anything, for that matter!) is so incongruous that I thought it was kind of funny to refer to myself in that way, as I said in my previous comment… But I'm glad you were able to have a listen and that you enjoyed it! [ Reply to This ]
It fuses &mdash 08/07/08 - 05:29:57 PM
very nicely ! Maybe it's just me, but I can even hear subtle hints of Argentinean tango in there (I could easily see the flute being replaced by a bandaleon). I also love the way you couple the guitar with the contrabass. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 08:35:05 AM
Thanks a lot. I really admire your music, and am amazed at your versatility; just left a comment for your latest. [ Reply to This ]
Very unusual Clark, &mdash 08/07/08 - 06:28:59 PM
and also very good. Interesting mix of instruments and styles. I like this a lot, but I especially liked the way you kept it moving even in the quiet places. Loved the blues section you threw into the middle, and although it is out of place with the rest of the song, it actually fit perfectly into it.
Very nice work my friend, Kudos to you
Ed [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 08:46:04 AM
Thanks, Ed! Your comment about the minor blues section in the middle is interesting… I was aware as i was composing it that we had moved away from whatever funkiness the music might have had previously, but, as you said, it felt right anyway, so I went with it!
Just left a comment for your latest. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 08:46:24 AM
Thanks, Ed! Your comment about the minor blues section in the middle is interesting… I was aware as i was composing it that we had moved away from whatever funkiness the music might have had previously, but, as you said, it felt right anyway, so I went with it!
Just left a comment for your latest. [ Reply to This ]
startin the groove &mdash 08/07/08 - 08:19:31 PM
generator. I can only hope you decide to do lots more like this. The scratching, drums, accompanied by the acoustic bass and flute just rocks for me. The little sustained harmonics and bell's are very cool accents.
Phenom mix.
and probably all written out :-) you are a monster talent sir
[ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 08:56:44 AM
Thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed it, and yes, every single note is written out, which is probably why it took about two months to write this… I'm a slow + steady-type composer, I guess.
I also really liked your latest! [ Reply to This ]
Laid back funk .... &mdash 08/07/08 - 11:25:03 PM
.... and other oxymorons ;)
So very cool Clark, and such great midi sounds - flute and bass in particular sound so real. Some lovely guitar parts too - I always thought of you as a pianist.
I love the variations and the "what's around this next corner" feel.
Top post!
Neil [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 09:02:49 AM
'Funkmaster' and 'Clark' is also an oxymoron, which is why I thought it'd be funny to describe myself that way. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and especially that you found the bass(es) realistic. There is one main bass line, an acoustic jazz-type instrument, and I doubled it at various points with an electric bass, sometimes at pitch, sometimes an octave higher, to give the bass sound a little more definition in the mix. I then added a third bass in a few spots to play counterpoint with the other basses.
I write a lot for piano, but guitar is my main instrument. [ Reply to This ]
holy crap! &mdash 08/08/08 - 12:17:18 AM
I enjoyed this piece a lot... pleasant peculiar funkiness. I am amazed at how much this reminds me of one of my early GarageBand pieces! I mean, they flow differently and evoke different moods, but both have a similar flutey quirkiness! Check it out here.[ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 04:37:11 AM
Thanks for the link, Eric! I just checked it out and left a comment; very cool! [ Reply to This ]
Funky flute &mdash 08/08/08 - 10:02:59 AM
wow clark - this is so complex in my ears, the way you compose, and the stuff your musical brain can think of, just amazes me. This is VERY cool - so unexpected from you - hope you try more of this (although, not LESS of anything else you do PLEASE) - I just love it! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 02:07:34 PM
Thanks as always for your enthusiasm, Karen! It means a lot to me, it really does... very encouraging! I just heard the beautiful track you uploaded today, and left a comment. Thanks again! [ Reply to This ]
eclectic-meister &mdash 08/08/08 - 10:31:23 AM
talented in composition and variety... love the little trip to South America around 2:45. Such a delight to see you around again! Very nicely written, mixed, and arranged. There's enough rhythm, funk, and consonance that I don't get completely lost, and this makes me dizzy trying to follow... in a good way! Excellent guitar work, love the little bends here and there.
ttfn,
Drakonis [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 02:18:22 PM
Wow, I just visited your page and discovered you've been pretty busy with new uploads that I missed, so I'll have to rectify that! Just heard one and left a comment.
I'm always pleased when you are able to leave a comment for my music, Eduard, because you have excellent ears and I really value your opinion. The section you refer to at 2:44 or wherever is a great example; I didn't have South American music in mind at all when I wrote it -- I was just thinking 'minor blues with an occasional weird twist' -- but, now that you mention it, I think I can hear what you mean... so, thanks! [ Reply to This ]
Funky Flute Groove. &mdash 08/08/08 - 11:27:47 AM
I am not a music expert. But to my two ears I like the arrangement and it sounds very nice. And I love the flute and guitar. Thanks for sharing.
[ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/08/08 - 02:20:12 PM
You make wonderful music, so I always value your opinion! Thanks for having a listen, and I'm glad you liked it! [ Reply to This ]
Play with my head... &mdash 08/08/08 - 05:16:40 PM
...walking in and out like that...whew...gets funkier and funkier...nice guitar work and I love the lines on the flute...great spaces of play... [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/09/08 - 10:58:04 AM
Huge thanks, Bob. I'm pretty self-conscious of my guitar playing, so it's nice to get a vote of confidence from an outstanding guitarist such as yourself! Loved your fishing tune!
[ Reply to This ]
Nice twists &mdash 08/08/08 - 06:22:27 PM
Clark! This is delicate and funky all at once. Jazzzzy!!!
Metheny feel to it!
I really like it!
Doug [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/09/08 - 11:05:30 AM
Thanks, Doug! Now I gotta go listen to some Metheny to hear what he sounds like! I appreciate your support. Just left a comment for your latest. [ Reply to This ]
Funky Flute Groove &mdash 08/09/08 - 04:44:01 AM
So much to listen to, so many directions. Your guitar is just nuts, Love it. Realy enjoyed this tune.
Thanks and be well, Russ [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/09/08 - 11:12:03 AM
Thanks a lot, Russ. As I mentioned above, I'm kind of self-conscious about my guitar playing — this is my 20th submission to MacJams, and the first on which I play guitar (or play anything, for that matter!) — so I'm glad you liked it.
Just left you a comment on your latest submission. [ Reply to This ]
Funky Flute Groove Experience &mdash 08/09/08 - 08:23:33 AM
what a master can do wth electronic tracks /??? ...
I ll tell you what my ears telling me ..Jehtro tull ..
with there own sane jazzy visual sence ..I m diggin
this so much ..this is amazing ..a real master peice !
thnx alot for sharin it !!!! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/09/08 - 11:16:05 AM
Jethro Tull? Cool! I like him a lot. As it happens, I think the flutist for whom I wrote this played a gig with Jethro Tull (Ian Anderson) once. Huge thanks for your support! [ Reply to This ]
Clark! You're playing guitar! &mdash 08/09/08 - 10:33:24 PM
AND I still want your brain!
This is like some take from the great lost album from the Sixties in which Charlie Mingus tried to get this sound he was looking for out of Bootsy Collins, Ian Anderson and members of King Crimson...I'd love to hear a breathier flute on it...
I love that it has funk to it, but also a certain intellectual unpredictability...
I really enjoy hearing your guitar playing... Sounds great, and now I'm dying to hear it in a more 'guitar-centric' piece... Let's see...ES-335?!?! AND a Laney?!?! You, sir, have been holding back...
Ed [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/10/08 - 09:24:04 AM
Thanks, Ed! Your comments are always so generous. I've only ever had one electric guitar - the ES335 - which I bought about 30 years ago, when I had aspirations of being a jazz guitarist. It's a nice guitar, but I was convinced for about 22 of those years that it didn't sound very good because I was playing it through a cheap, terrible-sounding amp. Then, a few years ago my wife authorized the purchase of a new amp, so I checked a few out and discovered that the guitar didn't sound too bad at all through a nicer amp, and I chose the Laney. But still, I hardly ever play it! I go for months at a time without taking the guitar out of its case. Maybe now that I've figured out how to record audio and edit it I might try playing a bit more… Never enough time to do all you want, though!
Thanks again! [ Reply to This ]
Interesting &mdash 08/10/08 - 09:51:37 AM
This has a lot going in here. All the different elements are well spaced out and dont clutter the song while giving each instrument its own space. Kinda reminds me of pulse time modulation (not sure why that reference came out). I would like to hear the turntablist get a little solo though (hehe). Cool jam. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/12/08 - 08:20:10 AM
Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your comment. I'd like to see a turntable solo in there too; I think that would be extremely cool. The problem is that I live in a fairly isolated environment (island in the North Atlantic) where there just aren't too many turntablists around. The turntablist who was supposed to play in this broke up with his wife and moved to Asia a couple of weeks before the premiere, so I had to assume we'd have no turntablist, so I ended up not leaving any space for a solo. Then, as it turned out, we did find somebody a few days before the premiere, but the piece was finished by then, so he just improvised some cool sounds in the background.
But, yes, a turntable solo would be good for sure. [ Reply to This ]
nice! &mdash 08/10/08 - 07:40:10 PM
The guitar sure doesn't sound like an afterthought. Really nice panning, great space. I'm not crazy about the midi flute (though it's more in a piccolo range, I think). If you were to make it more synth-y sounding it would be less like a simulacrum and stand more on its own. I like the part it plays a lot, though, and that's just a small nit to pick, because that's what I do. You're really a master! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/12/08 - 08:29:26 AM
Thanks Jim. I appreciate the compliment about the mix, because your mixes are always so incredible.
It's a shame I wasn't able to get the flutist who performed this last month to record it, but she was only here for a visit, and is now back in the Bahamas where she lives, I think. She did a terrific job, and there's no question that a real instrument, played well, is hugely better than a simulated one. I hadn't thought about trying something that's more synthy and less like an emulated flute, though; that's a good idea! [ Reply to This ]
Great ! &mdash 08/11/08 - 03:40:46 PM
Thanks &mdash 08/12/08 - 08:49:21 AM
so great &mdash 08/11/08 - 04:46:35 PM
to hear you playing some guitar... it's different for you in that way... but, it still reflects your playful and restlessly exploring spirit... and has your composer chops written all over it... I like your use of space... and the notes that you don't play... is this a result of interacting in MJ for years, and a compulsion to get in the recording game...
you are out there man [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/12/08 - 08:52:16 AM
I always look forward to your comments, Scott, and your music as well. Well, especially your music! I hope you're working on something? It's been a while; I hope you are well!
Thanks very much. [ Reply to This ]
Funky Flute Groove Experience &mdash 08/12/08 - 05:42:07 PM
a groove experience, indeed! excellent work. as a flute player myself, i find this piece particularly enjoyable.
cheerz,
-=ez [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/14/08 - 08:47:56 AM
Thanks very much for your kind comment. I am afraid I had not heard any of your music before, but I was pleased to do so yesterday, and left a comment for you in return. Pleased to meet you!
[ Reply to This ]
What's so wonderful... &mdash 08/15/08 - 12:55:32 PM
is that even though this isn't your "thing" (honestly not mine either) yet it still has music integrity and is just plain fun.
Always a treat to hear new stuff from you Clark.
Best,
Charlie [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 08/18/08 - 04:12:07 PM
What do you mean, 'this isn't your thing?' I'll have you know, sir, that in certain circles, I am considered THE Grandmaster of Funk! Admittedly, these circles invariably only include people who know nothing about funk (or Phunk, as I prefer to spell it), but I am not fazed by that. Not one bit.
Uh... what were we talking about, again?
Thanks for having a listen, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
:-) [ Reply to This ]
What a tonic that was... &mdash 08/22/08 - 08:34:28 PM
Adore the fluted groove - amped me up. Reminded me of Marc RIbot (sans Waits)! Brillo! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 09/17/08 - 01:38:59 PM
Woah... I'm unforgivably late in responding to these last few comments here... Sorry 'bout that!
Thanks very much for you kind words, LT. I'm not sure who Marc RIbot (sans ou avec ) Waits is, so I'll have to go check that out. One of the best aspects of this place is that people say, "that sounds like (so-and-so)," which makes me curious about the music of said so-and-so, and it's always a thrill to discover good artists I may never have encountered before.
I'm writing a rather long-ish reply to make up for the fact that I am so late in doing so...
Cheers! [ Reply to This ]
Outstanding &mdash 08/28/08 - 07:09:57 PM
This is excellent....exceptional lines. Very effective use of tension and tremendous phrasing. The guitar playing and flute motifs are very reminicent of the harmonic approach used by Alan Holdsworth...more so the flute perhaps, however the guitar certainly follows suit...Bill Frisell is another similar stylistic reference. Piece embodies the fusion genre in my opinion. First time I have heard your guitar playing....awesome! [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 09/17/08 - 01:49:09 PM
Thanks Norman!
You've given me another couple of names to listen to — Alan Holdsworth and Bill Frisell — so I plan to do just that. I especially appreciate your compliments about the guitar playing, since you're such a fine player, and I think of myself as basically a hack guitarist.
Thanks again! [ Reply to This ]
Cool! &mdash 09/01/08 - 07:58:49 AM
If this is written out, you should not have a hard time finding a real flautist to play this, and it would improve the sound quality tremendously; this piece deserves it. The guitar definitely works very well. You did mention playing guitar somewhere, but I don't associate you with the instrument. You should do more of it.
Very cool piece overall. The beginning is almost like a modern classical piece in its sparseness, but then the more regular funky riffs set in (1:30). And starting at 2:50 it's almost like straight jazz.
Love the percussion and bass btw.
[ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 09/17/08 - 01:52:18 PM
Thanks as always for the careful listen and detailed comments, Victor. I am pleased that you enjoyed it. Not sure if this is even possible for a recorder, but it would be a cool sound to have if it were.
Cheers! [ Reply to This ]
Entertaining &mdash 09/03/08 - 05:11:26 PM
because it was very complex. Take as much time as you need to create masterpieces. Thank you. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 09/17/08 - 01:59:59 PM
Thanks very much, Char. I just listened to the track you did with Luna Trick, and found it very moving. [ Reply to This ]
What a thoroughly &mdash 09/12/08 - 04:13:55 PM
Thanks &mdash 09/17/08 - 02:01:21 PM
Thanks very much, Len. I'm glad you were able to have a listen, and that you enjoyed it. [ Reply to This ]
FFGE &mdash 09/14/08 - 10:52:11 PM
Thanks &mdash 09/17/08 - 02:02:36 PM
Hello Mr Clark! &mdash 09/27/08 - 01:30:08 AM
I did not know you could write different kinds of music. Wow!
I love the deep bass and the yip yip yips!
The flute sounds equally cool. [ Reply to This ]
Thanks &mdash 10/08/08 - 06:44:39 PM
Thanks a lot, Enrique! I'm glad you were able to hear it. My first three submissions to MacJams were along similar lines to this, but I subsequently removed two of them, but "late night blues" is still here. [ Reply to This ]
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I was particularly impressed with the panning of the percussion instruments in this recording. Nice spacial feel. Also, the pauses in the music added to this impression of space. The texture is rather spare and uncluttered.
Nice electric guitar. Congrats on your "debut"! I'd like to hear more of that in future submissions.
[ Reply to This ]