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Sometimes when you're really jamming, or at least when I am, all sense of timing flies out the window; intuitive timing takes over, based on bobbing heads, other players' hands, eyebrows and opened mouths, or simple musician error (or momentary inspiration). Sometimes half measures get dropped or added, 16 bar sections turn into 20, etc. That happened several times in this take, which ended up being the best take, so...
I have two questions. This track will be toward the end of my upcoming jazz ensemble album. I have two worries I'd like listeners to address:
1) Is the level of the organ ok? In my headphones, its a tad soft. In the studio speakers, it sounds just right, perhaps too loud at times. I tried to find a middle ground.
2) Do the multiple timing issues bother you? If they do, if you can list the approximate time so I can identify which ones bug you the most, that would be great. Not sure if I can do anything about them, since, truly, this is the most dynamic take of the 5 "on tape."
We tried to be free with the complexity of these rhythms. The counting that is required is exhausting, as you can imagine, and requires a certain amount of luck.
The middle build is longer than usual, longer than what the chart included; we shortened it in subsequent takes, and it is a little repetitive, but it felt so good as a player, the self-indulgent bliss of the moment, which is why I said "keep it going" with a twist of my neck during the take. Communication between excited players is one of those things that's hard to separate from more objective musical decisions.
This tracks also features a bass solo in the intro and a drum solo toward the end.
By the way, this chart is based on my song "Dressing For Death" from my musical CREATURE. The original demo of the stage version was shared by Suzanne here. Check it out, it's fun to hear how songs change over the years.
Only one more song to record and the album is complete. 13 tracks in all, I think. Here are draft mixes shared so far...
RAIN BATHER draft mixes on MJ:
Lightning Strikes
I Wanna Fly
Caught In The Current (feat. Bill Barner)
Finding No Path
Seven Buttons On A Nehru Jacket
Last Song On Vaudeville (feat. Bill Barner)
Pre-release CDs can be purchased here (includes more info on recording): RAIN BATHER.
I have two questions. This track will be toward the end of my upcoming jazz ensemble album. I have two worries I'd like listeners to address:
1) Is the level of the organ ok? In my headphones, its a tad soft. In the studio speakers, it sounds just right, perhaps too loud at times. I tried to find a middle ground.
2) Do the multiple timing issues bother you? If they do, if you can list the approximate time so I can identify which ones bug you the most, that would be great. Not sure if I can do anything about them, since, truly, this is the most dynamic take of the 5 "on tape."
We tried to be free with the complexity of these rhythms. The counting that is required is exhausting, as you can imagine, and requires a certain amount of luck.
The middle build is longer than usual, longer than what the chart included; we shortened it in subsequent takes, and it is a little repetitive, but it felt so good as a player, the self-indulgent bliss of the moment, which is why I said "keep it going" with a twist of my neck during the take. Communication between excited players is one of those things that's hard to separate from more objective musical decisions.
This tracks also features a bass solo in the intro and a drum solo toward the end.
By the way, this chart is based on my song "Dressing For Death" from my musical CREATURE. The original demo of the stage version was shared by Suzanne here. Check it out, it's fun to hear how songs change over the years.
Only one more song to record and the album is complete. 13 tracks in all, I think. Here are draft mixes shared so far...
RAIN BATHER draft mixes on MJ:
Lightning Strikes
I Wanna Fly
Caught In The Current (feat. Bill Barner)
Finding No Path
Seven Buttons On A Nehru Jacket
Last Song On Vaudeville (feat. Bill Barner)
Pre-release CDs can be purchased here (includes more info on recording): RAIN BATHER.
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Peter Greenstone
Great piece, Tobin. I'm not any good at jazz analysis but this is really lively and dynamic and conveys wonderful communication between all the players, speaking as one very complex voice.
Everything sounds good to me. If I search for something to pick out I guess the organ does seem a tad loud in the section at about 3:12-3:20 where it first steps forward. Just a little. The rest of the time it seems to be a just the right level.
I really like those breaks and time jumps and slips. The break at 4:56 is a little jarring but only because it sounds like you guys didn't hit it as together as you did in the others. Minor, but that was the only one that put me off balance at all.
Dig it much.