Greetings Folks!
Coming to you on a grey day and filling up the air is a new recording by Becca Stevens that I’m looping continually. She’s blending folk music with some middle eastern instruments and the end result is an ethnic joy dance to my ears. You might like it too.
Back a week, we circled around the music sphere of Chick Corea with a livestream concert emanating out of the digital confines of SpragueLand. A great time was had by all and if you somehow missed it and would like to take it in, travel here.
There were some highlights that night and I ended up making separate vids on a few of them. We played Chick’s most well known piece “Spain” and this showcases some arranging liberties that I took with his masterpiece.
First here’s the “Spain” vid link
and then here’s the 20 minute arranger-splaining vid for the tech minded.
And if you want to check out the actual sheet music for the arrangement, it lives here.
Next, to balance out all of shred-ology it seemed like a natural fit to include a vocal tune and who better to lead the way than the beautiful Aubrey Johnson singing. What a sound, what a vibe! We chose Chick’s “Samba LA” from his Tap Step recording as the sonic vehicle and cool things fell into place. Click here for a listen.
Just in case you wanted to explore the finer points of D minor moving to Bb minor, here’s “Duende,” one of Chick’s ballad gems.
And this brings us to the last vid share – a medley of “Children’s Song No.3” leading into “El Bozo.” The children’s piece, in earlier days, preluded his song “Space Circus” from the 1973 album Hymn Of The Seventh Galaxy. We travel from the serenity of the young ones to the romp of Chick’s Caribbean tinged song “El Bozo.” Audio fun with five chords! Click here to check out the medley.
We’re planning more livestream shows for downwind and I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop…
We’ve got a little bit of live coming to you this week! Tomorrow night (9/28), we’re playing at The Black Rail in Carlsbad. It’ll be my first time there and the word on the street is that it’s a good vibe and also held outdoors. Leonard’s on deck along with Justin Grinnell on bass. Look below for the details and hope to see you there…
Man-splaining mode off and see you soon, Peter