SeeBeeOne
JamSessionsOne
23rd May 2008 TrackOne This is the first recorded track of my (Craig, Manchurian, etc.) band. As you can tell, it features a drummer (my good friend, Al, who I tried to get on this thing), a pianist/synth manipulator (my good friend, Dave, who is nigh on a genius) and myself trying to play guitar. Everything is jammed, so bear with us while we search out ideas and phrases (or try to lock in with the 9/8 time signature in my case). However, we’re quite proud of the results of these preliminary sketches, which were recorded through the internal mic on my MacBook Air. The result is well balanced. A few comments about direction/sound/ideas would be appreciated. Cheers. TrackTwoObviously, this is the second one I want to show today. It’s quite different from the first. Dave swaps his piano for pads and (later) a dirty synth. The minor tonality is my favourite element of this song. Anyway, more comments would be appreciated. Cheers once more.
Matthew Olczak Says:
I can see why you have been excited about this group. It sounds like you have something very interesting growing.
The changes are considered and sympathetic. I enjoyed this. The piano work is strong and the development benefits from his reserved watchful nature. Similarly, the drummer is articulate and confident but does not ever play more than is needed. You too are listening more than playing, choosing and placing your input. This produces a group that sits well together and appears to hold a shared concept of what is happening and how the music should evolve and unweave.
You asked about the lack of the bass player and if it is missed. I don’t think so. I heard your recording just before reading the mail and the thought of uncovered frequencies didn’t arise. I think a bass player should be introduced with care if at all. I wouldn’t wish to push the direction towards a more guitar based sound. I think that the lack of standardised roles could lead you to further creative imagination.
A more prominent notice may be the lack of a singer. I’m not saying that one is needed but the lack of vocal leading has a heavy affect on the composition and form of the music. With a singer, a piece is naturally composed with verses and choruses. Even when these are not clear, songs are still normally based around vocal phrasing and paragraph forms. With your tracks here you have obviously considered the form differently. [I realise I am listening to a jam here and different rules may apply] But I consider all these variations positive.
To discuss the form as presented here: I enjoyed the stating of repeated ideas, developed by gentle alterations and additions. I’m glad that there was not a desire to control the composition with a single melodic line. ––Your music seemed to follow a more recent tradition of groove and more diffused participation in leading.
I have made a folder called “Craig” on the ftp where I have placed a few albums for you to grab. The first is from a trio called The Necks. I have shown you this because they are, in one way, very simple and minimal (yet this is not minimalist music). This album holds one 60min track. Fully improvised; no discussion, written riffs, or arrangement before they begin. They take it very slowly. Keep it moving smoothly. And allow it to develop somewhere between them all. They tour heavily, are truly a live band, I encourage you to see them, and remember here that so much emotion and sound that gets lost in the recording. Transcendental when heard properly –– it needs you to give to it too.
I really like what The Necks are doing. The other records may also be of influence but are a bit different. They hold a more obvious tail of their jazz paths. Tim Berne’s Big Satan is probably the most jazzy. Even though the tracks seem to follow a series of solos, there is still something in the resulting sound that may be of worth to you. They are clearly skilled musicians and have close command of the journey and each instrument’s sound. They are also a trio; sax, guitar and drums.
It is near impossible, anyway, to play a sax and not sound jazzy. Evan Parker was one of the first to really separate the instrument from that history in parts of his work. On the Spring Heel Jack album here, Parker joins Coxon and Wales along with a few other well placed free-impov greats. SHJ used to be well known for their electronic music (drum and bass I think). This is a record near the start of their experimental career. Both of these last two records are from the Thirsty Ear label which had a Anti Pop release.
Then there is a Dave Douglas record. This really affected me when I first heard it. Some magical moments, great sound combinations of rough and smooth, and a infecting passage where Tom Waits talks to you.
Tell me what you think of each and there may be more I could interest you with.
Make sure to post ANY future work with this group, and tell us a bit more about the group’s intentions and thoughts.
Thanks
Matt
[one short warning about naming mp3s with numbers on the ftp (like 1.mp3 etc). If someone, following, uploaded their own mp3 with the same name then it would replace your original. You can set up your own folder on the ftp if you like –– but remember to add the folder name in the file-path when you write the post eg. …/folder/file.mp3]
Craig Hitchings Says:
Cheers for your thoughtful and insightful response to our music. And I’m glad you didn’t think a bassist necessary! Initially, I was dead set against the band having anymore than the 3 of us - instead, I thought Dave good enough to play basslines with his left mitt (he IS good enough, don’t get me wrong) just like the Doors, but since then I’ve thought that we shouldn’t limit the truly extraordinary element of our band. I’m still undecided. We played one jam with Al’s friend, Joel, a Buddhist bassist, who was over for the weekend. It went well, and sounded fuller, especially as Joel didn’t know our stuff so stuck to root notes mostly - therefore it didn’t overwhelm or pull the music down a different route, but only complimented it. It also freed up Dave and I at times. Usually, if I’ve come up with a chord sequence (which is the case most times) then I tend to play the chords throughout to keep continuity. With the bass underpinning the chords, it allowed me to break off and add melody or more riff based material. Then again, I’m sure that as soon as we settle on solid parts then we can mix our sound between chord patterns, riffs and free improvisation. In fact, it’d be very cool to nail all 3 elements and course through many moods in the space of a single track. We’ll see, I guess. We don’t know anyone who plays bass in the local area anyway, so we’ll see what the 3 of us can do in the studio and maybe get someone in just for live shows.
Vocals are a consideration, yes, but I find it hard to improvise guitar and vocals at the same time, so have tended to stick with one or the other. There are times when Al breaks away from his kit and plays some guitar. Then I can concentrate on singing and some of it is coming out well. But, yes, once we establish our tracks a bit more, we have plans to use vocals - although as another instrument, rather than a focus.
And thanks for all the recommendations - I will certainly check them out when I have some free time. The Necks sound particularly interesting.
I have some more material from last week’s jam - where I had my crazy pedals in tow, so I might get on with cutting that up and throwing it around. Cheers once again. You’ll probably have some more to listen to by the time you see this.