Last night I did something - finally did something - that I had begun to think might not actually happen: I mixed a solo piano record. The fact that I had the guts to even record in the first place is amazing enough to me. I had set very high technical standards for myself as a keyboard player, of which the piano undoubtedly plays a big part. But piano by itself? I had to fundamentally change the way I thought about doing this, and treat it more as a very individual personal kind of thing - abandoning the idea of technical perfection in favor of musicality. Having wrapped my head around that, I got myself in front of a piano with some good mics for 2 days back in January. My schedule has been so nuts I was starting to think I was never going to finish this long long overdue project. Bit here we are: morning coffee and mix files. It's what's for breakfast. Look for a release... well, sometime relatively soon. No need to rush things!
Here's another piano track from my upcoming CD. This one was improvised in what I like to call a "Brisk 20th century style". With somewhat dissonant harmony and strong rhythms, it's very similar to what I do stylistically in Martha Graham style dance classes. (I've been a Dance Class accompanist for a really really really long time now...)
Over the course of 20 years playing Graham Classes I've developed a serious working musical vocabulary, one I felt worth documenting.
The title was immediately obvious on listening back. I posted it in celebration of Martha Graham's birthday, just a few days ago (May 11th). Thanks for listening!
- Neil
"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others." - Martha Graham
So here we are: 2010. It's been a wacky ride, especially the last few weeks! I've been so busy with gigs now (thanks heavens!) that I can't see straight. My "Year end wrap up" post never actually materialized, but at some point I will touch on the things that started last year and are starting to flower and bear fruit this year. Things like "The Mahavishnu Project" - which is picking up steam in a subtle and most interesting way. But I digress - and I'll come back to this with pix, video, and a story to tell. Promise.
This post is about looking forward - to possibilities, and to the future of Live Music. It's about bringing music right to you, the listener. That's right, I'm taking about House Concerts. Starting this year, I will be embarking on a new path: Solo House Concerts.
Concerts in Your Home. :)
I'm sure most (if not all) of you have heard of this delightful phenomenon. Basically what it means is that A performer, one who's music you're interested in, comes to your houseand does an intimate semi-private performance for you and your friends. People can bring food (ranging from snacks to a pot-luck dinner); it can be a cover charge or suggested donation. (I have to cover costs, and these will vary by location.) The important thing is everyone gets to have a meaningful musical experience - up close and personal, both for the fans and the artist. Basically, everyone wins! Some great info about the House Concert ideology and how it works can be found Here:
At this time, I've yet to do a solo performance (in someone's house, that is - I've done tons of solo gigs at traditional venues), so I've no video to post at the moment. I am setting up a local performance for recording so you can see exactly what I'm offering, from setup stills and live video. But till then, here's a brief description of what I do, especially for those coming to my music for the first time: I am a jazz pianist and electronica artist. What I've done is combine these 2 styles into something unique; something that blends jazz, rock, electronics, funk and ambient music into a seamless blend. My music is both composed & improvised; I perform a combination of familiar jazz standards with a twist; gentle ambient electronica improvisations, and a variety of combinations of all the aforementioned styles. I will bring an ever-so-small electronic setup to your house. If you have a piano (and it's a reasonably good instrument and in tune), I can use it along with the electronics - or keep it straight up acoustic if you prefer. I have my own style at the piano (somewhat along the lines of Keith Jarret and Bill Evans, with a modern classical vibe thrown in). In addition to standards and improvisations I also do select classical works - Gershwin, Bartok, Mozart etc. Stuff I'm SURE you and your friends will enjoy. :) I will have some video to post soon, of both my electronic, acoustic, and "electro-acoustic" material. Meanwhile, I have a whole bunch of stuff that you can look at to get a better idea of what I'm about, at my YOUTUBE page. I will be in the Los Angeles Area at the end of July and currently have an open date on July 23rd. Hit me up on twitter (@nailmusic) if you'd like to set something up! Also wanted to mention that my group NAIL - in either acoustic or electric form - is also available for House Concerts, although we'd need a bit more room (and a bit more money...). Here's my group NAIL performing at our first house concert in May 2009:
So - stay tuned for an actual House Concert Page to be posted on this site with vids, booking info, contact form, etc. Thanks for looking. I agree with the current sentiment that House Concerts are indeed the way forward. Peace!
One of the many things I've gotten good at over the years is playing Dance Classes. It seems I've learned about all of the different varieties and Dance forms, and the associated music and history that goes with them. One of the most interesting styles is Cunningham, named after the late choreographer Merce Cunningham. Merce worked very closely with composer John Cage, who developed the technique known as "Prepared Piano" whereby you actually change the sound of the instrument in various ways, usually with small bits of rubber, screws and washers, felt and all manner of small objects. In the few John Cage Prepared Piano pieces that i've performed the setup of the piano was very time consuming: each string to be treated (usually 20 or so - you couldn't do all 88, it would take forever) was dealt with in a specific and different way. You need to measure how far from the bridge you put the little screw in between the 2nd and 3rd strings of the high Eb. An intense process that yields amazing results. But what if you don't have the time for all that setup? Dance classes move along rather quickly...
I became fascinated with the possibilities of prepared piano in the dance class, but I wanted to be able to change the sound(s) more easily. I already had a kit as described in Richard Bunger Evan's book "The Well Prepared Piano" [http://www.richardbevans.com/wellpreparedpiano.html#WWPanchor], and based on the essential concepts I added a group of found objects: several rather large weights, of which I covered on half with felt; bits of wood; metal rods, and other odds and ends, and put them in the kit. The end result is that I can acheive a great variety of different sounds; and by moving these objects around in different configurations (see photo), I can easily change the sounds - or even remove the preparations entirely - very quickly. I call it my "instant prepared piano" kit. All this makes for much wonderful sonic mayhem. :)
I'm including an audio clip I posted on Soundcloud, recorded with the iPhone in the Dance class on Nov. 5th Enjoy. :)
