Things:
A couple of them:
First of all, I would like to continue the discussion on musical authenticity, mostly because I don’t feel as though I came close enough to answering my own question as I might have. I’m going to hold off for a day or two more, however, because:
Second of all, I am currently in a kind of do or die situation with regards to my grad school applications. The first recording session I had (see here) was not the “one time problem solver” that I needed it to be. Granted there were two good tracks that came out of it, but I need a better representation of “my bag” before I have a completed tape to send out. And because in two of the three cases the tape I send is the audition itself, I have to make sure I get it right.
After weeks of brainstorming and trying to sort out all of the considerations for another recording session (there are many more considerations that one might think, including but not limited to what two tracks are you going to play that represent your entire musical ability, which musicians that you know would be willing/available/able to play them with you, when are you going to actually have time to do this, who is going to record you and where, etc…), I have finally decided on a few things. The group will be a saxophone trio, and I’ll be playing both an original and this Happy Apple tune.
I spent all day yesterday transcribing the Happy Apple tune, and was so involved that I forgot to go to work. Today began the considerably more challenging task of writing a tune that A) I’m proud of, B) Represents my compositional approach C) Features the drums and D) Sounds good. I don’t have anything written for sax trio yet, and so I will in essence be designing a tune for specific musicians, for a specific event, all in the hopes that it will get my life where I want it to go.
That’s kind of a lot of pressure to put on yourself when you’re trying to write music, which is probably why after a couple hours in front of the keyboard I have (only) a bass line that I might (kind of) like.
More updates on this process as I go. In the meantime, the JazzNow series at NPR has an official conclusion, and Jazzblog.ca continues to cover NEC’s 40th jazz anniversary celebrations.
Til next time.
