Something in the works...

[Cdnalsi]

Hi all, okay, this little piece is what I'm working on at the moment..
It's written for a typical jazz band (Piano/Rhodes, Guitar, Bass, Drums) adding the Brass and Strings sections and a Percussion Ansamble.. I'm thinking of doing this live if I can find the people to do it with. About 50 people I reckon.
It's a sort of a bembe in 3/4 with 4over3 and taking advantage of the full rhythmicall possibilities of the latin genre while still keeping a melodically interesting theme and chord changes.
Critique would be very much appreciated...
Sebastian Spanache - 'Work in Progress'
(there's no name yet)

[Thorolf]

Wow, Cdnalsi! That’s amazing! I simply love it! The keyboard work here is exquizite, and the dualistic time keeps me in suspense between 3 and 4 lots of the time, which I like!

I cannot see why you want live strings, tho. The synthesized strings fills its function, and the lines would hardly gain anything from being played live. And I don’t see how you could possibly want a bigger brass section than a big band (4 tp + 4 t-ne)?

As it’s big-band-ish maybe the string parts could be played by saxes? With an occational touch of string synthesizer?

I suggest to you that this is a finished composition in its genre, you could just arrange it for big band, and if there are good improvisers in the band, you expand the arrangement accordingly . You should do the piano work yourself, which leaves the regular keyboard player for electronic strings, pads and even some percussive and echo effects. You could of course add percussionists

Great work!

Regards

[MaestroX]

I agree with Thorolf, its superb. Just one part stuck out at me which was the trombone at 1:14, think it needs a bit more interest. It plays the same fairly simple riff several times which gets a little monotoneous.

[tawei82]

perfect. It is a very relaxing jazz band music for me. It just didn't have to have climax. I would like to hear it in the jazz bar

[Cdnalsi]

Thanks everyone for listening!

@Thorolf:
I want the stings live, because I would write some more for the theme, and maybe a unison part after the solos. And besides, I like it to be as much "acoustic" as possible - even though this mp3 is made completely in a sequencer

Of course there will be solos. I figured on the ending bars of the mp3 to be a sax solo - going on for how many choruses the soloists needs. And then a piano solo. Then some new C part or D or whatever with some more unisons, and a breakdown to the first theme and ending.

Thanks for all your input. Really appreciate it!

[reith]

The trouble is, as others have said, this is a splendid work in its own right. You may have problems getting just the right acoustic with live strings though of course you could direct the strings to play in any number of ways, like with heavy mutes or flotando and things.

What you're saying here is there are at least two arrangements of this work. As presented here it has a 'live' a feel, a certain jazz intimacy, so can we look forward to hearing a larger arrangement/recording one day?

Reith

[Majesty]

Great piece! As I listen, I love how relaxing it feels. You did a great job of being very melodic while using the rhythm as you descirbed without having the piece sounding chaotic and unfocused. I personally like the idea of having live strings. I think it would bring out the essence of the piece a little more. As was suggested you could have the strings use mutes.

[martinzufall]

Indeed this is a very nice piece! I can already imagine hearing it on a "contemporary jazz" radio station. Cool jazz on a hot night!