Lullaby of Birdland
My arrangement of Lullaby of Birdland written by George Shearing in 1952 for Morris Levy, the owner of Birdland. Shearing said he wrote it in ten minutes! I play alto saxophone, flute and synths and mixed/mastered.
Sounds: The A section uses drum loops played by Terrence Higgins. The loop is called “Swunk-Chill”. There is also a Hofner pick bass, and stage Rhodes with pedal board sounds. I played flute for a horn line harmonized to three parts for A2. At various times I added a pad in the Europa synth in my DAW called “Colours Pad”. There is also a guitar pad added in some parts. The B section changes to an up-tempo swing feel.
you and the night and the music
This is my arrangement of "You and the Night and the Music", composed by Arthur Schwartz, lyrics by Howard Dietz. It was debuted in the Broadway show 'Revenge with Music". I play alto saxophone, flute and synths. I use drum loops, and mixed and mastered.
Sounds: For the intro and the A section, I used strings including chamber sounds and a specific solo cello. There is a timpani, a sound called "ethereal harp" and a synth called "Swans in Wales". The B section changes feel, using a Celso Alberti loop, (played by him!)- bossa nova brushes. I added a specific chorus effect on the alto in which I was trying to emulate an accordion sound somewhat. I also used acoustic guitar and jazz upright in this section. In the middle of the form I added a Paul McCartney tune called "My Valentine" on flute, with some dramatic voices, and then it goes back to the original tune.
Crescent
Another version where I play alto on my arrangement of John Coltrane's "Crescent"
My arrangement of John Coltrane's "Crescent"- from the album of the same name that is described as the perfect prelude to "A Love Supreme". I play tenor saxophone, flute and synths. I also use drum loops. I mixed and mastered.
Sounds: The opening is comprised of a diminished chord over a pedal tone, so I used major triads in parallel motion for movement and play tenor. The synth sounds are called "Cylindrum Synthetic" and "Alan Turing's Dream" (a pad). The drums are from a Cinematic collection called "But the Sink". The section builds with ascending chords tones using a synth sound called "Monk Choir" into a section made up mostly of minor ii-Vs with melody on flute. "Noahs Bell Raindrops" is the synth sound used as well as "Muted Angst" for rhythm. There is a bass guitar sound in this section in a device called "Europa"- I later process this sound through a player called the "Arpeggiator". The feel changes with the tenor solo in the next section, changing to a "Chill Organ" sound and a drum loop using brushes played by Eric Harland. The flute then solos with a lush strings sound called "Griffin's Garden", and an Angklung sound (a bamboo Indonesian instrument) near the coda.
Warm summer day on the ocean in Castine, Maine