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Music - Behind The Tunes
- First Tune
The first tune, ‘THE PURPOSE”, I wrote in the
mid 1990’s while living in New Jersey. The tune is
straight from the Bebop tradition with my angular
approach to melody. The melody creates an ambiguous
situation over the harmonies, letting us know that
the potential of any purpose is all around. The
melody notes of the first two measures, which are
over an Eb chord, start with the third of the chord
going to the flat seventh, going on to the third an
octave higher before resolving down to the major
seventh, and ending the two measures with a pickup
note that leads to the next two measures and happens
to be the flat ninth of the Eb chord it is over.
This signifies the steadfast attitude any purpose
encourages. In the next two measures the melody
outlines the II- V7 beneath it, Ab-7 to Db7, giving
sight to the possibilities our time encounters. Then
it’s back to Eb for another two measures and the
purpose remains before going on to G-7 and C7. Back
to Eb one more time before going on to C#-7 and F#7
and resolving to B and Bb to B and Bb each for one
measure. The control of our time is now in hand, we
use all possibilities to fuel our vision. This whole
section repeats with a tag of an additional B to Bb
phrase. But it is “THE PERPOSE” itself which is
central, represented here by the return to the Eb
tonal center. The next section is a chromatic style
Bebop line over Eb and D7 chords each for one
measure for the next 16 measures. This now embodies
the full realization of our diligence. Our control
is all encompassing, as we freely travel between the
purpose itself and outward for inspiration. With no
reason to hold back, the “PURPOSE” of our time will
be what we ascribe to it.
- Second Tune
The second tune, “RELENTLESS”, I wrote in the mid
1980’s while studying at The New England
Conservatory of Music in Boston. The backdrop for
the tune is soldiers from the turn of the twentieth
century, in columns, on the march. Deliberate and
devoted to their purpose.
The tune starts with a repeating bass line that
shifts back and forth between the tonal centers of G
and F. This bass line continues through the whole
tune. The melody has the tonal center of E. The tune
is in 4/4 time with a triplet feel. The intro
through the first guitar solo shows this unwavering
purposefulness. The following drum solo indicates
the seemingly everyday attitude of the soldiers even
in the face of the unknown. Out of the drum solo
enters the guitar into the embellished melody in an
intense tremolo picking echoing the constant of
machine gun fire. The bass stays true as the
soldiers march on as all hell breaks loose in a
guitar attack of octaves and open strings. Out of
the chaos comes the undaunted, steady rhythm of the
soldiers as they march on as one. The guitar reveals
the intensity with power chords, strong harmonies
and open strings. All leading to a final explosion
as the air is filled with brightness and sound which
overcome all sense of reality.
- Third Tune
The third tune, “SHACKLETON”, is named for the great
explorer Ernest Shackleton. In 1914, he and his crew
of twenty seven, set sail for the South Atlantic in
pursuit of the last great prize in the history of
exploration; the crossing on foot of the Antarctic
continent.
The tune starts with a frenzied intro, symbolic of
the intense nature of the quest. The melody enters
with a tonal center of E, while the four measure
bass line, with a tonal center of F, repeats
throughout the section. The melody is transposed to
Ab and then Bb signifying the journey as the crew
deals with the mounting adversity. The melody
resolves back to the frenzied intro climaxing the
incredible strength of their spirit and all they had
endured. After being stranded on the ice for twenty
months and incredibly finding their way back, the
end vamp resolves back to the tonal center of E as
the story sails through the ages as the greatest
feat of exploration, navigation and survival in
modern times.
- Forth Tune
The fourth tune, “SCUFFLE”, reveals the
possibilities the events of our lives offers us. The
opening intro calls to our daily theme of existence.
The 4-bar melody in the ‘A’ section, which is
repeated, is supported by a repeating two measure
bass ostinato which depicts the daily sameness that
is a person’s life. The tonality of this section,
‘G’, is stagnant, enforcing that sameness. The 4-bar
melody of the ‘B’ section, which is also repeated,
is supported by harmonies that move to and from any
central tonal center. And in this section the bass
now plays a walking line that moves us from event to
event in our daily dealings.
The scuffle of life is revealed. The solo section
affords us the opportunity for personal
interpretation. Following the bass solo, the guitar
and bass start together in unison but soon part ways
as the guitar plays the notes of the line in a
reverse order. When the melody returns, it is now
embellished, modulated and extended. The symbolism
is clear, the dealings of the events in a person’s
life can be left as they are, and in that way
commonplace. But once the events are realized, the
scuffle seems no more. We can handle what comes our
way. And the ease with which we deal with the
commonplace, we can now embellish and enjoy.
- Fifth TuneThe fifth tune, ”SOMETHING
ELSE”, expresses the idea that the meaning of the
emotion can often change due to different
surroundings. Just as words can have different
meanings depending on the situation in which they’re
used, so too musical notes will be affected in much
the same way. In the first section, which is eight
measures long, the melody is made up of a three note
figure which repeats within a two measure phrasing.
As the melody repeats, the supporting harmonies
change, as do their tonal centers, also in two
measure phrasing. The character of the three note
motif is changed due to the supporting harmonies.
This section is repeated. The ‘B’ section expresses
the same logic, though the motif here is just two
notes which moves up as the harmonies resolve down,
again in two measure phrasing.
What is the same, can be different. The phenomenon
of emotion is relative. It functions from the point
of view through which it is perceived. And the
emotion of the point of view will be directly
influenced by the surroundings of the moment. So
what else is it? You tell me.
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