Improvisation #11
Mastering ‘What’s Next?’
Putting on the finishing touches. Recording and mixing engineer, Daryl Bornstein, mastering engineer, Gene Paul and pianist/composer, Randy Klein mastering What’s Next?, the new CD featuring Alex Skolnick on guitar, Boris Kozlov on electric bass guitar and Randy Klein on piano. The CD is scheduled for release on Jazzheads this October 2012.
Jazz Hot Magazine reviews Randy Klein’s CD ‘Sunday Morning’
Jazz Hot, French jazz magazine since 1935, reviews Randy Klein’s CD ‘Sunday Morning’, the first in a series of recordings called ‘Two Duos’:
‘Le pianiste Randy Klein avec ses deux compères tentent de rendre l’atmosphère ”des heures du dimanche matin qui commencent après minuit le samedi, ces heures où les pensées et les sentiments ont la grâce du loisir”, en se basant sur 12 pièces qu’il écrivit en 1988. C’est un pianiste et un compositeur éclectique, composant toutes sortes de musiques, du contemporain à la pop, le jazz n’étant chez lui qu’un à-côté. Mais au piano il est intéressant, il a la chance de jouer sur un magnifique Steinway, avec un phrasé très aéré et assez minimaliste. Le tromboniste est lui aussi compositeur et touche à beaucoup de styles, néanmoins il est très ancré dans le jazz et la salsa. Il a étudié avec Ran Blake et Bob Moses à Boston. Il est également ethnomusicologue. Il possède un son puissant, ample et cuivré. On peut l’apprécier sur ‘Now I Wonder’ ou bien ‘Petits pois’ plus lyrique, dans un style proche de Robin Eubanks. Le saxophoniste russe se réclame de la tradition, de Charlie Parker et de la fusion. Il a commencé en URSS à la fin des années 80 dans le groupe Orlan, assez traditionnel, avant de gagner la Pologne, puis les USA en 1994, il obtint une récompense à Montreux en 1996, et depuis il enchaîne les festivals ; son style est plutôt mainstream avec des impros mélodiques. Il peut être très tendre comme dans le beau ‘Truly Yours’, ou encore le nocturne dans ‘Sunday Morning’. ce sont en fait douze duos, six piano-trombone qui alternent avec six piano-saxophone. Un disque somme toute très agréable et qui permet de découvrir trois musiciens intéressants.’
In English:
‘Pianist Randy Klein, along with his two musical friends evoking the atmosphere “of the hours of Sunday morning, those moments when the thoughts and feelings have the grace of leisure”, based on twelve tunes that Klein composed. This is an eclectic pianist and composer, creating all kinds of music, from contemporary to pop with elements of jazz improvisation as a home base. But, what is interesting about at Randy Klein’s piano work is that, he is playing on a magnificent Steinway and he keeps the accompaniment with very airy phrasing and quite minimalist. Chris Washburne, the trombonist is also key to the success of playing in many styles. Though he is very rooted in jazz and salsa, has studied with Ran Blake and Bob Moses in Boston along with being an ethnomusicologist, he has a powerful sound, full and brassy. It can be appreciated on ‘Her Beautiful Soul’ or ‘Le Petit Pois’ more lyrical in a style similar to Robin Eubanks. Also featured is Russian saxophonist, Oleg Kireyev, whose musical influence is Charlie Parker and fusion. He started in the USSR in the late 80s in the group Orlan, quite traditional, before reaching Poland and the United States in 1994, he received an award in Montreux in 1996, and since plays in many European festivals. His style is rather mainstream with melodic improvisations. It can be very tender like the beautiful ‘Truly Yours’, or the tune ‘Sunday Morning’. They are actually twelve duets, six trombone-piano alternating with six piano-saxophone. A disc all in all that is a good listening experience and that reveals three very interesting musicians.’
Sounds I Hate
1. the sound of all vacuum cleaners
2. the sound of large air conditioner and refrigerator compressors
3. the sound of jack hammers tearing up the street
4. the sound of a New York subway braking, screeching to a halt on a winter day
5. the sound of monotone voices
6. the sound of the word ‘awesome’
7. the sound of a nagging continuous complaint
8. the sound of a leaf blower
9. the sound of chalk on the blackboard
10.the sound of my brain having an anxiety attack
The Conflict (making music - selling music) (pt 1 - introduction)
I have a gnawing urge to sit at the piano and play and at the same time I feel guilty about not making a phone call to promote the music I write and play. This never-ending pull that lives inside of me is the source of the conflict. My intent is not to be a self-help guru for musicians. So if I get to preachy, please excuse my lust for the subject. My intention is simply to put the information out there for you to take and incorporate into your own working situations and make for a positive way that may help you.
I often hear musicians say…
“I don’t have enough time to do the business.” And then in the same sentence say, “I want to get my music out there.”
Then muscians say…
“I have to practice, it is the labels job to promote the music.”
Then musicians also say…
“I am an artist, a musician. I have talent. But, I need to make money. But if I concentrate on making money, then my music suffers.”
As a composer and pianist, I completely understand and sympathize with the problem, but as a label president, I find the reasons for not acting and the excuses for not acting tiring. I don’t think there is one set of rules that addresses this problem. But there is a realistic and practical approach that allows the musician to remain balanced between the creation of their music and the effort it takes to promote it to the public.
I do believe that every creative musician has the ability, understanding and the time to both create the music and successfully create the business for their music.
I think one must be realistic with one’s expectations and keep a quick witted approach to the endless struggle of balancing the business and the art. (….to be continued)
Randy’s Composition: ‘Bemo’s Dance’
‘Bemo’s Dance’ is one of my favorite tunes from Underground Romantic, piano improvisations CD released in 1998. This improvisation was named after Bemo, a happy little parakeet that flew freely around my friend Robert Harari’s recording studio. I always appreciated that he didn’t have to be placed in one of those wire cages. Then one sad day Bemo flew into the clear glass window. Sadly, that was the demise of the happy little guy.
One day I received a phone call from Rodolfo Castro who works for Catalone Design Co. in Maryland. He said that they had found the music to ‘Bemo’s Dance’ online and requested the use of it for their promotional video. They felt it fit the video perfectly….I agree…..Check It Out!!!!
