Category: Jazz

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Jazz Psalms

Psalm 73: You, O God, Are Mine

I’ve worked with Linda Bonney Olin a number of times before. Her Psalm settings are always singable distillations of the original Psalm–direct and heartfelt. Psalm 73 presented her with significant challenges. It is essentially a Psalm of envy and complaint: “Why do I keep myself pure when I can see the wicked thriving all around me?” The Psalmist answers the question by the end of the Psalm: “My reward is a life spent close to God.” Linda turns this into the repeated refrain: “You, O God, are mine.” Beautiful.

I set the text as a jazz ballad because it felt like jazz’s harmonic tension, coupled with a soothing, introspective rhythm, could hold the tension of bitter thoughts and trust simultaneously. I especially like the lift into a new key half way through, following Linda’s structure of complaint/trust.

While I strive to make my hymns simple enough for the average church, this is right at the edge of what most congregations could sing. Maybe I’ll turn it into a choir anthem!

1. Bitter thoughts once filled my mind,
yet you held my hand.
You, O God, are with me still.
You, O God, are mine.

2. On your counsel I rely.
All your ways are good.
You, O God, will be my guide.
You, O God, are mine.

3. Faithless ones will be destroyed.
But I cling to you—
you, O God, my one desire.
You, O God, are mine.

4. Taking refuge in your arms,
I proclaim your deeds.
You, O God, have rescued me.
You, O God, are mine.

5. Though my body may grow weak,
though my heart may fail,
you, O God, will be my strength.
You, O God, are mine.

6. You my portion here on earth,
you my home in heav’n,
you, O God, are all I need.

Categories
Demos Jazz

Upon Reflection

A new recording by Paul Langford, this time a ballad called “Upon Reflection.”

The Thinker (Le Penseur) by Auguste Rodin

The tune grew from the four-note motif that begins the song. The motif itself is stable, in that it outlines a D major chord, but unsettled, because it lands on an F# against a C major chord. This four-note theme–and the tension it creates–reappears in different guises throughout the tune. Perhaps the most striking use of the motif is where it extends up and up until finally landing in a completely different key for the B section.

But enough musical nerdities!

I love what Paul did with this piano ballad. I asked him to channel his inner Bill Evans for this demo. Specifically, my instructions were, “I’m imagining Bill Evans, with a cigarette dangling from his lips and a whiskey on this piano, playing to a mostly empty bar after his band has packed up and gone home. This one’s for him alone–a wistful improvisation with rays of hope; tender and inconclusive, like life itself.”

I have not verified whether the recording included cigarettes and whiskey, but Paul’s Bill Evans is on point!

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Demos Jazz

A Third of July

You’ll never guess when I wrote this song…

Yes, on July 3, 2022, I sat down at the piano and banged out this jazz tune. I really can’t remember the details. Maybe I was writing a tune for one of my Euro Bistro gigs? In any case, I know I completed the song quickly because I only put a specific date on music if it goes from idea to completion in one day. On the other hand, the file is named “a_third_of_july-1.1,” so I must have returned to it at some point to make revisions.

Wow. This is turning out to be a boring blog post!

I guess all you need to know is that Paul Langford transformed this from leadsheet to demo with style and class. He really captured the without-a-care-in-the-world lightness that I intended for the song.

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Demos Jazz

Iguana

This tune has been a long time in the making. It began its life in May of 2022 as a bass line reminiscent of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon.” (Though the actual bass line went missing somewhere along the way.) Then it was an AABA head that was too complicated. Then it became an AAB head that was just right. Then the recording of the just-right version had technical problems that kept it from playing here on the blog.

Now, three years later, Paul Langford has stepped in to save the day, recording this bang-up demo of the song. Paul brings out its slinky smoothness, with an underbelly of funk. What do think? Would it sit nicely between tracks by Yellowjackets and Spyro Gyra?

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Demos Jazz

Lightness

Another collaboration with Paul Langford creating the demo, I named this song “Lightness” because it feels like it doesn’t have a care in the world. I know, I know, I lose all rock-and-roll street cred with a song so nice, but even the most fraught musician has to have moments of ease, right?

And frankly, happy music is hard to write. It’s so easy to fall into cliché and sentimentality. While “Lightness” certainly has a lot of sweetness to it, there are also some harmonic twists that, in my opinion, keep it from being mundane or cloying.

Hey, wait a minute… Why am I apologizing for writing a pleasant song?!

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Demos Jazz

Silver Bell Blues

Last year, at Christmas time, I was working on a slightly off-kilter, upbeat blues tune. About the same time, Outside Pocket was playing an event in Lansing called “Silver Bells in the City.” The two things merged to become “Silver Bell Blues.”

The sad news is that I didn’t get a good recording of the song from that event. Further sad news is that I can play a fast blues on bass, but am hopeless on piano, guitar, or any other instrument that would lead to a listenable demo.

The good news is that my old friend Paul Langford possesses those talents in spades. Here is a demo of “Silver Bell Blues” with Paul playing everything. I love how it turned out. Look for more collaborations with Paul in the future!

Categories
Demos Jazz

Mr. McJudgypants

Here’s a little gem left over from 2023’s recording session with Steve Talaga. You might remember that Steve and I pounded out demos of over a dozen songs in an afternoon. I tell you that to make sure your expectations are sufficiently low.

In this particular case, we recorded Mr. McJudgypants live on piano and electric bass, and then I went back later and added drums and electric guitars. So, if in some spots, you wonder what has happened to Steve’s impeccable timing and groove, I can assure you it is no fault of his. He was playing to a rhythm section that didn’t yet exist!

Now, a more pressing question: Who is Mr. McJudgypants? The sheet music says that he is the son of Mr. Green Genes. Hmm… Though his true identity remains shrouded in mystery, I will say he reminds me a lot of my younger son, Theo, who has a knack for asking rhetorical questions in a way that lets you know you’re on the wrong side of right.

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Jazz Psalms

Psalm 75: Your Love Enfolds Each Yearning Heart

I continue to work my way through Michael Morgan’s Psalms, while also building toward a future jazz/gospel Psalm album. Those two things came together in this new song, a warm jazz ballad of Psalm 75.

One of the things I love about Michael Morgan’s Psalms is that he doesn’t shy away from difficult sections like, “In the hand of the Lord is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs,” but he somehow finds a way to place it in the context of a tender, loving God who wants the best for us.

Interesting composition story*: I often write a few completely different versions of a song. I write them quickly, without much editing. That allows me some subjectivity and gives me options to choose from as I move forward. In this case, I began by identifying the basic rhythm I heard in the text: 3 unstressed syllables leading to a stressed syllable. (O God, your DEEDS are un-sur-PASSED, etc.)

That led to a first draft in a modal style. It had its charms, but also had some range issues. The second attempt was a pentatonic melody that was lovely, but reminded me of some things I’ve written before. Today I sat down at the piano and this jazz melody poured out almost as fast as I could write it. It combines some of the better features of the earlier tunes, but has a more interesting harmonic structure and satisfying form. Voila! I fired up my musical robots (Band-in-a-Box) and produced this quick demo by the end of the day. Very satisfying.

O God, your deeds are unsurpassed;
no richer grace can earth impart.
Your Name is near; you hold us fast.
Your love enfolds each yearning heart,
your love enfolds each yearning heart.
 
1. Remove our pride lest we must taste
the judgment cup of bitter gall.
Let not our bold ambitions take
the praise from you, who gives us all. Refrain

2. In truth, all judgment comes from you,
whatever earthly courts decree;
the evil by your justice fall;
the righteous through your grace are free. Refrain
 
3. Help us to know humility,
to follow you in all your ways.
From self-conceit, Lord, set us free,
to know ourselves and sing your praise. Refrain

*Let’s be honest: there has never been an interesting composition story.

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Church Congregational Songs Demos Jazz Psalms

Psalm 89: The Sky Belongs to You

I wanted to feel like I had accomplished something last week, so Friday afternoon I recorded a quick demo of a new Psalm setting. (And then promptly didn’t have time to post it…)

The lyrics are the work of Michael Morgan and were written for the Timeless Psalter to the tune of TOULON. While that tune’s rugged beauty portrays the regal aspects of Psalm 89:1-8 well, I thought there was room for a more gentle interpretation of the Psalm and Michael’s metrical version of it.

Working in a jazz ballad style allowed the tenderness I was hoping for and also gave me lots of room to move harmonically. I love how the key of C quickly turns into a winding path that eventually leads to a chorus in E. No F#. Wait…Bb? And then back to C. And yet for all the twists and turns, it remains quite singable.

1. For all your loving acts, O Lord, I sing;
my mouth will shout your faithfulness and care;
and heaven’s grateful host will honor bring
to you, who wondrous gifts so freely share.

2. What other god of earth and sky can boast
the great and awesome blessings you afford?
What other mighty one among the host
deserves such praise that we should call him “Lord?”

The sky belongs to you, the earth, and all
that fill its fertile lands from shore to shore.
Your arm with strength will lift us when we fall,
and righteousness endure for evermore.

3. Send down true justice from your lofty throne,
and all-infusive light shine on our ways,
for only by your will such joy we own,
and for your gracious favor give you praise!

Categories
Demos FAWM 2025 Jazz

Mysterium

I’ve been playing around with stacked fourths a lot lately. “Don’t we all, Greg?” You say. I certainly hope so; it’s great fun.

In this song, I combined the open, biting sound of a melody stacked in fourths on top of an ethereal bass groove. I think this tune’s a winner, but the demo is certainly not. I didn’t have muted trumpets and saxophones at my disposal, so I used the melodica–not exactly the king of jazz horns.