Obsessions - Jazz Quartet

[mbarouh]

Can somebody be kind enough to tell me what to think about this "jazz" work done in small band style (it’s what I aimed to do, but I don’t know if it is an identified jazz concept)


Obsessions – Jazz Quartet


Tenor sax, fretted bass and drums are from the Garritan Jazz and Big Band.
I added an electro guitar and, for just a few bars, an electric organ and female vocals as a style trial.

Mayer Barouh

[garymosse]

HI Mayer,
Here's what I would think.
It sounds like it's recorded too loud. Try turning the master control to 50% or lower. Everything is at the same level. The tenor should be at the highest level, followed by the guitar, etc.
This sound is not recognizable as a tenor sax. Could your transposition
not be in the correct octave? It all sounds like a sopranoe, not a tenor.
I don't know, but I think I would try a different tenor sound...
The JAZZ is fine, but let the audience know who is featured at each point by having background play softer.
Short segments of each instrument playing solo give more form to
the work so that listeners can re-focus. Predictable form allows
listeners recognize what is happening.
Gary

[mbarouh]

HI Mayer,
Here's what I would think.
It sounds like it's recorded too loud. Try turning the master control to 50% or lower. Everything is at the same level. The tenor should be at the highest level, followed by the guitar, etc.
This sound is not recognizable as a tenor sax. Could your transposition
not be in the correct octave? It all sounds like a sopranoe, not a tenor.
I don't know, but I think I would try a different tenor sound...
The JAZZ is fine, but let the audience know who is featured at each point by having background play softer.
Short segments of each instrument playing solo give more form to
the work so that listeners can re-focus. Predictable form allows
listeners recognize what is happening.
Gary

Hi Gary,

Many thanks, first of all, for your remarks.
I think the're very wise.
I'll try to understand well ALL of what you said, and
redo a mix, perhaps using three sax (alto, tenor and bari).
Just a few days, perhaps less?

Mayer

[mbarouh]

Now, it’s growing to a big band’s arrangement. But not a conventional one (IMO). There is, instead of a tenor sax soloist a sax quartet (Sop, Alto, Tenor and Bari). With much less reverb, that attenuates a bit the dynamics excess.

Obsessions – Big Band Jazz / Sax Quartet

The melody is more on a contrapuntal style (perhaps a bit Dixie ? I don’t know) and the counterpoint lines changes the lead voice in many sections. Otherwise, the quartet inforces the melody line playing it in octaves and unisons.
Perhaps the guitar part is more apparent than before ?

And don’t know if I must go on voicing a female vocals part, and an electric organ part ? or both ? or none ? no real opinion.

Anyway, I’ll keep the initial quartet with the sax soloist, giving a great place to improvisation on the score (as for the bassist and for drums, that is not written at all. . .)

Any opinions ? Thanks for your future help !

Mayer

[etLux]

Wow, nice job on this, Mayer -- very distinctive
style to it, well done.

You know, I think I prefer the first version, though;
cleaner, more to the point, in some regards.

Love the guitar work in this, particularly; as well
as the strong sense of dialogue.

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[mbarouh]

Wow, nice job on this, Mayer
You know, I think I prefer the first version, though;
cleaner, more to the point, in some regards.

Love the guitar work in this, particularly; as well
as the strong sense of dialogue.

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

Many thanks, David, this is a nencouragement, and I'll try to do better than that with other jazz works. We'll see...

I also think that the quartet form is more a pure style, and it was a real pleasure writing the guitar part, harmonies and counterpoint.

You're very kind with your words.
Cheers,
Mayer

[jsp2]

Nice work!!

Really enjoyed the melody.

This is quite a unique style.


An area you may want to experiment is in creating variation in color/texture. The melody is terrific!, However a repetitive pattern begins to emerge as the same instruments play the same sections, at the same volume levels...etc
For instance each time the guitar appeared, it played at the same volume level, with the same articulation.. to simply stagger the volume is an easy way to create variation.

I think you have a real gem of a composition here... With a bit of
experimentation with various volumes/articulations, instrument swapping... this work could grow into a much stronger piece!


Great work, Mayer!

~Jeff

[mbarouh]

Nice work!!
..This is quite a unique style.

..as the same instruments play the same sections, at the same volume levels...etc
... to simply stagger the volume is an easy way to create variation.

I think you have a real gem of a composition here... With a bit of
experimentation with various volumes/articulations, instrument swapping... ..
~Jeff

Hey Jeff, you're very kind with my work!
And I heard your own compositions and... I'm afraid never reach this point of perfection!

So, I didn't really heard all that Gary told me about the way to arrange the vocing. I've just done with a contrapunctal style without taking much care about volumes.

Than, I'll take care now and try a new version with more contepunctal lines... and more contrast in levels.
(Sorry, my english is a bit poor, but hope the music will be rich... and not that rich! )

Many thanks again

Mayer