Hector Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 (edited) Written by a good friend of mine, who is a fantastically talented pianist/composer. Would love some feedback. [media]http://youtu.be/THocn80GqrU[/media] Edited October 6, 2015 by Hector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted October 6, 2015 Share Posted October 6, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Hector' timestamp='1444148397' post='2880679'] Written by a good friend of mine, who is a fantastically talented pianist/composer. Would love some feedback.... [/quote] Be careful what you wish for..! Excellent, some real virtuosity shown by all. The 'take' could do with a better balance, taking down the keys a touch and bringing out the bass a tad. My ears are 'shot' though, so don't rely on this as sole guide..! The composition is fine; expressive, coherent, and quite bouncy enough to tap one's toes to. The soli are short enough to get the point across, and hold up well without losing the listener (well, the piano a little, but...). Not a great fan of walking (running..?) bass for the whole piece; I'm afraid that it sounded, to me, like a series of chromatic 'ups and downs' with little real purpose or form. No bum notes (In jazz, are there ever..?), but added only pace, rather than harmony, to the structure. I'd have liked something with more 'spark' or initiative, as given by the drummer, who doesn't simply stick to the 'under-beat', but adds colour and life. The real star, for me, is, indeed, the drummer. Who wrote the drum part..? The pianist..? The drummer..? Together..? As I mentioned, my hearing is not up to much, I have to listen to the ride(s...) with my eyes, and it's a delight. Clear, crisp, eloquent, with an evident mastery of the sticks. A lesson for those who 'need' tons of crashes and toms. Special mention, then, for that bloke. Enough..? Altogether a very enjoyable listen, very true to the genre. To me, they all look like young kids; they'll all go far playing like that. Thanks for sharing, hope I wasn't too harsh..? (Disclaimer: I'm a drummer. ) Edited October 6, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timhiggins Posted October 8, 2015 Share Posted October 8, 2015 I loved it and enjoyed it very much ,the walking line works for me the piece has a Giant steps vibe but with a more melodic Bill Evans slant and i especially like the the drummer look you get when you miss a note at the beginning of sax solo ! I get a lot of them if i try to play giant steps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hector Posted October 9, 2015 Author Share Posted October 9, 2015 (edited) Nice to have some feedback guys, thanks for taking the time to have a listen Haha, yeah Tim, that one bloody note....it did get a few chuckles in the studio, but in the end that take sounded best overall. Didn't want to edit anything in, wanted to do live takes. I'll pass on your compliments to Ben, Dad - he'll be really thrilled. I do wish they'd mix the bass up a bit, as it's a little indistinct on laptop speakers. Sounds plenty clear on headphones and other speakers though. EDIT - Having listened to the youtube versions, I wonder if uploading hasn't compressed the audio a bit. Here's a soundcloud set in case: https://soundcloud.com/h_3ct0r/sets/the-ed-wren-5tet I've finished editing the videos from two other tracks - one latin and a funkier number. As always, feedback welcomed. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bpxkPOPpCA[/media] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0bqf1w4hQE[/media] Edited October 9, 2015 by Hector Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rikki1984 Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 I'm by no means a jazz expert but I really enjoyed all three tracks. I must admit the drummer stood out to me as well - not flashy playing but perfect playing for the song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted October 9, 2015 Share Posted October 9, 2015 Very creditable compositions, H. I am hearing a lot of 1980s/90s neo-classicist influences a la Marsalis, Blanchard and all of that crowd which is laudible. The only negative criticism really is that the stuff sounds a tiny bit dated but the validity of that criticism is massively subjective and depends entirely on what criterion you use to judge things. Try googling the Osian Robert/Steve Fishwick Qunitet - they have a similar vibe (Osian is a very old friend of mine).The performances are good rather than great (a tiny bit under-rehearsed but I would book the band). I hope you don't find this criticism overly negative but your man's work is too good to be patronised. There is real talent here and it needs proper encouragement rather than superficial platitudes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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