Happy Thursday...
Started writing a new tune for my trio yesterday and actually finished it today. It's a happy, grooving, and slightly quirky tune with a lot of interesting rhythmic points. I am calling it "Rompus In The Pampas" for my dog Booner (who lives with my parents in Los Osos, CA), who loves to scratch his back by running around, over, and often through the pampas grass on his walks. The trio is resuming rehearsals tomorrow afternoon, so I'll have the opportunity to hear it right away.
Otherwise, I've been enjoying listening to some "Mingus Moves" this afternoon. I came across an amazing video of the Charles Mingus quintet in the studio with Eric Dolphy (flute and bass clarinet), Clifford Jordan (tenor sax), Jaki Byard (piano), and Dannie Richmond (drums) performing "Meditations On Integration". This piece is a superb example of Mingus' resourcefulness as a composer/orchestrator. With a pretty standard quintet line up (two horns and a rhythm section), Mingus acheives an enormous range of textures within this masterfully crafted piece. Not to mention Eric Dolphy is on fire...
The piece spans two videos:
Charles Mingus - Meditations On Integration (Part 1)
Charles Mingus - Meditations On Integration (Part 2)
Enjoy!
Awww! A song for Boone! Good timing because he's kinda having a hard time again...not that that doesn't mean he won't go another 5 years! But sweet of you to think of him :) And, I mean, how many other writers come up with a title like that?! So happy you are writing about things that are dear to your heart. You are dear to mine....
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