Here are some sample recordings of my work as a musician, both in performance and in practice. The samples directly below are from various recording projects I’ve been involved in. I am organizing them in chronological order, so as to offer a sort of “sequential tour” of where I’ve been artistically, conceptually and technically and how I’ve developed into the improvising musician I am today. I’m starting with the earliest studio recordings in which I was featured as a soloist. Though I have taken part in more “mainstream” jazz (and other genres) recordings, I’ve selected these because they represent my most personal, authentic expression. I’ll continue to add newer recordings as time goes by to bring you up to date with how I’m currently playing.
Performance
Wayne Shorter, composed by Rick Helzer, from the album Devotion, by Big World. Recorded in 1989 for Cexton Records. Big World was a leaderless trio that I co-founded with Pianist Rick Helzer, and percussionist, vocalist Jeanette Wrate. We garnered high critical acclaim from this, our first album. We performed throughout the western U.S., Canada and Europe. This piece (composed as a tribute to the master composer/saxophonist of the same name) is a good example of my sound conception on tenor at the time, and in my melodic and textural approach to open-ended, or “free” improvisation over time/pulse. (This was recorded in the earlier days of digital recording, so please forgive the rather “cold” sound of the recording.)
A Stream in the Circle, composed by Bill Plake, from the album Devotion, by Big World. Recorded in 1989 for Cexton Records. This is a composition of mine that is indicative of the kind of explorations I was engaging in at the time with open-ended improvisation: metric modulation, polyrhythm, tempo flexibility, thematic/tonal relationship as form, etc. After so much dedicated study learning to “play over the changes” of standard songs, the challenge of making cohesive improvisations without a set bar form was (and still is!) very appealing to me. I’m playing alto flute on this piece.
The Concept of Possession, composed by Bill Plake, from the album Angels, by Big World. Recorded in 1991 for Nine Winds Records. This composition was inspired by Nelson Mandela: his courage, conviction and unfailing benevolence. It is more of a suite, with returning themes, open-ended improvisation utilizing thematic/textural borders, and the hauntingly beautiful voice of Jeanette Wrate. I’m playing soprano saxophone.
Why Don’t You See Me?, composed by Micheal Vlatkovich, from the album Toronto Live, by Micheal Vlatkovich. Recorded in 1991 for Thank You Records. This is a live recording from a concert in Toronto, Canada when I was touring with trombonist/composer, Micheal Vlatkovich. I grew significantly as an improviser playing Micheal’s music. He gave me such free license for exploration and expression through his compositions, and my solo on this track exemplifies how my aesthetic was developing. This is also a good example of the sometimes darkly humorous, raucous and theatric music of the composer; though the music, at times might seem chaotic, it is always under control, played with discipline and intention. The personnel in this group: Anders Swanson, bass; Christopher Garcia, drums/percussion; Bill Plake, tenor saxophone; David Mott, baritone saxophone, Micheal Vlatkovich, trombone; Tom Walsh, trombone.
Of Dancers, composed by Micheal Vlatkovich, from the album Transvalue Book III. Recorded in 1992. Transvalue was a collaborative effort between composer Michael Vlatkovich, poet/spoken word artist Chuck Britt and percussionist/engineer/producer David Crigger. It involved a good amount of time in the studio with many musicians from the Los Angeles area. (I won’t list them all here.) This particular piece is based upon a poem by Chuck Britt about his experience at an Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre performance. I improvise a solo over a 5/4 section that merges into a marvelously angular piano solo by the late Glenn Horiuchi.
Jalypsy, composed by Bill Plake, from the album South, by Bill Plake. Recorded for Nine Winds Records in 1994. This was from my first effort as a band leader. This group was particularly sympathetic to my aesthetic and was skilled in helping me realize it. It was : Jeanette Wrate, drums/percussion; Anders Swanson, bass; Craig Fundyga, vibraphone and marimba; Bill Plake tenor saxophone/compositions. This particular piece (a reflection of my fascination with how middle eastern and symmetrical tonalities can work together) starts out as a free, thematically/tonality based improvisation that aims toward the final notated theme. We had never done it like this before (usually a different a tempo, different solo form, etc.), and were pleased with the cohesion and direction of the performance.
All Things Reconsidered, composed by Bill Plake, from the album South, by Bill Plake. Recorded for Nine Winds Records in 1994. This piece is based upon the harmonic form of the jazz standard, All The Things You Are. It’s a good example of how I was beginning to “rethink” playing over standards and other closed-ended forms at the time. I was aiming for an almost “anti-lyrical” approach to standard songs. In my solo, my tonal choices/organizations are rather angular, but my phrasing is decidedly symmetrical, often stating/strengthening the bar form.
Young Experts, composed by Bill Plake, from the album South, by Bill Plake. Recorded for Nine Winds Records in 1994. This piece and performance epitomizes how I was striving to develop my overall approach to tonal organization in my improvising at the time, whether over open-ended forms or over chord changes. Lots of wide intervals, (and even terse) tonalities and phrasing, yet always moving a time pulse forward (at times as the rhythm section “floats” along). Fasten your seat belts.
Boo Boo’s Birthday, composed by Thelonious Monk, from the album Somewhere Between Here and There, by Jeanette Wrate. Recorded for Nine Winds Records in 1996. Personel: Jeanette Wrate, drums; Craig Ochikubo, Piano; Anders Swanson, bass; Bill Plake, tenor saxophone. This recording comes from a period when I was particularly absorbed into the music of Thelonious Monk. This wonderful composition, with its asymmetrical form (I love the five-bar bridge!) served as good vehicle in documenting my wide-intervalled approach over chord changes, as well as my beginning explorations with polymeter and the rhythmic displacement of repeated themes to develop the improvisation.
Practice
As per request by some of my readers, I’ve decided to place a few recordings of me practicing/demonstrating some of the concepts from my jazz etude books. These are simple, Band In A Box backing tracks that I’m playing over, recorded on an iPad. (No elaborate production here.) Each recording has me focusing on a particular concept (e.g. , triad pairs, wide intervals, etc.) as I improvise over chord changes. (Please keep in mind that these are purposefully presented as “practice” and that I would never be so self-consciously using any of these ideas when I really improvise.) The tempos are slow to medium, and I keep my rhythmic choices fairly basic, so as to not obscure the topic. I’m starting simple here, and I’ll be adding other recordings (demonstrating more complex concepts) as time goes on. And as generic as I’m trying to be here, I am still playing through the filter of my improvisational language, of who I am (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve listened to any of the recordings from above). You could take the same concepts/materials from any of my books and sound completely different (which is the whole point, isn’t it!?)
1. Wide Intervals Over the Coltrane Matrix. There are so many things to learn from studying and practicing over this beautifully symmetrical chord progression. It’s a great template through which to both challenge your ability to connect the radically shifting tonalities, as well as to help you find new harmonic relationships, substitutions, etc. In this particular recording, my aim was to move melodically through the changes (in all twelve keys) using larger intervals, in order to explore some new movement possibilities.
2. Triads/Triad Pairs Over Star Eyes. This chord changes to this beautiful standard serve as a template for me to incorporate a more triad-based approach to improvising, including diatonic triad pairs extracted from the diminished scale and the augmented scale. This triadic approach also lends itself to a kind of angularity that is deeply ingrained in my improvisational language.
3. Melodic Minor Scales Over ii-V7-I. The melodic minor scale is rich in color, contour and melodic possibilities. Here I demonstrate an easy, yet effective way of adding altered harmonic tension by simply combining material from two different melodic minor scales over dominant seventh chords. Cycling all twelve major keys, each resolves to the lydian major tonality, and represents the most basic applications of the material from my book, Melodic Minor Scales Jazz Studies.