I) Prelude: a bit of samba in B minor featuring “locking” guitar parts. The suite begins with an idea that Jeff Burns contributed (and that also figures as the concluding sequence).

II) [0:22] Intro: a quick “bridge” in RTF style that gets us from B minor to E minor (a bit lopsided with a section in 14/8).

III) [0:45] The main theme in 6/8 that exploits the open strings of my all-fourths tuning. (The voicings I use include scalar sequences A-B-C & D-E-F). Jeff contributed a nice call-and-response idea that concludes this section. Dig the blues lick at the end!

IV) [1:14] A bright passage in D major that serves as a sort-of “bluegrass” bridge between E minor and B minor sections.

V) [1:24] A nod to flamenco in which Jeff and I again alternate in call-and-response.

VI) [1:40] A sweet waltz in D major based on D and C triads over an A bass note (D maj to A min). The concluding chords are parallel minor 9ths that move in whole steps from C down to F#.

VII) [1:55] Solo section where I solo over B major to A minor, Jeff solos over the “sweet waltz” chords (6). I am able to make some use of several ideas: harmonic minor, alt. dom, etc. A short reference to section (2) lead into the next part:

VIII) [3:04] A section we call “Zorba” because it evokes a slow dance. Two guitars play in unison for a while and then Jeff improvises chordal counterpoint.

IX) [3:49] A compositie ensemble feature in which the two guitars harmonize and then collaborate in a percussive passage (we call it the “buzz saw”).

X) [4:33] the concluding samba, a return to the beginning…

“Tamboura” is a composition of mine that features a long modal, improvised interlude on two tonal centers (D mixo b6 and A “flamenco” = D harm. min.) This piece began as a polychord (C/Bb) against a D pedal inspired by a nice “grip” I noticed in Stanley Jordan’s “All the Children.” The Bb and C set up the “feel” of a D Mixolydian flat six, one of the so-called “modes” of the melodic minor (the fifth mode of G mel. min. to be exact). I have long enjoyed the classic ECM recordings where this mode and its “cousins” were used extensively. Examples that come to mind are Keith Jarrett’s “Death and the Flower” and Ralph Towner’s “Distant Hills.” The unique sound of the descending lines has to do with unison and harmony parts that exploit my all-fourths tuning, with drop-D: DADGCF The mode itself is a mysterous blend of major and minor feel and suggests a wistful emotion.

We play the head a few times and then enter an improvised space in which percussion and two guitars flow together without much in the way of “lead” or “comping”: just an expanding and comressing stream that follows the mixolydian and harmonic minor modes. Toward the end, Jeff begins the insistent vamp from the second part of the head and I take a more conventional solo and then… out!

The name “Tamboura” came to me while travelling in Russia: the “Slavic” instrument is an 8-string lute-like axe, while in East Indian tradition the “Tambour” provides the underlying drone for improvisation (like the Byzantine ison). Any way you take it, it is exotic and beautiful!

We all have heard the signature sound, be it Al Di Meola on classic Return to Forever tunes or John McLaughlin in acoustic passages of the Mahavishnu Orchestra or later (both) in the celebrated Power Trio with De Lucia…..

What is the “Ovation Sound?”: When you’re messing with strange chords, open voicings with narrow intervals (think Towner or acoustic John Mc.) the Ovation responds with a dark, brooding sustain where all sorts of harmonics wander, unsupervised. It’s like a swarm of sonic ghosts: downright spooky sometimes! I am really impressed with what I hear now and then on a high-quality recording: things other guitars would swallow and muffle. Ovations make you play clear and strong: not much room for waffling etc. I think that has something to do with why the vulgar crowd dislikes the great O. Let them have sweet and soft, give me my deep bowl and spark it up!

Commentary from the Ovation Fan Club discussion:

Every Ovation I’ve ever played has balanced tone; like gulfcoast said, they “seem to have about the same volume per string.” This is noticeable whether the guitar is amplified or unplugged. I have a ‘71 Balladeer with an aftermarket pickup, a Fishman Supernatural II. There’s no EQ on the guitar; I don’t need it. And the amp EQ is set flat. It’s pretty close to the natural sound of the guitar. I put a little reverb, delay and/or chorus on it depending on the situation.

Here’s something that bugs me– the wooden guitar snobs who sniff disdainfully about the Ovation’s “inferior” acoustic sound. I’ll pit my unplugged Ovation against any Martin or Taylor or Breedlove or any other “snob” guitar. It’s a deep bowl, and after 35 years it has a sweet tone that manages to be mellow and bright at the same time, with tons of projection. It’ll outshout any other acoustic in the room.

To me, it’s always been about the balance. By that, I mean I’ve had D28’s, HD28’s, and even a D41. They all sounded great, but to me the HD’s are too muddy, “scaloped bracing”. The D28’s are tighter, but still too much bass for me. Now the OOO and OM martins are tight sounding, warm, but have that punch when you need it. Now back to ovations, I’ve mostly owned shallow bowls and loved them. Had a deep bowl legend a long time ago. It was kind of dead sounding. Now this custom balladeer,”Katrina guitar”, has nice bass, but a good ballance across the mids and highs. I guess I said all that to say, most ovations seem to have about the same volume per string. I think they suit my hearing, or lack of, better. Does this make any sense?

1) Six to Midnight (Burns)
2) Darwin’s Monkey (DeJohns)
3) Black Adamas (Dobrov)
4) Senor Mouse
5) Meeting of the Spirits
6) Burning Questions (Burns)

In our sights are further work at Katerina’s, we hope, Uncommon Ground and perhaps a return to Chef Gaetano! Edgewater with its Morse Theater is very attractive in general.

Onward!

Katerina’s: “It’s all about the music. Yes, the food is delicious too. And the drinks are classic and the bartenders classy. But whatever. The music! On the right night, you will find some really amazingly talented musicians performing. From opera to flamenco guitar to piano sonatas to string quartets… once I saw a bassoonist do a set of Brazilian (I think) waltzes, unaccompanied! Have you ever seen a bassoon solo that kept you on the edge of your seat for 15 minutes??? I have, at Katerina’s.”

Uncommon Ground Devon: Part coffeeshop, part bistro, part upscale artsy hangout, Uncommon Ground’s meal and cocktail selections are just as good as its coffee… The atmosphere is fitting for the fare: Leather sofas and local art provide an appropriate background for Uncommon Ground’s night mix of musical acts, ranging from jazz to Americana.

Sotto Jazz Club (now “Gaetano’s” 7636 Madison St, Forest Park Forest Park, IL 60130): Music on a weekly basis. Gaetano has good taste and brings in some of the best live jazz that Chicago has to offer. The original Sotto was a beautifully appointed grotto for private dining, drinking and listening. Physically the best jazz room for its size. We lament that the good chef had to move!

“I like people to smile, feel good, get inspired, feel positive about life, get challenged. Some positive effect is what I intend with my music. It’s a kind of stupid simplicity, but you can wander around and be very mechanical about life and not notice that life is lived by a lot of people and we survive together and we help each other survive, and music is part of it. Music is part of the scene, it’s one of the things that keeps people uplifted and exchanging beautiful things with one another.”

So you ask him what it’s like to do that, to play for people and truly to be communicating at a deep level. And, man he wants to give you a deep and even L. Ron Hubbardish answer. “That’s too big a question,” he says at first. “It feels a lot of different ways. It depends.” But you can hear him thinking about music — that big mess of nonlinear music that is his life — and the excitement just starts to get to him. The little kid comes to the fore.

“Music is a creation,” he says. “Usually we’re taking in information — reading books, watching TV, listening to people talk. But music is a way to put something out — an outflowing.” And the rhythm of Corea’s voice picks up and syncopates some: “I’m going to play, I’m going to send this sound out, I’m going to do something. It’s an aesthetic thing to do, a beautiful thing to do, a creative thing to do.” And he smiles a smile bigger than his new project, bigger than three weeks at the Blue Note.

“Playing music?” he says. “Playing music feels great!.

April 30 (2009) we played the Uncommon Ground on Devon. This is a great venue and worth cultivating for the ready-made fan base (students and colleagues). One limitation is the short gig slot. The next push will be to ask music director Dave Chavez for a Fri/Sat slot in order to stretch out for at least two hours.

Still playing the first Wednesday of each month at Katerina’s. The owner has “upgraded” us to a nice cover charge and splendid web presentation. Another thing to be proud of!