another older track I'd like to try to expand on some day. Just didn't have the playing chops at the time of recording it. Still don't  :O)

This track was also used (temporarily) as a middle section of an alternate, slower and extended version of ‘Jazzy Ditty’, one of my favourite tracks. But I hope to eventually replace it with something that fits better. 

Artwork is a variation I did (added guitar strings) on a well known Matisse print.

Comments always appreciated, but don't feel shy to give critical feedback - always trying to get better!

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ---
here's some pictures I took: www.flickr.com/photos/mark_boucher/
my best photos on 500px (safe site): 500px.com/p/mrmark?view=photos

Belle Curves Blues

This song was inspired by "The Cold Heart" (German: Das kalte Herz), a fairy tale written by Wilhelm Hauff. It was published in 1827 in a collection of fairy tales that take place within the narrative of The Spessart Inn.
Although written almost 200 years ago, the described conflicts of mankind are still up-to-date, maybe even more than before. Preferring status und prosperity over humanity is something which has become socially acceptable.

Special thanks for prelistening and precious ideas to my dear friend Gary Reeves!

Lyrics
Peter was in the charcoal business
never in peace with the live he was living
made a deal with the forest spirit
Three wishes and a new life given

Descending to the darkest corners of humanity
what was it you were thinking of when you lost your pity
 
Inside your stone cold heart
You‘ve built a world of disregard

It did not play out like you were whishing for
glassworks went down and you needed much more
sold your heart to Dutch Mike to keep living
a heart of stone and the fortune you were given

Descending to the darkest corners of humanity
what was it you were thinking of when you lost your pity

Inside your stone cold heart
You‘ve built a world of disregard

Flourishing business kept you going
but your smile was eternally frozen
when your drivers faded and you had murdered love
nothing left there but an empty heart

Descending to the darkest corners of humanity
what was it you were thinking of when you lost your pity

Inside your stone cold heart
You‘ve built a world of disregard

Stone Cold Heart

Time For A Revolution -with AnandaTuk

“Again” is a delicate, emotional piece for piano, orchestra and choir – a quiet reflection on what was and what might have been. Composed by Anastasiya Ihnatovich, arranged and orchestrated by Stefan Kraft.

🎹 Solo piano: Anastasiya Ihnatovich
🎼 Orchestration & production: Stefan Kraft
🎧 Best enjoyed with headphones

Again (Orchestral Version)

manu232

I did not use AI support at any stage in the creation of this piece.

When I started composing this piece in December, after buying Spitfire Originals Intimate Strings on sale, I had these thoughts: If this is what the future is going to look like, I didn't sign up for it. Although in my youth I read and watched a lot of SF films presenting both utopia and dystopia, I always preferred the bright future. However, what I see on TV, on YouTube and outside my window is starting to resemble the latter...

Despite this, I hope you like the piece at least a little bit

To make this track I used:
Ableton Live 11 Standard
Spitfire Originals Intimate Strings
Spitfire Originals Cinematic Percussion
Spitfire BBC SO Discover (free)
Soundpaint 1928 Vintage Steinway Grand Piano (free)
Arturia Augmented Voices
Arturia Augmented Mallets Play (free)
Strezov Sampling Afflatus Minimalist Violins Legato Freebie (free for Kontakt Player)

Beside plug-ins I used 3 samples:
Two from BBC Sample Library:
- Rioting - Riot in Belfast - with breaking glass, rubber bullets, distant cries and chants
- Chatter - Club atmosphere, busy mixed chatter at mealtime (mid-distance) - 1981 (1C25,reprocessed)
and from Freesample.org
Real War - Marines in Firefight Gunbattle (Raw audio) by qubodup

Picture in cover: Freepik

Future Perfect?

Manic riff for 2 tenor saxes held together (some of the time) by sensible flutes, 'bass' alto saxes and trad. beat. 
Pic. by NM - from hot air balloon trip in 2007...the first (and last).

Crosstown Dash

leave your worries and dry your tears

Image Charlvera

Laisse tes soucis et sèche tes larmes By Zitou Itou & Albert Paule

Ruby

Navigator LP

https://soundcloud.com/loveslav/sets/navigator

Ilha Dos Namorados

Yaren - Eñanin

Yaren (in earlier times Makwa/Moqua) is a district of the Pacific island country of Nauru. It is the de facto capital of Nauru and is coextensive with Yaren Constituency.

Yaren - Eñanin

Don't worry, friends, 90% of my replies to your comments are deleted on their own (with the help of SC)... but I appreciate your messages and I'm listening to you.

Thanks to all my friends who agreed to lend their voices and their texts.
In alphabetical order (And out of gallantry...Ladies first):

Albert Paule
Special Cecilia
Wildsilences
Epicsoundtracks
Frawstakwa
Gommearababic
Ian Greaves (IPG1)
Jumpingbunny
Maedali
Marty Andersson
Monsieur Madeleine
Wonie Z

Je dois aussi remercier Eric Miller qui m'a donné le goût de me lancer dans l'EDM et ses conseils m'ont été des plus précieux. Eric Miller est un compositeur très estimé pour son talent de mélodiste. Il a produit un album chez pomme music en 1995, a coécrit avec     Jean- Loup Dabadie, a collaboré avec Michel Berger, Jean-PierreJaniaud, Hervé Roy, Hervé Leduc, etc... Il collabore à Performing Arts et assiste régulièrement Sarah Sanders. 

https://soundcloud.com/ericmillercompositeur?utm_source=clipboard&utm_m
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alternative Electronic Music By Zitou Itou.....born in 2022 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
zitou itou is also elsewhere ---> YouTube !
https://youtube.com/@ZITOUITOU?feature=shared

Laisse tes soucis et sèche tes larmes By Zitou Itou & Albert Paule

ZITOU ITOU