My godson/nephew Ryan turned 21 and his girlfriend gave him a new drum set. Who does that? Then I remembered his Aunt Sharon bought me a few drums over the years. Since we are moving back to the USA, I imagined what it would sound like jamming with him in the garage. So I took some material from my EP 'The Longing and the Leaving,' pulled back the arrangements (no choir, no horn section), used a single instrument voicing of instruments I have owned over the years, and made the drum machine beats into full on acoustic (sampled) drum tracks. It was a lot of fun making this tribute and I hope to give him the stems and hear what a real musician will bring to these songs. It would be great to record him live! Enjoy!

The Leaving II (Ryan/Organ Remix)

The Longing (Ryan/Rhodes Remix)

The Interest (Ryan/Monosynth Remix)

I wrote these companion piano pieces last spring when we lived in Ontario. Part one uses percussion to convey ice. Part two adds rhythm for Lake Ontario thawing and reawakening. Part three is filled with the fits and starts of the anticipation of Spring. A clear homage to Tigran Hamasyan, too. Canadian Sorry (not sorry). We are back in SoCal, not the same feelings at this time of year.

The Thaw

The birds and stream in our backyard carry the tempo and rhythm is this piece. Improvising with birds and synths is my kind of forest sound bathing.

Spring In Ontario

JeffB

Andy Fletcher tribute. Say what you will about his musicianship, he was in the room with one of the all time great bands, DM.

Fletch

Wayne Shorter tribute. The greatest ambassador of Jazz in my lifetime.

WayneS

David Lindley tribute. Had to make it a little slip and slidy.

DavidL

A tribute to my father. Fatherhood did not come easy to him. In my eyes, at age sixty he started his personal redemption arc. He stopped drinking, married his third wife who was a joy, and became a man and grandfather I respect and admire. A true anime like redemption arc, that didn't start until he was my age. He turns ninety in a few weeks, if only we all could live through a redemption arc like his.

TonyRyan

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