My latest overdub is a "Reboot" of a new revamped arrangement of music from Superman by John Williams.

It's always fun to go back to something you played a long time ago and see how your skills have changed since then. Several people (Glenn Johnson, etc…) have asked me in one way or another "Why don't you go back and redo Superman now that you've come so far since the original?"

It's hard to believe it's been 2 years since I started this whole overdub adventure! In an effort to get back into shape for the PSO season 2 years ago, I attempted to overdub my Superman March arrangement I did for Rusty McKinney's UUTE trombone ensemble all those years ago back in our Utah days. I never knew what was in store from just doing a little "overdubbing for fun…" Thanks to numerous tips from folks like Shawn Standing and Mike Hosford, I started learning the technology better and better as I went.

On the trombone side (thanks Steve Shires!), I've added a few members to this arrangement going from 9 to 14 parts: 
2 contrabass trombones (thanks Nick Schwartz for letting me borrow his land cannon Kanstul F contra!)
2 Bass Trombones
6 Tenor Trombones
3 Alto Trombones
1 Alto doubling on Soprano Trombone

Thanks Greg Black for the help on the mouthpieces!

On the technology side, since the original Superman overdub, I've gotten a better MacBook, vastly better microphone, real mixing board, serious "deadly accurate" headphones (my PSO friend and colleague Craig Knox once called his studio headphones that way…) and very importantly Logic recording software.

I've so enjoyed the events these overdubs have opened up and continue to open up. Looking forward to working with Keith Jackson, Brad Edwards, Carl Mazzio, Jon Whitaker, Michael Kris and Jonathan Allen this year! I'm also really excited to perform my choir arrangements with with my old friend and mentor, Norman Bolter at NEC and at the American (formerly Eastern) Trombone Workshop in March!!

I want to dedicate this "Reboot" to Norman Bolter and Carol Viera for their help "Rebooting" me all those years ago when I was a struggling student who'd lost his way. There was a time in college I almost hung it up. Norman and Carol helped me reboot, steered me away from the cliff and got me back in touch with the reasons and sentiments I got into music in the first place. 

All these pieces of brass, notes on a page, electrical wires and computer chips, etc…mean nothing and have no power if they aren't charged with a real human musical intent and energy. It's nice to plug back into that sentiment as I start another season here in Pittsburgh.

This new version is a combination of the Planet Krypton Fanfare (original arrangement by Shawn Standing) and  the Superman March as a little suite.

As an interesting measurement, first listen to the original versions I did 2 years ago:
Planet Krypton -  https://soundcloud.com/jimnova/krypton-fanfare-from-superman
Superman March -  https://soundcloud.com/jimnova/superman-overdub
 
THEN, listen to this new version:


Enjoy!

speaker1

Bradley Wilson 2

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