This is too cool! Love the off the wallness! Great jazz guitar tone and playing

Lovely, mysterious, weird, soulful! Masterful instrumentation, such a delight.

Wonderful piece - full of invention and rhythm...love the Scofield-esque guitar improv. Great collaborative work!!

so much emotion and flavor thrown into the rhythm sections! great groove

all instruments great here, guitar, bass, piano...

Zephyrwood

This song appears on an album called Synthastic alongside those some other amazing musicians with whom my Swiss friend, the very talented and gracious Karin-Maria Brunner collaborated. It's an album centered around the synthesizer, whatever sounds one can get from it, based on her ideas. I cannot properly express my depth of honor and gratitude to her for including me with musicians I admire, like Frans Beelaard, and for sharing her creative seeds with me. Karin-Maria is a truly exquisite musician, with a very disciplined style and mind for musical precision, as well as beautiful melody. You can find her on here under her name. She actually shared two songs with me for this project, and this is the first of those. I tried to come up with an interesting, modal melody for both, in hopes of impressing her. I hope it has the same effect on you. I also provided the beat and bass line for this song. You can find the entire album on your favorite streaming service. We appreciate your listens! 

Magic Hour (with Karin-Maria Brunner from her album Synthastic)

Our awesome Japanese friend Tot. (@tot-beat, @user-288513022) was on the drums and bass - thanks again so much for working with us on this fun song, Tot.~ We had a blast!

Art by Masha using Prismacolor Coloured Pencils, which were an amazing gift from @katyasolo. Cheers for that, Katya!

Synth work by Rob Ulysses (@rob-ulysses) and Masha Solo (@masha-solo) Masha also wrote the lyrics and performed the vocals.

This song's story is that one day, Rob & Masha were doing deliveries for a summer-long job in 2021 when Masha spotted an old 60s van in a junkyard and snapped a quick photo, later the two of them making the event into a full song with the help of Tot.

At the same time as Tot. was working on a drum and bass conga style beat but he had no other parts, Rob & Masha were already working on synth parts and a fun chiptunes solo, but they had no drums! So when they heard each other's work in progress, it was only natural that they combined the two into a sort of Farewell To Summer song from their vivid summer memory.

This track is remixable, as long as it's noncommercial.

Lyrics:

Swag And a Bag

Once in my travels, two summers past,
I was on a long road trip for work around Oz,
On country roads, with sugarcane vast,
I saw something that made me drive back and pause,
I saw something that made me drive back and pause...

It really caught my eye,
And I still don't really know why!
But I had to take a photo,
Before I went back to work

It was just this really old van!

In an old junkyard, full of wildflowers, tropical brush,
(And although my job demanded I rush)
I saw that there was an old 60’s van that had seen better days,
It looked like it had seen so many sights, although now decays

(It was just this really old van!)

Before I moved on, I snapped a photograph,
On the side it said something that made me laugh (hah)
“Swag And A Bag” it said, on its side with a tag,
With bright teals and yellows surrounding the autograph
x2

I wondered who had once owned it and why,
If it was for tourists, who’d used it nearby,
What kind of adventures it had been on,
Even though its road trip days were gone
x2

I didn't even really know what 'Swag and a Bag' would mean,
I had to look it up.
But apparently it's really lucky-
It's like when something really good happens to you.
And I found that message positive.

“Swag And A Bag” it said, on its side with a tag,
With bright teals and yellows surrounding the autograph

“Swag And A Bag” it said, on its side with a tag,
With bright teals and yellows surrounding the autograph!

...And I found that message positive.

Swag And A Bag

Swag And A Bag ft. Tot.

From the album Schopenhauer's Apprentice

when you lie to me
I can't believe
when you speak your words to me

when you lie to me
I can't believe
when you say you love me

when you lie to me 
I can't believe
when you speak those words to me

when you lie to me
I can't believe
when you say you love me

Schopenhauer's Apprentice

Cry Wolf

なごみの渚

As each November approaches I try to make my own little Remembrance-time tribute.  Seems more relevant as each year passes...

Following the huffing and puffing empire lunacy in the summer of 1914, the next four years would see 40 million casualties, half of them deaths and of those, half were civilian.  

40 million.

40 million tales of poignancy, pain, grief and human tragedy, through times that can often seem littered with coincidence, symmetries …. bookends and mirrors.

In the Military Cemetery of St Symphorien near Mons rests John Parr.  At only five foot three inches and several years under age he (amazingly) managed to enlist in 1912 - hoping to see the world, and get the advertised “two square meals” a day.  He was the first British Army casualty, killed in the battle of Mons aged just 17, his body left behind, fate unknown until much later in the conflict;  the army unable to answer his mother’s letters of enquiry about her “silent” son.

By pure coincidence, John lies just a few yards from the last British soldier to die in the great war.  George Ellison served for four long years including at the same first battle of Mons as John, and most of the famously grinding, attritional infantry battles of the conflict.  His working life bookended by military service, George had first enlisted in 1902, leaving the army in 1912, just as John joined, he became a coal miner, re-enlisting at the outbreak of war to dig mud not coal and fight from trenches he helped excavate.  George was killed just 90 minutes before the armistice took effect at 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month.  The futility of the conflict was cruelly illustrated by the fact that George’s war had started and ended at exactly the same place, Mons in Belgium.  They had literally gone nowhere.

As a postscript to progress since "the war to end all wars" the human race is currently reckoned to be engaged in 7 major wars, 15 significant ongoing conflicts and 21 “minor” conflicts (the latter defined as up to "only” 1000 deaths per year).  By way of another macabre bookend, the longest of these has been going on, unbelievably, since the year .... 1918.

As always, this simple ballad is offered as a live one mic one take effort - please excuse the fluffs and gaffes.
_______________________

Bookends and Mirrors

Sun turned cold ‘cross every sky in the summer of ‘14
The Good Lord shook his head, and he placed it in his hands
Braided declarations flying, whose like was never seen
Lunatics in feathers stockpiled lead, bagged their sand.
Slapstick Mephistopheles, unleashing of his flame
Spiral minds lobotomised in the waltz of the insane
Simple lives unknowing of the mud that would become
A mirror in the resting place of two Holy Mother’s sons.

Signed the line, five years young, fingers crossed behind his back
Chance to see the world, grab a future, two square meals.
At 17, John’s angels sung, first to fall in dawn’s attack
Abandoned and forgotten, deaf to all his ma’s appeals.
Never knew the miner, his bookend pal to be
Fighting down the line, many battles that he’d see
Full four years in trenches, George’s hell lived through them all
Cruelty was smiling wide at England’s last to fall.

In service time they travelled nowhere, nothing to achieve
Embracing 40 million weeping mothers left to grieve
The crime of puffing chest bravado beggared to believe
Hall of mirrors seeping others’ blood of the innocent naive.

Now John and George lie facing each to seek their mirrored peace
Raise my eyes and brim a tear for the lessons never learned
Pray God, don’t ever let them know man’s insanity but increased
The war to end all wars a mere sequel oft’ returned 
By comedies of leathered fools stuck on infinite repeat
Bemedalled and bejewelled, they prosecute their moral defeat
But here, on sallow turf twixt heroes, broken mirror in my broken hand
Met by my own broken eyes, I still fail to understand.
_________
Photo by Michael Yuan on Unsplash

Bookends and Mirrors

A fusion of composition and live playing meld together, leading to the Trojan sound. The pianist and original composer (Sunyata) teases with a variety of ascending and descending runs. Intertwined we meld our guitars. Chris's arrangement, slow attack chords and Sunyata's double bass keep the pace lively & creative.

Cover art.  Sunyata  (Cairns Australia)

Trojan Mule

https://nowyyorg9.wixsite.com/seasional-optimist/nohope-onlypain

Album too many words have been said
nowyyorg 2023

No hope... only pain, snow and rain...

Video available on Youtube: https://youtu.be/JoTBI2fWpI4

The dialogue featured here is from an interview with Swiss Psychologist Carl Jung in 1959. The interviewer asks Jung whether he believes there will be a Third world war.

I find it fascinating when words spoken long ago resonate with the world today.

Jung 1959

There are forests on Earth that endure extreme winters, places where temperatures can reach up to -40/-50C.
They are called Taiga 
Plants and animals go into hibernation hoping they have stored enought nutrients to survive another extreme seasson.
A once thriving forest full of beauty, sounds and colours turn in to a deadly , almost lifeless , colourless and soundless frozen desert.
Life`s clock seems to slow down to a halt while hours turn to days , days turn to weeks and weeks turn to months.
Until the first sun rays strong enough to stop the ice and snow`s  deadly grip ,appear..
Like an explosion...Life`s clock speeds up while the forest heart beats faster and faster, the forest is awaking along with its inhabitants..
Spring returns ...Life begins ....again...

.........................................................................................
Photo by Bernat Rangil , Bernat is a wonderful photographer with an incredible eye for beauty.
He has a wonderful heart, after I spoke to him he gave me permission to use his work as cover for my new piece. Visit his site, it will bring you a smile.
https://pixabay.com/users/bernat-848806/

Taiga

Made in #Ableton (December 2023)

Video;
https://youtu.be/bTR6ViKKPnI

Mini-album;
https://hega.bandcamp.com/album/will-time-ever-stop

Genres;
#Electronic
#Rock
#Pop

Will Time Ever Stop?

Recorded in Modesto, Ca.   Featuring Gibson Electric Guitar solo. Harmonica solo. Fender Electric Bass. Baritone Electric Guitar Rhythm. Hammond B3 Organ Rhythm. Godin Electric Guitar Rhythm. Hammond B3 Organ Rhythm Reggae. Trap Drum full kit. Percussion Tambourine, Zildjan 22" Ride & Crash Cymbal, Cowbell.

Smokin

Double Down

Letting the feeling flow watching internal sensations lead the process.

One Hearts Azimuth

Part 4 of my "All Hope Is Lost" mini track series.
The world is broken and all hope is lost but still the nomad wanders, into territories unknown he escaped but not without sin, now longing and searching for salvation...

Salvation

Art Expressed in Music – Goya's Visions
January 2024
Duration: 3:30
Listen to the Playlist: soundcloud.com/bruce-klepper-1/sets/art-expressed-in-music-i
Remix of Córdoba, by Isaac Albéniz, with original composition.
Painting: section of the Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro (completed 1821 – 1823), painted on the plaster walls of Goya's house and later transferred to canvas.
Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes (March 30th, 1746 – April 16th, 1828) was a Spanish romantic painter and printmaker  He is considered the most important Spanish artist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  His paintings, drawings, and engravings reflected contemporary historical upheavals and influenced important 19th and 20th century painters. Goya became a court painter to the Spanish Crown in 1786 and this early portion of his career is marked by portraits of the Spanish aristocracy and royalty.  Although Goya's letters and writings survive, little is known about his thoughts. He had a severe and undiagnosed illness in 1793 that left him deaf, after which his work became progressively darker and pessimistic. His later easel and mural paintings, prints and drawings appear to reflect a bleak outlook on personal, social and political levels.  In 1807, Napoleon led the French army into the Peninsular War against Spain. Goya remained in Madrid during the war, which seems to have affected him deeply. Although he did not speak his thoughts in public, his feelings can be inferred from his “Disasters of War' series of prints.  Other works from his mid-period include the “Caprichos and Los Disparates” etching series, and a wide variety of paintings concerned with insanity, mental asylums, witches, and religious and political corruption.  His late period culminates with the “Black Paintings” of 1819–1823, applied on oil on the plaster walls of his house, the Quinta del Sordo (House of the Deaf Man) where, disillusioned by political and social developments in Spain, he lived in near isolation. Goya eventually abandoned Spain in 1824 to retire to the French city of Bordeaux. Following a stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side, Goya died and was buried on April 16th, 1828 at the age of 82.
For piano, guitar,oboe d'Amore, english horn, heckelphone, bassoon, virtual voices, tubular bells, timpani and percussion.

Art Expressed In Music - Goya's Visions

Composed, arranged, performed, and produced by:
Carlos Vivanco

Desert Shadows

01 - SA - LCOT - Space Chatter_HCT - Ghouls on Hovercrafts
02 - SA - WE - A Simple Start
03 - SA - Albion One - All Combinations - Brs_Str. hight Trem
04 - Sonuscore - The Orchestra Complete - Moment of Decision
05 - Sonuscore - The Orchestra Complete - Elven Choir Sustain Vowels
06 - NI - Noire Felt
07 - NI - STRAYLIGHT - Exquisite Pulse

Don't Worry

Heavy Punk Rock 'n' Roll band turns into Synthwave nowadays! Brand NEW album "Ultraviolet Cosmos" available NOW! Grab ur digital copy!
https://shockthealgorithm.bandcamp.com/album/ultraviolet-cosmos

Guitars in Electronica.
Soundscaping through the infusion of strings.

Collabs, multi genre jams, production learnings & cold beer with Orange Peel Music as 'ParQushea' and valued others. 

Gratitude to fretboard mentor Sunyata for knowledge, insight to curly compositions and creative insightful tips, all leading to inspiration, productivity and an appreciation of varied music.

Synaesthetics (Melbourne) Various Artist feature on track by Funkform -'Walk You Through'. Thank you Maddy for the opportunity to play together.
synaestheticsxyz.bandcamp.com/album/meridians

Trojan Mule

SeaShea

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