An intense year gone already ... Here is a collection 2016 tracks released on SC , many of them in collaboration with SC friends I 'd like to thank so much here for their inspiration, creative enthousiasm and  kind patience !!!  :)
I love to think that what binds us is stronger than what seperates us (thank you Alexis for this beautiful thought I share completely) ...
 Let's continue to share the joy of playing, creating music and supporting each other in 2017 !!  Most kindly yours , Steph

2016 Tracks

My litle Happy new year to all ..with the clarinet :))
May love, kindness and happiness be with you !!!
All the very best 
Steph

A Story Without Words

Michel Delpech passed away recently : http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20160103-famous-french-singer-michel-delpech-passes-away
This is my humble tribute to a a great composer singer and melodist who carried so well the soul of the 70's in France...this song I heard when I was very yound has imprinted me forever ..Hope you like my little version of it :) 
Original : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8EqlDIkrx8
All the very best 
Steph

Le Chasseur (Michel Delpech)

Vocals : https://soundcloud.com/ilaria-brovini
Music : https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn
Hope this full rock version makes you happy :))
Original : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyihQtBes1I

Lyrics
I've been long, a long way from here
Put on a poncho, played for mosquitos,
And drank til I was thirsty again
We went searching through thrift store jungles
Found Geronimo's rifle, Marilyn's shampoo
And Benny Goodman's corset and pen

Well, o.k. I made this up
I promised you I'd never give up

[Chorus]
If it makes you happy
It can't be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad

You get down, real low down
You listen to Coltrane, derail your own train
Well who hasn't been there before?
I come round, around the hard way
Bring you comics in bed, scrape the mold off the bread
And serve you french toast again

Well, o.k. I still get stoned
I'm not the kind of girl you'd take home

[Chorus]

We've been far, far away from here
Put on a poncho, played for mosquitos
And everywhere in between
Well, o.k. we get along
So what if right now everything's wrong?

[Chorus]


If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow)  By  Ilaria Brovini And DDJohn

Started wanting to make  a cover after listening to this  great version of this wonderful classic 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRVj7-CUtaE
but finally  decided not to do like the original ...  
Hope to share the fun of making this :)

S'Wonderful (George Gershwin)

Made with lots of love thinking of  the Eagles,  the Beatles, Ben Harper  and many other dear ones :))
Hope you enjoy my little song :)
Have a great week 
Steph 

Lyrics:
Did you ever open your mail box
Did you ever check it in the cloud
Did you ever listen to the little song 
I wrote for you

Now, I know you've got so much to do
Now, I know you're working real hard
Now, I know you don't have time for anything
Even for my little song

ooo when you come home
ooo I'll play it live for you
***
Hope it'll make you feel all right :)

Dedicated to all fathers missing their  dear little ones ...just waiting for them to come home :))

My Little Song

Giving thanks to the Miracles, i love that version dearly. 

Smokey Robinson: lyrics 
Evelyn Salguero: vocals and banjolele 
Weighty Tree: bass
https://soundcloud.com/theweightytree
DDJohn: Clarinete 
https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn
Couch King: production, percussion, lyrics, vocals 

Reiki Run Rampant is Evelyn Salguero and the Couch King

Lyrics: 

I don't like you but I love you
Seems like I'm always thinking of you
Oh you treat me badly
I love you madly 
You really got a hold on me 

Baby I don't want you
But you know I need you
Don't want to kiss you
But I need to
Oh you do me wrong now
My love is strong now
You really got a hold on me

You really got a hold on me
Baby, I love you and all I want you to do is
hold me, hold me, hold me

I need you to feel who I am
You show me the world
Without you, it's all cold, damn
I get lost trying to find myself
I need you to hold me tighter
Tell me it's all real 
Make me feel bad
Make me feel mad
Wrap around me tighter
And then take me higher
I just want to be inside you a little bit
tighter
Because it's too hard to just be inside of me
Take me to that final place

Tighter
I wanna leave you
Don't want to stay here
Don't want to spend another day here

Evelyn Salguero and the Couch King with DD John and the Weighty Tree - Tighter

I am very happy and honored to present here this traditional Klezmer piece arranged by D.Krakauer (@davidkrakauermusic) for a choir of clarinets. I had the immense pleasure to assist to one of his master class in Paris at Selmer house last autumn. I played one by one the 9 original clarinet scores with greatest pleasure and tried many many mixes ...hum...they were Ok but ...ahh ... not totally satisfying ! So I asked advice to my friend Michel Martineau (@michel-martineau), my clarinet Master on Souncloud ;-). Michel so kindly took the challenge to re-mix my stems !! After a first listen to his mix, I felt transported more 30 years ago when I was playing in a group of clarinets ... that was exaclty the sonority I would hear while playing with the group !!
Of course my execution is far from being perfect, I just hope here to share a little of the beauty of this arrangement written by D.Krakauer and the magic of playing in a group of clarinets thanks to the wonderful mix done by Michel !! 
Mix: @michel-martineau
Clarinets, additional guitar : DDJohn (steph)



Der Heyser Bulgar (Arrangement by D.Krakauer for a clarinet choir, mix by Michel Martineau)

Just fooling around with synths and modern beats :) 

Just Minute Ago (WIP)

Just a quick Sunday fun jam thinking of  Guy Béart ,  the greatest singer/author/composer/engineer  France has ever known !!
He recently passed away . Hope you'll like this first little version  intended "à la Béchet"...with the clarinet...and in the swingin' spirit  :))

Original
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfpSRnahQig

Lyrics (to meditate ...)

Le premier qui dit se trouve toujours sacrifié 
D'abord on le tue 
Puis on s'habitue 
On lui coupe la langue on le dit fou à lier 
Après sans problèmes 
Parle le deuxième 
Le premier qui dit la vérité 
Il doit être exécuté. 

J'affirme que l'on m'a proposé beaucoup d'argent 
Pour vendre mes chances 
Dans le Tour de France 
Le Tour est un spectacle et plaît à beaucoup de gens 
Et dans le spectacle 
Y a pas de miracle 
Le coureur a dit la vérité 
Il doit être exécuté. 

A Chicago un journaliste est mort dans la rue 
Il fera silence 
Sur tout ce qu'il pense 
Pauvre Président tous tes témoins ont disparu 
En choeur ils se taisent 
Ils sont morts les treize 
Le témoin a dit la vérité 
Il doit être exécuté. 

Le monde doit s'enivrer de discours pas de vin 
Rester dans la ligne 
Suivre les consignes 
A Moscou un poète à l'Union des écrivains 
Souffle dans la soupe 


Où mange le groupe. 
Le poète a dit la vérité 
Il doit être exécuté. 

Combien d'hommes disparus qui un jour ont dit non 
Dans la mort propice 
Leurs corps s'évanouissent 
On se souvient ni de leurs yeux ni de leur nom 
Leurs mots qui demeurent 
Chantent "juste" à l'heure. 
L'inconnu a dit la vérité 
Il doit être exécuté. 

Un jeune homme à cheveux longs grimpait le Golgotha 
La foule sans tête 
Etait à la fête 
Pilate a raison de ne pas tirer dans le tas 
C'est plus juste en somme 
D'abattre un seul homme. 
Ce jeune homme a dit la vérité 
Il doit être exécuté. 

Ce soir avec vous j'ai enfreint la règle du jeu 
J?ai enfreint la règle 
Des moineaux, des aigles 
Vous avez très peur pour moi car vous savez que je 
Risque vos murmures 
Vos tomates mûres 
Ma chanson a dit la vérité 
Vous allez m'exécuter 
Ma chanson a dit la vérité 
Vous allez m'exécuter

La Vérité (Guy Béart)

First experimental version of a cover of John Mayer's Vultures  with the clarinet ...
Original masterpiece :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNHJBnQTzog

Vultures (John Mayer ) WIP

This is a really fun jam - done in record times ! -  with David (https://soundcloud.com/davidmcwilliams2) , very much inspired by  Master Django https://www.google.fr/?ion=1&espv=2#q=Django+aall+of+me

It's wonderful to be able to  jam like this  between USA and France thanks to SC !!  Our dear Django must be smiling up there ;-)

Jamming friends welcome  ! I'd be more than happy to mix in your stem  for another longer version ! Here's 
- one base track with guitars only (4 turns)
https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn/all-of-me-base/s-CnT0x
- complete base track with second clarinets (7 turns, you can play 1/3/5/7 solo (impro or theme) and play with background clarinets/guitars !
https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn/all-of-me-complete-base-track-with-second-clarinets/s-CvUrZ 

Live jam after this ! : https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn/all-of-me-live-at-the-kustom-cafe

All Of Me -  with David Mac Williams

Live version with  teachers and students from our local music school :) Was great fun :)))
Had a wonderful SC cloud jam before that one with my friend David :  https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn/all-of-me-with-david-mac-williams


All of me - Jam with FLC team -  Live at the Kustom Cafe

Couldn't believe the news today ...RIP dear Prince

 "I never met Mozart, I never met Duke Ellington or Charlie Parker 
I never met Elvis 
But I met Prince - Bono"

“I am deeply shocked to hear of Prince’s passing,” Mick Jagger wrote in a series of tweets Thursday afternoon. “Prince was a revolutionary artist, a great musician, composer, a wonderful lyricist, a startling guitar player…but most importantly, authentic in every way.”

Purple Tears

When  you experience hectic public transports (vive la RATP !) , wait for substitute buses under cold rain,  and finally miss your plane , there's only one thing that can make you happy : think of the famous Soul Train Show ! (https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Train)
That's what happened to me this week :)) Hope you enjoy this bluesy funky ...kind of rocky (?) one ;-)

I'd like to thank https://soundcloud.com/orlando-lund very much for the dowloadable drum part https://soundcloud.com/orlando-lund/go-go-beat which inspired me as well and which I used for this track. What a groove :))

****
lyrics (well ...so to speak ..;-)

Slow Train 
I'd rather be in the soul train 
Cold rain
I'd rather be in the soul train 

******
There has been a great show on french TV (ARTE) on Soul Train presented by Aline Afanoukoé (in the picture)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn4-lOw24Y8

*****
We had a wonderful (virtual !) jammy session with my friend Jörg on this one  with his fabulous sax : Check it out ! ;-) https://soundcloud.com/joerxworx/sax-on-soul-train-by-ddjohn-special-wind-instrument-jam

Soul Train Blues

The sound of the destruction of ancient ruins and historical symbols remind us that barbary is striking again...history seems to repeat itself... endlessly...since the dawn of humanity... under constantly renewed forms .. peace and chaos...will that circle ever brake one day ?

The original musical ideas were further developped with my very talented friends Igor (https://soundcloud.com/project-managers-trio) at the guitar, and Julien (https://soundcloud.com/jules-keys-1) at the duduk ...to whom am very grateful for pushing further these ideas forward and bringing beautiful expressive new colors ... thank you for your listening to this imaginary trip in time and space.

Lead guitar and Mastering :https://soundcloud.com/project-managers-trio
Duduk : https://soundcloud.com/jules-keys-1
I took care of the rest 

PS -  I'd like to  thank here my friend Chris for one of his magnificent tracks which inspired me greatly 
https://soundcloud.com/chris-pendergraft/the-royal-chamber-psyche-orchestra-sacrifice

Echoes of World Chaos

This is a real pleasure for me to present this collab with my dear friend Alexis :) https://soundcloud.com/alexis-roche-2
Some time ago,  I proposed to Alexis a cover of this "cult" song for our generation in France named "Le vent nous portera" by the very popular group (at the time) Noir désir fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_vent_nous_portera . 
I thought his voice would really go well on this kind of mythical song ..reminding us of our student years :)
I must confess I was also very motivated to try the clarinet solo .... such a beautiful solo from https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akosh_Szelev%C3%A9nyi with the metal clarinet .. I think ...this is unique in French Rock'n roll ...or Rock'n roll in general ! We  hope you like our version of it !
Alexis is singing and playing two beautiful guitar parts (nylon strings and electric solo) , I took care of the rest !
Original : www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrgcRvBJYBE

Le Vent Nous Portera (Noir Désir) - by Alexis & Steph

Today  is a very special day for all mothers in France ! Happy Mother's day in France and everywhere ! ! Can't think of a better classic for saying all this :))
Transposed (by ear) for the A clarinet from the wonderful original :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs_DD_7C8_A
My favorite jazzy -wazzy cover from D.Krakauer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN3PF2XfEDg 

Si Tu Vois Ma Mère (Sidney Bechet)

Just  a first go on this great classic we 'll be playing live for the "fête de la musique " with FLC team on June 21st 

What's Going On (WIP)

Composed and guitars performed by Pierrou Tissan
Featuring:
Piano and Orgue : https://soundcloud.com/jules-keys-1
Clarinetts : https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn

Total Blues (J. Apelian, Crazy DDJohn and Pierrou)

Last repeat with FLC team before the fête de la musique ... ;-)

All of me - with FLC team

Involved in different local music associations with my clarinet  (in classic and jazzy mode) ,  I also  love to play the guitar, I love to try to create and produce music with Cubase and different other instruments at home. I love all forms of music. 
Thank you reading these lines, for your kind words , listens and all forms of appreciation and support, I'm always happy to explore,  discover new sounds  and collaborate on this unique platform with wonderful musicians  !!

2022 Collabs, Jams and Chansons :
https://on.soundcloud.com/pkz71
Proud to be inducted  in 2022 as an Official Lunatics after this:
https://soundcloud.com/cosmic-ratzzz/lunatics71-skyline-cosmic-ratzzz-ddjohn?si=aa7c346eca754497a8e4168605590197&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Still so happy to listen to this one with my french SC buddies in the memory of Georges Brassens on this one :
https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn/les-copains-dabord-george-brassens-with-le-hot-club-de-soundcloud-quebec-usa-fra?si=ec03fb2f0b8b42b1b57522bf07221d14&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
...and loving to play with friends in the marvelous style of Django Reinhardt
https://soundcloud.com/ddjohn/sets/collabs-with-lami-bjp

Album/EP featurings @ the clarinet :

https://soundcloud.com/mountain-songs/take-cripple-club-collab-with-ddjohn-download?in=ddjohn/sets/2015-1/

https://open.spotify.com/album/2XfVKVx3ZE1qUBwoUojmfW
.... and @ the guitar :
https://chrispendergraft.bandcamp.com/track/aint-seen-the-worst-of-it-yet-tribute-to-jimmy-page