A pleasure to hear from you again. Great song

Cool as you like, Ian...very lovely, man!!!

Absolutely gorgeous guitar plunking!! Crisp and precise. steady kick beat works a charm with this. Enjoyed the story-telling :)

I know the experience...it happens in my city too. Fantastic song, wonderfully descriptive, Ian.

It was not in New York, or New Orleans, or even San Francisco. It was not on the radio, or in the corner of one of my dreams… It happened here, on Soundcloud. I poured myself a cold beer and a voice, accompanied by a guitar playing with great style, captivated me. Moreover, this man with the graying beard is not a stranger. This man is the honorable You!

Downtown. Streetside bars. Instrumental. Kind of a latin/blues/jazz thing that morphed into hard rock, then synth pop.
Credits: Freesound for street/crowd samples. Gencraft image.

Streetside

Words and Music by Roger Whittlesey. Georg Boehme arranged and played all saxes. All other sounds by Whittlesey. roduced in New Hampshire and in Cologne, Germany. ©2024. Thank you, Georg, for participating in this process and for offering your awesome talents. 

What's this song about? String Theory is the notion that all time exists on a string—a string that never disappears. I'm a fan of the podcast/television show Closer to Truth, an American production hosted by a neuroscientist. The host interviews the leading experts on many scientific and philosophical subjects. In a recent podcast, scientists discussed String Theory, which became the inspiration for this song. 

One scientist explained that if you imagine a string along which all time exists—past, present and future—then you can understand that right now both the future and past still exist on that string. So, in theory, the past never disappears and the future is waiting to happen. He likened it to a DVD of a movie. At any point you can rewind or move forward. He suggests that this may be possible with time. 

What I drew from this notion is that all that has happened in my life, all the people I have known—in particular those who are no longer here—are, according to this theory, still existing on the string. Is this a comfort? I think it is for me. 

This is why in the refrain I sing, " I will always be with you." Even when I no longer exist, I will exist along the string, a string that connects me to a past before my own existence began and to a future that I will never see. 

Perhaps you will draw something different from this song and from the theory. In any case, I hope you enjoy the musicianship on this recording. Georg and I worked hard to produce parts and solos that we're proud of. 

Roger Whittlesey
February 18, 2024

See the video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0mjns4dHvk

String Theory (Featuring Georg Boehme)

℗© Copyright Ian Stokes. All Rights Reserved
Recorded, mixed and mastered in Logic.
Guitar played: Taylor 714CE in standard tuning 
Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.
Song Notes and Lyrics:
This song imagines one of those occasions when you by chance find yourself in a place where there is some great live music that somehow just seems right.....
Lyrics:
Somewhere in New York City
Or was it down in New Orleans 
Could have been in San Francisco
Or maybe it was all a dream
I was walking by an old blues bar-room 
When I heard somebody playing with some style
So I bought myself an ice cold beer
And listened for a while

Looked like he’d lived a whole life-time
Beard gone silver grey
The people in the place seemed spellbound
Happy just to hear him play
At home on stage under the spotlight 
Keeping time with his heel on the floor
I bought myself another beer
I stayed and Iistened some more 

He wore a fine silk waistcoat
Jacket on the back of his seat
Hat pulled down to his cheekbone
Boots tapping out that beat

He played until the bar-room closed
Right sound right time right place
He walked off into the night
With his old leather guitar case
Never knew his name
Don’t even know if he still plays
But I’ll picture that stage and hear that sound
For the rest…of my days

He wore a fine silk waistcoat
Jacket on the back of his seat
Hat pulled down to his cheekbone
Boots tapping out that beat

Fine Silk Waistcoat

I often wonder what people are talking about when they write the usual "love" song: my love is higher than a mountain/deeper than a sea/Iit will last forever ( then they add a day. great line John Prine!!)
I really think these songs do a disservice to love and confuse the inexperienced as to what to expect.
Relationships are not easy. Love at first sight is usually more physical than not and so is fragile . 
Respect/devotion/selflessness to some extent are all needed among other difficult traits to make a relationship ( ie love) last through time

lyrics

Love is not a gentle breeze
that takes you where you want to go
love is work
love is hard
not pretty birds singing in your yard

Love doesn't happen at first sight
It's not about soulmates or perfect fits
Love is give
Love is take
And do what you must 
to fix the breaks

It's about forgive it's about forget
It's not just about sex or lust
patience
trust
passion 
devotion

Love is biting your lip
It's about clenching your toes
Take the blows
take the bows
make it work
no matter how

Love is not quitting
or turning your back
take the good
with the bad
take the happy 
with the sad

Love is not the highest mountain
Love is not the deepest sea
Love is two people there for each other
Hand in hand before all others
and especially before themselves

Love is..(or isn't)

Lyrics 

Can’t shake the feeling 

I made my way home 
To my television 
Tried to sell my soul
But didn’t have permission

No one knows 
Im the second coming 
I’ve failed on my own 
But I’ve had the calling

Live your life in reverse
And you feel your cursed

Can’t shake the feeling 
Can’t shake the feeling 

Your demons unearthed
Hiding in the masses 
I’m shouting up first 
Sat on the second class list

Life Live in reverse
And your feel your cursed 

Can’t shake the feeling
Can’t shake the feeling 


Live your life in reverse 
Feel like your cursed 

Can’t shake the feeling
Can’t shake the feeling

V3- 
Your moneys no good 
Can’t buy your way out 
But if you act like you should 
Please Whisper don’t shout 

Live your life in reverse 
Feel like your cursed 

Cos They seek to destroy 
Your world is their toy
You stand in line 
And you nod in time 
The worlds at your feet
But it feels like a defeat 

Bridge)
Can’t take this 
It’s mayhem 
Time to take your  
Medicine 

Some Angels 
Some demons 
Deal your fate in an instant 

Can’t shake the feeling  
can’t shake the feeling 
Can’t shake the feeling

Life Live in reverse
Cant find the meaning 
Feels like you’re cursed
Can’t shake the feeling x3

Cant shake the feeling

in a garden
she is gazing
at an apple

she is naked
doesn’t realize
and she wonders

in the sun
asking:

“Listen honey,
would you like some
just between us?”

perilous
picnic

she don’t worry 
she can take the heat
Mother Courage
ends up in the street

east of eden
she is toiling
for her children

fearless love
wisdom
mama’s love
wisdom

fearless love
wisdom
mama’s love
wisdom

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks to Janine Levinson, Cheesemont Paisely-Paisely, and Wheelwright for early listening, support, and ace suggestions.

image by Ray Shrewsberry via Unsplash

OK. I've reverted to unmastered file... In my opinion that what automatic mastering done was horrible... Nevertheless, you can listen to it here and form your own opinion:
https://on.soundcloud.com/4FZJcJWpyocL1aPx7

No A.I. involved. Only me, keyboard, recently bought sustain pedal, free Soundpaint Piano with built-in shimmer reverb, some compression and Ozone 9 Elements on master channel set to jazz.

Little theme I've conceived on evening May 27th after watching the last episode of "The Devil's Hour". Simple melody and chords... a draft. Let's say it's a version 0.5 ;) Half improvisation, half interpretation of something that came to my head 30 minutes earlier. Lots of hesitation, a bit mistakes, two edited notes on ending of first part... and the double ending ;) I'm still human, and a bad keyboard player ;) Recorded in one take.

Picture in thumbnail from Freepik
https://pl.freepik.com/autor/freepik

The Longing

The Longing (Unmastered)

If you’re looking for the perfect specimen, I’m probably not your guy
And if you’re looking for a romance novel plot you might as well pass me by
I’m not trying to be somebody who I am not
I’m not trying to look like some kind of creature that time forgot

I’m probably not goanna be your private prince charming
But hey that’s okay cause you’re no princess yourself
But maybe baby you and me can fulfill each other’s fantasies
Even if it’s only for awhile
Maybe we could use our imagination to add a little spice to the situation
You never know we might even have a good time

If you’re looking for a smooth operator to say the words you want to hear
Then you probably don’t want to have my mouth whispering in your ear
I’m not trying to play any particular game
I’m just looking for a little connection and I thought you might be looking for the same

I used to be romantic but lately not so much
It sure would be nice to have a little human touch 

I’m probably not going to be your private prince charming
But hey that’s okay cause you’re no princess yourself
But maybe baby you and me can fulfill each other’s fantasies
Even if it’s only for awhile
Maybe we could use our imagination to add a little spice to the situation
You never know we might even have a good time
You never know we might have a really good time.

If You're Looking

“4 Stars - Q Recommends”
- Q magazine

From the album Strange Part of the Country:

w/ Grammy-winner Tchad Blake (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello), and bass legend Danny Thompson (Robert Plant, Nick Drake)

"One of the most original artists out there"
- Blues Matters magazine

Time Settles - Lyrics: 

And the decision made a hole, a vacancy in a vital inner chamber in my bones
This is what finally separated me from all my friends for whom I became skeletal

Time settles over me
Time settles over me 

And then the places I visit became the same inside world that I thought I was in
And like a fly scribbling the air I know neither the place nor what the hour is

Time settles over me
Time settles over me

And I, far off inside, was old

And now the years are closing in, each minute the last minute and following me

Time Settles

Sweet Guitar

Started as a kind of Raga--Jo created some lovely handmade words- and Stephen and his beautiful Duesenberg Guitar made some amazing droning magic to complete the vision--

TEXMEX SHAMAN: @texmex-shaman
"Always enjoy the opportunity to collaborate with Jeff and Jo. They are wizards with words and sorcerers with sound. Was happy to contribute a bit to this one."

@sonic-textures: First, there was amazing music made by STONERJAZZ. Then, I composed a poem and integrated it, surprising myself with having written the first 'love' poem in a long time - and to Snow White of all fairy-tale people! To highlight it all, TEXMEX SHAMAN made the music ring out even more beautifully. Eventually I created some artwork, inspired (by some reason I don't grasp myself at the moment) by those expensive vinyl imports from Japan. It might have to do with how much I value Jeff's and Stephen's guitar playing and creativity. It's a thrill ride to collab with those two experimental musicologists ;-)


Jo(Sonic structures and Silent Stretches) --Poetry, Production,Vocals and artwork-
Stephen(TexMex Shaman)-Guitar and Production
Jeff (stonerjazz) guitar and Fx(E-bow/melotron)--Djembe

lyrics copyright jo richter:

still wearing his headphones
in the mall's thermal flow
uranium bones
intercourse afterglow

she walks down the aisle
as light as a rainbow
sunlight on the Nile
et in arcadia ego

a bodice, a comb, eris' pear
black, red, white as snow
forces align, forces shear
a million mirrors in a row

she walks down the aisle
as light as a rainbow
sunlight on the Nile
et in arcadia ego

et  in arcadia ego- featuring Sonic Structures and Silent Stretches and TexMex Shaman

Welcome to 2024 and thank you for visiting my Soundcloud page. 
It's great to connect with so many talented musicians here on Soundcloud! On this page you'll find my original songs (including 4 albums) and acoustic guitar instrumentals (including 2 EP's), together with various notes about guitars played, tunings, recording etc.

I am in the process of writing my fifth album which I hope to record at some stage during the year..

Musical influences for me have been many and varied including for example Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Mark Knopfler, BB King, Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac, Fairport Convention, Paul Simon,  JJ Cale, Eric Clapton, Colin Hay and John Mayer.

Hope you enjoy listening to my music.

Photography: Thanks go to Nigel and Libby Hume at Hume Photography.

Fine Silk Waistcoat

Ian Stokes

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