Cast of Characters:
Cgmaness – @user-419254289-15129531 – Chris – bass,  acoustic guitar, drums, and composition
TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen–  mix, production, and mastering
Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 – mandolin and lap steel
This song began as an idea that Chris came up with on his acoustic guitar, and shared with Josh. Josh, loving everything that Chris writes, jumped at the opportunity to work on it. 
  Josh first added the melodic lap steel you hear throughout. Then, in the same session, came up with and recorded the mandolin track. He believes Rick Rubin's mantra, when it's flowing, keep it going. This song was the first of about half a dozen that Chris shared with the Eclectic Collective back at the beginning of summer. So, it sat dormant for about five months, until Chris revived it by adding the impressive rhythm section of bass and drums to complete it. Chirs is always a multi talented part of the team. 
  When it was all in the can, we asked Stephen to mix it for us, because his mixes are always so pro sounding. He also mastered it for us, too. 
  This is the fist song that Chris and Josh have recorded as a duo in almost a year. However, they love recording together and feel this is a great way to start the New Year with some magical music. We all hope you enjoy listening to this as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Dance of the Tryptamines (with cgmaness, produced by Texmex Shaman)

ThrillMonkey/AnandaTuk collaboration

Check out AnandaTuk's music at: https://soundcloud.com/user-11396379

Be Like That -with AnandaTuk

This song was written eight years ago as the darkness of the first Trump presidency was making itself known. And now once again we have the unthinkable -- this disastrous human being with power at his fingers.  And he's already busy spreading lies, fear, and hate.

Liisa Pentti https://soundcloud.com/liisapentti did guest vocals on this 2019 version, and it's the definitive one -- I love what she did.

Ever Since the Rainbow

ever since the rainbow left the evening sky
waiting and hoping seem such a waste of time
into the air we fly into the seams we dive
as if the dust of a broken down dream
could start the engine fire

the passage of time this endless ennui
rivers and threads between you and me
sleep and dream again and again
an old man's finger tapping on a window pane
we dream and breath we love and grieve
remember that we share the same blood and air

the innocent sunrise the whispering day
dark clouds rising that will pass away
I know that these things that bind you to the common marrow
will rise up in your veins to remind you
remember that we share the same blood and air

Spotify Link

Ever Since the Rainbow

Original track here: https://soundcloud.com/user-659662265/make-some-noise

Make Some More Noise

Smoke

Timeline
(Verse 1)
Timeline
Can I solve the puzzle? Does the answer even exist?
Is it abstract in the making 
options, choices taken 
where’s the voices?
It’s a cruel game we’re playing, 
did we ever have a choice?
never had a choice is what I’m saying
I know, the question as well, as the answer 
in time we’ll all understand the meaning as well, 

(Chorus)
the only answer is, 
the truth is infinity, infinity is the truth, 
the answer is the question, 
and the question is the root
why so absolute 
not to mention a reason to be, 
existence is infinity, and the truth will set you free, 
never before, never before 
infinite, choices…The answer is …more!

(Verse 2)
What was done in the past
Effecting us now,
 we walk different timelines,  But they’re way ahead …how?
Time vibrates, like tectonic plates!
Given shape to our lifelines, final fate
What’s the cause of it all?
The crisis of it all,    The axis, recall
We exist,   one in all, One and all
Everything and everyone…

(Verse 3)
🎵In a constant state of time,
Doesn’t matter when or where, 
you’ve traveled the timeline, 
existence is existence,
And who are we to say,
What will happen in the future,
If we didn’t exist—- today 
…..in this timeline🎵

(Chorus)
(interlude)
(Chorus)

Timeline

Cast of characters:
Jonathan Beckenstein — @jonathan_beckenstein — acoustic guitar, composition

Cgmaness – @user-419254289-15129531 – Chris – bass, vocals, and lyrics

K2 and the Three [and the Four]--@k2andthe3, @k2-kara –Ken–drums, percussion, and vocal harmonies

Entheogenic Psychonaught (Josh Clary)– @josh-clary-1 –Josh – Roland FP-10 piano and Collings mandolin

TexMex Shaman– @texmex-shaman –Stephen– Tom Anderson custom T slide guitar, production, mix, and mastering

Mistermark-- @user-432503709 -- Mark – harmonica, edited fiddle samples, and jaw harp

This song began when Jonathan wrote it on his acoustic guitar several months ago with the intention of developing it into a larger song. When Josh approached him about doing a collaboration, Jonathan thought this one would fit the bill. I should say at this point how much we all admire Jonathan and enjoy his music. On the unlikely chance you aren't already familiar with his music, I suggest you go hop on his page and check it out. 

  All that to explain the level of excitement that ran through Eclectic Collective when Josh shared the project with the group. Chris was first to jump on it, coming up with his intricate bass line even before Ken added his moving drums, although they went back and forth a couple of times to create the rhythm section. Josh jumped on right after that part was complete, adding his mandolin and piano to the mix. Steven was next up, adding his howling slide throughout. Last, but certainly not least, Mark came up with the driving harmonica and twangy jaw harp, and the raspy fiddle, adding them all to complete the instruments. 

  At this point, we had a pretty good instrumental song on our hands. However, Chris decided to give it the extra kick by adding the vocals, the lyrics for which he wrote himself. Our multitalented drummer, Ken, added the vocal harmonies shortly after, too.

  Now that it was in the bag, we needed some production for it. So, we turned to Stephen, who mixed and mastered it in his always expert fashion. 

  This song is a real treat for everyone in the band, as I mentioned earlie. We are all very grateful to Jonathan for sharing this song with us, and had a wonderful time helping bring it to life. We hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed creating it.

Original lyrics by cgmaness:
 Come on now let's break a leg,
We've got it made in the shade.
One more day, go out and play.
I guarantee we've got it made.
Oh, we've got it made.
Happy to be with my friends today.
Fill up your drink whatever it may take.
I guarantee we've got it made.
~Gibberish~
Don't need a reason,
Or wait for the seasons to change.
That's what I claim.
Go out on this limb with me,
And realize, we've got it made.
We got it made in the shade.
Can't you see we got it made?
Oh, we've got it made.
Happy to be with my friends today.
Fill up your drink whatever it may take.
Can you believe that we've got it made?
Come on now let's shake a leg.
We've got it made in the shade.
Don't need a reason,
Or wait for the seasons to change.
That's what I claim.
Go out on this limb with me,
And realize, we've got it made.


We've Got it Made - (Eclectic Collective w/ Jonathan Beckenstein)

We are pleased to present track 8, the final track, from our latest album, 'Haunting One Seven,' full album available on Bandcamp, we hope you’ll enjoy!

outstation.bandcamp.com/album/haunting-one-seven

Waiting For Someone

Last spring, I had a jazzy musical interaction with songbirds to produce Magnolia. This spring, I explore the genre of jazz once again but this time with a mockingbird.

A few weeks ago, I recorded a mockingbird singing a jazzy serenade a cappella from his perch on my neighbor's chimney. And oh my! The bird sang like he was the hot new kid on the block, and the whole neighborhood had to listen!

The Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) can sing up to 200 different songs, some of which are original and others mimic the sounds of other birds and creatures, including insects and machines. 

I added electro — keyboard, piano, bass, and electronic drum kits — to the mockingbird audio recording using my MIDI and DAW, and I hope you find the music as amusing and entertaining as the jazzy mockingbird’s song.

Chill jazz fusion at 85 bpm

Audio of mockingbird recorded live April 2, 2025. The LoFi audio is raw, unaltered except for cuts to delete car noise and the conversation of neighbors, so that the music wraps around the birdsong.

With props to Harper Lee’s book, To Kill A Mockingbird, whose main character Atticus Finch teaches that it’s a sin to kill mockingbirds because they harm no one with their songs — a symbolic theme of the book — it’s wrong if not evil to attack or destroy innocent people.

“Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…. they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us.”

…………………….
DAW: Apple Logic Pro X
MIDI: Akai Professional Keyboard
E-INSTRUMENTS:
Concert Grand piano
SoCal Ballad Piano
Ambient Lead
Warm Glow Chords synth
Lunar Strings synth 
Fingerstyle Electric Bass
Deep Round Synth Bass
E-DRUM KITS:
Drum ‘N Bass Remix 
Trip Hop Remix 
Trip Hop Remix Phaser
Trance Remix
2-Step Remix 
African
Latin 

COVER ART is a composite using AI-generated images created by the DaVinci app and then designed in Photoshop.
………………..

.

Mockingbird


I was struck by an article in the Guardian 10 years ago about a woman who used to hang out and work with the Rolling Stones in the 60s and the article was about adapting to old age while having nostalgia for such a potent time in her life. For this recording I had to change one word - 70 to 80. Musically it needed to be rhythmic but melancholic: something you got from major and minor seventh songs in the mid 70s as disco kicked in



YESTERDAY’S PEOPLE

Yesterday’s people used to party, party, party
Yesterday’s people were so cool so cool so cool

There was a girl her skin so fresh and fine
There was a guy as smooth as a dark red wine
They were out there in a happening era
Face to face so close and nearer
Photogenic and oh so bold
But that generation has all grown old

In 69 it was crazy zany time
In London town all that music going down
Young people travelling - free love happening
Beautiful people philosophizing
Mary Jane twilight in the Mediterranean
That generation they’ve all grown old

If you’re talking to an 80 year old guy
Remember he - was Mr cool way back in time
Try to imagine the face much younger
The yearning soul hormonal hunger
Suite Judy blue eyes young people dancing
That generation they’ve all grown old


Yesterdays People

LOK! - NOT THIS WAY (Prod. LOK!)

"Magic is what we do. Music is how we do it." -- Jerry Garcia

Welcome to my page, my peers, associates, friends, and musical family. I'm a lifelong, multi-instrumentalist musician who records prolifically and joyfully. You'll hear me play guitar, bass (regular four string, and four and five string fretless), mandolin, banjo, keys (piano, organ, synth), lap slide, sitar, and sing on my recordings here. I've been in a few dozen bands in my life, playing everything from bluegrass, jazz, rock, jam band, reggae, funk, afrobeat, Middle Eastern, traditional Irish, singer/songwriter, pop/covers, to experimental/avant garde. 
  Since I found SoundCloud a couple years ago, I've found many talented, creative people with whom to create music. However, in the summer of '23 I formed a band called The Eclectic Collective with some of my favorite musicians I've met through here. It started as a loose collective of musicians and coalesced into a core group of musicians who find other musicians with whom we'd like to make music, then run their songs through our process, and in effect add a full band. That core of The Eclectic Collective includes Tez (Llanpsych), J.J. Terrel, Ken (K2 and the Three), Stephen (Texmex Shaman), Chris (cgmaness), and Mark (mistermark). A couple of other musicians are frequent collaborators, as well, including Artur of Surfers Like Us, and Steve Vervaet of Steve's World. More recently, we've been joined by Carl of The Beautiful Dark fame. 
  The magic of music is amplified exponentially by each person adding to it. So, we really try to add our sorcery all kinds of music from all kinds of artists. Sometimes, we keep it within the group, but a lot of what we do is collaboration with other artists. Therefore these days, 100% of what I do is collaboration, within the group or with other artists on the side.
  I, and we, are also available for hire if you have a song or lyrics and you really want to add bigger instrumentation or a band and good production to it. 
  A small sampling of the artists whom I consider primary influences, and whom you will hear coming through my fingers include Phish, The Flaming Lips, The Grateful Dead, Radiohead, Rye Cooder, Steve Earle, Miles Davis, Fela Kuti, Arcade Fire, Mikey Dread, Yellowman, Purpleman, The Meditations, Michigan and Smiley, Lee Perry, Dillinger, Django Reinhardt, Impossible Recording Machine, The Allman Bros Band, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Bela Fleck, Les Claypool, Sam Bush, David Grissman, John Prine, Talking Heads, Beastie Boys, MMW, Moe., Morphine, Ween, Steve Lukather, Michael McDonald, John Abercrombie, Dave Holland, John Scofield, Victor Wooten,  Cannonball Adderly, Thelonious Monk, Flea, Parliament Funkadelic,  Frank Zappa, Prince Paul, Pete Rock, Thievery Corporation, Amon Tobin, Chet Baker, Joao Gilberto, Stan Getz, Astrud Gilberto, Carol Kaye, Tame Impala, Mumford and Sons, Japanese Breakfast, LCD Soundsystem, Beach House, Sean Lennon, and Billy Strings, but of course there are many more. I also really like and am influenced by traditional Iranian, Palestinian, Indian, Sri Lankan, Sudanese, Mauritian, Somalian, Egyptian, West African, and Syrian music. I welcome anyone who plays non-western music to contact me for a collaboration, too.
 I'm overjoyed to have found my community on SoundCloud. This is a truly unique forum where everyone is sincerely trying to build each other up. The profoundly supportive and positive SoundCloud community has really opened up an exciting new world of collaboration for me. That is the main reason I'm in the Cloud, actually, to connect with other musicians and make music that I enjoy listening to, and hopefully others do, as well. I am ALWAYS looking to collaborate with interesting musicians, mostly though BandLab, which is where I record almost exclusively. It's a solid, free digital audio workstation hub where you can share recording projects, even if it's not where you make your recordings.
  Everything I do is live instrumental, not programmed, and using no computer beyond my phone. That's not to say that I would be opposed to using that kind of tool, it's just not my preferred medium with which to paint. If you like my music, please share it. If you want to collaborate, my BandLab handle is @bingo_pajama. Feel free to contact me at cornbreadband@hotmail.com, as well, even if you aren't on BandLab.
  If your music is primarily AI, please don't come around my page, as I'm not at all interested in complimenting a machine.
  Here's a link to music I've recorded live with a group of musicians here in Pittsburgh called The Northumberland Street Ramblers.
Check out The Northumberland Street Ramblers on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/fU4Me