Gabriel Fauré's "Chanson d'amour," reimagined in a contemporary jazz context.

01 Chanson D'amour

Poem by Kathryn Sparks from her "Lullabies and Nocturnes" poem cycle, inspired by Chopin's F Minor Nocturne.

Poem:

Sunset begins as dawn is barely ending, 
The day a secret known to but a few 
Who see such light without yet apprehending That their mortality is old while new, 

That death will follow birth in shorter seasons 
Than anyone admits or likes to know, 
Yet even such tight brevity has reasons 
For relishing the afternoon’s brief glow. 

Say this, if you would savor for its beauty 
A life as short as sorrows make it seem: 
That recognizing light remains a duty, 
And relishing the colors of its gleam 

A pleasure that entrances more compactly, 
Succinctly, for the smallness of the day, 
And teaches us to see such joys exactly 
Within their span, before they fly away. 

The moon, appearing ere the sun has faltered, 
The sun chasing her tail toward the moon, 
And all the stars that follow them, are altered 
In sight because I know they vanish soon,

 And I with them, but dream that time will lengthen 
Enough to let me see another day, 
Wiser for seeing afternoons that strengthen 
And nourish me by coloring the way. 

Sunset begins as I was barely crying, 
Newborn, and night appears and quickly wins, 
Yet even as I feel I’m fainting, dying, 
I know life’s beauties when sunset begins.

Sunset Begins

Missa Lucis is a six movement mass inspired by Jazz and Classical traditions.  Composer, lead soloist, and pianist Justin Binek premiered this work at the University of North Texas on February 29, 2016.

Missa Lucis II. Gloria

Missa Lucis I. Kyrie

Full Album: "Songbook" by the Justin Binek Quartet (2013).

8 You Don't Know This Man

5 Au Bord De L'eau

4 In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning

3 I'll Remember April

2 Simply Enamored

1 There Is No Greater Love

SSAA Arrangement of "There Is No Greater Love," performed by the University of North Texas's Avenue C vocal jazz ensemble. Chart available from Sound Music Publications.

Apr 12, 2015 Avenue C

There Is No Greater Love (Vocal Jazz Chart - Avenue C)

SATB chart for vocal jazz ensemble, arranged by Justin Binek. Recording features the Avenue C vocal jazz ensemble, featuring Ian Ambrose on lead vocal and Luke Wingfield on trumpet.

Apr 03, 2016 Avenue C

I Remember Clifford (vocal jazz chart)

SATB + rhythm section arrangement of Van Morrison's "Moondance," with a vocalese lyric to Bobby McFerrin's 1982 scat solo written by Justin Binek. Chart available from Sound Music Publications!

Justin Binek's Album

Moondance (vocal jazz chart)

Inspired by a friend who had a friend who wanted to know what Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" would sound like if the bass and keyboards were all performed by the Swedish Chef. I added lead vocals and beatboxing as well. This was recorded in less than twenty minutes' time, and - with the exception of a little reverb - has not been edited... And it shows. ;-)

Justin Binek

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