I've always admired Larry Carlton and according to others that has influenced both my composing and my playing.
This track was an effort to write a tune where I decided to focus a lot on chord tones both for the melody and the solo.

Private Songs 2024

Living With A Memory

My musical roots are quite firmly planted in the music coming from the Los Angeles studios in the 80s and 90s. 
Some call it smooth jazz and I really don't disagree.

Worthwhile

I wrote this tune when I felt I wanted to get back to the sounds of the 80s but with a definitive touch of the present.
FM synths for bass beefed up with some virtual analog, some funky guitars and a massive beat.

Moving The Meter

Just a simple ballad in a West Coast LA style made popular in the 80's and 90's. Musically, I grew up with this style so every once in a while I revisit.

Heartstone

Every once in a while I feel the urge to do some country picking. Sometimes I revisit and old tune or sometimes I write a new one. In this case I merged to older tunes into a new arrangement. 
The reason I wanted to do some country this time is that I created a preset on the Tone Master Pro that I really like and I used that for all guitar tracks on this tune.

Western Headware

A bit of soul with organ and guitar as main ingredients. I'm going for a Dumble ODS vibe with the guitar.

Don't You Think

Back in the 80s I listened a lot to Lee Ritenour and whenever I play clean I think that influence shines through. Not the least in this tune.

Five Days Hence

I don't know if anyone can hear it but two of my main funk influences are Prince and Mark Lettieri. To my ears that's kind of obvious here.
One day I wanted to play some funk so I wrote this.


Spicy Funk Food

I started getting seriously into music in the late 70s and the 80s so there's were my main musical influences can be found. Both as a player and a composer.

This tune channels some of the lighter guitar fusion styles from that era. The guitar sound I was aiming for here is that of a Dumble ODS on its brighter side.

Force Of Habit

My goal with this track was to create a tune that would reflect my influences from the 80s. Larry Carlton for guitar and Michael McDonald for the arrangement.
Many people would probably call this Smooth Jazz but, personally, I'd call it Smooth Pop as the jazz influence is fairly minimal.

Living With A Memory

Mats Nermark's tunes

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