3 Non Algorithmic Human Interactions represents a new compositional style for me and a new direction in my guitar playing, exploring elements of Minimalism and borrowing from Neo Classical composers such as Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm. The score for "Non Algorithmic Human Interactions" will be published by the Canadian publisher Les Productions d'Oz the same day the track is released.

Non Algorithmic Human Interactions 3 - The Promise Of Something New

Non Algorithmic Human Interactions 2 - What Time Is Now

Non Algorithmic Human Interactions 1 - What I Wish I Said

“Wherever You Are” is the music I hear in my head whenever I find myself in an empty public space. It’s the music of ghosts, and a kind of loneliness that can only be found in abandoned laundromats and airport terminals.  

All the sounds on “Wherever You Are” are made with a guitar. Layered, highly-processed guitar signals orchestrate a simple, declarative melodic line.

Wherever You Are

Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane is my first full-length collection of all original material. I’ve made a couple strictly classical records, but this project is a messy hodgepodge of musical influences—American mostly. There’s a string quartet in “Roadside Attraction” and a modified Bluegrass lineup in “Old Chuck Flynn”. I tried to let the songs dictate the arrangements and didn’t worry too much about sticking to one genre or another, which led to some surprising and often rewarding collaborations. Double-bass and mandolin wunderkind Erik Alvar contributed to four tracks, the amazing Coreopsis Wind Quintet sat in on “Cicadas at the Equinox”, Paul Petrucelli added some wonderfully oddball clarinet lines to “Mama is a Big Girl”, and I was fortunate to be able to call on the crack team of Natasha Peliska, Laurel Yu, and Marcos Vives for string parts. These were fun sessions with super-talented musicians, augmented by the remarkable sound engineer Pete Winter, the Man With the Golden Ears. Art design provided yet another inspiring collaboration. I sent the rough tracks to Shauna and Sarah Dodds, and Nancy Bell at Backstage Design Studio in Austin. They came up with some beautiful quirky images that really capture the spirit of the music (they also designed this website…pretty cool, huh?) 

The title Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane is a line I lifted from the album’s third track, “Old Chuck Flynn”. The line was originally a throwaway, but as other songs emerged, I began to recognize a few themes that reappear throughout the record. Turns out loss is a big one: missed opportunities, mixed signals, wasted youth…Most of the characters in these songs are lamenting something that either never was, or never could be. At times that makes them funny, other times tragic. I’ll let the listener determine which is which.

Oh, and for the guitar enthusiasts, there are two originals for solo guitar. You can buy the sheet music here. 

To download a copy of Vapor Trail from a Paper Plane, click here. If you’re really into iTunes or Amazon, pre-sale copies are available now, and should hit the streets Nov 15. You can stream the full record under the “Listen” tab on this page and on Spotify. 

We’re working on a bunch of live dates for Spring and Summer ‘14, some with the whole Vapor Trail Ensemble, some with a string quartet, and a few solo shows. Stay tuned for details. Thank you for listening—your support allows me to make more music!

Cheers,
Matt

Cicadas At The Equinox

For electric guitar, violin, cello, and piano

The title for this piece is borrowed from 19th century biologist Ernst Haeckel's theory that all life originated from a single protoplasm somewhere in the gunk at the bottom of the ocean. When Haeckel and his contemporaries introduced this idea to the nonscientific community, it caused more than a little discomfort. Apparently, the idea that homo sapiens evolved from gooey oceanic slime is somehow less appealing than having been formed out of dirt by a deity who vaguely resembles Jeff Bridges, and who’s attitudes toward his creation alternate between complete indifference and utter psychosis. 

It’s been a century since Haeckel postulated in favor of the slime. And yet school boards throughout the United States continually attempt to insert Jeff Bridges into science curricula (as if Jeff needs extra screen time). Plenty of musical works have been devoted to the mysteries of Jeff Bridges’ six-day creation spree. It’s a nice enough idea, and it’s produced some remarkable works of human imagination. But personally, I’m a fan of the slime. 

Matthew Cochran, 2017

Urschleim (Primordial Soup)

Steve Reich’s 1987 Electric Counterpoint brilliantly established the electric guitar within an art music context.  Reich originally imagined the piece performed by a single guitarist playing over a prerecorded track consisting of up to 10 guitars and 2 bass guitars. A version for guitar ensemble also exists with all parts performed live. First recorded by Pat Metheny on the 1989 Nonesuch release “Different Trains,” Electric Counterpoint has been performed, recorded, rerecorded and sampled enough that, even if you don’t know the piece, you probably kind of know the piece. I’ve performed Electric Counterpoint a few times using Pat Metheny’s backing track but I’ve always had a yen to make my own version. I found the experience of learning and recording all the parts profoundly inspiring. As an unapologetic gearhead, I also relished in the opportunity of deciding which guitar paired best with which amp, microphone, etc. for every part.*

Guitarist David Tannenbaum worked closely with Steve Reich while adapting the composer’s 1994 Nagoya Marimbas for two guitars. Tannenbaum’s recording features two classical guitars, but with some minor technical adaptations, Nagoya Guitars becomes an idiomatic gem for two electric guitars. 

For the very first release on my own Bend Records label, I performed all the parts, produced, mixed and mastered the project myself.

*Performing guitarists: I would be delighted to share my recording of Electric Counterpoint without the live guitar track. Please contact me for details.

Reich - Nagoya Guitars

Reich - Electric Counterpoint 3 - Fast

Reich - Electric Counterpoint 2 - Slow

Reich - Electric Counterpoint 1 - Fast

J.S. Bach Sonata BWV 1003 II Fugue

J.S. Bach Sonata BWV 1003 I Grave

Arranged by Cochran. TRIAD is Nancy Stagnitta (flute), Crispin Campbell (cello) and Matthew Cochran (guitar)

Jacques Ibert-Andante Espressivo from Deux Interludes performed by TRIAD

Max Richter's gorgeous "On the Nature of Daylight" arranged for multiple electric guitars and electronics. All parts performed by Matthew Cochran.

Matthew Cochran

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