Name: strange bird by Mike Dillon (project ion)
Duration: 1 min 46 s
Description: Strange Bird is the third movement and second fable of my song suite, "What Would Aesop Say Today?" This is a true story from when my son was three years old. We were playing in the yard when we heard this strange sound up in the sky. It grew louder and eventually was just above our heads. Just what was this uninvited noisemaker? Listen and find out...

Strange Bird is the third movement and second fable of my song suite, "What Would Aesop Say Today?" This is a true story from when my son was three years old. We were playing in the yard when we heard this strange sound up in the sky. It grew louder and eventually was just above our heads. Just what was this uninvited noisemaker? Listen and find out...

strange bird

Several weeks ago I shared this song arranged for string quartet. Here is the original version mixed and mastered by the great Ben Rogers way back in Autumn of 2008. This is a duet with an amazing musician and friend, Noah Lefebvre, who plays guitar, sings and makes his mouth sound like a kazoo! (I still don't know how he does it). 
How many times does the music change?

strange changes

This spooky song has a trick and a treat. The trick is that the term 'ghosted' is used in three different ways. Just what is this song about? The treat is the strange, eerie instrument in the background; the theremin! It is an electro-magnetic machine that only requires that you wave your hands through the air, like you just don't care. 
Happy Halloween!

Ghosted

This song was written in 2020, which we all know was not a bowl of cherries. As grim as it was, I am thankful to have had the time to write many songs. Two of them included opposites in each phrase of lyrics, and this is the first. Tune in next week to hear part two!

Opposable Thoughts

As promised, here is the second song featuring opposites. I wrote this song at the same time as "opposable thoughts", so I think of them as twins. I added some spoken interjections at the end as it fits the cynical nature of the piece.

Put In Your Place

My very first song! Way back in November of 2007, I searched for music about Thanksgiving for a lesson but was unsuccessful. I took a chance and wrote some bars about some of the things I look forward to on that day. I was lucky to get to record this song with two great friends and musicians: Ben Rogers and Matt Robidoux. 
Happy Thanksgiving!!!

giving thanks

I would call this a song experiment. I wanted to hand out two large dice at a concert and the number would determine which part they sang. All twelve parts are presented at the beginning and then each repeats in a round. Eventually, all the parts repeat and we hear them swirling around until they fade away. I took the theme from Mahler's first symphony and added lyrics that all start with the prefix 'di' or 'two'.

roll the dice

This groovy song is a tribute to two performing artists who I have admired for a long time: Bernard Purdie and Jason Purdy. The former is a legendary drummer who has played on countless albums with famous artists, including James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Steely Dan. He is known for his precision and the "Purdie Shuffle", a half time beat with triplets, that I try to emulate on this track. Jason Purdy is a magician that I first saw perform when I was ten years old. He is a master of his craft and can do both close up magic and big stage illusions. I would not have done any magic if not for him! He is depicted in the second verse just before the magical sounds take over, enjoy!

Mighty Purdy

I believe this is the second song that I wrote back in 2007. Little did I know that it was the first of many songs to come where I cram in many words and syllables. I wanted it to sound like a snowglobe, and my friend suggested Baoding Balls (therapy balls) which made a magical sound!
His name is Ben Rogers and he mixed and mastered this track and I am forever grateful.

winter waltz

This is the fourth song written with my son, Oliver. He loved the character Mr. Tickle from the old Mr. Men books. His arms would stretch across the room to tickle anyone who wanted to laugh. One day we were playing as these characters when he started singing this little tune. I added a fast beat and a song was made. Unfortunately, I never got a recording of him singing it, so I did my best rendition. 
Get ready to laugh...

strange bird

Mike Dillon (project ion)

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