Collaborations

The Parting Glass - Open Collaboration Project

Mark says,
"Making music with Rodolfo is always exciting and often a challenge, although I know we both find it stimulating, as we always aim to reach high and this post is no exception. This new song, started its gestation almost a year ago, instantly showed a lot of promise and since has been through many stages of exploration and rounds of problem-solving. The painfully blunt lyrics were initially inspired by a friend's brutal relationship break-up, but the final result is much heavier. I hope you find it moving rather than disturbing, I was trying to match the mood of Rod's deeply dramatic music."

Rodolfo says,
"I think it's a fantastic song and you've done an amazing job on both the story and the vocals, especially those tough lines. When I was writing it, I just felt like a modern blues with a techno vibe was taking shape. The final sound was defined by the story and those really dramatic, emotional lyrics. You might want to make it clear that it's a fictional story to avoid giving our friends heart attacks."

We appreciate all of the kind support that the Soundcloud community has given our collaborations. Thanks for listening and sharing your thoughts, Mark and Rodolfo

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix https://soundcloud.com/rplanes
Me - Vocals and lyrics

Moments of stress,
How did you deal with the rest?
All that is left of you and me,
Is wrecked.
How can we expect,
To go on when there’s nothing at all left?
 
…Left in the lurch,
You should have done more research.
I was truly never a safe bet for you…
For you could have made,
A much better match than you did with me.
 
Open your eyes,
I promise you won’t be surprised,
It’s been there before you,
All along, all of the way…
…Way before you had sensed,
That we had got it all so wrong by then.
 
Moments of stress,
All such a mess,
It’s anyone’s guess,
How it all went so wrong?
Moments of stress,
No more nor less,
Need I express,
How it all went so wrong?

Moments Of Stress - Continental Collision (by Rodolfo Planes/Mark J Bennett)

This is new take on a song that Rodolfo and I first worked on 4 years ago. He had always imagined it with fine saxophone and great backing harmonies and now that Continental Collision has a wonderful pool of talent to draw on, that has become a reality, thanks to Ce Mastro and Georg Boehme's beautiful contributions.
The song has been given so much more feeling and emotion.
Thanks to them and Rodolfo for believing that we could succeed  and thanks to all of you for listening.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix - @rplanes
Me - Vocals and additional lyrics
Javier Rolando - Original song lyrics
Ce Mastro - Backing vocals and chorus vocal arrangement - @cemastro
Georg Boehme - Sax solo and fills - @georg-boehme
Image (Caithness, Scotland): Courtesy of Douglas Corrance

A Stranger In Your Heart - Continental Collision featuring Ce Mastro & Georg Boehme

I don't know what I've done wrong?
I don't know why you have gone?
Though I hope some day,
When I whisper your name,
We'll be together.
But today's too soon.
When I think of you, I dream.
Yet still, I'm a stranger,
Yet still, I'm a stranger in your heart.

Sometimes I feel like a fool.
Never knowing whether you'll,
Give me hope some day,
Still I call your name.
We'll be together.
Is today too soon?
When I think of you, I dream.
No longer a stranger,
No longer a stranger in your heart.

A Stranger In Your Heart - Continental Collision (featuring Ce Mastro and Georg Boehme)

Three Owls are
 Régulo Tortolero: Drums, Bass, Cuatro Venezolano and lyrics 
 Oorlab https://soundcloud.com/oorlab : Lead Vocals and Backing Vocals, Piano, Strings and lyrics
Mark Bennett: Lead and Backing Vocals and lyrics

Recorded at NoHum Studio, El Limón - Venezuela and Oorlab Studio, Amersfoort - Netherlands and Edinburgh, UK 2025. Mixed by: R.T. ©® NoHum Records 2025  All Rights Reserved

Recorded and Produced by Three Owls 
 Art Cover: Mark J Bennett

Régulo (AKA @kings-of-manguareo) in Venezuela started this project a year ago with a piece called ‘Al Paso C’.
After several evolutions involving Dick (Oorlab) and myself, then the new title was suggested by Régulo and we ventured into space, with a ‘Musical Consequences’ scenario. I started off the lyrics, then Régulo added some lines and finally Dick completed them. Soundcloud is a great place for experimentation. Many thanks to my collaborators and also to you for taking part by listening, Mark

Am I the follower?
 Pleiades am I bound? 
Pleiades I am bound,
 I am the follower.

Aldebaran, Aldebaran, Aldebaran, Aldebaran… 
Never going, never going… coming back!

The fiery eye of Taurus,
 Trains its gaze upon, 
Orion’s shiny belt 
And it's perfect triad
 Over all of us
 For all eternity…

As long as the sun will shine
 And the magnetic field  
Stays well aligned 
The World will keep itself  
On course.

The long night will turn around
 Winter solstice is here 
Aldebaran will rise
 The ice will disappear

Aldebaran by Three Owls

Tom Régnier https://soundcloud.com/tom-r-gnier approached me with a beautiful piano piece and with the words 'Kiss Me Goodbye' to ask if I could make a song lyric out of this. After receiving my short sung part and having superb contributions from Jussi Welin https://soundcloud.com/juswel (Guitars and guitar arrangements) and Georg Boehme https://soundcloud.com/georg-boehme (Flute & Horns), Tom described it more as a journey than a song and I think he is right.
Painting by Paul Cézanne.


Kiss me goodbye
Now is the time
For us to part
Let it show
With all of your heart
Kiss me goodbye, let me go

Kiss Me Goodbye - Tom Régnier & Friends

Mark says - 
In the 5 years I have been working with Rod, I have been encouraged to reach as far as my experience allows me to, with complete support at all times. So far we have completed 11 songs and have experimented with several others that made for a great learning curve for me, with several more at other stages of development... Watch this space, however as we are methodical and patient, therefore it may take some time to get them off the ground.

The subject matter of this song may be based on a different scenario but it is also a token of my gratitude to my inspirational collaborator and friend Rod, who has given me much confidence to rise to the ambition of his musical creativity and meticulous arrangements. Thank you all for giving this song your time.

Rod says - 
This song was conceived a long time ago to be sung in Spanish, but Mark did a magnificent adaptation with his English lyrics, and the meaning is 100% faithful to the original spirit, even though he hadn't heard the original song in Spanish. Technically, there are three voices together, consolidating a multi-vocal performance. The synth sounds emulate my old analog and FM synths, and the guitars were routed through an old console to achieve the vintage sound I was looking for.

Rodolfo Planes - Music composition, instrumentation, arrangement, production and mix - @rplanes
Me - Vocals and lyrics
Image by Douglas Corrance

Thank You (Rodolfo Planes/Mark J Bennett)

I would like to tell you just how grateful I am,
And also how important you’ve been here in my life.
I know I don’t need to draw you a diagram,
Thank you for being there all this time as my wife.
I have to tell you just how good you’ve been for me,
And I hope that I have also been there for you,
When you needed me through all this trouble and strife.
 
No need to show me all of your gratitude,
I already know how much you show that you care,
When you were prepared to move to my latitude,
Then I was convinced I was ready to share,
My life with you whatever it threw at the both of us.
I know that it’s true, no matter what you care to say.
I’ll always need to express all of my thanks to you 
This will always be true on that I swear.
 
I would like to tell you just how grateful I am,
And also how important you’ve been in, in my life.
I have to tell you just how good you’ve been for me,
And I hope that I have also been there for you,
When you needed me through all this trouble and strife.
Then I was sure that I was ready to share,
My whole life with you, whatever that meant for the both of us.
I know that it’s true, whatever you say.

This song on Continental Collision's own cloud - https://soundcloud.com/user-517923604/thank-you

Thank You - Continental Collision (Rodolfo Planes & Mark J Bennett)

When Lee Lucas posted a collaborative version of this song before Christmas https://soundcloud.com/lee-lucas/lee-lucas-mark-j-bennett-the-parting-glass, he suggested that I put out an open invitation for anyone to collaborate with the original stem. Of course, I appreciate that grafting any type of arrangement on to an acapella vocal track isn't easy but I'd welcome any approach. This is an Irish traditional song but it may well withstand a modern arrangement. The vocal stem has lots of reverb and echo on it but should you need a drier stem to work with, just message me and I can send a naked version. Also feel free to take some liberties with this should it lend itself in any other treatment. 

I raise my glass to those brave enough to listen to me tightrope-walking and also to those who might consider taking on this challenge. Cheers!


Of all the money that e'er I had
I have spent it in good company
And all the harm that e'er I've done
Alas it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all

Of all the comrades that e'er I had
They are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er I had
They would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all

A man may drink and not be drunk
A man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl
And perhaps be welcomed back again
But since it has so ought to be
By a time to rise and a time to fall
Come fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all
Good night and joy be with you all

The Parting Glass - Open Collaboration

My take on Mark J. Bennett's open collaboration of "The Parting Glass". Just some free piano, that's all.
Thanks for sharing this Mark, it was a delight to play along with.

The Parting Glass - Mark J. Bennett With MLucas

When Mark J Bennett posted his a Capella, vocal rendition of this classic song as an open collaboration, I was immediately drawn to his wonderful and heartfelt performance. I then stumbled upon the version done by Matthew Wilson, in which he created a flawless piano accompaniment for Mark's vocal. To their magnificent work, I added some orchestral touches and present the outcome of this three way collaboration here. We all hope you enjoy our collective work. 

To hear more of mark's music, go here: https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett

and to hear more of Matthew's work, check out his page here: https://soundcloud.com/matham-wilsoned

The Parting Glass

This is my input on Mark Bennett's collaboration project "The Parting Glass".  I promised to do it ages ago but was finding it difficult to find the right approach and also match the slight shifts in timing in Mark's lovely original acapella. My version doesn't match the musical standards of some of the previous contributors because I lack their skills, but hopefully offers a different view of the song. To me, this is a song sung by a person who knows he's not coming back, hence the way I have ended it.

The Parting Glass - Mark J Bennett - ft enlimila

My second collaboration with Mark, here the first:
https://soundcloud.com/fugaaa/crazymodernjazzorchestra-crazy-happyness-gianni-fuga-and-mark-bennett
"The Parting Glass" is a traditional Irish folk song written a good few hundred years back, and one that became very popular with the Scots even as far back as the 18th century. It was that popular in Scotland that it may have even inspired the great Robbie Burns to write the poem "Auld Lang Syne" which was put to music and became even a more of a tradition for the Scots to bring in the new year.

My friend Mark Bennett, singing, made an open collaboration:
https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett/the-parting-glass-open-collaboration
I first heard it in the beautiful version of my friend Lee Lucas:
https://soundcloud.com/lee-lucas/lee-lucas-mark-j-bennett-the-parting-glass
Here the other versions:
https://soundcloud.com/markjbennett/sets/the-parting-glass-open

It sounded like a beautiful song (I didn't knew this traditional song), so I wanted to try and put the music, suggesting Mark to add some vocal harmony, he once again sang the whole song ...
Here's the result, I hope you like it.

The Parting Glass (Traditional)

Mark J. Bennett - Vocals
Gianni Fuga - Piano and other

The words are as follows:

Of all the money that e'er I had
I have spent it in good company
And all the harm that e'er I've done
Alas it was to none but me
And all I've done for want of wit
To memory now I can't recall
So fill to me the parting glass
Good night and joy be with you all

Of all the comrades that e'er I had
They are sorry for my going away
And all the sweethearts that e'er I had
They would wish me one more day to stay
But since it falls unto my lot
That I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call
Good night and joy be with you all

A man may drink and not be drunk
A man may fight and not be slain
A man may court a pretty girl
And perhaps be welcomed back again
But since it has so ought to be
By a time to rise and a time to fall
Come fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all
Good night and joy be with you all

Mark Bennett: The Parting Glass - ft. Gianni Fuga

Recorded at home, this is my first set of proper recordings since A Driven Man.

The Parting Glass - with Mark J. Bennett

2023 - For the past few months I've been working with Public Resource, a California based non-profit to release an extensive collection of older music for free use. In addition to audio, we'll be releasing the music as MIDI and musicxml. Last week we started posting a new featured piece every week on the Public Resource Soundcloud page (@PublicResource). Follow there, or look for frequent reposts here. It'll include classical music, pop music before 1927, ragtime, folk songs, and more. The main collection will be at the Internet Archive, and will be called the "Internet Jukebox". I'll post more about it as it grows.