The previous work title was 'Warsz'. 'Warszawa' is played on my Petrof upright piano with the middle 'study' pedal pressed. I replaced the vilt that demp the strings with a thicker vilt. It produces unexpected resonance sounds and a dark very warm sound as well. I often play with the 'study' pedal pressed (the middle pedal). Other sounds came from my PC3K8 synth I added later.
I was inspired by Warszawa from Bowie and the stories I read about this ambient track with Brian Eno. A city with an impressive history, The lack of freedom at the time of the iron curtain, the cold war was the inspiration for Bowie. Also the use of an existing composition for a choir made the track sound hopeful. But you may hear what you like to hear. It's Warszawa. 
My interpretation is a feeling of waiting in a park and think about the history of this city, a very big role in the history of Europa.

The three famous notes from the original intro I also use in this composition when I start playing  with the right hand.

Warszawa

Synergy

THE FACE OF ANGER

We live in times of turmoil where the face of anger rears it’s ugly head…

This very loud track came out of frustration for the shape of the the World today: crisis upon crisis, polarization in society and politics, the war in Ukraine, Iran’s tyranny towards it’s people… and very personal pain and anger for what my loved ones have to face…

This one is my catharsis against those things…

Dan

Music written, arranged, recorded and mixed by Dan van den Berg, November 2022
Guitars, bass and drum programming by Dan van den Berg
Guitar: Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HSH 2PT CM Mahogany Natural
Bass: Fender Performer Jazz Bass
Guitars recorded with AmpliTube
Music mixed and mastered in AURIA PRO
Cover art in Midjourney AI by Dan van den Berg

The Face of Anger | Dan van den Berg

Distant signals traveling through the galaxy searching for a listener.

85 Nights - Contact

Lyng for two pianos

Shiny Machine | remembering Eddie Van Halen

It's been three years now that we lost legendary Rock guitarist Edward Van Halen. In memory and celebration of his life and influence on me and so many others I have made a track in the vein of and heavily inspired by his music and playing.

I hope you can enjoy this tribute and that it will make you think of him and his joyful, loud and exuberant music.

-Dan

Recorded with the EVH relic Frankenstrat Guitar.
Track written, recorded and played by Dan van den Berg, loosely based on EVH music.

Recorded October 2023,
Recorded using Amplitube, AURIA.
Image AI and editing by Dan van den Berg

Shiny Machine | Remembering Eddie Van Halen |  Dan van den Berg

Backing track From the DVD "This is the way I do it by John Mclaughlin"

The first take (Backing Track - by John Mclaughlin - Drone in C - 11/4)

Finding a way to watch current events without falling into a pit of darkness.

Watching The News

Footprints is one of the most famous jazz tunes of all time.  Written by the incomparable Wayne Shorter, perhaps the greatest jazz composer of the 20th Century, Footprints is simply a classic and right of passage for jazz players.  The tune was written in the mid-60s, when Wayne was huge part of Miles' seminal quintet, and already one of the top Tenor Sax players in the world, and before he left to help form the fusion band Weather Report with Zawinul and Jaco.

Footprints' form is a modal blues, and graciously joining me here are two of the very finest modal players and instrumentalists on SoundCloud - Canada's Michel Martineau on Clarinet https://soundcloud.com/michel-martineau  and Norway's Ronny Heimdal on guitar  https://soundcloud.com/ronny-heimdal  

Michel's most important musical mentor has been Wayne Shorter, so it was only fitting that he be an important part of this recording.  Michel has created a beautiful harmony line to complement the head, when doubled with clarinet and a synth trumpet patch, bringing a warm color and his elegant phrasing to the recording.  His soloing evokes Wayne's searching, and is simply marvelous.

Ronny's superb guitar playing and musicianship has stood out to me since I first found him here on SoundCloud and asked him to play on my fusion composition Busting Out, which he just tears up.  He has impeccable rhythm, an appetite for improvisation and musical excellence, and a complete understanding of jazz-fusion.  His music here on SoundCloud is quite electric:), so he toned it down a little here to mix in with the acoustic clarinet, trumpet and piano lines.

I've been looking forward to recording this classic, and we are so very pleased with the music we have here.  Please check out both Ronny and Michel's galleries, including Michel's gorgeous 13 compositions he wrote and collaborated with during his previous bout with Colon cancer, one for each of his chemo sessions.   They are very sensitive pieces given the difficult to impossible road ahead that Michel was facing at the time, and stand as perhaps the finest collection of pieces and collaboration I have found here.  

Michel just learned less than two weeks ago that this most serious Cancer is back, and will have to aggressively fight it again, but has recorded Footprints because of his love of jazz, of Wayne Shorter, and because of how much your positive comments and words of feedback mean to his healing process.   While not one of his original 13 compositions, I will always think of this collaboration in a similar fashion, where you hear the beautiful voice and spirit of Michel's clarinet and Ronny's guitar as they reflect on some of the music that has been his most important over time to us.  

A true honor for me to perform with these professionals.  Enjoy Footprints.

Thanks as always for your time listening, for your comments, for your shares, and now... for your prayers.

Michel Martineau - clarinet
Ronny Heimdal - guitar
Jamie Rhind - keyboards (piano, trumpet, bass and drums)

Footprints - with Michel Martineau (clarinet) and Ronny Heimdal (guitar)

The first sequenced based disco hit I heard was from Donna Summer (music from Giorgo Morodor) in the seventies.  It was amazing that time when I was a kid. But most inspiring sequences in popsongs were made bij the Eurythmics (Dave Stewart).  When I was lookin for a title 1984 came up (Dave Stewart wrote the music for the movie). The story was a revelation in 1948 13 years before I was born. The thruth in 2018 is even worse! So why not a flashback to the future, go go go!
(When I was working on this doubleplusgood track in 2007 I heard the Knight Rider passing by after some time(ha!).)

doubleplusgood

A description can be found below the lyrics
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
An ordinary wart, that happens to grow on the sole of my foot.
It's hard and flat and consists of a core of tough warty tissue.
Buried in the skin of my foot by the pressure of standing.
By the pressure of standing (2x) pa pa pa pada pada (2x) paaaa.

chorus:
It's got slightly bigger, since she left for school.
Sister Joe's verruca has strayed from the pool.
It’s a wart with potential, a fashion essential,
limp with that curious knowing little smile.

Wish it had gone, left me alone, please go away, I love my soles. Go away.
Wish it had gone, left me alone. Go away. Please go away, oh I wish wish it went.
Aaaaaauuw-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-aaaauuuuuww

- chorus / instrumental interlude / chorus

Wish it had gone, left me alone, please go away, I love my soles. GO AWAY!!!
Wish it had gone, left me alone, please go away, oh, I want healthy soles.

- wart transmission event (small scale) / instrumental interlude / wart transmission event (large scale)

- last wise words (never recorded):
They can be picked up from damp floors in bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, and swimming pools.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verrucas is about those nasty warts on your feet. The song was inspired by an article in one of those magazines, living on a side table, only read when procrastinating. Nevertheless, a song about this fact of life appeared to be unavoidable. In 1996 writing commenced by R and me, upon which R emigrated to the other side of the planet. We never met again. A more or less complete version of the song was recorded in 1997-8 by D and me and baby F, but without female vocals. After returning fom the UK to the continent (Europe), M's vocals were recorded, somewhere between 2000 and 2005, nobody knows. In 2019 all tracks were sent to W, who escaped decades ago to a tropical island where he devotes his life to music. W finalized the piece, and here it is. Enjoy!

Music by FJ van der Wal, D Tellam, W Krikke, R Wilson, M Kikkert
Lyrics by D and adapted from 'anonymous' by FJ
FJ - keyboards, voices, recording
D - guitars, vocals
M - vocal arrangements, vocals
Freya van der Wal - vocals, bath
W - drum programming, additional keyboards and overdubs, audio editing, production

Verrucas

Nutmeg Nuisance is inspired by old-fashioned progressive rock. Some of our favourites are Happy the Man, UK, Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd, Zappa. Nevertheless, all of our music is fictitious and any resemblance to any music you know is more or less purely coincidental. Except when mentioned otherwise.

Verrucas

Nutmeg Nuisance

Recent comments

Allomerus

Allomerus

Wietze Krikke

Related tracks