“You” is the title song off of our first album. I laid down the piano part with Vicki on lead vocals and I contributed backing vocals.  The lyrics describe the feeling of losing someone and dreaming about still wanting that person and a shared past history.  I added all the other parts to this track.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/you/335226434

FA piece from the Equinox album "You" written by David and Vicki Salisbury in a swing style that has a voacalise section inspired by the Lambert, Hendricks and Ross vocal trio.  This features pedal steel backing track and John Stowell on guitar synth.  I laid down the piano part and arranged the backing musicans.  Ths lyrics talk about how to play the game and feel better with your lot in life.  his track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/feelin-better/335226439

Feelin' Better

A piece from the Equinox album "You" written by David with David on lead vocal.  This intial bass riff of this song was inspired by Rikki Don’t Lose That Number by Steeley Dan with a bit of a country feeling to it and features a pedal steel solo with Obo Ade on djembe.  I laid down the piano track added sax as well. The lyrics talk about how shouldn’t pay attention to what other people think but be confident in what you think.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music:  https://music.apple.com/us/song/i-dont-care-anymore/335226437

I Don't Care

This was originally written in the early 70s as a love song to a girlfriend that Vicki imroved the lyrics on.  This song swtiches between a latin groove and swing and a shuffle groove influenced by Jethro Tull as I was focusing on flute at the time.  I laid down the piano and parts and arrange the backing musicians including Obo Ade on djembe and Will Bartell on pedal steel.This features John Stowell on electric guitar (http://www.johnstowell.com/).  This track can be purchased our website vickisalisburytrio.com: 
https://www.vickisalisburytrio.com/store-1/p/ycohkb6ism3yeqdnind1q8o49no480

My Shadows Feel Blue

Originally written whilst I was living in Boston attending Berklee College of Music is a song about taking charge of your life. This was recorded in Talent Oregon at Web Stanton's studio.  I laid down the piano track and arranged the contributing musicians parts and added the backing vocals and tenor sax parts.  It is available for purchase on Apple Music at: https://music.apple.com/us/song/the-drifters-song/335226458

Drifter's Song

A piece from the Equinox album "You" written by David and Vicki Salisbury in a  bluesy style that switches between and upbeat blues and a sexy slow blues. This has the usual addition of me on lead vocals for the first swing section of the song and Vicki lead vocal for the bluesy slower section of the song.  This has somewhat risque lyrics with a suggestion infidelity and sexual attraction.  I laid down the piano and sax parts and arrange the backing musicians including druma and pedal steel.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music:  https://music.apple.com/us/song/red-side-of-the-blues/335226464

Red Side of the Blues

A piece from the Equinox album "You" written by David and Vicki Salisbury and written in a 7/4 metre. This track features John Stowell on guitar synth with a flute sample and Obo Ade on djembe drum and a pedal steel player.  The lyrics have two layers on by David one by Vicki in a dialogue that describes the two connecting.  I laid down the piano part and arranged the backing musicians.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/forever/335226465

Forever

This song is from the second album by Equinox “We Can Save the World” and built on a driving rhythm.  In the middle section under the flute line is nod to Balinese Gamelan with two interlocing parts.  Vicki’s lyrics are about taking control with the confidence that your actions can change the world. I programmed all the backing tracks, played the flute part and added vocal harmony.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/we-can-save-the-world/335263488

We Can Change the World

This song is from the second album by Equinox “We Can Save the World” and built around the use of open chords with substitute bass lines.  Vicki’s lyrics ccreate the imagry of a person in a demanding work environment that seems isolating but at the end of the day they have that special or ‘right” person in their life. I programmed all the backing tracks.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/somebody-right-in-my-life/335263574

Somebody Right In My Live

This is a track off our second album and evokes a metaphysical message of taking charge of your own happiness.  Vicki wrote the lyrics and I wrote the music and programmed all the backing tracks and added the alto sax part.  This track can be purchased on the Vicki Salisbury Trio website:  https://www.vickisalisburytrio.com/store-1/p/we-can-change-the-world

Ecstasy

This track is a country swing cover of the Hank Williams hit and is on the third album by Vicki and David Salisbury recorded in 2006 in Townsville, Queensland at Michael Whittiker's studio musicians from the local jazz community. Lyrically it describes the sense of optimism that arose from all of the volunteers who helped people after cyclone Larry hit tropical north Queensland. This track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/hey-good-lookin/336630053

Singer With A Song

Hey Good Lookin'

The is a big band version of an example that I used in a composition class to demonstrate building a song from a single riff and how a melodic line can have more than one harmonic progression under it.  It is available for purchase from my website jazzchartsplus.com at the following link: https://jazzchartsplus.com/shop/p/con-artist-big-band-chart\

Con Artist

This song was co-written by me, Vicki and our son Wesley who wrote the lyrics.  Wesley’s lyrics reflect on accepting things as they are and staring over again.  It was recorded at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith New South Wales.  I played the piano track and arranged the backing musicians, including the drum solo, who were students at the TAFE college were I was teaching. This track can be purchased on The Vicki Salisbury Trio website:

https://www.vickisalisburytrio.com/store-1/p/whitsunday-dream

Is It Only Me (It's a Beginning)

This track is on the third album by Vicki and David Salisbury recorded in 2006 in Townsville, Queensland at Michael Whittiker's studio musicians from the local jazz community. Vicki’s lyrics use well know song titles as a means to describe her drive to be a singer.  I arranged the backing musicians and added the alto sax part and solo.  This track can be purchased on The Vicki Salisbury Trio website:

https://www.vickisalisburytrio.com/store-1/p/whitsunday-dream

Singer With a Song

This song was written by me as a reaction to a letter from my second daughter who was living in the United States whilst I was living in Australia.  The lyrics use the letter and a phone call to create a dialog between me and my daughter.   It was recorded at the Joan sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith New South Wales.  I played the piano, flute and sax tracks and arranged the backing musicians who were students at the TAFE college were I was teaching, including the male vocalist on the track and Vicki as lead vocalists.  This track can be purchased on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/song/both-afraid-to-cry/336630049

Both Afraid to Cry

This song was co-written by me, Vicki and our son Wesley who wrote the lyrics.  Wesley’s lyrics reflect on days gone past how they feel now in the present and accepting things as they are.  It was recorded at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith New South Wales.  I played the piano track and arranged the backing musicians who were students at the TAFE college were I was teaching.  This track includes a cello background as well as backing vocals.  This track can be purchased on The Vicki Salisbury Trio website:

https://www.vickisalisburytrio.com/store-1/p/whitsunday-dream

The Wind Cries

This is a big band version an original chart that was originally an instrumental played by a band I was in called Ademas that performed in the Pacific Northwest of USA in the seventies.  This features a trumpet 2 solo and alto 1 solo.  It is a Jazz Charts Plus chart so there is the additional combine score and part (flutes and clarinets doubling saxes and trumpets with french horn, baritone and tuba doubling the trombone parts. There is a mp3 of the combine version, the big band version and just the rhythm section for players to practice with. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to your repertoire. This chart with score and parts can be purchase at my website:  
https://jazzchartsplus.com/shop/p/blue-funk-big-band-chart

Blue Funk Mixdown

This is an original chart inspired by the Griffith Conservatory Con Artist Big Band and dedicated to John Hoffman the original conductor of the band. It is for an intermediate level band and features a trumpet section soli, alto sax solo, tenror sax solo and shout chorus. It is a Jazz Charts Plus chart so there is the additional combine score and part (flutes and clarinets doubling saxes and trumpets with french horn, baritone and tuba doubling the trombone parts. There is a mp3 of the combine version, the big band version and just the rhythm section for players to practice with. It is aimed high school, college and community band intermediate level and is a lively addition to your repertoire.The lead trumpet ranges goes up to [A] above the staff. The score and parts can be purchased at my website: jazzchartsplus.com/shop/p/con-arti…-big-band-char

Con Artist Mixdown

This chart was originally part of a series I wrote for concert band called A Week Suite.  This series had a composition for each day of the week.  I rescored this for Big Band as I was directing the Stokes Nicholson Big Band in far north Queensland at the time.  It has been performed many time over the years by several bands. It features alto 1, trumpet 2, tenor 1 solos and band soli.  It is aimed at high school, college and community big band intermediate level. This can be purchased at my website jazzchartsplus.com at the following link: https://jazzchartsplus.com/shop/p/monday-mixup

Monday Mixup Mixdown

Continuing my fascination with odd time signatures this chart is in 11/4 (3,3,3,2 and 3,3,2,3), 7/4 and 4/4.  In addition it was originally written in November 1974 for a combo I was in at the time and was performed as a big band chart at Berklee College of Music by Phil Wilson’s lab band in 1983.   It features an alto 1 solo and an optional piano or vibraphone solo.  This chart has swing and latin grooves that provide contrasting section of the charts.   It is aimed at high school, college and community big band advanced intermediate. This chart can be purchased at my website: https://jazzchartsplus.com/shop/p/eleven-seventy-four

Eleven Seventy Four Mixdown

This is the first in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures, modal and chordal structures.  This piece with the subtitled Rise and Shine evokes early morning in for north Queensland on the beach walking my Chocolate Labrador and watching the sunrise over the bay.  This was recorded at James Cook University by Arthur Athan who had won 1st place in the 2015 Australian Concerto and Vocal Competition held annually in Townsville, Queensland. This can be purchased from my website at the following link: https://www.nemomusicpublishingclassical.com/shop/p/piano-sketches-studies-of-metric-phrases-no-1

Piano Sketches 1 (Rise and Shine)

This is the sixth in a series of 10 solo piano pieces I wrote to explore time signatures (this one is in 6/8 or 6), modal and chordal structures. This piece with the subtitle of Half Full Half Empty evokes a sense of optimism or pessimism depending on your outlook on life.  and focuses on quartal and quintal chord structures and modal melodies. This is a digital recording from my Sibelius program using NotePerformer.  This can be purchased from my website at the following link:  https://www.nemomusicpublishingclassical.com/shop/p/piano-sletches-no-6-for-solo-piano

Piano Sketches No. 6 (Half Full Half Empty)

This track was recorded at Nirimba TAFE college in New South wales, Australia the didgeridoo player had three didgeridoo in three different pitches.  This is the first track titled Swim or Birrkili in Yolgnu language it features bass, guitar, drums, percussion and I am flute.

Yidaki Jazz Swim_mixdown

This track was recorded in 1994 during my fieldwork in West Sumatra documenting the Talempong ensemble.  It was one of the songs I was tracking across the Luhak nan Tigo in the highlands to see if there were significant variation between the various Talempong groups

Siamang Tagogau (Shocked Monkey)

Guntuang Siriah

Kelok Sembilan (Nine Bends In The Road)

Ramo Ramo Tabang Tinggi (Butterfly Flies High)

Jerry's Blues_Boston Conservatory_1980_mixdown

I Can't Stop Thinking of You

This Big Band chart is part of a trilogy of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young songs and is from the second album Deja vu by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, after Neil Young joined the group. This song was written by Stephen Still and released in 1970. This chart moves between swing and a rock groove. This chart features a Tenor 1 sax solo and band soli. It is aimed at high school, college and community bands and is an intermediate level (grade 3) chart with the lead trumpet range up to [G] above the staff.

Carry On_2025_V2.2_Soundcloud

This Big Band chart is part of a trilogy of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young songs and is from the first album Crosby, Stills & Nash, before Neil Young joined the group. This song was written by Graham Nash and released in 1969 when I heard it for the first time on my little transistor radio late at night broadcast from a pirate radio station out of Mexico as I was living in Los Angelas at the time. This is scored as a swing chart with a solo and soli section in a Latin Groove. This features a Trombone 1 solo and a Tenor 1 Sax solo. It is aimed at high school, college and community bands and is an intermediate level (grade 3) chart with the lead trumpet range up to [A] above the staff.the staff.

Marrakesh Express_2025_Soundcloud

This Big Band chart is part of a trilogy of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young songs and is from the album Crosby, Stills & Nash, after Neil Young joined the group. This song was written by Graham Nash and released in 1970 when I heard it for the first time on my little transistor radio late at night broadcast from a pirate radio station out of Mexico as I was living in Los Angelas at the time. This is scored as a swing chart with a solo and soli section in a Rock Groove. This features a Tenor 1 Sax or optional Guitar solo and a Trumpet 2 or optional Vibes or Guitar solo. It is aimed at high school, college and community bands and is an intermediate level (grade 3) chart with the lead trumpet range up to [A] above the staff.the staff.

Our House_2025_Soundcloud

This is a Latin Rock Big Band version of the 1987 hit for Basia. It features a Guitar or Vibes adlib solo or combined written solo. Trumpets 1 & 2 play the intro melody melody at the beginning of the chart. Saxes play the main melody with the trumpets taking over the chorus section. It is aimed at an intermediate to advance intermediate high school, college or community band.

New Day For You_soundcloud

This is a Big Band arrangement of the title song from Basia's 1987 album of the same title. This is one of her biggest hits and features vibes and guitar on the opening melody with an option adlib guitar or vibes solo or combine written solo. It is aimed at an intermediate high school, college or community band is one of three arrangements I have published completing my Basia Triology.

Time and Tide_Soundcloud

This is a Big Band version of the Steve Winwood song made popular by Blind Faith.  This features an optional Vibes or Guitar adlib solo or combined as written solo. The trumpets play the main melody with a band soli before the solos.   It is aimed at an intermediate high school, college or community band.  The lead trumpet ranges goes up to [A] above the staff.

Can't Find My Way Home_Soundcloud

This is a big Band version of the1982  Halls and Oates hit.  It features vibes and a sax soli section based on the recorded sax solo.  It is aimed at bigh school, college and community big bands at an intermediate level.  This will be a crowd favourite!

Maneater_Soundcloud

This is a Big Band version of Katrina and the Waves 1985 hit.  It features trumpet, trombone and sax solis and is an energetic and upbeat addition to any band's repertoire.  It is aimed at high school, college and community bands and is at an intermediate level.

Walking On Sunshine_Soundcloudwav

A piece from the Equinox album "You" written by David and Vicki Salisbury and recorded at Web Stanton studios in Talent Oregon in 1988.  This started as a riff I use for a jingle for a store in Ashalnd Oregon called Nimbus.  Vicki added the lyrics in which someone is reflecting on life at age 35.  This features John Stowell on Synth guitar and I laid down the piano part and all other backing tracks.This track a a jazzy swing style to it. This track can be purchased on Apple Music:
 https://music.apple.com/us/song/ode-to-35/335226468

Ode to 35

David is a graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston USA. He graduated with honours (Cum Laude) with a degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging.  David studied for two years at the Boston Conservatory of music as a composition and saxophone student studying with Chris Roze and Larry Thomas Bell, both Julliard graduates, for composition as well as Hugo Norden for counterpoint, John Adams for harmony and Pasquale Principe for saxophone and clarinet.

Dr. Dave

Popular tracks