This is an excerpt from another demo - totally different project and studio than the last demo (A).

This game studio wanted something sad, remorseful, melancholy, with a bluesy flavor. They also wanted me to make sure it could be used during a dramatic scene with dialogue, so there couldn't be too much going on.

All improvised over a glacially-slow 12 bar blues, I asked for everyone to play as little as possible - just what was needed to keep the music on life-support. First I tracked B-3 organ and drums (notice how little you hear the drums? That's how little I asked him to play). Then I overdubbed a few guitar licks, mostly sticking with one small idea and playing around with it whenever I reappeared. It still needed something else... so I managed to have a very talented singer come in and just hum a little - she played off what she heard and added just what the track needed to be soulful yet restrained.

07.22.15 - Demo B

A work in progress that never progressed. An experimental process experimenting with processing.



08.19.15 - Surreal Surroundings

Track written and recorded for the MAFIA 3 soundtrack, co-composed with Jesse Harlin. Named "11th Hour Blues" because I kept coming up with terrible names for this track, and I came up with this right before getting on the plane to go to the recording sessions, at the proverbial "11th hour".

MAFIA III: 11th Hour Blues

Some sweet soulful solos from Paul Brannon (guitar) and Jim Hoke (harmonica). Written and recorded for the Mafia 3 video game soundtrack.

MAFIA III: Going Down Slow

This tune actually came from my initial demo to try and score this gig. Evidently they liked it! Inspired by Muddy Water's "Mannish Boy", written and recorded for the MAFIA 3 soundtrack.

MAFIA III: Boy Becomes A Man

One of many of Ronan Chris Murphy's best mixes - it takes a good arrangement and sensitive musicians to make all these parts fit together, but it takes a great engineer to make them all shine.

MAFIA III: Crush 'N Shuffle

Heading deep into the bayou with Mark Baldwin and Paul Brannon cutting heads on acoustic and resonator guitars while Brian Fullen and Craig Nelson hold down the groove. That's me on the mandolins, for a little extra color and flavor.

MAFIA III:  Splintered Past

It's 1968 - we gotta get a little fuzzed-out-psychedelic, right? Killer solos by Mark Baldwin and Paul Brannon. Written and recorded for the MAFIA III video game soundtrack.

I Got Numb

MAFIA III: I Got Numb

Backwoods bayou boogie-woogie. Guitars: Mark Baldwin and Paul Brannon, Harmonica: Jim Hoke, Bass: Craig Nelson, Drums: Brian Fullen. Written and recorded for the Mafia III video game soundtrack.

Swamp War Stomp

MAFIA III: Swamp War Stomp

A pile-driving backbeat with 5-piece horn section. Guitar solos by Mark Baldwin and Paul Brannon. Written and recorded for the Mafia III video game soundtrack.

Howl

MAFIA III: Howl

I got a chance to play a little electric bottleneck on this one - that's me playing the harmony slide guitar parts at the beginning of this tune. Written and recorded for the MAFIA III video game soundtrack.

MAFIA III: Shudder 'N' Moan

Written and recorded for the MAFIA III video game soundtrack. The reason for the name of this track is probably best left a mystery...

MAFIA III: JBar Blues

Written and recorded for the MAFIA III video game soundtrack. Hard-hitting Northern Mississippi blues-inspired swamp rock.

MAFIA III: Devil In The Woodpile

Written and recorded for the MAFIA III video game soundtrack.

MAFIA III: Straight Razor Blues

Double-tracked drums and a skull-crushing bass and baritone guitar  combined with full horn section, harmonica, and B-3 organ. Written and recorded for the MAFIA III video game soundtrack.

MAFIA III: First Man Down

I create music for interactive media: video games, VR/AR etc. (credits include: Perception, Mafia III, BioShock Infinite, Mortal Kombat series). I also write music for the concert stage.

NO WORK WILL EVER BE POSTED HERE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION, AND PROJECTS WILL ONLY BE REFERRED TO WITH THE UTMOST DESCRETION.

Jim Bonney: Sound Sketches

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