The tracks included here (in reverse chronological order) represent my favorite 20% or so of the several hundred finished cd tracks I recorded from late September through the end of the past year.  I've used my personal typology of Chill (slow, potentially relaxing), Fever (fast, intense, arousing), Jaunt (varied, generally moderate pace in the sonic space), and Phantasm  (mysterious, weird, fantasy-arousing, or slightly off-kilter)to roughly characterize each track.  Although I find it difficult to attribute traditional genre terms to my music, "free jazz" and/or "edgy ambient"  may provide the closest potential labels in most cases.  The nebulous categories of "exploratory" and "experimental" almost always apply, but I've tried to be a bit more specific in this and my immediately prior playlist upload.   I hope you enjoy at least some of my offerings.

Herb's favorites for late Sept--Dec 2020

Delicate Maneuver II (286.7 - July 2021)

Singing bowls having some fun, and playing with their neighbors.

Bowl Whispering (370.6 - 03/2022)

Special Soundcloud upload; first  in some time (see Herb Leff on Bandcamp for my most recent albums--and likely eventual album follow-ups for this offering).  A most enjoyable and direct one-shot continuous recording session using my new Alesis digital piano and connected Roland Handsonic percussion synthesizer.  My main guide in playing the several individual pieces embedded in this hour-long track was to evince and evoke strong feeling and emotional expressivity.  I also continue to be inspired by Keith Jarrett's notion when playing live concerts of striving to create a special state of consciousness as he plays, which can simultaneously arouse a similar experience in listeners.

SWEET SUITE: Piano/Percussion Solo Improvisations (early July, 2023)

The lead-off track on my "Balmy Interludes" album, released today (12/07/2023) on herbleff.bandcamp.com--available there as a free download.

Interlude 518.6 [from album Balmy Intrerludes; free to download on my "Herb Leff"  Bandcamp site)

The lead-off track from album "Rhapsodic Resonance: Gongs Getting It. On"--released Jan 2, 2024 on "herbleff.bandcamp.com"--ad-free listening and optional download available for whole album.

Oasis II (from "Rhapsodic Resonance" herbleff.bandcamp.com)

ZOOM 212 Open Concept Duo: "OPEN CONCEPT DUO RIDES AGAIN" (1st piece in  jam on Jan. 2, 2024)

Open Concept Trio jam on 1/10/'24). Herb on Rav drum; Steve on soprano sax; Brian with varied percussion and wild and crazy loops, among other things.

ZOOM 218. Open Concept jam 1/10/2024

Opening "serious" track for our Open Concept Trio jam on Jan. 10, 2024.  Herb Leff on Rav metal tongue drum; Brian Merrill on hand-crafted giant monochord; Steve Rosen on soprano sax.

ZOOM 217 Open Concept Trio 1/10/2024

Candidate for inclusion in upcoming album entitled "Dreams Yet to Be," which will build on the pieces in my prior album "Echoes of Dreams Yet to Be" (released in 2022 on herbleff.bandcamp.com).

"Fleetingly" - The Dream (531.1)

A continuation of Open Concept Trio's very informal jam session on 1/25/'24. Similar instrumentation to Zoom 225, although Steve comes in with his new didgeridoo later, and some casual conversation slips in along the way. Informal, as noted!

ZOOM 226 Open Concept Trio jam on 1/25/'24, #2

This was our surprise 2nd finale on our Open Concept (Quartet) jam on the day of Spring Equinox during this Leap Year (2024).  For this special track, Otis Cleveland started out on his shakuhachi, while Herb Leff came in on a tremolo harmonica, Brian Merrill joined with one of his flutes, and Nick McKennitt let gently loose on electric guitar.  Other instruments of course came into the mix as the piece developed....

ZOOM 263 "The Equinox" (2nd OPEN CONCEPT finale for jam on 3/19/2024)

Track candidate for CAVE SERENADE album (H1-e)

A piano impromptu based on intuitive, expressive play on my dual digital pianos (without significant electronic arpeggiation on  this track).

Candidate track for "Quiet Disturbances" album (in preparation)

This is a possible track--or perhaps layer in a track--for an upcoming album entitled "Cave Serenade."  I used a hand-held digital audio recorder allowing variable distance targeted miking.

"Great Gongs in the Cave"  [H1 053124 075653]

Dual digital pianos with internal arpeggiator active on one. Candidate for Rhapsody Bouquet album (planned for release on Bandcamp).

Rhapsody Album Candidate ZOOM0519 Tr1.WAV

This album is intended as a celebration of expanded  electronic accompaniment for the  dual arpeggiating digital pianos in the "Electronium"--my master electronic music studio.  The enhancements add significant synthesizer and electronic processing options for simultaneous use with the paired pianos.  Normally, such electronic additions are used sparingly when improvising on the pianos, but for this album they are featured to help create very complex, multifaceted new compositions.

"Electronium Emanations" track candidate (ZOOM0593 Tr1.WAV)

Jam on 9/120/'24 [Herb, Brian, Otis & Julia Cleveland] ZOOM0094

ZOOM0929 Tr12.WAV

ZOOM0965 Tr12.WAV

ZOOM0111 jam on 10/08/'24

Gongaru Pounded True (102024 - 205820.WAV)

ZOOM0070 Tr12.WAV

Piano/Electronica Synergy-ZOOM0074

Piano/ Electro Synergy ZOOM0081

LIkely inclusion in upcoming album from master dual-digital piano/electronic-music studio.

ZOOM0104

Integration of live-played digital pianos + electronica with solo Etherium recording.

Piano-Electro/Etherium Synergy ZOOM0127

This candidate track for my upcoming album "ALTERNATE ETHEREALITIES"  (initial release slated for "herbleff.bandcamp.com") starts with mixed-metal percussion from the "Etherium" studio and moves on to feature chromatic tremelo harmonica, bass metallophone, gongs, and vibraphone.

Ethereality 11/09-1910 (Pure Etherium)

Harp played in unusual tuning and style; candidate for upcoming album.

Surreal Harp Solo [121324 - 065018]

Candidate for upcoming album featuring solo harp played in unusual style with unusual tunings and implements.

Surreal Harp Solo [121324-071351]

A Peace Piece  by Herb Leff (Piano Improvisation ZOOM0488 - 1/07/2025)

Jam on Aug 26--start {Herb, Brian, Steve, Otis, Julia, Wade} ZOOM0209_TrLR

Jam 0n 8/19. ZOOM0208_TrLR

ZOOM0213_TrLR

a quick trial of piano combined with gongs and chimes

110625-191053: Cave Piano + Percussion

Herb Leff - Sly Scintillations - 03 Scintillation III (471.15)

Herb Leff - Sly Scintillations - 02 Scintillation II (471.9)

Herb Leff - Sly Scintillations - 05 Scintillation V (472.02)

Herb Leff - Sly Scintillations - 06 Scintillation VI (472.03)

Herb Leff - Sly Scintillations -  04 Scintillation IV (472.01)

The music here arose from my explorations into new realms of layering electronic and acoustic sounds and motifs, often including complex rhythmic and percussive patterns.  In addition, I've sought to evince episodes of rising and resolving tensions--both sonic and psychological.  To this end, electronic timbres and effects are frequently employed, infusing the ambience of various (mostly percussive) acoustic instruments. The overall aura sought in this album is music that vibrates in subtle and sometimes tinglingly shimmering  ways.  [Go to my Playlists-ALBUMS here on SoundCloud for all 6 tracks on this album.  To download, please go to  herbleff.bandcamp.com, where all of my albums are available.]

Herb Leff - Sly Scintillations - 01 Sky Sly (471.16)

Let's Hear it for Panliness (219.1: Dec2020)

No Words Allowed (219.6: Dec 2020)

Along Came Now (219.8: Dec 2020)

Deep Haunts (219.11: Dec 2020)

*Shifting Sifting (220.1: Dec 2020)

[NOTICE: I am now ALSO posting new albums to "herbleff.bandcamp.com"--available there for free adless casual listening and also downloadable.]
 Retired Psych prof w/ specialties in creativity, psych of art, and environmental/utopian psych; strong interest in percussion improvisation most of my life.  Now making electro-acoustic music almost full-time.  [Note on instrumentation and recording:  I have three sonically connected music studios:   (1) a basement area with acoustic and electronic drums,  marimba, synthesizers,  chimes + sundry odd percussion, and several gongs; (2) a room filled with a wide range of musical bowls (singing and otherwise), hanging chimes and gongs,  large metal drum,  tuned pipes, electronic percussion, and vibraphone + crotales set; (3) an electronic "finishing studio" with all sorts of synthesizers, my master mixer, effects devices,  a cd recorder, and two music computers.  I use several portable digital recorders (with both internal and external mics) for all acoustic recording and to sonically interconnect the three studios.  All of my recordings are built from "live" sessions with effects mostly integrated into the playing process.  I generally record a dozen or more finished cd tracks per week and periodically select some of my favorites for internet uploading.   My main goal in this is to enjoy life, grow musically, and share what I create with anyone who cares to listen.  [Update note, summer 2023:  I have recently added a pair of digital pianos that are promising to transform my  musical life.  Stay tuned, both here and on my Bandcamp site.].

Herb L

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