Original Jazz CD Preview

"Try Again" is a complete take of an original tune from my jazz project that was titled "Destination". This was an electric-viola project, but I am replacing those tracks with 10-string. Most will be electric, but this one sounded sweet with the Buchanan. Brilliant playing by my colleagues back in Chicago---Neal Alger on guitar, Mike Arnopol on bass, and Tom Hipskind on drums.

https://soundcloud.com/twtunes/try-again-1

Equipment notes---a new purchase, Shure KSM32 large-diaphragm condenser mic, was really nice. it has a generous and forgiving cardioid pattern, and consistent frequency response off-axis. Smooth highs with no bumps.

I blended in a fair amount of Headway undersaddle pickup to fatten the mids and make a more "jazz" tone.

I hope to have the CD ready by sometime this summer. It has contributions from Jim Gailloreto on sax and Vijay Tellis-Nayak on Rhodes electric piano and Hammond B3. I was honored to play with these top Chicago sidemen. Sessions were at Vijay's own studio, and I am overdubbing and mixing at home now.

Yeah!

Tom,
I look forward to your CD. Bravo!

Here's a clip from what will be the title cut, using the electric mando. Direct into interface from overdrive pedal after tone shaping using Baggs Para DI.

Mando, Rhodes piano, guitar, bass, drums.

https://soundcloud.com/twtunes/tailwindclip

Makes me want to get a gin and tonic, a straw hat, sit outside with my bride. :)

Great stuff Tom!!!

Thanks, Pete. I also posted the full-length version:

https://soundcloud.com/twtunes/tailwind-mando

Delicious!

Good stuff, Tom!

But a 10-string mandolin? Wouldn't that be a mandolalin? Or mandolinola? :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Teak

Good stuff, Tom!

But a 10-string mandolin? Wouldn't that be a mandolalin? Or mandolinola? :)

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Thanks! The makers of the instruments call them mandolins.

I have made progress recently on the CD project, and here are two more clips.

"Don Quixote" is a gospel-blues sound on themes from Richard Strauss's orchestral tone poem of the same name. Vijay Tellis-Nayak played soulful B3 organ, and Jim Gailloreto joined on tenor sax. I am again using my Almuse 10-string solid body, direct into board.

https://soundcloud.com/twtunes/don-quixote-clip

"Missing" is song from Beck's CD "Guero". More from Jim G on sax, Vijay on Rhodes piano.

https://soundcloud.com/twtunes/missing-clip

I had hoped to complete this project last summer, but I was learning so much from playing in a jazz workshop I was reluctant to put anything down. With my aging fingers suggesting no time to waste I expect to finish up soon.

This is a challenging task, as I am overdubbing onto previous tracks from sessions in Chicago where I played electric viola. The goal is to match the vibe, the groove these excellent sidemen laid down. I feel the results are a success and will offer the finished CD as both hard copy and download. The song list is 7 originals and one cover, the Beck song.

Recording is complete, and I will be offering this project as a CD and a digital download from CDBaby. Mixes are close but I want to give them a bit of time listening before finalizing. Please check the two new clips, my original tune Don Quixote and the Beck cover, Missing, at Soundcloud.

I use my Almuse throughout except on Try Again. Setup was straight into the interface from my overdrive pedal.

I’ll have a formal release announcement soon.

Very cool stuff! (will be looking for you on CDBaby) :-)

What's the tuning on the 10 string?
I'm looking at making a 10 string octave, going up to B to get up into the Mandolin range.

Also, thanks for going 10 string on the electric. I'm not a huge fan of the single string courses on electrics.

C

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Carl23

Very cool stuff! (will be looking for you on CDBaby) :-)

What's the tuning on the 10 string?
I'm looking at making a 10 string octave, going up to B to get up into the Mandolin range.

Also, thanks for going 10 string on the electric. I'm not a huge fan of the single string courses on electrics.

C

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CGDAE. I stick with mandolin scale so I can reach close-voiced chords not possible on longer scales. This project was begun as jazz viola, so not much chording in it, but in my other jazz playing I am often the harmony role.

Tom,

I hear you about voicings.

I'm working on getting my hands on a 10 string to at least try out.

My teacher has agreed to bring in his 10 string octave (I think it's a slightly longer scale than what I'm looking for, but beggars can't be chooser) a little play time there should give me my answer.

I'm assuming limited chords in first position, but I'm hoping for some flexibility by setting up around the 7th fret.

Looking forward to your CD!

C

I am embarrassed that it took me until now to react to CDbaby closing its "store" for physical CDs. I set up a page at Bandcamp for the Tailwind release:

https://tomwright1.bandcamp.com/album/tailwind

I will also be using this platform to release an all-acoustic solo CD and digital download. The working title is "5 x 2", as it highlights the 10-string mandolin. It will consist of selections from the Bach solo cello suites, choros by Hamilton de Holanda and Dudu Maia, and some other solo numbers, classical and jazz. I hope to release it this fall.

Tentative cover art:

Attachment 187565