Here's a few snippets of improvised solos and compositions that I've written or contributed to over the years. It was interesting to look through these again, back to back.
I'm pleased with how varied they are. The solos reflect the pieces, rather than stamping the same narrative all over them. It's so important, for me, to get into the identity of a piece and it's something I'm keen to talk over with my students.
From "Ropes"
Les Chisnall - Piano
Jen Langridge - Cello
Iain Dixon - Clarinet
Psappha String Orchestra
This piece was written for Annie, my Mother. It's what she used to say after snow had fallen. She never said 'slippery underfoot', just 'it's slippy underfoot'.
I added the 'still' bit. Because it is.
From "Ropes"
Iain Dixon - Soprano Saxophone
Psappha String Orchestra
Ropes MV 3 is part of a suite of three movements based on a sea shanty I wrote and orchestrated. I took this little ditty and made three seperate but sibling pieces that twisted it into distant reflections of one another.
From "Ropes"
Mike Walker - Guitar
Iain Dixon - Clarinet, Tenor Sax
Gwilym Simcock - Piano
Adam Nussbaum - Drums
Steve Watts - Bass
Psappha String Orchestra
This track was originally written for my 2008 studio album of the same name. It's a piece that is reflective of my time growing up as a kid in the 70s with an older Brother, two Sisters, and Mother. It was, frantic and free. There was a wild beauty to it.
From "Madhouse And The Whole Thing There"
Mike Walker - Guitar
Iain Dixon - Saxes
John Ellis - Fender Rhodes and Hammond Organ
Sylvan Richardson - Bass
Myke Wilson - Drums
This piece was wholly improvised by the Madhouse band. We did a few takes but this was the best. Again, it's from my childhood. Mother suffered from Schizophrenia. She was hilarious and her timing was 'spockless'. She said she was proud to be something she couldn't spell. A funny stoic. Incorruptible.
The Impossible Gentlemen
Mike Walker - Guitar
Steve Swallow - Bass
Gwil Simcock - Piano
Adam Nussbaum - Drums
Laugh lines I wrote as a kind of modern burning bebop melody with chord/scale changes every 4 beats... This was an exciting take I thought ... listen out for Adam at the end... I think he liked it.
The Impossible Gentlemen
Mike Walker - Guitar
Steve Swallow - Bass
Gwil Simcock - Piano
Adam Nussbaum - Drums
I thought the guys captured this tune beautifully. This we did in one take. We didn't feel we needed anymore. I also added a live version that we played in 2010 at the RNCM in Manchester (below). It was interesting to hear the contrast in solo direction.
Live version
The Impossible Gentlemen
Mike Walker - Guitar
Steve Swallow - Bass
Gwil Simcock - Piano
Adam Nussbaum - Drums
This is one of Gwil’s pieces. He wrote it to give us a more straight ahead blowing opportunity. Swallow and Adam park dead centre of this vibe.
Storyhouse Big Band
Storyhouse Big Band
Taken from a live Big Band gig for Chester Festival in 2019, this is sax player Andy Scott’s piece, Tampico. The solo has a more 70s Los angeles studio vibe to my ears.
The Quartet
Dave Holland - Bass
Norma Winstone - Voice
Mike Walker - Guitar
Gwilym Simcock - Piano
This was more a spontaneous get together. This was actually just for this one gig but we enjoyed it immensely... so free and creative within a more standard genre. I think more will come of it. In fact, I have plans to do some concerts with Norma and another lovely piano player, Kit Downes, in the future.
Holland, Walker, Simcock
Dave Holland - Bass
Mike Walker - Guitar
Gwilym Simcock - Piano
The piece is an Impossible Gentleman piece but we thought it would work in this format. Actually a strong piece works in any format, and I think it’s a strong piece.