Casa Valdez Studios

When You Meet Her- Charlie Mariano (3-horns)

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 00:27:35 PDT

Here's another 3-horn chart of Mariano's When You Meet Her, from the Toshiko/Mariano Quartet record. This has to be my all-time favorite Mariano tune. Dan Gaynor scored this for alto, trumpet, and either tenor or bone. There is only one master rhythm part for piano, bass and drums. I asked Dan to make a separate piano part, so I may add that later. This tune is in the Mariano fake book that I posted, but in that book it is two separate tunes that were combined by the time of this recording. The first part is in 4/4 and used to be called The Walrus and the 3/4 middle section was called Somabule.

When You Meet Her

Friends, stress, moving and travelling

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:28:30 PDT

That's for all the great comments and friend requests on Facebook. I haven't had much time to respond to all of you because my life has been incredibly stressful lately. If you're thinking about buying or selling a house right now- DON'T. I've spent everyday on the phone over the last few months with real estate agents, mortgage brokers, roofers, painters, city planners, contractors, and window guys. It has been getting more and more insane and as we're getting closer to closing on the house we're selling and the house we're buying. All the regulations for appraisers and lenders has just recently changed and we're the first batch of people to get screwed by them. I never want to go through this hellish torture again for the rest of my life.

If everything goes as planned, and so far nothing has, I'll be signing papers and moving next Tuesday. Thursday I leave to teach at the Prague International Summer Jazz Workshop. No pressure or anything.

I've commissioned Dan Gaynor to arrange a bunch more three horn charts for me, which I'll be posting here for all of you, most of these new charts are Lawrence Williams originals. Keep checking back because I'll be posting this material soon.

2 and 3-horn arrangements by Ben Doital

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:43:45 PDT

"Here are two more arrangements. One is a two horn arrangement of The Song Is
You, and I included a rhythm part per the request. The second one is hardly
a standard, but may still be fun to play in case anyone is interested. It¹s
a three horn arrangement of a re-harmonized Israeli song from the 80¹s. It¹s
got a pretty melodyŠ."- Ben Doital

Song is You & Asher Tiel

The art of Lawrence Williams

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:31:41 PDT

The last few years of Lawrence Williams' life were fraught with health problems and financial setbacks, but he never let himself get discouraged or depressed by them. Even when he lost his leg and couldn't play the drums anymore he treated it as a minor setback (if that). His reaction was to just compose more music and to start working with pastels. I've never met anyone with as much inner strength as Lawrence possessed. He was always highly grateful for everything that he experienced, even things that most people would consider tragedies. To Lawrence, these life struggles were simply opportunities to take stock of his life and to learn to grow as a person. He always had another grand musical project planned, and though these sounded like grandiose fantasies at the time, more often than naught he actually pulled them off.

I hope you appreciate the Lawrence Williams charts that I've been posting here. You won't find this music anywhere else. It's really amazing stuff.

Here is a video clip of an interview I did with Lawrence in 2002.

Here's an album of Lawrence's beautiful pastels that I posted on Flikr.

Two horn chart of Warne Marsh's Background Music

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:01:48 PDT

Background Music

More Konitz/Tristano charts

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:49:07 PDT

Lead sheets in concert key

Afternoon just before sunset- by Lawrence Williams (arranged for 3-horns by Dan Gaynor)

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:39:54 PDT

Afternoon just before sunset- 3-horn chart

Desert Flower- by Lawrence Williams (arranged for 3-horns by Dan Gaynor)

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:33:53 PDT

Desert Flower

Inner Strength- by Lawrence Williams (arranged for 3-horns by Dan Gaynor)

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:30:53 PDT

Inner Strength- 3-horn arrangement

Friend me on FaceBook

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:46:12 PDT

It's always nice to keep in touch with my regular readers, so send me a friend request....

My FaceBook profile

Alphabet Soup EAST- Hip-Hop/Jazz

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 12:13:46 PDT

Alphabet Soup is a Hip-hop/jazz band that was formed in the early 90's in Oakland by some of my close friends in the Bay Area. The first Soup gigs were in a basement speakeasy called something like Captain's Corner. This place served only beer and Jagermeister and was in an awful part of town, so bad in fact that when bands played we had to hire security to escort patrons to and from their cars. There were always voluminous clouds of weed smoke hanging in the air of this nautical themed converted basement. Several other popular 'Nu-Jazz' (I hate that term) and Funk got their start at this illegal club. I played there regularly, with the quintet that I co-led with tenor saxophonist Kenny Brooks for years, until one of the patrons got shot outside the club. At that point we started looking for safer venues. It was sure fun while it lasted though.

Alphabet Soup became a major force in the Groove Jazz scene that was exploding in San Francisco in the 90's. People were calling this music Hip-Bop (Hip-Hop/Be-Bop), which eventually became Nu-Jazz (STUPID!). There were usually rappers and/or turntable-ists, funky drums grooves and modern sounding Jazz melodies and blowing. Charlie Hunter's trio was starting to become wildly popular around then. Kenny Brooks and I played in Hunter's Quintet D'Gengis, which was just four horns and Charlie. Pianist Dred Scott (who also plays drums), Charlie, Kenny Brooks and I would go out on Telegraph ave near UC Berkeley and busk on the street. We were always playing great sessions at Dred's Oakland loft with players like Joshua Redman, Eric Crystal, Click Dark, Wilber Krebs, Scott Amandola, Liberty Ellman, Dave McNabb. It was kind of a thriving little East Bay loft scene.

It was an exiting time because all of a sudden Jazz musicians discovered that if they just added some Hip-Hop grooves to their music they could actually play in popular clubs for lots of young people, what a shocker that was. Of course Miles discovered this back in the 60's, but it was a pretty big shift in the San Francisco club scene at the time. Young people are fickle about their musical tastes and soon enough the Swing dancing fad overtook many clubs. Alphabet Soup stayed together through the years, going through several different MCs, drummers and bassists. Kenny Brooks and Dred Scott kept the band working regularly through everything. When Charlie Hunter became a national act he took Kenny out on the road with him and I subbed for him for a while. Dred eventually moved to NYC and Jeff Chimenti (now with Rat Dog) took his chair while Dred was back east, though Dred would often make it back to SF for gigs.

Recently Kenny moved to NYC (he actually has cribs on both coasts) and it was only a matter of time before the Soup had their first NYC gig. Rapper CB made the trip out for the show and former West Coasters Jesse Murphy and Diego Voglino joined the band on bass and drums. Murph (who I grew up in Santa Cruz with) is one of my all-time favorite bass players. Last time I saw him play he was on Letterman playing with the Brazilian Girls. He came out wearing nothing but tight swim trunks, a bowler hat and electrical tape on his nipples!

In all the years that Soup has been together I'm sure that they have only rehearsed a handful of times, IF THAT! I wonder if they even rehearsed for this recent gig? After all, the loose weed-fueled vibe of the Soup is what made the band so special. This gig sounds great and Kenny B is absolutely KILLING it.

First set of Alphabet Soup East

Alphabet Soup's MySpace page
Kenny Brooks' home page
Dred Scott's home Page

SoundCloud

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:51:12 PDT

I just discovered a very cool site called SoundCloud that allows you to transfer, share and sell music. The basic free membership allows you to upload up to five tracks per month. There are no limits on file size and you get a nice looking page with all your tracks on it. SoundCloud allows you to easily share your audio files on Facebook, MySpace, Digg, StumbleUpon, Delicious, or by email.

They also give you a widget, which I just added to this blog, that allows other people to send you music files. All in all pretty damn cool. It would be perfect for anyone in music production who moves a lot of big files and doesn't want the hassle of an dealing with an FTP program.

My Casa Valdez SoundCloud playlist

SoundCloud: The Tour from SoundCloud on Vimeo.

More three horn charts

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:30:04 PDT

Regular reader Ben Doital contributed these nice three horn charts. More to come from Ben soon!

Airgin & Milestones (old)

Die Chris Potter, die! All the Things solo transcription PDF

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:54:04 PDT

A few months ago I posted a clip of Chris Potter playing an insane solo version of All the Things. Saxophonist Ben Doherty has gone and tackled the unbelievable feat of transcribing the entire solo! No kidding, this thing is 19 pages of pure ridiculousness.

Ben, have a little too much free time on your hands buddy?!

All kidding aside, this solo is an amazing example of Potter's mastery of the instrument, and also an example of Ben's extreme tenacity (it took him many months to finish).

Audio of Chris Potter playing All the Things You Are

Potter's All the Things You Are PDF

Transcription's Pool: Free Solo Transcriptions!

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:26:12 PDT

Pere Soto turned me on to a nice site that offers free downloads of solo transciptions. There are 94 saxophone transcriptions, 147 guitar transcriptions, and a handful of transcriptions for other instruments.

Transcription's Pool

Charlie Mariano's obituary- written by his daughters

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:05:17 PDT

Charlie Mariano

Born Carmine Ugo Mariano on November 12, 1923 in Boston MA died June 16, 2009 in Cologne Germany at the Mildred Scheel Hospiz. Charlie’s music career spans from 1940 when at the age of 17 his sister Colina gave him his first saxophone to 2009 when at the age of 85 he was still performing and recording music. Charlie served three years in the Army Air Corps during World War II where he met his first wife Glenna Gregory. Following his service in the military he became a student at Schillinger House (now Berklee College of Music) graduating in 1951. He became a well known alto saxophonist during his time with the Stan Kenton Orchestra and Shelly Manne through his West Coast era. In 1958 with wife and four daughters in tow Charlie returned to Boston to teach at Berklee where he immersed himself in the Boston jazz scene. Along with Herb Pomeroy and Ray Santisi he founded the Jazz Workshop which became a popular jazz club featuring many jazz greats. During this period he met and married Toshiko Akiyoshi and formed the Toshiko Mariano Quartet. Afterwards he also performed with Charles Mingus and appeared on the Black Saint and The Sinner Lady and Mingus Mingus Mingus albums. At this time his fifth daughter was born. From 1965 to 1971 he raised two of his daughters as a single father while teaching at Berklee. During that time he moved to Newburyport and formed a rock fusion band called Osmosis with local pianist Charlie Bechler. Prior to moving to Europe his sixth daughter was born with his partner Charlotte Bulathsinghala. While in Europe he played and recorded in many diverse musical genres including jazz rock fusion, South Indian music and contemporary European jazz. Charlie is considered one of the pioneers of world music.

He is remembered by his family as being a fun and loving dad who enjoyed eating lobster, ice cream and playing cards and scrabble by the beach. He also was a very deep and spiritual man who taught his children important life lessons.

He leaves behind his wife Dorothee Zippel Mariano, sister Connie Rosato, and daughters Sherry Mariano and her partner Joe Giarrrusso, Cynthia Mariano and her husband Bruce Blanchard, Melanie and her husband Albert Lamar, Celeste Mariano-Perrigo and her husband Peter and their brother Paris Mariano and his wife Lisa. Daughter Monday Michiru Sipiaguine and her husband Alex, and daughter Zana Mariano. Grandchildren Hillary Griffin, Gemma, Gwendolyn, Lila Fay and Albert Carmine Lamar and Nikita Sipiaguine; Great grandchildren Emily and Rachel Griffin. Nieces Lois Stevens and husband Gary, Pattie Mclay and husband Ken and many cousins and other relatives in Italy and the USA.

Charlie was predeceased by his parents Giovanni and Maria (DiGironimo) Mariano from Fallo, Abruzzo Italy and his oldest sister Colina (Mariano) Pauletti.

Charlie was cremated in Cologne Germany and his ashes were shipped to the family where they will be buried in the family plot in Boston. A memorial service is being planned by the family to celebrate his life but the date has not been set so please stay tuned…

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to the Charlie Mariano Scholarship fund at Berklee College of Music.

More of Dan Gaynor's 3-horn arrangements- hot off the press!

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:49:51 PDT

Here are three beautifully arranged three horn charts that I hired Dan Gaynor do for me. I posted two of these before, but they were just two horn versions. The three horn charts are on another level entirely.

As I wrote before, Dan Gaynor is available to arrange and transcribe whatever you may need to have done. You can contact him at: dan@dangaynor.com

Round & Round & Round
Feather Bed
Palo Alto

Thingin'- Lee Konitz

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:52:09 PDT

Here's Konitz's Thingin' by request. The alto part has the intro/ending written, but the concert part doesn't.

Long Yellow Road- two horn arrangement

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 02:07:44 PDT

Here's another tune from the Toshiko/Mariano album that Pere Soto arranged for me. Toshiko composed this one.

Long Yellow Road- alto/trumpet/rhythm charts
Long Yellow Road mp3

Lawrence Williams charts for three horns

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:48:25 PDT

Here are two arrangements that I commissioned Dan Gaynor to do for my three horn group. They were composed by my close friend and mentor Lawrence Williams, who passed away a few years ago. Lawrence was a master drummer and world class Jazz composer. Both of these tunes are very challenging, but incredibly hip. The instrumentation is trumpet/alto/ tenor (or bone). Jeri Allen recorded number 3 on her CD The Nurturer.

No one writes like Lawrence Williams.

Number 3

Number 6
Number 6 mp3

More?

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:58:41 PDT

You guys interested in more arrangements? I have a bunch of two and three horn charts that I could start posting here. So far I've only gotten feedback from one person about the stuff that I've posted recently. Server space is getting pretty tight, so I don't want to be filling up precious space with stuff that no one's interested in.

Let me know, pleeeeeease.

LT- by Lee Konitz

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:42:51 PDT

LT mp3 from our gig at the Tugboat
(missing the first couple bars of the first head)

Konitz's Skylark reharm

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:24:06 PDT

Here's a cool Lee Konitz reharm of Skylark that Dan Gaynor transcribed.

An audio clip from our gig at the Tugboat last weekend: Skylark mp3

Two horn arrangement of Konitz's Round & Round & Round

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:26:38 PDT

Here's another Dan Gaynor arrangement of one of my favorite Konitz tunes called Round and Round and Round. It's arranged for alto and tenor and it's a blast to play once you get the hang of it.

Dan Gaynor is an excellent arranger/transcriber and he's available for hire if anyone needs anything transcribed or arranged. He's quite reasonable and lightning fast. He's working on a bunch of three horn arrangements for me at the moment and I highly recommend him. You can reach him at: dan@dangaynor.com

Round and Round and Round- two horn arrangement
Round and Round and Round mp3

Toshiko's Elegy- complete two horn arrangement!!!!

casavaldez@comcast.net (David Valdez) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:03:26 PDT

One of my favorite albums of all time is Toshiko/Mariano Quartet. I listened to this album countless times when I was younger. The tunes are all great and Charlie is just burning. I asked Pere Soto to arrange a few of the tunes from the album for some gigs we had earlier in the year at the PDX Jazz Festival. Pere added a trumpet harmony part and charted out very clear rhythm section parts.

Toshiko's Elegy mp3

Full quintet arrangement of Toshiko's Elegy in compressed .sitx format