So over this past holiday break I've basically become a nocturnal machine. I've working on and churning out at least one joint every two nights... I figured I'd post up some of the products...
Peppermint:
This joint was made on Saturday night/Sunday morning. I came back pretty intoxicated that night, but figured I'd still try and put myself to some good use, and this is what I came up with. I remember when I was done at like 4am I thought it was so dope so I sent it to my boy Max to check out and I called him and left some incoherent drunk dial about the track, I'm sure he appreciated it. The next morning when I listened to what was soberly entitled "sssssommmmshitt", I realized there was still something there, but had to remove the god-awful 5 minute long synth solo I did... Later I changed the name to "peppermint", as an ode to the beverage of choice that night.
Esplanade (Capelinha E Lembranças):
This joint was conceived in September of this year, but like so many, was tucked away until I took another shot at it the other night. Back in September, I had been checking out a lot of Brazilian composers, specifically Hermeto Pascoal, and I came across his "Capelinha E Lembranças". I dug the horn line a lot and so i imported it and chopped it up. His piece is in 7/4, so after making some little adjustments so that I could bang the shit, I turned it into the brazilian-influenced hip-hop track that it is today. As always, I can't resist those synth interludes/solos, but unlike before I figured I'd actually keep this one in... this time.
There's a lot more tracks like these on my computer; samples that need to be worked out, joints that need to be mixed, and some that need to be arranged, but I'll start to post them as I finish them...
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
That Feeling
In light of it being Christmas and all, I figured I'd bless everyone with a li'l treat.
So here's: "That Feeling" fresh off the Ross Macintosh printing press--or something like that?
It was originally just a little vamp I came up with on the rhodes; real laid back, interesting harmony, yet still soulful. So I started messing around with vocals over the vamp late one night, and I started to bring things together.
On this track I check out a lot of vocoder and auto-tune sounds. Its funny, cause when I first heard T-Pain and Kanye's new shit I was not a fan at all... but I try not to be resistant to new technology and techniques, so I figured I'd check the sounds out a bit. Turns out that auto-tune and the vocoder really help people that can't sing--sing. AND it also helps people that can sing--sing. So with this in mind, I really tried to push the boundaries as far as my vocal range goes. Thissss ended up kinda comical in some spots.
I feel like this song was initially really serious and about a serious topic, but just ended up being kind of satiric? Eh, I think its cause I wrote it in one of those moods late at night... Then I woke up the next morning and was like... nah screw that sissy stuff: I'll T-Pain the shit outta this. (By the way, I am feeling "One More Drink" these days... innocent pleasure?)
Okay... I know... the jazz/scat breakdown??? Okay... well... see... All I wanted was a coked out Bobby McFerrin on some T-Pain grizz... deal with it. And yes, the electronic drum-programming took me at least an hour to make it sound as real as possible. (how 'bout those fills? woOoOoOo--drummerman's killin it!)
P.S. I am aware the ending is probably the most blatant cop-out in songwriting history. But nahhhh, I'm cool with it.
So here's: "That Feeling" fresh off the Ross Macintosh printing press--or something like that?
It was originally just a little vamp I came up with on the rhodes; real laid back, interesting harmony, yet still soulful. So I started messing around with vocals over the vamp late one night, and I started to bring things together.
On this track I check out a lot of vocoder and auto-tune sounds. Its funny, cause when I first heard T-Pain and Kanye's new shit I was not a fan at all... but I try not to be resistant to new technology and techniques, so I figured I'd check the sounds out a bit. Turns out that auto-tune and the vocoder really help people that can't sing--sing. AND it also helps people that can sing--sing. So with this in mind, I really tried to push the boundaries as far as my vocal range goes. Thissss ended up kinda comical in some spots.
I feel like this song was initially really serious and about a serious topic, but just ended up being kind of satiric? Eh, I think its cause I wrote it in one of those moods late at night... Then I woke up the next morning and was like... nah screw that sissy stuff: I'll T-Pain the shit outta this. (By the way, I am feeling "One More Drink" these days... innocent pleasure?)
Okay... I know... the jazz/scat breakdown??? Okay... well... see... All I wanted was a coked out Bobby McFerrin on some T-Pain grizz... deal with it. And yes, the electronic drum-programming took me at least an hour to make it sound as real as possible. (how 'bout those fills? woOoOoOo--drummerman's killin it!)
P.S. I am aware the ending is probably the most blatant cop-out in songwriting history. But nahhhh, I'm cool with it.
Friday, December 12, 2008
rosskennethmusic-101
Similar to the last post, I feel like before I get this blog running I gotta cover where I'm coming from...
So I'll take thiiisss post to dissssscussss some of the things I draw inspiration from; specifically my largest musical influences. (at least at this point in time)
(I know a lot of you are about to roll your eyes):
D'Angelo
I can't say it enough, the music I listen to and strive to make was profoundly changed after hearing D'Angelo's music. Most know him as the naked dude from his Untitled (How Does it Feel) video. That's how I knew him too, before this winter afternoon in 2005. I remember I was working at Rancatore's Ice Cream Shop, D's "When We Get By" came on the owner's ipod on shuffle. He had gotten the track from some neo-soul compilation, and I remember I fucking tripped, I must have listened to it at least 25 times on repeat, dancing all around the store and shit. I was just getting into neo-soul at the time, and I had been checking out Musiq Soulchild and Dwele, but right away D'Angelo's music hit me as the rawer shit I was looking for. I ran back after work and copped "Brown Sugar" and D'angelo's other album, "Voodoo". I remember at first, I was much more into Brown Sugar... but today, I'd say Voodoo is my single favorite album of all time. Not only that; good music, like any good gateway drug, usually leads to other good music after a little research. Checking out D'Angelo further introduced me to some of my current other favorite musicians like J Dilla, Bilal, ?uestlove, Erykah Badu and Raphael Saadiq.
So you might be wondering whyyy it is that I dig his music so much, well as a musician and avid music lover I've really tried to identify it. D'Angelo is the king of vibe. Each of his songs exude a certain kind of emotion that is real and raw; it gets under your skin. Not only is his music dope, but D'Angelo's artistic approach is a huge inspiration. There is a clear artistic development from the albums Brown Sugar to Voodoo. You can tell that D'Angelo really studied all different aspects of music (production, groove, composition etc) and he really worked out how best to combine all of his influences. And he was definitely sensitive to the product that the fusion of those influences would generate.
Its weird how I didn't really get into D'Angelo until my junior year of high school, but its almost like his music was always in my life. My favorite movie when I was a kid was Space Jam, I was a fanatic. I listened to the soundtrack every day (ON CASSETTE!!) Anyway, D'Angelo's song "I Found My Smile Again" was on the soundtrack. So technically, I've been a religious listener of D'Angelo's music since I was in the 2nd grade. Also, when I was a kid my sister and I used to ONLY listen to TLC's CrazySexyCool and Lauryn Hill's Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo is on one of the tracks on that Lauryn Hill album. Furthermore, Over my summers throughout High School I have been attending the Litchfield Jazz Camp, where I work with guitarist Mark Whitfield. Little did I know, until this past summer, that Mark is the guitarist on the majority of D's Brown Sugar. Crazy to think I was studying with a member of the personnel of one of my favorite albums and I didn't even know it.
Well, I could write an essay all about D'Angelo and how and his music has effected my life, maybe I will. All I know is;
-When I wake up in the morning I listen to "greatdayindamornin/booty"
-When I'm in that mood I listen to "the root"
-When I feel like getting down I listen to "chicken grease" or "spanish joint"
-And when I feel like makin love, well...
Miles Davis
I had a tough time deciding between writing about Miles or Coltrane for this post. But I think that Miles not only inspires me with his extensive library of music, consisting of over 50 years of recordings, but also with his artistic approach. First off, Miles was all about making organic music. His playing wasn't perfect, his recordings aren't perfect, and he was known for his "one-take" mentality in the studio. But I think that many of these characteristics, considered flaws to some, give Miles' music its timeless and transcendental qualities. I believe music's purpose is mainly to reflect "experience" and "life". And as we all know; life isn't perfect, the universe isn't perfect, and the natural world is not perfect, and therefore music should not be perfect either. Mistakes or "imperfections" that come up in music often inspire new approches and take the music in a different direction, in this sense, it makes the music living and organic. To give a contemporary example, this is why I think that personally, I gravitate more to J Dilla's laid-back-funky drum programing than the more robotic and calculated programming found in some modern techno.
Not only is Miles' organic approach inspirational, but Miles' artistic commitment to innovation is also a trait that inspires me. His drive for innovation is apparent in his discography. Miles barely ever lasted more than 3 years playing the same kind of music. He has so many eras; the Bebop days with Charlie Parker, the Cool Jazz Movement, his first great hard-bop quintet, his second great quintet, and his later electric period that encompassed the early fusion movement and even early hip-hop. Before Miles' listeners began to become comfortable with his music, he was already moving on to the next thing, leading music into its next era. Many artists find their niche's and stick with them, Miles is not one of these people; always re-inventing his musical approach. His discography reads like a history of jazz, and its absurd how apparent his role is in the development of its many sub-genres.
Not only that, but Miles' knack for identifying other innovators is astounding. Basically, the mans taste is unmatched. The list of his band members over the years would read like an All-Star cast that not even Martin Scorsese could pull together for his next boston-based-blockbuster. So many of my favorite jazz musicians worked with Miles Davis: Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Kenny Garrett, and Keith Jarrett to name just a few...
Lionel Loueke
I remember I first encountered Lionel on... the internet? Weird, yeah but he somehow friended my old Myspace page, and I remember I listened to his music and I was initially like, what the hell is this shit? A week or two later me and a bunch of buds went to Carnegie Hall to see Herbie Hancock, and there on stage playing guitar with him was my new friend (or well something like that), Lionel Loueke. Lionel's playing blew me away that night, and I went back and started to check out his music and his background. Lionel Loueke is a guitarist from West Benin, Africa. He grew up in poverty and could not even afford a guitar until the age of seventeen. There are stories of how he wanted to transcribe jazz, but did not have the resources to slow down fast licks, so he would use dying batteries and cassette tapes to slow down the playing to figure the licks out. Lionel eventually went to study in France, and then was accepted into the Thelonious Monk Institute in 2001. Soon after he was touring with Herbie Hancock. Lionel is an inspiration for his rags to riches story in a way. He shows that if you really want something, in music or elsewhere, you can achieve it, regardless of your situation.
Not only is Lionel's story inspiring, his playing and jazz approach is very unique. Combining brazilian, african, bebop, and avant garde techniques, Lionel creates music that is beyond category. His tasteful and melodic playing is something that even some of the greatest legends in jazz have taken note of. (Herbie, Wayne, etc.) On top of all of this, Lionel is just a great guy. I met him after a gig he did in NYC one time, he was just chilling at the bar and I went and talked to him, so I can personally vouch that Lionel is just a really kind individual. I've heard stories about a lot of successful jazz musicians (what an oxymoron) who are just jerks, and I've encountered some of them. So its really refreshing that Lionel is such a prodigy, has shared stages with some of jazz's giants, and is still down to earth enough to take five minutes while having a drink to talk music with someone like me.
So, at this moment, I'd say those musicians are my top three musical inspirations. I know I'm missing Stevie Wonder, and I'm sure I'm missing some other ones that all of you are welcome to remind me of... Funky Gnomes? Blink-182? Force the Fallen? yeah, they should prolly be up there too.
So I'll take thiiisss post to dissssscussss some of the things I draw inspiration from; specifically my largest musical influences. (at least at this point in time)
(I know a lot of you are about to roll your eyes):
D'Angelo
I can't say it enough, the music I listen to and strive to make was profoundly changed after hearing D'Angelo's music. Most know him as the naked dude from his Untitled (How Does it Feel) video. That's how I knew him too, before this winter afternoon in 2005. I remember I was working at Rancatore's Ice Cream Shop, D's "When We Get By" came on the owner's ipod on shuffle. He had gotten the track from some neo-soul compilation, and I remember I fucking tripped, I must have listened to it at least 25 times on repeat, dancing all around the store and shit. I was just getting into neo-soul at the time, and I had been checking out Musiq Soulchild and Dwele, but right away D'Angelo's music hit me as the rawer shit I was looking for. I ran back after work and copped "Brown Sugar" and D'angelo's other album, "Voodoo". I remember at first, I was much more into Brown Sugar... but today, I'd say Voodoo is my single favorite album of all time. Not only that; good music, like any good gateway drug, usually leads to other good music after a little research. Checking out D'Angelo further introduced me to some of my current other favorite musicians like J Dilla, Bilal, ?uestlove, Erykah Badu and Raphael Saadiq.
So you might be wondering whyyy it is that I dig his music so much, well as a musician and avid music lover I've really tried to identify it. D'Angelo is the king of vibe. Each of his songs exude a certain kind of emotion that is real and raw; it gets under your skin. Not only is his music dope, but D'Angelo's artistic approach is a huge inspiration. There is a clear artistic development from the albums Brown Sugar to Voodoo. You can tell that D'Angelo really studied all different aspects of music (production, groove, composition etc) and he really worked out how best to combine all of his influences. And he was definitely sensitive to the product that the fusion of those influences would generate.
Its weird how I didn't really get into D'Angelo until my junior year of high school, but its almost like his music was always in my life. My favorite movie when I was a kid was Space Jam, I was a fanatic. I listened to the soundtrack every day (ON CASSETTE!!) Anyway, D'Angelo's song "I Found My Smile Again" was on the soundtrack. So technically, I've been a religious listener of D'Angelo's music since I was in the 2nd grade. Also, when I was a kid my sister and I used to ONLY listen to TLC's CrazySexyCool and Lauryn Hill's Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, D'Angelo is on one of the tracks on that Lauryn Hill album. Furthermore, Over my summers throughout High School I have been attending the Litchfield Jazz Camp, where I work with guitarist Mark Whitfield. Little did I know, until this past summer, that Mark is the guitarist on the majority of D's Brown Sugar. Crazy to think I was studying with a member of the personnel of one of my favorite albums and I didn't even know it.
Well, I could write an essay all about D'Angelo and how and his music has effected my life, maybe I will. All I know is;
-When I wake up in the morning I listen to "greatdayindamornin/booty"
-When I'm in that mood I listen to "the root"
-When I feel like getting down I listen to "chicken grease" or "spanish joint"
-And when I feel like makin love, well...
Miles Davis
I had a tough time deciding between writing about Miles or Coltrane for this post. But I think that Miles not only inspires me with his extensive library of music, consisting of over 50 years of recordings, but also with his artistic approach. First off, Miles was all about making organic music. His playing wasn't perfect, his recordings aren't perfect, and he was known for his "one-take" mentality in the studio. But I think that many of these characteristics, considered flaws to some, give Miles' music its timeless and transcendental qualities. I believe music's purpose is mainly to reflect "experience" and "life". And as we all know; life isn't perfect, the universe isn't perfect, and the natural world is not perfect, and therefore music should not be perfect either. Mistakes or "imperfections" that come up in music often inspire new approches and take the music in a different direction, in this sense, it makes the music living and organic. To give a contemporary example, this is why I think that personally, I gravitate more to J Dilla's laid-back-funky drum programing than the more robotic and calculated programming found in some modern techno.
Not only is Miles' organic approach inspirational, but Miles' artistic commitment to innovation is also a trait that inspires me. His drive for innovation is apparent in his discography. Miles barely ever lasted more than 3 years playing the same kind of music. He has so many eras; the Bebop days with Charlie Parker, the Cool Jazz Movement, his first great hard-bop quintet, his second great quintet, and his later electric period that encompassed the early fusion movement and even early hip-hop. Before Miles' listeners began to become comfortable with his music, he was already moving on to the next thing, leading music into its next era. Many artists find their niche's and stick with them, Miles is not one of these people; always re-inventing his musical approach. His discography reads like a history of jazz, and its absurd how apparent his role is in the development of its many sub-genres.
Not only that, but Miles' knack for identifying other innovators is astounding. Basically, the mans taste is unmatched. The list of his band members over the years would read like an All-Star cast that not even Martin Scorsese could pull together for his next boston-based-blockbuster. So many of my favorite jazz musicians worked with Miles Davis: Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly, Kenny Garrett, and Keith Jarrett to name just a few...
Lionel Loueke
I remember I first encountered Lionel on... the internet? Weird, yeah but he somehow friended my old Myspace page, and I remember I listened to his music and I was initially like, what the hell is this shit? A week or two later me and a bunch of buds went to Carnegie Hall to see Herbie Hancock, and there on stage playing guitar with him was my new friend (or well something like that), Lionel Loueke. Lionel's playing blew me away that night, and I went back and started to check out his music and his background. Lionel Loueke is a guitarist from West Benin, Africa. He grew up in poverty and could not even afford a guitar until the age of seventeen. There are stories of how he wanted to transcribe jazz, but did not have the resources to slow down fast licks, so he would use dying batteries and cassette tapes to slow down the playing to figure the licks out. Lionel eventually went to study in France, and then was accepted into the Thelonious Monk Institute in 2001. Soon after he was touring with Herbie Hancock. Lionel is an inspiration for his rags to riches story in a way. He shows that if you really want something, in music or elsewhere, you can achieve it, regardless of your situation.
Not only is Lionel's story inspiring, his playing and jazz approach is very unique. Combining brazilian, african, bebop, and avant garde techniques, Lionel creates music that is beyond category. His tasteful and melodic playing is something that even some of the greatest legends in jazz have taken note of. (Herbie, Wayne, etc.) On top of all of this, Lionel is just a great guy. I met him after a gig he did in NYC one time, he was just chilling at the bar and I went and talked to him, so I can personally vouch that Lionel is just a really kind individual. I've heard stories about a lot of successful jazz musicians (what an oxymoron) who are just jerks, and I've encountered some of them. So its really refreshing that Lionel is such a prodigy, has shared stages with some of jazz's giants, and is still down to earth enough to take five minutes while having a drink to talk music with someone like me.
So, at this moment, I'd say those musicians are my top three musical inspirations. I know I'm missing Stevie Wonder, and I'm sure I'm missing some other ones that all of you are welcome to remind me of... Funky Gnomes? Blink-182? Force the Fallen? yeah, they should prolly be up there too.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Humble Beginnings...
The other day as I procrastinated, or well basically gave my brain a short break from the DAYS of studying that have been going on this week, I went through some of the recordings from my old/first projects. So I figured I'd share some of them...
Du Rock: Armen's First Blink Song (2003)
This AMAZING track was written way back freshman year of high school for my band Du Rock's first album. I remember writing this song in one night with my friend Armen. (Remarkable, and they say it took God what? 7 days?) The song was/is an instant classic, its still played on college and high school campuses around the nation by its loyal cult following. Many would say I peaked in my songwriting with this one -I sure agree. (p.s. I'm pretty sure the background vocals at the end are either "it was cold" or "it was gold"-referring to Armen's unveiled man parts-but I'm still not sure.)
Du Rock: November and We'll Go (2004)
These two unreleased tracks came from what was supposed to be the sophomore release from Du Rock (ironically, recorded during my sophomore year of high school) Unfortunately, the album was never finished and the tracks were never released... (I think it was cause we all got girl friends? Or well... Armen did.) But yeah, to this day November is another favorite of mine. I worked a hell of a lot on lyrics when I was writing these songs and I think they turned out pre-y good. The vocals on both of these songs are rough haha but it was four years ago. (..wow.) I always talk about how I'm going to re-do them someday, but we'll all have to deal with it for now. But I think these two tracks were like the climax of my pop song writing, I kinda moved away from it since then, I occasionally come back to it whenever I feel like I need some pussy... ha. jokes.
LHS Jazz Septet: Recorda-Me (November 4, 2005)
Junior year of high school I got into Jazz pretty hardcore. This is a snippet of my first solo ever with the Lexington High School Jazz septet over the standard Recorda Me. This is what started it all huh? And now I pay money and go to a University and major in jazz music... whhhattt am i dooinnng? haha
G-Rod and the Nasty's: The Seed (2006)
When I was in high school I was in this funk/jazz/soul instrumental group called G-Rod and the Nastys. This is a live recording of our version of the Seed 2.0 from back in the summah after my juniah year. In the recording I sing the second time through the chorus and then take a solo, with a little Toby Forman action on the alto sax as well. I remember during my solo the cops came into the joint to try and shut us down, which was quite the experience. They were eventually successful a song or two later... Fuck the POlice. this one features: Geoff Rodriguez, keys; Alex Robbins, drums; Pete Maltzan, bass; Toby Forman, alto sax; and A-live rhyming over the verses
RossKennethMusic: Lionel Loop (2007)
After getting my laptop for college, I finally started making beats. (and sharing them before i had the nifty semi-real-yet-also-pseudo-name "rosskennethmusic") This was one of my very first ones. I remember I made it in one weekend while traveling to NYC with my dad to see Lionel Loueke (who this song samples/is dedicated to). Lionel is probably one of my favorite musicians. I still think that first section is pretty dope where It goes from a 6/4 ambient beat into a bangin' 4/4 beat yet the harmony still moves in 6/4... weird how that turned out... entirely unintentional... whatever. enjoy.
Du Rock: Armen's First Blink Song (2003)
This AMAZING track was written way back freshman year of high school for my band Du Rock's first album. I remember writing this song in one night with my friend Armen. (Remarkable, and they say it took God what? 7 days?) The song was/is an instant classic, its still played on college and high school campuses around the nation by its loyal cult following. Many would say I peaked in my songwriting with this one -I sure agree. (p.s. I'm pretty sure the background vocals at the end are either "it was cold" or "it was gold"-referring to Armen's unveiled man parts-but I'm still not sure.)
Du Rock: November and We'll Go (2004)
These two unreleased tracks came from what was supposed to be the sophomore release from Du Rock (ironically, recorded during my sophomore year of high school) Unfortunately, the album was never finished and the tracks were never released... (I think it was cause we all got girl friends? Or well... Armen did.) But yeah, to this day November is another favorite of mine. I worked a hell of a lot on lyrics when I was writing these songs and I think they turned out pre-y good. The vocals on both of these songs are rough haha but it was four years ago. (..wow.) I always talk about how I'm going to re-do them someday, but we'll all have to deal with it for now. But I think these two tracks were like the climax of my pop song writing, I kinda moved away from it since then, I occasionally come back to it whenever I feel like I need some pussy... ha. jokes.
LHS Jazz Septet: Recorda-Me (November 4, 2005)
Junior year of high school I got into Jazz pretty hardcore. This is a snippet of my first solo ever with the Lexington High School Jazz septet over the standard Recorda Me. This is what started it all huh? And now I pay money and go to a University and major in jazz music... whhhattt am i dooinnng? haha
G-Rod and the Nasty's: The Seed (2006)
When I was in high school I was in this funk/jazz/soul instrumental group called G-Rod and the Nastys. This is a live recording of our version of the Seed 2.0 from back in the summah after my juniah year. In the recording I sing the second time through the chorus and then take a solo, with a little Toby Forman action on the alto sax as well. I remember during my solo the cops came into the joint to try and shut us down, which was quite the experience. They were eventually successful a song or two later... Fuck the POlice. this one features: Geoff Rodriguez, keys; Alex Robbins, drums; Pete Maltzan, bass; Toby Forman, alto sax; and A-live rhyming over the verses
RossKennethMusic: Lionel Loop (2007)
After getting my laptop for college, I finally started making beats. (and sharing them before i had the nifty semi-real-yet-also-pseudo-name "rosskennethmusic") This was one of my very first ones. I remember I made it in one weekend while traveling to NYC with my dad to see Lionel Loueke (who this song samples/is dedicated to). Lionel is probably one of my favorite musicians. I still think that first section is pretty dope where It goes from a 6/4 ambient beat into a bangin' 4/4 beat yet the harmony still moves in 6/4... weird how that turned out... entirely unintentional... whatever. enjoy.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
PEEPs.
I know its a little early for Easter celebrations, but I can't resist these marshmallow treats any longer. Nah, I'm just here to take a post to introduce you to an artist that you DON'T know, but you should peeeeep. (a la: cute puffy colorful treats that are swell with hot chocolate... sort of.)
First let me just mention that sometimes its beyond me, when I come across cats like the one that I'm about to name, that I simply can't come up with reasons why they haven't blown up. I can't figure out how it is that people would rather listen to the new Bow-Wow joint on repeat than cats that are making the baddest shit out there. In a sense, the scenario is great for me, because when I finally do come across dope music, it reminds me that there are so many people out there doing real shit and making art. Its just too bad that I have to turn over hundreds of stones and travel through the mountain ranges of Mordor to find them.
This being said. 'DIS DUDE has been my shit lately.
Unfortunately, these days I barely find time to listen to anything. And when I do have the time, I usually have to spend it checking out classic jazz recordings or classical joints for my music classes. But -this being said, I'm ADDICTED to J. Most's shit lately. I gotta have my fix! I visit his Myspace page and listen through the tracks at least once a day. The music is ill, the harmony is intricate, the melodies are interesting, the lyrics are dope, I can't knock it at all. I rank his shit up there with how I feel about D's shit. (BOLD right!? you all must already know that Voodoo is my pocket bible.)
Honestly, these joints just speak to me. It was like an epiphany when I came across them, the music, the lyrics, the vibe (the perfect balance of funk, neo-soul and hip-hop)... Its so close to the exact kinda music I strive to make (except.. better... or well, maybe just less jazzy... gotta give myself some credit. haha)
I officially suggest that you check out all the songs on his page,
in particular, "Tuesday", "the Breath", "Her" and "Strange Light".
I don't know much about the guy. Other than I think he attended the New School in New York for Jazz Guitar. Some of my friends from Litchfield knew him pretty sure. I know that he works with Jesse Boykins III, I've got some of Jesse's shit but in all honesty I just want J. Most's album but I am yet to find/hear anything about it. I'll keep yall posted.
So I'll leave you with some lyrics from the bridge of my favorite joint off that page: "the Breath":
"So what's there to say? 'Cause I'm at it again, like back in the day.
Its just a matter, of the way, that our love is;
like sun on a Friday, rain on a Saturday"...
First let me just mention that sometimes its beyond me, when I come across cats like the one that I'm about to name, that I simply can't come up with reasons why they haven't blown up. I can't figure out how it is that people would rather listen to the new Bow-Wow joint on repeat than cats that are making the baddest shit out there. In a sense, the scenario is great for me, because when I finally do come across dope music, it reminds me that there are so many people out there doing real shit and making art. Its just too bad that I have to turn over hundreds of stones and travel through the mountain ranges of Mordor to find them.
This being said. 'DIS DUDE has been my shit lately.
Unfortunately, these days I barely find time to listen to anything. And when I do have the time, I usually have to spend it checking out classic jazz recordings or classical joints for my music classes. But -this being said, I'm ADDICTED to J. Most's shit lately. I gotta have my fix! I visit his Myspace page and listen through the tracks at least once a day. The music is ill, the harmony is intricate, the melodies are interesting, the lyrics are dope, I can't knock it at all. I rank his shit up there with how I feel about D's shit. (BOLD right!? you all must already know that Voodoo is my pocket bible.)
Honestly, these joints just speak to me. It was like an epiphany when I came across them, the music, the lyrics, the vibe (the perfect balance of funk, neo-soul and hip-hop)... Its so close to the exact kinda music I strive to make (except.. better... or well, maybe just less jazzy... gotta give myself some credit. haha)
I officially suggest that you check out all the songs on his page,
in particular, "Tuesday", "the Breath", "Her" and "Strange Light".
I don't know much about the guy. Other than I think he attended the New School in New York for Jazz Guitar. Some of my friends from Litchfield knew him pretty sure. I know that he works with Jesse Boykins III, I've got some of Jesse's shit but in all honesty I just want J. Most's album but I am yet to find/hear anything about it. I'll keep yall posted.
So I'll leave you with some lyrics from the bridge of my favorite joint off that page: "the Breath":
"So what's there to say? 'Cause I'm at it again, like back in the day.
Its just a matter, of the way, that our love is;
like sun on a Friday, rain on a Saturday"...
Saturday, November 22, 2008
the Forecast: A survey in my music projects.
Just wanted to jot all the musical projects I've been working on lately. Since those lasts posts in May, a lots been happening. Where do I start?
The Kenneth Ross Solo Album:
Never released it. Last spring/summer I ended up with 17 tracks compiling to nearly 50 minutes of music, which I planned to release May 8th, but initially postponed and eventually called off. Why? Well, I'm definitely proud of the music I produced for it, but the album was definitely energized by some stuff that I was going through. After thinking it over and discussing it with some friends that had heard the album, I decided the album was just too personal and too rushed to release to any sort of public. There are some singles and stuff that maybe I will re-vamp in the future, but it may become a series of my "lost tracks" that only a select few will have access too... Or anyone that manages to steal my external hard drive.
Green Street:
This past summer I did a lot of work with Max (Ren) and had a really great time working out/further developing a lot of the beats that were conceived over a year and a half ago. (The summer after their "Livin' on Green Street" release.) Crazy how time flies... We've got some great stuff in the lab and in the works. I feel like with every track we finish we really grow in every aspect of the music (the production, vocals and lyrics in particular). The latest public release we have is the "All I See" track featuring Oddisee. Just by listening to the "All I See" track and the "Old Music" track consecutively you can hear what I'm talking about with the developing production and songwriting.
Things have really been coming together for the group. Apparently projects with Nieve and John Gordon are in the works. But, I don't want to give away too much right now, I'll let you know as things come about.
The Chicago Scene:
Since coming out to Northwestern for school, I've been meeting a lot of musicians in Chicago and trying to break into the scene. So far I've been working with this R&B cat Rotimi. Last week I got a band together and arranged his song "Rain", including a little mix up with Ginuwine's "My Pony". We played it at the African Student Association's Apollo night. Things went so well we decided why not keep the shit going, so now we're working on a big set for the Mayfest battle of the bands, where the winner gets to play @ Northwestern's largest music festival ("Dillo Day") in the spring on the same stage as the likes of Common, the Roots, Kanye West etc. So if you're in the area you definitely have to come out for that battle of the bands!
Other than that, I've been practicing a lot and playing in the Northwestern Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combo. At least one of the bands rehearses for two hours every day, so I've been finding it really hard to get anything else done with so much time dedicated to rehearsal and practice.
rosskennethmusic:
I did decide not to release that solo album, but I haven't stopped making beats and songs. One of which is the "Chances pt.2" that I released in September. You can check it on my myspace. Lately I've been trying to get used to the new kinks as I switch over from Garageband to Logic Studio, but I have a feeling over winter break and such I'm going to do a lot of recording and writing. Lately I've been feeling like a storm of creativity is coming after a brief hiatus, sometimes ideas pop into my head and I jot them down but I just haven't had the time to actually sit down and formally arrange them. I've also been working out and really thinking about the kinds of sounds and vibes that I want to create in my music. I think that "Chances pt. 2" joint is really representative of the laid-back kind of sound that I hope to produce/develop upon in the future. But, my taste/influences change with the seasons so who knows what I'll be coming out with next. I'll definitely post my rough joints on here as I come up with them, so stay tuned.
The Kenneth Ross Solo Album:
Never released it. Last spring/summer I ended up with 17 tracks compiling to nearly 50 minutes of music, which I planned to release May 8th, but initially postponed and eventually called off. Why? Well, I'm definitely proud of the music I produced for it, but the album was definitely energized by some stuff that I was going through. After thinking it over and discussing it with some friends that had heard the album, I decided the album was just too personal and too rushed to release to any sort of public. There are some singles and stuff that maybe I will re-vamp in the future, but it may become a series of my "lost tracks" that only a select few will have access too... Or anyone that manages to steal my external hard drive.
Green Street:
This past summer I did a lot of work with Max (Ren) and had a really great time working out/further developing a lot of the beats that were conceived over a year and a half ago. (The summer after their "Livin' on Green Street" release.) Crazy how time flies... We've got some great stuff in the lab and in the works. I feel like with every track we finish we really grow in every aspect of the music (the production, vocals and lyrics in particular). The latest public release we have is the "All I See" track featuring Oddisee. Just by listening to the "All I See" track and the "Old Music" track consecutively you can hear what I'm talking about with the developing production and songwriting.
Things have really been coming together for the group. Apparently projects with Nieve and John Gordon are in the works. But, I don't want to give away too much right now, I'll let you know as things come about.
The Chicago Scene:
Since coming out to Northwestern for school, I've been meeting a lot of musicians in Chicago and trying to break into the scene. So far I've been working with this R&B cat Rotimi. Last week I got a band together and arranged his song "Rain", including a little mix up with Ginuwine's "My Pony". We played it at the African Student Association's Apollo night. Things went so well we decided why not keep the shit going, so now we're working on a big set for the Mayfest battle of the bands, where the winner gets to play @ Northwestern's largest music festival ("Dillo Day") in the spring on the same stage as the likes of Common, the Roots, Kanye West etc. So if you're in the area you definitely have to come out for that battle of the bands!
Other than that, I've been practicing a lot and playing in the Northwestern Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Combo. At least one of the bands rehearses for two hours every day, so I've been finding it really hard to get anything else done with so much time dedicated to rehearsal and practice.
rosskennethmusic:
I did decide not to release that solo album, but I haven't stopped making beats and songs. One of which is the "Chances pt.2" that I released in September. You can check it on my myspace. Lately I've been trying to get used to the new kinks as I switch over from Garageband to Logic Studio, but I have a feeling over winter break and such I'm going to do a lot of recording and writing. Lately I've been feeling like a storm of creativity is coming after a brief hiatus, sometimes ideas pop into my head and I jot them down but I just haven't had the time to actually sit down and formally arrange them. I've also been working out and really thinking about the kinds of sounds and vibes that I want to create in my music. I think that "Chances pt. 2" joint is really representative of the laid-back kind of sound that I hope to produce/develop upon in the future. But, my taste/influences change with the seasons so who knows what I'll be coming out with next. I'll definitely post my rough joints on here as I come up with them, so stay tuned.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
WEEEEE'RE BAAAACCCCCCKKKK
"Wake up world, cause we bout to bring you some more of it..."
I remembered this blog the other day; which was initially a project for a freshman year writing class, but as I get more into the blog scene (links on the right of this page) I figured why not keep updating mine and sharing whatever I feel with anyone that feels like keepin up with me?
Some of those older blog entries are worth checking out, but most of them were just throwaway's that I did to fill a class requirement. But from here on out, I vow to bring you the best I can conceive as frequently as possible. I've been ridiculously busy lately, especially since that last May 2008 post. Very much so. So I may fill in the gaps at some point, but for now sit tight and I hope to bring the funk real soon
real quick: to those bloggin' Obama band wagoners... (not looking at you green street... nah, not at all) Maybe yall should go and check wayyyyy back last year when Alex Robbins and I were fighting the good fight right off the bat. Back in the dark ages when the foe was the Clinton Campaign. Congrats to us all though, lets hope he DO WORK.
I remembered this blog the other day; which was initially a project for a freshman year writing class, but as I get more into the blog scene (links on the right of this page) I figured why not keep updating mine and sharing whatever I feel with anyone that feels like keepin up with me?
Some of those older blog entries are worth checking out, but most of them were just throwaway's that I did to fill a class requirement. But from here on out, I vow to bring you the best I can conceive as frequently as possible. I've been ridiculously busy lately, especially since that last May 2008 post. Very much so. So I may fill in the gaps at some point, but for now sit tight and I hope to bring the funk real soon
real quick: to those bloggin' Obama band wagoners... (not looking at you green street... nah, not at all) Maybe yall should go and check wayyyyy back last year when Alex Robbins and I were fighting the good fight right off the bat. Back in the dark ages when the foe was the Clinton Campaign. Congrats to us all though, lets hope he DO WORK.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Almost donnnne!!!
One more week of my freshman year!!!
i have had a good last weekend forrr realll... my buds alex and dave came out to see how I was living over at the ZOOOOOO. But now i gotta buckle down and ace this last week for sure.
I went home to Lexington today to play a gig in our town hallish place... turns out people had to pay fuckin $60 a pop to see us. I had to pull strings to get my parents in half-off... shiets ridiculous... they figured that since most of it was going towards a french exchange program at they could just royally fuck anyone that wanted to go.
The gig was a lot of fun, i played with a bunch of other alumni of the Lexington High Jazz Dept; which has a pretty crazy history with lots of killin graduates so it was fun to be a part of that.
i have had a good last weekend forrr realll... my buds alex and dave came out to see how I was living over at the ZOOOOOO. But now i gotta buckle down and ace this last week for sure.
I went home to Lexington today to play a gig in our town hallish place... turns out people had to pay fuckin $60 a pop to see us. I had to pull strings to get my parents in half-off... shiets ridiculous... they figured that since most of it was going towards a french exchange program at they could just royally fuck anyone that wanted to go.
The gig was a lot of fun, i played with a bunch of other alumni of the Lexington High Jazz Dept; which has a pretty crazy history with lots of killin graduates so it was fun to be a part of that.
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