ECHO
This composition is based on repetitive patterns or cycles. Some of these patterns, besides being affected rhythmically, melodically, and harmonically, can also vary in tempo, note duration, pitch, rhythmic placement, and voice orchestration. At the same time, some of them can be played isolated from time to time and even be interrupted during specific solo sections.
For this composition, I started playing a bass line on the piano and doing body percussion, with no specific time signature or groove in mind. After a few minutes of repetition and back and forth of piano and drums, I started writing the bass line (which can be heard at the beginning of the recording) and a basic drum part in my music book. The time signature is a 9/4 that can be grouped and felt as 4+3+2 but at the same time also as a big walking-like bass line cycle. This bass line will be present during the first 04:50 minutes, with some small variations and a solo section in between.
Here is an excerpt of the initial process of composition and how I started to come up with a bass line and groove for drums:
Using this bass line and drum groove as a foundation, I composed a melody primarily featuring long notes. Although the melody can be played with rhythmic accuracy, it should maintain some flexibility to complement the groove established by the double bass, percussion, and drums. This approach allows the pianist some room for interpretation and personal expression. When I shared this initial idea with my composition teacher, Hans Feigenwinter, he questioned whether the melody was intended solely for the piano, noting that the register is relatively low and might be hard to hear within the full band ensemble, which includes bass, drums, and percussion. His feedback prompted me to reconsider aspects such as orchestration, dynamics, and embellishments.
Solo sections
In this tune, four solo sections were defined: the first one starts as a “collective solo” at minute 03:13; the second is a “bass solo” at minute 06:03; then the “piano solo” at minute 07:25; and “percussion solo” over a vamp at the end at minute 09:20.
This composition is not harmonically so dense, yet the use of only one chord in the first collective solo works nicely. The second solo has a structure of nine bars and more chords are introduced. This same pattern is repeated for the piano solo, with a bigger structure and more chords. In this way, we can explore spontaneous creativity, interact with each other, and build moments of tension and release in different musical situations.
During the first three solo sections, there is a pattern, going from one chord and rhythmically open, to more structured and dense harmonically.
Although some basic parts have been written as a reference, I also want to leave room for musicians to interpret and improvise.
I used the previous conga pattern and the idea shown in the First sketch of the drum part as a reference to create a short melody that serves as an interlude between sections of the piece. For the percussion solo at the end, I used the same idea with some variations and in 7/4 time.
The next excerpt shows the use of rhythms previously heard and analyzed, now employed in different parts of the beat and bar. Inspired mainly by parrandera, these rhythms are also supported by drums and percussion.
DUO IMPROVISATION sax - drums
When I came to study at Jazzcampus, one of my first impressions was listening to Jeff Ballard and Mark Turner playing a duo piece during the welcoming event. I was immediately astonished and inspired to explore more about playing in this setting. Later in my studies, Ballard introduced me to a duo album by saxophonist Dewey Redman and drummer Ed Blackwell, which provided deeper insights into the art of duo performance.
This inspiration led to a duo improvisation based on a single rhythmic idea in 13/8. The piece revolves around a singular, compelling rhythmic motif that defines the entire composition. This motif is structured in a 13/8 meter, creating an intricate yet captivating pulse that drives the piece forward. The rhythm can be broken down into smaller, more familiar groupings to help grasp its feel. In this case, the 13 beats are grouped as 3+3+3+2+2, providing a dynamic flow and emphasizing different beats within the bar. This pattern is based on parrandera but with the addition of one extra beat for a unique twist.
CAMINOS
"Caminos" is a composition written in 3/4 meter, based on a traditional Latin American rhythm called "pasillo," known for its syncopated accents that give it a lively and dance-like quality. The piece features an intriguing bass line vamp that shifts expected accent patterns to different parts of the beat, creating a sense of syncopation and off-beat accents. This technique is evident in the bass line and is supported by piano chords and percussion hits to emphasize the rhythmic displacement, particularly in measures 11, 13, and 15.
No specific melody was written, although, during the recording session, a short melodic motif was used on Duo Improvisation, Take 3 - "But How?"
Harmonically, this tune was originally written in a traditional style, using classic progressions such as I-V-I and I-IV-V-I, commonly found in traditional and folk music. However, I recently decided to re-harmonize the piece, altering some rhythms and revising the structure.
Some of the rhythms and accents of the bass line ostinato are implied and can be found in the melody and written bass line for the “head” of the tune.