A selection of work across composition,
arranging, performance, production and film — exploring the
many ways musical ideas take shape.
01
Inside the big band
The Tutti
Four short examples. One big-band
craft.
When the whole
ensemble hits together, the writing has nowhere to hide.
Voicing, rhythm, orchestration, dynamics
and he shape of the phrase
all have to work.
Example 1 — Sunnyside
Example 2 — Anthropology
(Eastman
rehearsal read-through)
Example 3 — So You Made Me
Cry
(feat.
Walt Weiskopf)
Example 4 — Evanescent Coo
02
Jazz /
Instrumental
The Tune
Composition &
instrumental arranging.
A melodic idea,
developed with harmonic movement, rhythmic drive and a
carefully shaped arrangement for the ensemble.
Key skills
Composing
.Harmony .Instrumental arranging
.
Ensemble balance .Musical direction
Example 1 — La Pluie Sur
La Seine(full rendition)
Featuring
Walt Weiskopf,Richard Drexler and Gary DeMichele
Example 2 — Angular
Dissent (Excerpt)
From the
score for the film Big Night.
Example 3 — Pascal's
waltz (excerpt)
Featuring Mike
Stern.
From the score for the film Big Night.
Example 4 — November 25
Featuring Jens
Jefsen(Denmark), Jonas Granberg (Sweden)and
Gary DeMichele
03 Vocal
/ Production
The Song
Vocal writing,
lyrics, melody, harmony & production savvy.
Key Skills
A strong melody, vocal arrangement and production choices
that bring the song to life — from idea to finished
recording.
Gradations of style from pure pop to funk, to 'prog' to
experimental.
Example 1 — NORTH
SEA GIRL (EXCERPT)genre-atmospheric pop
Melody and harmony; lyrical
content — voice and piano only.
Example 2 —
SABOTAGE (EXCERPT)
genre pop,funk.
Example 3 —Man of
Steel(full rendition) genre--pop rock
Example 4 — SHe
has qi
genre-quirky progresseive rock (full rendition) .
04
Reworking existing music
Arranging & Adaptation
Reshaping music to serve a musical or
dramatic purpose.
Arranging is a creative process in
its own right—a form of composition that reshapes existing
musical material through changes in harmony, structure,
rhythm, texture and instrumentation. Adaptation takes that
process further, tailoring music to a particular purpose,
setting or dramatic context. The work can range from a
fresh interpretation of a tune to a more complete musical
transformation.
Arrangement
Example 1 — The
Impostors
— I Get Ideas
Vocal arrangement
Featuring Elizabeth Bracco and Lew Stadlin; all vocal
credits.
From the feature film 'The Impostors' (Written and
Directed by Stanley Tucci) .
Dramatic adaptation
Example 4 — The Nearness
of You
From the feature film 'The Impostors'
(Written and Directed by Stanley Tucci)
A great Ned Washington song.The deliberately somewhat
maudlin arrangement Featuring Steve Buscemi as Happy
Franks.
underscores the depressed, 'sad-sack' nature of the
character, whose name is itself ironic.
There are however a few harmonic surprises and
divergencies.The musical treatment reinforces the
scene’s characterization.
That is call on the part of the director and composer
depending on whether it supports and enhances the
imagistic intent of the scene.
Parlez Moi Damour
Adaptation/Arrangement
Featuring as vocalist, actress Hope Davis.
A very famous french song written in 1924 by Jean
Lenoir,written to be performed
Jenne Florentin Bourgeois , known professionally as
Mistinguett one of the hightest paid entertainers in France
at the time retiring in 1955.
The song was first recorded by Lucinne Boyer, then by Edith
Piaf.The great film composer Toru Takemetsu is quoted as
saying that
he credits this song having been so moved by it as a child
as a catalyst for him later becoming a musician and composer
origially
made popular by both Lucienne Boyer and Edith Piaf
Fever
Adaptation /
Arrangement
Adaptation and arrangement the well known Peggy lee
song, 'Fever'when then elides into original score piece
(hand written score excerpt below)'The Age of
Grief'.From the feature film 'The Secret Lives of Dentists"
'
Directed by Alan Rudolph (clip from
youtube)
Character piece / Film
soundtrack
Example 6 — Bar Chase
Though not an adaptation this is an
original composition and arrangement composed for a
specific cue..
I've included this in this category becaues it is a
deliberately cartoonish, character-driven piece written
for a chase sequence and included on the soundtrack.
Film Score
Feature film core 'spotting'composing
arranging,Collaboration
Scene assessment,psychological and
emotional confluence of scene,texture, synergistic musical
interplay producing a musical
dialogue,collaborating,responding,
imagining,creating,crafting.
(Please note that this is not a definitive 'reel
Example 2 —
SABOTAGE (EXCERPT)
genre pop,funk.
06
Performance /
Collaboration
The Performer
Listening, responding,
creating.
Live performance and collaboration,
bringing improvisation, interaction and a
shared musical conversation to the moment.
Live performance and
collaboration, bringing improvisation,
interaction and a shared musical conversation
to the moment.
07
Performance
/ Collaboration
Dance
Listening,
responding, creating.
Live performance
and collaboration, bringing
improvisation, interaction and a shared
musical conversation to the moment.
