A Ray

 Chris Gough - A Ray by chrisdgough   A Ray by chrisdgough
Still working on my music...I am picky with what I throw up here, but decided today that I should just put stuff up and worry about getting it perfect later. I have nearly a dozen songs at this point...only a handful are "done," and these won't really be done until instrumentation is dialed in etc.
I was excited to write a song for my wife of 7 years. The seven year itch is apparently causing songs...I think that is a good thing. Rebekah always loved that old song "You are my Sunshine." It stems from her childhood and she has sung it to our kids, has referenced it in her blog title, and generally likes when it pops up. So when I went to write a song for her, I knew it had to include this theme at some level. So here it is, for a person that can always build me up, especially when I need it...my ray of sunshine!
Recorded wonderfully with the cheap stock voice recorder on the iphone.

James Blake - Fiest Cover

Wow. Risky covering Feist, but very well done sir! James Blake is the title of James Blake's release. Its good...and its only been out a couple weeks. Surprise your friends with new music...from the UK! Thanks to Brendan Bosworth for Buzzing this on Google!

Omega Okello - Artist Preview - Spilling Hope Volume Two

All but one of the projects done by Spilling Hope have occurred in Uganda (See them here). Living Water International is the best, and they cost around $10k to research communities, hire local workers and oversee professional digging of clean water and sanitation centers. Typically this means digging a well...not 30 feet, with shovels, but  ft. with an enormous borehole drill
I made a quick post to Facebook one afternoon stating that I had entered the brainstorm stage for Volume 2, and a friend commented saying..."What about Omega? She is from Uganda." What an amazing idea!

I possibly first heard Omega sing when she and I were both kids, she was part of the African Children's choir and they stopped at our church during their US tour...I was there and it was absolutely incredible. I still remember them singing a song Sunday morning to give folks a glimpse into that nights concert...I was blown away by the joy, the passion and of course the volume.

Years later, Omega ended up at Seattle Pacific University where we both attended college, she often went to my church, and I played drums once for a song she killed at a talent night. Omega is one of those people who effortlessly sing, and appear to be having the time of their life every time they do so...and as they do it...you get tricked into also being filled with joy!

Omega has three studio albums...all different stylistically, but all tied together by her love for God, people and her joy in music. Her first release is a jazz album called Take One...it has big standards like Summertime, At Last and What a Wonderful World. Her most recent release is called Amazed, with music that seems very geared for a church audience; many hymns and choruses in an Afro-gospel style. In between these two came her award winning traditional Ugandan album Kiwomera Emmeeme. Luganda for "It is sweet to the soul," her most ethnic of her albums filled with amazing instrumentation, mostly original songs by Omega and with musicians from across Africa and the USA. All songs are sung in Luganda, Omega's native tongue. (With the exception of one song that is sung in Swahili...I jokingly asked my co-worker if he spoke Swahili...he said yes and then was able to determine which track was not Lugandan...amazing!) This 2008 release contains the song Yaye, which will be a part of this year's compilation. It is a strong song, and critical in its uniqueness to the others on the compilation. The song is produced extremely well with rich under stated rhythms, great accordion, and of course the hope and joy Omega...can't seem to shaken even on this song about mourning.

Yaye
Yaye, Yaye (I am mourning)
Wulira, Wulira Okukaaba (Hear the crying)
Wulira, Wulira edoboozi (Hear the voice)
Nkabira bantu bange (I’m crying/mourning/weeping for my people)
Mukomewo Gyendi (Return to me)
Mukomewo (return) 
Mukomewo Gyendi nze Omutonzi (Return to your maker)

Grateful to have Omega on the compilation this year, and if you want more info on her and her music check her website here. Thanks Omega!

Spilling Hope

So last year my friend and band-mate Adam Finch and I reached out to a bunch of musicians and put together a music compilation for a clean water initiative called Spilling Hope. (I technically did a little more then Adam...but that doesn't matter...no one is keeping score here...same team right? Love you Adam, you did a great job!!!) The project raised over $330,000 in the first two years, and has been an exciting success! This means that 33 communities now have access to clean water through the digging of deep borehole wells by Living Water International. These guys are the best, and are used by the One Campaign, UNICEF and tons of other groups. All the communities are in Southern Uganda, and we are setting the stage to do it again this year.

My task in this project is pretty cool, I get to put together the compilation and have been quietly plugging away at this for a few months, and it is going to be really good.
There was some unbelievably excellent music on the first compilation last year: Josh Ottum, Deccatree, Sleeping at Last, the Republic, PawnShop Kings, Raining and OK, Rosie Thomas, Ivan & Alyosha, Wonderful, Ryan J. Lane and Julie Jane) and you can still download the compilation here if you just enter your email. But shhhh...its sort of secret link.

In preparation for Spilling Hope Volume 2...I will be interviewing each artist that submits a song, so you can start to get acquainted with the musicians supporting Spilling Hope this year. Keep you eyes peeled!

Classical Music...Different Not Dumb!

When my brother Jeff (its his birthday today) was a young student in Middle or early High School, we were all making our way through diversity week. Which is of course now every day in the public schools, but in his leadership and general genius he at some point in some presentation got the entire class including the presenter to chant "Different Not Dumb!  Different Not Dumb!" Over and over again. It is one of those moments that I wished I could have seen first hand, but now have to rely on my imagination to bring it to life.
Musically, we could probably stand for a little diversity...and I was reminded that classical music is Different Not Dumb. I was looking around at some projects on kickstarter, and came across a documentary in the works on Beethoven's Ninth symphony (one that he wrote entirely while deaf) and it looks pretty interesting. It follows this single piece of music and how it has changed the world...watch the trailer here...its good!
This led me to remember just how great classical gets. Brahms 4th symphony is a personal favorite, that I studied extensively in my composition class at SPU under Dr. Hanson. You can learn EVERYTHING from the classical genre...except for maybe modern electronics. Along with Brahms I like Vivaldi's 4 Seasons, Samuel Barber's Adiago for Strings, Arthur Rubinstein's versions of Chopin Nocturnes and Chopin's prelude in E minor (This is the first piece I REALLY went for on piano...wish I could find my old music for this.), Tchaikovsky at Christmas time of course, Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition...I could go on, but instead I will point you toward a Ted talk that anyone who likes music, or people, or life should enjoy. Benjamin Zander is the charismatic conductor for the Boston Philharmonic and his words about the importance of music in this video are more then worth your time.
Classical is not just music from another age...so many modern composers seem to land in film scores or television.  Or they just keep making good music, like my good friend John Hinson...and if you haven't heard him you are missing out.  He has some free tracks to download on his site, but I listen to his solo piano album A Still Moment all the time. It never gets old...and he wrote a song for my son Simon when he was born...amazing!
So spill the beans, whats your favorite classical piece? Composer?
Classical - Different not Dumb.

Randy Newman

I have been listening to a bit of Randy Newman recently.  So many songwriters that I like seem to reference him. I don't know if this is just "Nice" referencing, or referencing due to popular demand...but I looked into Randy Newman recently and generally liked what I heard.
The first song that I heard of his was his biggest and most recent song, You Got A Friend in Me.  I used it to make a slide-show of odd animals cuddling (A duck and a chimp...etc.), and actually pulled off getting my place of work to watch it at a quarterly meeting...that was pretty amazing.  Left a lot of people wondering I think.
So my initial thoughts of Randy Newman were not exactly serious.  But then I saw him perform Sail Away on SNL (Season 1 Episode 2 with Paul Simon...fast forward to 16:30). I was pretty impressed.  I love his simple but interesting piano parts, and his nonchalant, casual and clever lyrics.  I always admire people who say important things plainly.  I think that is the goal of any good songwriter, and Randy Newman seems to do that effortlessly.
I also appreciate his sarcasm.  His song Short People, appears mean, but is a statement about judging people based on ridiculous criteria.  Or Political Science suggests that we just "Drop the big one, and see what happens." While sarcasm is not good in email, it is great in songs!
I love his orchestration of his tracks: horn sections, clarinet, tubas, good bass sounds, good drum sounds, tasteful solos, fills and riffs.  He is a strong producer, and in his recent career has moved away a bit from the singer songwriter role and has written some major scores and songs for film.  He did the music for: Toy Story, A Bug' Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., Pleasantville, James and the Giant Peach, Toy Story 3, Cars, Cars 2, Meet the Fockers, Parenthood, Seabiscut...and more.
Ultimately, Randy is a talented guy, who has a superior knowledge of music, a massively distinct voice, a rare ear for sound and quite a sense of humor.  (He even co-wrote Three Amigos with Steve Martin and Lorne Michaels.)  Thanks Randy!

David Bazan

Bazan is a unique influence, because I know him.  At least at an acquaintance level.  We run in many of the same circles: I have friends who went to highschool with him, friends who were at his wedding, friends who have toured with him, and recorded with him, I did a recording project at his house years ago and even officiated his sister's wedding.  I like Dave, and as I have followed the world of music (especially college years and beyond), there was Dave...my age...making his mark.  Pedro the Lion (PTL), Dave's long time band before he went solo, was fresh, hip and THE definition of Indie rock in my mind.  I fell in love with this music and it was listened to with great regularity...especially during my college years.

Honesty is the key word most would use to describe Dave.  A word commonly accompanied with another: Brutal.  His lyrics are in your face, pretty much every time.  He doesn't write love songs...he writes songs of judgment.  Consider the title to the first album I purchased (Pedro's 2nd EP: 1998) of his work: The Only Reason I Feel Secure (is that I am validated by my peers).  It is sarcastic and is in itself a judgment on those who put faith in friends instead of God...as he points toward as the proper source of worth.  (Evidenced by his really great version of Be Thou My Vision on this record.)  I know that this sounds absolutely blasphemous in a post-modern/Seattle worldview, but his this sort of judicial honesty has always set him apart. Whether it is Dave learning a lesson from Dad in Big Trucks (1998), or his critique of the American dream with the concept album Winners Never Quit (2000), his early critiques of secular culture...his later critiques of the Christian culture and his most recent critique of God himself. 

Something I love about Dave is his radar for theological content.  It is crawling all over his music, manifesting itself in most songs and certainly a defining element to his most recent (and best, in my opinion) release Curse Your Branches.  With his Dad a career worship pastor, Dave seems incapable of getting around God in his work.  And this has led to some frustration, in his latest album Dave shares his frustration with the Genesis account, with God's response to Job, with hell as a scare tactic etc.  And while many people call this record Dave's "Break up with God."  I call it frustration and dissallusionment.  Coupled with his frustration of God Dave talks about his drinking as a way to forget God in the final track (In Stitches) of the album... he also poetically states, "I might as well admit it, like I even have a choice.  The crew have killed the captain, but they still can hear his voice."  Sad, for sure, but also compelling, this album has caused more discussion then any other other then I can think of...which in many ways means it is good art, as it moves people.

As a producer, Dave has kept things simple and straight.  Known for his metronome-like sense of time, Dave (who played drums as a youth, in marching band etc.) always makes sure that his drum parts are solid...which I love.  One of the best drum parts is heard here on  Magazine (2006...best drums ever!!!), or this live version of Magazine.  He is also known for his deathly slow, but steady tunes like
the title track to Winner's Never Quit.  His recent album is worth mentioning here for sure...while it has the darkest content of all the albums (hmm...maybe Winners Never quit is darker...), the music itself is surprisingly full of major chords, pedal steel guitars, rock solos and rich harmony.  Dave doesn't pack his songs with instrumentation unless it adds, I love this.  He makes good choices, melodically, rhythmically, and even managed (as I didn't think possible) to cover Radiohead's classic Let Down without blowing it!

Although he is local...Dave is respected widely in the world of music.  He was in Paste Magazine's top 100 living songwriter list.  And most in the Indie Rock genre know his name, and were probably influenced by what he has done.  He can be dark, which I don't always love, but if he puts something out...I buy it.  Thanks Dave!

For those fans of Dave's work, I happen to know that he is recording now for an album that should come out sometime in Spring of '11.  You can chip in to make it happen and get your name in the liner notes here.

Listen Back - Paul Brady

Wow, this guy is totally amazing. I was introduced to him today by Ryan Richter, and was pretty blown away by this video...I ended up buying two tracks off iTunes: Arthur McBride and Fred Finn's Reel / Sailing Into Walpole's Marsh.  Both of which I listened to most of the work day, and both from a 1976 album called Andy Irvine and Paul Brady.  The song Ryan originally sent me, But the Same Old Story, is also worth checking out.  Its always fun to find new music...and I've come across a bunch recently..maybe I'll introduce another tomorrow!

Brother Levi...a gift?

Brother Levi by chrisdgough
I watched a Ted talk today about the origin of  creativity.  It was inspiring, and quite in line with my meager thoughts on the issue.  It was also oddly coincidental to a recent experience.  Just two days ago I woke up at 5:30 in the morning and wrote a song...start to finish, stealing a guitar riff from an old project.  I called it "Brother Levi" and made a quick recording that morning before breakfast (complete with Simon and Levi running around in the background).  Not knowing how to put audio on my blog I made a quick slideshow of Levi and put the song here in the form of a movie...if you want to hear it moments after writing it...recorded on my iphone...(ok ok no excuses!) My eyes did not roll back in my head, and I was not visited by a visible Dickens-esque spirit, but I will say that the idea was just there, and it was a matter of writing it down. Which I did.  1 Samuel mentions that a spirit came upon David and he played soothing music to the angry Saul.  Many songwriters, (Thom Yorke & Bono immediately come to mind, but I've heard it hundreds of times) profess that they even feel guilty at times taking credit for songs that fell in their lap.
The critical question to ask is, "Who should get the credit," for these waves of creativity?  The Christian worldview holds firmly the Holy Spirit's role in  bestowing gifts upon all people, and cooperating with those who respond to revelation.  In our popular culture, people try to steer clear of giving any sort of recognition to God...and so naturally the credit falls to themselves.  Enter the video...
So, it is twenty minutes long, and the speaker is the author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert, she puts forth some very compelling concepts...that seem both obvious and crazy...but watch the video...and then let me know if you have ever had the sensation of "receiving" knowledge, or understanding or clarity or wisdom or an artistic boost of some sort.  It's not arrogant to say you have, but then you would know that had you watched the video!

Paul Simon

The obvious choice of who to write about first falls to Paul Simon. If I had to name someone that was my favorite (which I would never officially do) it would be him. The story goes that my brother Jeff and I would "Flip Out" (another post) regularly around noon when we were 4-7 years old and at my Aunt's house. Aunt Rhoda solved this by showing me how to work the cassette player. I listened to Simon & Garfunkle's Greatest Hits for hours on end with enormous headphones...Jeff was placated with never-seen-at-home sugar cereal. I know every chord, lyric and harmony on that album, I still listen to it now, and while it is true that our firstborn son is named Simon, I will reiterate that I am not officially saying he is my favorite.

My Dad saw Simon and Garfunkle perform at UW in the late 60's. It was three hours of two voices and one guitar...the best concert he has seen to this day. If one can, for a moment look past the crisp harmonies, playful melodies and timeless songwriting mastery of Paul Simon...you may notice that he is an incredible guitar player. Paul may be the best guitar player in the world, that is not known as one. Not even making Rolling Stone's top 100 guitarists of all time in '03 (I know because I looked when it came out). I think his subtlety steals away most of his deserved credit. He rarely flashes his capabilities for the greater good of the song...listen to American Tune (1973) to hear what I mean.  This is one of the abilities I admire most about him, he never overdoes anything...he understands the less is more principle fully. Oh...if your still not convinced on the guitar skills listen to his version of Anji (1966).

Paul Simon grew up in the studio, watching his Dad record big band music, and from an early age was surrounded by pros (his brother Ed was pretty accomplished as well).   He always played with the best...and not just with Garfunkle, but with Linda Ronstad, Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Gillian Welch, Dion, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Annie Lennox, Lou Reed and on and on.  But it wasn't just other icons, his studio roots drew him to great players.  Steve Gadd on drums (matching Paul's incredible subtlety) is one of my favorites.  Gadd's drums on 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover (1976)  is legendary in the drum world.  I "Performed" this for a drum final in college...its a lot harder then it looks!  He played with random, but crazy talented people like harmonica player Toots Thielemans on a mostly unknown but brilliant song called I Do It for Your Love (1976). Instrumentation on all of his records is always interesting...and often groundbreaking.  He was the first to bring Reggae into the mainstream with his song Mother and Child Reunion (1972).  He collaborated with the Peruvian pipes of Urubamba on El Condor Pasa (1970).  Recorded most of the Graceland album in South Africa, working with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and bassist Bakithi Kumulo who is amazing on You Can Call me Al (1986). Recorded Tenderness (1973), perhaps my favorite song of his, in a Doo Wop style.  Throw in a dixieland style on Loves Me Like A Rock (1973), and a zydeco version of That Was Your Mother (1986) and you grasp the richness of Paul Simon's music, and sneak in a slight appreciation of world music as you go.

As a song writer, Paul Simon is at his best.

Cathy I'm lost I said though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all come to look for America.
(America, 1968)

I'm not sure how it is done, again and again, but Paul Simon is able to communicate deep truths, and reference universal human experience effortlessly and artfully.  Born and raised in Brooklyn, he also is deeply rooted as an American.  His music often references American cities and states (and yes an occasional reference to London where he lived for a few years) while incorporating uniquely American music: blues and jazz of course, but also black gospel, southern gospel, big band and soul.  More importantly he seems committed to the concept, and the idea of America.

The Mississippi Delta was shining                              We come on the ship they call the Mayflower
Like a National guitar,                                                 We come on the ship that sailed the moon
I am following the river                                               We come in the age's most uncertain hours
Down the highway                                                       and sing an American tune
Through the cradle of the civil war.                             (American Tune, 1973) 
... Maybe I've a reason to believe
We all will be received
In Graceland 
(Graceland, 1986)

Paul Simon is the full musical package, and while he is certainly not infallible...his songs are probably my single largest influence as a musician and have been steadily loved since my childhood.

Thanks Paul.


Discography of Studio Albums

Simon & Garfunkle:
1964 - Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.
1966 - Sounds of Silence
1966 - Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
1968 - Bookends
1970 - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Paul Simon:
1972 - Paul Simon
1973 - There Goes Rhymin' Simon
1975 - Still Crazy After All These Years
1980 - One Trick Pony (Soundtrack)
1983 - Hearts and Bones
1986 - Graceland
1990 - The Rhythm of the Saints
1997 - Songs From the Capeman 
2000 - You're the One
2006 - Surprise

These are just his studio albums.  He is also on countless compilations, live recordings and greatest hits as well.   

Tap your foot...

I wish my ipod dock wouldn't have entered early retirement days before my 11 month Christmas music ban was lifted. Everyone likes music. Some people do it for a living, others manically follow musicians and trends, some dabble with an instrument or two, and others swear they could care less about it but rightly tear up when the symphony is in full swell at the climax of a good film. In any case, when you encounter good music you typically respond.
Perhaps you tap your foot, or hum, or relax, or use the steering wheel as a percussive instrument. Maybe it is so good that you immediately go purchase it (as I have done more then I would like to admit). Whether consciously or not, gifted or not, there is a desire, acted upon or not, to engage with excellent music. To fall into step with it.
It occurred to me that we all have an unstoppable ambition to join the grand, untouchable and immeasurable. It is certainly not our survivalist nature that dictates this behavior nor a hedonistic notion of "letting loose." those are both self serving and incomplete in their diagnosis. The truly remarkable and pure act of tapping the foot to When the Saints go Marching In (I happened to listen to Louis Armstrong's version today) is born out of a natural, easy alignment to the human condition: love, lament, triumph, failure, nostalgia, hope, confidence, regret, fear and joy are all things we know well...but our tapping foot also points to another untraceable yet unmistakable human experience, the transcendence of it.