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Topic: Steelonious -- Thelonious Monk for steel guitar |
Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 20 Oct 2015 5:23 am |
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Steelonious is the name of a project I have been working on, creating demos and arrangements for later recording with musicians. I am taking Thelonious Monk compositions and re-imagining them in settings that work for steel guitar--sometimes Country, sometimes Rock and Roll, and many other styles that are close to my heart, but conducive to steel guitar and improvisation.
This is a short playlist of demos that give a feel for the project, although they were quickly recorded at home. I need real musicians and a real studio to get the project done right.
The first tune "Bye-Ya" was recorded in a honky-tonk kind of style, inspired by Jimmy Day in some way. I'm interested in a more traditional tone and stylings, but a modern update on the vocabulary that is part jazz, part Rock and Roll.
"Off Minor" is a difficult, kind of off-the-wall tune, and I drew on an NRBQ kind of influence. This tune lets me improvise in a way that I really dig which is more abstract.
https://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/sets/steelonious-demos
There will also be some beautiful ballads, because Thelonious wrote some of the most gorgeous melodies ever recorded.
The reason I am posting this here is in the hopes that I can entice you to buy an advance copy of the project through my Kickstarter page. You would select the CD or digital files as a reward and then at completion (projected date of release Sept. 2016), you'll receive them. Simple as that! The only catch is you may have to wait a year for the product. By asking you to purchase it ahead of time, it ensures that I will have the funding necessary to get the project done. There are also T-shirts and book of the arrangements.
I hope your not offended by my post. This is one of the more feasible ways of getting things done for a musician who doesn't play music for a living, which I don't. But I live and breathe it. I hope you'll consider supporting Steelonious--I know it is a lot to ask of fellow musicians.
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 6:00 am
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By the way, this is a new genre of music called "Jazz Confusion". 
_________________
Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Tom Lulias
From:
Wyoming, USA
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Posted 21 Oct 2015 4:06 pm
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| Nice job mike! |
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Neil McCollum
From:
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 22 Oct 2015 2:41 am
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| Beautiful, Mike! |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 30 Oct 2015 6:15 am
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I added a short demo of the tune Reflections in a Santo & Johnny-esque style.
https://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/reflections-demo-mike-neer
I plan on recording a few of the Monk tunes with a Western Swing ensemble. That is going to be fun!
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 1:50 am
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If you haven't heard this tune, you should give it a whirl. Monk's 'Bye-Ya' kicks off right after that followed by a couple of other demos;
you'll get a taste of what's going down in Mike's studio. It's a pretty exciting project. Here's the link to the funding for it: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1931116605/mike-neers-steelonious-project
There are enough days left in the funding to get it done.
It's not for free--there's an album in it for you should the funding be enough.
Mike says:
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| I hope you'll consider supporting Steelonious--I know it is a lot to ask of fellow musicians. |
I don't think it's a lot to ask of fellow musicians for a major supporter of the forum and an outstanding musician.
I've just received an email from Kickstarter about Mike's enlisting an assist in the studio so that he can focus on the music.
This project isn't happening in a vacuum, it's happening, and it's going to happen better with our help.
It's an opportunity, with nothing to lose.
_________________
Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Larry Weaver
From:
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 4:05 am
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| Quote: |
Mike says:
| Quote: |
| I hope you'll consider supporting Steelonious--I know it is a lot to ask of fellow musicians. |
I don't think it's a lot to ask of fellow musicians for a major supporter of the forum and an outstanding musician.
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I agree with Charlie, it's not a lot at all to ask considering the GREAT resources Mike generously provides to the community on his Lap Steelin' page .
I'm in for the the CD and spiral bound book. Good luck Mike, it looks like it's getting close to funding! |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 5:04 am
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Thank you, Charlie and Larry!
Just to clarify one thing, none of this will be recorded in my studio. I don't the capabilities to record drums and I don't have a real piano or organ at my disposal. I think Plan B would have been to do it at home, but that would have resulted in a much lesser product.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Susan Alcorn
From:
Baltimore, MD, USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 6:36 am
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Wow, Mike, this is wonderful! You have such a unique approach to Monk's music (one that I think Monk would have enjoyed tremendously) and not just because it's a steel guitar. I love those little cascading high notes in "Well You Needn't" (at times it reminds me of Esquivel, which is a compliment), and the harmonic choices in the arrangement. You play the music with a sense of adventure, and the steel guitar with conviction and authority.
Best of luck with your project.
_________________
www.susanalcorn.net
"So this is how you swim inward. So this is how you flow outwards. So this is how you pray."
- Mary Oliver |
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Billy Easton
From:
Nashville, TN USA
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 10:02 am
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This is a refreshing experience to hear what you are doing. Go for it!!
Billy
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Billy & Meriul Easton
Nashville, TN |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 31 Oct 2015 11:18 am
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Thanks, Susan and Billy. Susan, you've been such a huge influence on me, always personifying "play it like you hear it".
The project would be nothing without a taste of Western Swing:
https://soundcloud.com/ionahoopii/i-mean-you-demo-mike-neer
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 2 Nov 2015 2:10 am
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This swing is a natural for the project.
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Those that say don't know; those that know don't say.--Buddy Emmons |
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Mike Daly
From:
Tennessee
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Posted 2 Nov 2015 11:53 am
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| Yes Mike... Gonna be Goood..Keep us posted..! |
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