The first time I tried to channel a Thiebaud painting, I failed. This time, however, I had the image in front of me, and I must say I was much more successful. This improv is peaceful and slightly melancholy. It has a nice arc and doesn't overreach.
"Man Sitting - Back View" (1964) by Wayne Thiebaud Click on the painting to open up a larger version in another window.
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.
I did not know what to do with this painting by Winslow Homer, other than to do my best to evoke the teeming, whitecapped water and the imminent violence.
"The Gulf Stream" (1899) by Winslow Homer Click on the painting to open up a larger version in another window.
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.
I thought longer than usual about how to render this painting, "Night Burn" by Sidney Goodman. I decided after much contemplation to imagine this act, frozen in time in the painting, in an unusual way. Instead of the tragedy of a man burning, I wanted to focus on the spectacle of the flame. I imagined the man as a work of art himself, comprised of deeds and experiences, and tried to capture the solemn beauty of the destruction of such a piece of art. Like the best funerals, it became a celebration of life.
I noticed that this piece shares a lot with the last two minutes of "Nighthawks." I was still quite enamored with the tonalities I had discovered in that effort, and found the right opportunity to explore them further. (The similarity in titles is surely coincidence.)
"Night Burn" (1986-87) by Sidney Goodman Click on the painting to open up a larger version in another window.
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Recorded on August 12th, 2008, at Magic Closet Studios, in Portland, OR.
The goal of this blog is to post, on a semi-regular basis (I try to update it weekly), recordings of piano improvisation sessions, for people to listen to, and possibly comment on. These pieces are free improvs – stream-of-consciousness creations. Each improv session yields multiple pieces. A new piece starts when I sit down to play, and ends when I get up. Some pieces are split into movements, based on significant shifts in musical direction, usually with a complete stop. For more info, please read the introduction.
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