Damn, the rhythm on this one is so good. Kudos, man.
Author Comments
Another installment in the Twilight Zone series.
Same digital ensemble as Shadow Play, different ideas being expressed here.
The bass being a main focus in this tune as well, I took some inspiration from James Jamerson's style of writing bass lines. He often used a chromatic approach to compliment the voicings of the chords he would be playing over and I used that pretty heavily here.
In addition to Jamerson, I have been listening to a great deal of the arrangements by Conrad O. Johnson, composer, arranger and teacher of the Kashmere Stage band (a popular high school jazz funk band from the mid-late seventies). Some of the bass lines implemented by Gerald Calhoun (a friend of mine!) was what I took inspiration from here as well. He has a really funky approach to melodic story-telling with the bass.
Percussively and harmonically pretty straight forward. Funk grooves overall where the open high hat placement plays a pretty crucial role. What sets it apart for the listener is the placement of the open high hat on the beat. Straight forward closed high hat would make for some very boring funk music. But, each instance in this song, though the placement may appear strange, has a place in the overall rhythmical structure.
Twilight Zone is great, you should watch it! Prophetic stories for it's time. Some episodes will really have you on the edge of your seat even though they are quite old. The episode this song was named after was no different, and I definitely recommend watching it.
Enjoy! Review if you dig, leave me a PM whatever you like! I will almost always get back to anyone who contacts me.
You've done it again! That dirty bass has this sort of quality that sounds like slowly ripping construction paper. I love it! What is your background? Your bass game is on point and your harmonic sensibilities suggest some serious jazz study. Your music makes me want to get a beer and nerd out with you. Let's not make this weird.
frootza responds:
I dig those metaphors man! I've been playing in different bands since I was in High School. I learned most of my "classical" theory during that time and I studied with one of the best guitarists in the world where I learned a great deal about jazz theory and technique (mind you, he never used sheet music as a lesson tool I learned that on my own!).
Lessons would include him dictating specific chords, like the split voicing of a B Minor 7 played as the third inversion. If I didn't have it within a second he would be very angry! So, it made me practice a lot haha. But he allowed me to graduate his school at a young age which was cool too.
Other than that it's been self study for the most part, which is the lifelong journey anyway. I want to try and get you some gigs in Jersey! PM me if you want to nerd out one day brotha!
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