Expressionism is Minnesota Roadkill’s latest recording, recorded in 2016 in Minneapolis. It includes several of Roadkill’s original compositions, including (Ran) Blake and Blue and The Clouds Know My Name.
Expressionism – This is a twelve-bar blues form that displays my approach to horizontal improvisation.
(Ran) Blake and Blue – This is a musical portrait of, and tribute to, my piano teacher Ran Blake. Ran has a signature performance style based on noir ballads. As you listen, think of walking alone towards an ambiguous destination, very late on a crisp fall night, with a gentle rain falling and misty halos surrounding the city street lights.
The Clouds Know My Name – This is liquid composition. This piece is freely improvised and is inspired by Zen poetry of ancient China. If you spend enough time high in the mountains seeking the immortals, the clouds will eventually learn your name.
Don’t Explain – The lyrics of this song describe a co-dependent love relationship. I have worked with many victims of abuse, and with this performance I try to describe the hopelessness that many victims feel. This arrangement owes much to Mal Waldron.
Vancouver Sunny Day – My wife is from Vancouver, British Columbia. It is frequently cloudy in Vancouver because of its location on the Pacific coast. However, the day we met it was a sunny day. You can hear echoes of Scott Joplin’s Maple Leaf Rag towards the end of the piece.
Vanguard – This is a composition by Ran Blake. Ran has composed many pieces, and I feel that this is one of his best. Though Ran’s style is uniquely his own, he has had many influences and I believe that George Russell’s work played a prominent role in Ran’s development.
Recluse Blues – This is a twelve-bar blues that, again, shows my approach to playing horizontally.
Sophisticated Lady – This arrangement owes much to my teacher Oscar Bellman. Though it has elements of east coast performance styles, I think it owes more to 1950s Chicago and the Midwest.
Left Alone – This piece was written by Mal Waldron, a pianist whom I have studied at length. I only had the opportunity to hear Mal play live once, but I can still remember the performance.
Ella – This song is about my niece. She is full of energy and at family gatherings can move from one thing to another instantaneously. I tried to capture that with this performance.
I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead Blues – Warren Zevon is one of my favorite rock and roll musicians. He wrote a piece called “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” and this performance is in memory of him.
Pinky – Pinky is a jazz classic performed by Sarah Vaughn. I think she is one of the greatest jazz vocalists and I tried to capture certain elements of her style with this performance.
The Night – This is liquid composition. Sometimes when I sleep, I have difficulty distinguishing a dream from reality. I tried to capture that ambiguity with this composition. It is about doubt.
Moonglow – This is a more traditional approach to one of my favorite jazz standards.
Event Horizon – Some physicists speculate that what we experience as human life is actually a hologram originating on the surface of a black hole. This is the story of the beginning of life, as told in the context of the twelve-bar blues.