Get a good bottle of wine and hear new swing music in an authentic 30's style with bowed bass, violin, and guitar from Seattle.

12 MP3 Songs in this album (50:57) !
Related styles: JAZZ: Retro Swing, JAZZ: Gypsy Jazz

People who are interested in Django Reinhardt Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli Edgar Meyer should consider this download.


Details:
Liner notes for Harbinger CD


Yes, I was going to call it the Spencer Hoveskeland Impressionist Trio for several reasons. Reason one was to support Paul Anastasioâs Impressionist www.theimpressionist.us violin chin rest. A product he co-invented and is now selling nationwide. The second reason was that I like the impressionist concept allowing the viewer, or in this case listener, a personal experience interpreted solely by themselves without outside opinions or ideas interfering. This makes being in an audience an equalizing experience âone person may fall asleep and the next one may be inspired to design and build a perpetual energy engine â each experience would have been hindered by too much input by the artist of what the ârightâ way to experience the art is and each experience is just as valuable (though perhaps not to big oil). The third reason for the Impressionist title is that as musicians we are doing impressions of what a guitar, violin, and bass can sound like. Or to put it less tongue in cheek, each musician is a conglomeration of all the music they have ever heard, all the musicians they have heard, and all the experiences they have ever had, combined to create something new that remains within the parameters of what came before with a dash of agreement between players about form and dynamics, and a splash of cash to make them get together in the first place and set what they really want to do aside and therefore abandon their true selves in a selfless act of kindness for the composer resulting in nothing more than an impression of what they set out to do more or less, give or take a note or two here and there. Of course, I had to abandon the Impressionist title as the acronym for the group resulted in green house gas emissions.


A special thank you to Chris Spencer at Sophia Hat studio for tracking, Katy Kavanaugh at Rainstorm Studio for mixing, Michael Doughty for shine, polish and a much needed education, and Discmakers for mastering. CD cover art La femme du Merlot is by Jenni Prange Boran, www.jenniprange.com . CD design and layout plus the instruments with wine was done by Christopher Woitach www.affmusic.com.


The music on this CD was created with the hopes of beginning a CD series for concerts at Harbinger Winery, www.harbingerwinery.com, in the spring of 2008. Each title is named after one of vintner Sara Gagnonâs wines, a place in Port Angeles WA, a condition of mild inebriation, or at least something or someone the composer heard about once, albeit briefly, yet concluded should be remembered for eternity in instrumental song.

Christopher Woitach is a jazz guitarist and composer living in Portland, Oregon. His musicianship and compositions reflect his diverse musical tastes and abilities, and combine the intricacies of Baroque counterpoint with the freedom of modern jazz.
Woitachâs current projects include writing music for his group, the Cathexis Orchestra, recording his duo with guitarist John Stowell, and a compositional collaboration with electronic music composer Joseph Harchanko.

Violin master Paul Anastasioâs socially acceptable escapades include tours and recordings with Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Alseep at the Wheel, the Gatlin Brothers, and the Grand Olâ Opry. He is also one of the few who claim to be a student of the late Joe Venuti and actually was. In fact, youâll hear Joeâs violin in Paulâs hands, tuned an octave lower, on the track Dynamo Red. Paul is regularly published in Fiddler Magazine, teaches privately and publicly, and is a respected musicologist. Currently Paul is transcribing and arranging thousands of hours of rare Mexican fiddle music while also promoting his invention the Impressionist violin chinrest.

Double Bass owner and composer Spencer Hoveskeland performs and tours primarily as half of the Bottom Line Duo www.bottomlineduo.com. (A bass and cello duo with his wife Traci Hoveskeland). Spencer has known and respected Paul and Christopher for many years and is proud to have their artistry recorded here. Spencerâs career has taken him around the world, in and out of orchestra pits, movie score recordings, and a myriad of ensembles as varied as baroque, tango, klezmer, Mexican folk, and hard rock.

Notes on Tunes:






1. Bumbershoot - 3:50 â Named after the umbrella that real Washingtonians donât use. Also, in 1998 at the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle Spencer and Paul united to make the CD Swinginâ in Seattle

2. Harbinger Jump - 2:18 - Named after the Winery in Port Angeles

3. You May Find Me Drinking - 7:14 â A pretty melody that goes good with a glass of Merlot

4. Last Night's Misfortune - 3:07 â Before going into the studio I realized, while lying in bed, that I hadnât written a waltz. I accessed the place in my mind where these things come from and heard a beautiful waltz in D. I remembered that it started on an f-sharp and descended. I also remembered that the third bar had a 4tuplet in it. Unfortunately, that is all I remembered. When I awoke the next morning and wrote this waltz.

5. Vines and Velvet - 4:57 There was a lovely, young, need I say moreâ¦her name was Chelsea Velvet. Vines? Use your imagination.

6. Dynamo Red - 4:33 â Named after the award winning Merlot at Harbinger Winery.

7. Hurricane Risk - 3:42 â The first day of driving school in Port Angeles includes a drive up to the treacherous peak of Hurricane Ridge.

8. Neicie's Lament - 7:19 â A gentle Ballad that could melt the heart of any one who has one.

9. Scotty's Blues - 3:04 Written on my Brotherâs birthday. Heâs really, really old.

10. Fowl Swing - 3:54 â Based on âthe Swanâ from Saint Saens Carnival of the Animals.

11. Walking Askew - 4:39 How two lovers walk on a sandy beach.

12. I Do, I Do - 2:31 â The underlying motif for this piece was created by my three year old son. The title as well.