The selections below are from my solo piano tributes to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys- Jez Loves You (recorded Sept 04), and JLY2
(recorded in late 05).
Be Still- This song by Dennis Wilson and Stephen Kalinich from the album "Friends" (1968) was a real inspiration to me when I was growing up. Friends which shares a title with one of my favorite Chick Corea records was one of the first Beach Boys albums that I bought and has always been one of my favorites. A couple of years ago when I began playing piano at Unity Rockdale, I was very pleased to see a sign on the wall that read- Peace-Be Still. It is always an honor to play and sing this song. This version is instrumental as are the rest of these selections.
Had to Phone Ya/Till I Die/ A Young Man Is Gone-
Special thanks go to Eric Aniversario for suggesting Had To Phone Ya. The chord pattern was first used by Brian for Trombone Dixie which was an outake from Pet Sounds. I also recommend the version by Spring as well as The Beach Boys version from 15 Big Ones. I start my version with an Eric Satie influenced intro that also tips a respectful nod to Bill Evan's version of Some Other time.
The segue from Till I Die to A Young Man Is Gone was a real surprise to me. These recordings resemble my approach to the solo piano gigs that I play around Atlanta in that I usually have no idea what song will come next. Till I Die is one of Brian's most complex chord progressions, It is ripe with improvisational possibilities. once the segue took it to Their Hearts were Full Of Spring, I realised that I was singing the alternate lyrics of A Young Man Is gone in my head. I've always loved that version of The Bobby Troup classic from The Little Deuce Coupe album and since I am always singing the songs in my head as I play them(I learned this technique from my piano teacher Mike Schiffer when I was coming up) I decided to use the alternate title.
I Just Wasn't Made For These Times- A slighlty latin look at a song from the album that changed the music world-"Pet Sounds".
The Ding Dang Variations/This Whole World, It's Over Now-A little boogie woogie intro using the theme that ends side 2 of the underated The Beach Boys Love You(1977) segues into the chordal complexity of This Whole World which I play as a mid tempo swing and winds up with one of my favorite Brian's ballad's It's Over Now which contain's one of his most poignant lyrics (I'll Put A Frank Sinatra album on and cry my blues away, It's Over Now, It's Over Now).
Busy Doin Nothing is a bossa from Friends, it segues into a salsa tinged rendition of Still I Dream Of It.
Transcendental Meditation- I've always heard this tune which closes the Friends album as a Monk like bop/blues tune.
These selections are Not For Sale. They are Meant For You and Me to continue to learn about the music's harmonic structure as vehicles for improvisation.
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