Welcome Greece Odyssey Jazz Ensemble
FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON
WELCOME GREECE ODYSSEY: GREECE NY
I’m looking forward to hearing from you and working with you -
…. so whenever you are ready to start blogging – DROP ME A LINE!
Tom Davis!
Advertisement
FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON
WELCOME GREECE ODYSSEY: GREECE NY
I’m looking forward to hearing from you and working with you -
…. so whenever you are ready to start blogging – DROP ME A LINE!
Tom Davis!
Hey (Tom, Mr. Davis…?)!
I’m Colleen, I play Tenor Sax in the Jazz Ensemble at Odyssey.
I’ve really enjoyed working on your music for this concert!
I was actually wondering if you could talk a little bit about the different parts of your Flowers for Algernon suite and what some of the themes/sections symbolize. I think it might be beneficial for me as well as the rest of the band to understand the motives for some of these sections so that our interpretations can be more accurate.
I’m looking forward to working with you!
-Colleen ^_^
Hi Colleen
Great Question: Here is what I wrote to the Conard Band (West Hartford CT) When I sent them the commission:
Dear Scott Porter and the 2006-2007 Conard High School Concert Jazz Band
I cannot tell you how much it means to a composer to have an experienced group such as yours offer me the opportunity to compose a new work. This means that both you and I have entered into a commitment to make something come alive that has never existed before. We need each other to do this and for that I so am grateful to you.
When Mr. Porter asked me to consider this commission I wanted to tell as story as well as use some musical ideas not often used in public school jazz compositions. When my own school began to work on the stage production of Daniel Keyes’ Flowers for Algernon I knew I had the story to tell. Charlie Gordon’s journey is universal to human existence – not in the literal sense in that everyone has had Charlie Gordon’s “operation” – but that we all seem to identify with his emotional, intellectual, and spiritual turmoil.
When I was younger I read – and re-read the book – perhaps because I felt a connection with Charlie “on the way up”. Young people have the whole world in front of them. Now that I am older I seem to be curious about Charlie “on the way down” for all of the obvious reasons.
On a purely structural level – the matrix to the right was used to develop the melodic and harmonic content of the piece. This organizational tool allowed the composition to sound as if it was coming from an unconventional source – something slightly foreign to our ears. This sound was so very appropriate for the subject matter.
I am looking forward to our visit and the premier in May. If you have any questions about the “Flowers” feel free to contact me at any time.
All my best,
~Tom Davis
Description of Each Movement
Flowers for Algernon Suite
Composed by
Tom Davis (ASCAP)
Based on the novel Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
Commissioned by the Conard High School Concert Jazz Ensemble, Scott Porter Director
West Hartford, Connecticut – February 2007
I. Nice, Not Nice
Charlie’s new-found sensibilities confirm that his “friends” are not all his friends.
He begins to see the difference between people that are “Nice” and “Not Nice”. Melancholy sets in…..
II. Inkblot No. 1
Charlie takes his first Rorschach inkblot test.
He cannot see anything but Inkblots in the tests. He is confused and frustrated.
III. Amazed!
Charlie races Algernon in the maze and finally wins.
Charlie is “Amazed”
IV. Inkblot No. 2
A later Rorschach test reveals more to Charlie than to his doctors.
The future is revealed in the past!
V. It Just Ain’t Right
An old woman named Fanny Birden, thinks Charlie’s condition “ain’t right” and wishes he could return to “the good simple man” he had been. She believes “you just can’t mess with what God gave you at birth” so when Charlie becomes a genius, she wonders if he has made a deal with the devil.
Thanks! That timeline is extremely helpful!
Oh, I was also curious as to why you only chose to include the events when Charlie is “one the way up” and not the rest of the novel when he is “on the way down”…
This is in Response to Colleen’s Question-
I was also curious as to why you only chose to include the events when Charlie is “one the way up” and not the rest of the novel when he is “on the way down”…
Another Good Question Colleen.
To get my mind around this project I did the following research.
1. I re-read Flowers For Algernon
2. I read Daniel Keys Book “Charlie and Me” which is an account of the process that the author went through to arrive at the final book – as well as a mini-auto biography of his life relative to his writing.
3. I LISTENED to the Book on Tape
4. I Watched the original Movie
One of the things I got out of this was the symbolism. Specifically the three major “arches” or progressions of enlightenment that Charlie goes through. They are the Intellectual, the emotional and the spiritual.
I think that i reflected these arches in some way as he grew. To describe them again on the way down would have meant a few things.
1. The piece would have been much longer
2. the piece might have been redundant or repetitive
3. I could not really conceptualize how to “unravel” everything that had a”accumulated” in the first 5 movements at the time.
Now, that being said – and since you asked – I have begun to think that a sequel could be written. It would be one piece that starts with the a musical depiction of the 3 “pinnacles of enlightenment” and would unravel them as it develops. I would think that it would start out very colrful and uplifting but then become more raw and earthy as it drives to the conclusion. Somthing like Floating in HEaven and being dashed to purgatory – OR – vice versa. Because, perhaps, the real question is – is more blessed to live simple and unaware – or all knowing and frustrated with the condition of man?
Deep…
I was not really ready to tackle that in my music at that time – but I will someday.
Again, thanks for asking such a great question.
Tom
Hello Mr. Davis, my name is mark, and I play guitar in the jazz ensemble. I’m looking forward to you coming in and giving us assistance for our upcoming concert.
I was just wondering what you wanted in terms of comping in the solo sections for other parts, most notably at measure 94 in “Amazed” and at measure 74 in “It Just Ain’t Right” (especially because it just says “G minor tonality-layered comping”. Also, when I was listening to the guitar part in “Nice, Not Nice”, it seemed that the recorded version had a more rock feel in it in my opinion, especially at 41-49. I was just curious about it, cause it felt different than whats on paper, but it sounds great either way. Thank you again.
-Mark
Hi Mark!
Thanks for asking!
First for all – try to play it like the recorded version. I recorded it and conducted it so that is pretty close to what I really want.
When I say “G Minor Layered tonality”, I am asking the guitarist to play colors and not necessarily participate in the rhythmic nature of the groove. I wold say to stay open to what the soloists does and move diatonically within G Dorian. (Triad Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm, Eo FMajor) Or 4ths within the key. For example you could move the 4th structure C F Bb (inverted any way that you wish) Up a whole step to D G C, then to E A D, then F Bb Eb (eb would be out of G Dorain but would retain the 4ths). Try that out.
When you playn in amazed Comp as you would for a straight ahed minor blues. NOT Freddy Green (Basie) style However.
That help?
Hey Mr. Davis,
I just want to say that I had a really fun time performing in the concert with you. Thank you again for coming out and playing with us, and for your assistance on my guitar playing.
I look forward to hearing more great tunes from you!
Thanks again,
Mark
Hola,
I’m Jon… just like it says on the left of this. I have red hair and I like long walks on the beach. I play 2nd trombone in the jazz ensemble.
I don’t really have any questions but I have a few comments. I like how you reuse those 4 8th notes in a row at measure 17 of “It Just Ain’t Right” in Flowers. You reused them several times during the rest of the piece but you always change what comes after them and it keeps me on my toes because it keeps the piece interesting by repeating a general theme but then altering it a little every time.
I also like the glisses (glissi?) in the trombone parts during the 4th movement, “Inkblot no. 2.” I think it gives the movement a very creepy tone.
Thanks for taking the time to set up this blog!
Jon
Hi Jon!
Some great observations!
Yes, RIGHT!
The more that I compose the more that I find it interesting – and FUN to do more with LESS! Some might say that that is being “economical with the material”. I agree with that concept because doing that also gives the piece a sense of individuality or its own personailty by LIMITING the building blocks to the ideas that best express the purpose of the piece.
If you read my response to Colleen’s question you will get a little bit more of an idea what each movement means. That might help make the music make more sense to you.
Thanks for the great question!
Tom
Hello,
this is Mike the much better looking than Jon, 1st trombonist! I don’t have much to say about the music that hasn’t already been pointed out, I just wanted to try this out, and say keep the music coming!
THANKS MIKE
WILL DO!
Hello,
I’m Meredith, the 2nd out of three girls that are in this ensemble of jazz.
I play alto sax for the Flowers For Algernon suite, and I would just like to say that I think that the music is awesome! I have really enjoyed playing it, and it just keeps getting better. I don’t really have any questions regarding the actual music, but I would like to say that it now makes a lot of sense to me after I read the breakdown of the sections that you sent to Colleen. I now have a completely different image when I play/listen to “It Just Aint Right”, and I can picture what you were aiming to capture in the music, which I think is really cool.
I just thought of a question, and it may be stupid, but, I think I’ll ask it anyway. I just noticed that “It Just Aint Right” is the only movement in the suite that has measures set aside for soloing, and I was wondering if there might be a specific reason behind that, or if it just worked out that way. The fifth movement has the most specific description for what it’s supposed to be portraying, so why are there spots in the piece that allow players to go away from the theme and solo?
Finally, to break away from the throng of questions and comments about Flowers, I have a question about Ketu Song. I am playing flute for this song, and I was wondering what the inspiration was behind composing this song, if there was any. I would also like to know if there is a certain style of playing that would be best suited for this song. Is there any kind of feel or something that you think would be best? Or should I just follow the articulation marks?
That’s it, I think. Thanks for setting up this blog, it’s really nice of you to help us and for giving us this really challenging and cool music to play!
-Meredith
HI Meredith. Although It Just aint right has the MOST open soilo sections – there is improvisation in movements 3 and 4.
However, I did intend that the audience and soloists would be ready for that kind of “Open” improvisation at this point in the composition.
Ketu Song was transcribed from a traditional Brazilian Folk Song. Ketu means Bay. The opening clapping and melody is directlyh transcribed from the original. It was a call and res[pnse vocal performance with some percussion.
Good rehearsal for the jazz ensemble this morning, especially coming back from break. Its coming together…Tom, i think the hardest thing for us seems to be paying attention enough to know when to come in! If we start at a particular spot, or if we can all come in together, it sounds great, but if its up to the band to count their parts, it doesnt go so well….any tips to the wonderful children? I try to cue but cant get everything…
It is a common problem with this music, but a happy problem because there is a “tension” that goes along with phrasing that is not “even” ( 2 , 4 or 8 measures). Listening to the charts on thier own -ESPECIALLY THE DRUMMER!!! – wil help. The drummer MUST lead and not follow.
haha
I think deep is a pretty good word for that =P
And I hadn’t really thought about how you would represent his degeneration….
I thought it was really interesting that you emphasized that you listened to the book on tape…. What exactly were you listening for? Was your interpretation of the book influenced by the inflection of the reader, and if so do you think it might have been different if there had been a different person reading?
I was listening for INTENTION other than what I perceived by READING. It was very helpful.
Hi Mr. Davis. My name is Rick (aka the Italian Stallion). I play 2nd trombone in the jazz ensemble. First of all, I want to thank you for setting up this blog and for taking time out of your busy schedule to work with our band. Secondly, I don’t really have any questions or concerns, so I’m just going to make a few comments. I think your music is enthralling and lively. I really like how much emphasis is put on dynamics in all of the Flowers for Algernon movements. I especially like the melody in the third and fifth movements. On a different note, in Ketu Song, I really like how you incorporated the clapping into the baseline. It creates a true folk flavor. Also, I thought I should let you know that at the bottom of movements 2 and 4 in Flowers for Algernon, you spelled “Inkblot” wrong. It was typed “Iknblot”. Anyway, I can’t wait to meet you in person. Adios!
Hi Rick
You are the first one to catch the misspelling. Maybe it was on purpose?
Thanks for the comment on Ketu! It is a folk tune! I should bring the original with me.
Dynamics! Yes! Look up dynamics in the dictionary and post it here. It is more than just volume! You hit on something big Rick!
Tom
hola mr davis!!!
i am the drummer in the odyssey jazz workshop. i am also of the italian stallion clan. i like the backrounds in your song Pier Rats. it sets the mood very well!!! i also like using the brushes in Slopes and Dots. i cant wait to meet you in person.
HOLLA BACK!!!
PEACE!!!
I am half Italian! I know many of the best words!
Have you watched the overhead drum cam of Slopes and Dots?
Tom
Just finishing up the rough draft of the program. Thinking i should include my favorite famous Tom quote…”can you imagine how embarassing it would be if….”
Cant wait for you to get up to Greece man. Jazz Ensemble sounded pretty sweet on Flowers V today…really starting to tap into the energy of the piece.
Im hoping to see some blog entries from the Jazz Workshop guys on here soon. You guys are playing a wider variety of Tom’s pieces, which are your favorites and why? What do you think we need to do in the next few rehearsal to make this music sound great?
Lets hear from everyone!!
Mr Staebell
Go for it!
Thanks for everything!
Howdy Tom, I’m Dan the bass player.
The one thing I want to mention that I believe may make you happy is how much your Flowers Suite turned me on to the world of jazz. I always thought jazz had a nice sound but this suite has a different mood to it than from what I have heard before in any music. Once I listened to the recordings of the whole suite I instantley became hooked to it. My favorite movement is the fifth, I like the loud and upbeat parts which transition into more chill sections, walking pace sections.
I was wondering if there was any way of practicing or excersizes I could use to get used to playing the bass parts in Ketu Song that are very rhythmic and do not involve notes that always land right on the beat/downbeat. I have it down for the most part but it is not solid.
Howdy to you Dan!
Glad that this makes you re-consider Jazz. It is a very robust language and a great medium in which to perform.
Exercises? Try this Lay one eitht note every two measures one eighth note later than the previous and out out loud.
Like this
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + / 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + / 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + / 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + / 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
etc.
This will prime the mind for thinking in terms of subdivisions. You will read this music better.
Tom
Hello Mr.Davis,
I am Ben Campanaro, I play the bass trombone in the Jazz ensemble.
I know I am speaking for everyone in the Jazz bands when I say that we are excited to see you. We never get to meet the composer we play for. It’s awesome that you put aside a lot of time for us.
The Flowers For Algernon movements are very interesting. I am still in my first year of playing the bass trombone, my original instrument which I still play in band is the tuba so bear with me on these next questions. In the beginning of Flowers #5 I play a low G and I am still having trouble reaching it, do you have any suggestions on how I could better loosen my mouth for it? Also on movement #5 at 195 to the end what kind of feeling are you trying to create, punching feel or shocked feeling? Other than that I now want to read this book and the glisses in movement 4 are really fun to play!
See you soon
Thanks,
Ben Campanaro
HI Ben
Can’t wait to meet you all!
As far as the Low G How would you play it on Tuba? Same thing.. although some times loose is not the answer Direct is. Supported is. Can you sing that note (or at least try?) Form the inside of your moth and thrat the same way as singing! Finally, Find you best low note above that and slowly work down to the g in long full supported long tones in a scale-like fashion. It will come out eventually. If all else fails -Take it up for the concert!
AS for the feel – a punch that is a shock!
Hi Mr. Davis,
I’m Gina (one out of the four girls) and I am one of the keyboard players in the Jazz Workshop. I play the synthesizer parts in the most of the music we are playing. I really liked playing your music for this concert!
I like Eero’s dream a lot. It’s my favorite piece to play out of our music. I was wondering where you got the idea of St. James Infirmary, and Pier Rats from? They’re both interesting pieces, but I want to know what the story behind them is.
Thanks!
Gina.
Hi Gina
St. James Infirmary is really an older tune that I arranged for Warner Brothers Publications. I listened both to the Stan Kenton Version and the Louis Armstrong version for some inspriation. The plunger trumpet is the Armstrong (as if he aws singing) and the powerful shout chorus is from the Kenton Big Band of the 70′s. I added a little of my own style at the beginning with the ethereal floating colors. Oh the Powerful trombone line in the intor is also from the Armstrong version. Jack Teagarden played that lick so I incorporated it into the arrangement.
Pier Rats? There is a place on the Lake here called the City Pier. Kids that hang out on the back of thier pickup trucks are affectionately called Pier Rats by some…..
Eeros Dream is about the Architect Eeros Saranin who designed the St. Louis Arch. I was commissioned to write this piece for the 2007 St Louis Metropolitan Honors JH Jazz Ensemble which I conducted on the premier. Eeros passed away before the Arch was completed. It is a magnificent structure is you have ever been there. The piece attempts to depict what it would be like if Heeros could actually return as an angel and float around the structure to view his final work. It is a little heroic don’t you think?
Dear Tom,
My name is Nick Ciccarone and i play alto saxaphone for the jazz ensamble. I have really enjoyed playing all of the music that you have written this year, and i also like how you incorporate all of the different styles of jazz into all of your music. Some of your songs will have an old school jaz feel to them, while others have a more modern fell to them. I also like how, in Flowers For Algernon, you incorporated some similar themes into each of your piece. For example, in movement 2, there is a litte four measure prievew (measures 10- 13) of what is to come at the climax in the fifth movement.
I hope that i will get the opportunity to play some more of your music over the next few years, and i am looking foreward to meeting you when you come and visit us. It’s not every day that a musician gets to personally meet the man who composes their music.
Sincerely,
Nick
Thanks Nick
Great observations regarding themes. That preview was fun to write in mvt 2 I just let my mind wander and then allowed it to inspire me to write mvt 5.
You said “not everyday…” but my students do! And you also have an incredible resource in Mr. Staebell. Do you realize what a great writer and drummer he is! That’s why I’m doing this! So I can trade experiences with him! he is so creative that I want him to play with MY students!
Can’t wait!
Hi Tom my name is austin I am the baritone sax player in jazz workshop. I was wondering if you had any tips for playing eero’s dream?
Do you mean improvising Austin?
Tom
Hey! Its about 1 hour before the concert, and I am psyched. I really feel prepared, thanks to our Tuesday night jam. I really appreciate all that you have done to help us! I hope that our concert rocks!
-Alex
I hope I helped. I am really a stickler for details. EVERYTHING about “waves forms” and thinking about those “waves” at more and more refined levels produces more precision. Here is how I think.
1. A good tone is a beautiful sound wave that does not waver and is played with artistic purpose.
2. An in-tune sound is a sound wave that matches in some way with others around it.
3. A correctly played rhythm is the correct placement of a sound wave in time.
4. A correctly played articulation is a refinement of the placement of a beautiful sound wave in time.
5. Dynamics are the changes of energy in the amplitude of an accurately placed beautiful sound wave in time.
Howdy,
I don’t have any questions about the pieces we’re playing in the concert, but I am curious as to how you compose your music. Staebell mentioned about you picking a few notes that sound right to you and then playing around with that. If you could elaborate on that please. In addition what inspires you the most in your creation of your music, obviously some themes from the book, but is there anything else that tingles in your mind?
Thanks for your time, sorry if this was asked before I didn’t read the above 32 comments (I’m honest).
Jon That is such a great question. Before I even write I try to answer these 5 questions.
1. What is my purpose?
2. What are my forces (musicians-instruments)
3. How long do I want the piece to be – this helps me work out the form.
4. What is my melodic material is going to be?
5. What do I envision as the highpoint of the piece.
After I think about those things I begin to construct the composition. I usually think about these things for quite a while and then – the piece just busts loose!
Tom
Eddie Rogers thinks that the sparse and random piano part in St. James Infirmary is creepily awesome.
Peace from the best looking freshman pianist.
Its is supposed to put a different framework around the “older” style plunger sound. Glad you liked it!
Tom
Hey Tom, this is Tyler, I had a solo tonight in Ketu Song, I just wanted to let you know that I had a great time playing your music and I thought it was interesting the way that you had storng inspiration, such as the St.Louis Arch, for each of your pieces.
I appreciate you playing my music – I hope you enjoyed it! It is a little different but I always try to tell a story! Thanks Tyler
Tom
Thanks Tyler – I cannot write any other way at this point. I have to have a story to tell.
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for playing my music and working in such a professional manner with me this evening. It was a pleasure to meet all of you. I truly learned a great deal from each and every one of you!
Tom Davis
P.S. Mr Staebell Rocks!
Hey Mr Davis-
This is Chris the features 2nd trumpet part on Flowers and I was just wondering how you came into creating the difficult middle part on Flowers #1 post measure 33. I really appreciate that you took the long solo on Flowers #5 and again thanks again for aiding the band on the concert
Chris
Hi Chris – I really appreciate you letting me play along a little bit!
Are you talking about the Rhythms?
It just flowed out. It was a natural feel for me. I think its a little like I would improvise if I was playing just quarter notes and eighth notes.
I was also very interested in creating something very fluid. I love playing that melody myself!
Thanks Again!
Hey tom,
I really enjoyed playing this previous concert with you and trying out some new music. I wasn’t able to make it on the tuesday night rehearsal so last night was the first time working with all the adjustments we had made, which made the concert very exciting because I had to be on my toes the whole time.
That’s Right Zach!
That is part of the fun of playing music – especially Jazz. For entire time you are “in concert” you have to concentrate like at no other time! It is very exciting!
I want to officially thank Tom, AND all of the Odyssey students for putting on such a great concert last night. I think that in my short time at Odyssey, it might have been one of the most musically special nights I have been a part of. The students all worked very hard, and it paid off in the end. Tom, bringing such a fresh, honest, positive perspective to our groups really helped make the evening terrific. For the students, I hope you can be a part of “Phase Two” of this project between Tom and I, when I premier a new piece I will write dedicated to Tom and his students in Canindaigua in the fall at their school. Maybe this is a relationship that can continue past last night! I HOPE SO. Thank you all again! Its been fun.