My Eclectic Mix by David Mills

He was knighted by the Queen of England in 1915, but in protest of British rule, he relinquished his title in 1919. As a result, even the upbeat feeling of Vande Mataram carries a bit of a political overtone.

Often Millsenblum performed with just voice and guitar, and "Everybody Knows (for sure)" is a good example of one of our torch songs. I always visualize this song in an old movie scene, such as, Lauren Bacall singing with just Hoagie Carmichael at the piano.

"Set Yourself Up Ladylike" is a song designed to invoke 1930's Parisian cabaret complete with a heavy influence of American ragtime. I was fortunate that the pianist, Bob Brandon, had been studying Scott Joplin music just prior to the recording session.

Tracks 5 and 6, "Sugar Man" and "Honey Bee," are performed by The Winchester Special, a band that developed out of a song-writing workshop I conducted at the Winchester gun factory in New Haven, Connecticut. We got such a great reception at our performances, we decided to form an eight-piece dance band. Ralph Weeks, who will soon retire after forty years at Winchester, wrote these two songs for The Winchester Special.

Tracks 7 and 8 are instrumental compositions performed by Amatruda, Mills and Dixson. This was a period when I was playing a lot of bass guitar because it was useful in teaching music improv ensembles. It is only from compiling this CD that I realize how much my bass lines were influenced by the music Ralph Weeks had written for the Winchester Special. Robert Amatruda is a classically trained pianist who once made his living as an accompanist for an opera singer. Arti Dixson is a well-known jazz drummer who studied with Jack DeJohnette and went on to tour with Ahmad Jamal.

Besides bridging classical and jazz music, I wrote "Bad Girls Swing" in the format of an Indian raga. It opens with a free-rhythm section known as the alap. The rhythm comes in with a melodic statement known as the gat. The last section is a rhythmic volley known as jhalla.

For me, there is a space shared by all music, be it from India or Indiana.

The image I chose for the CD cover is "Music"-a painting by world-renown cellist and teacher Aldo Parisot.

I hope you enjoy MY ECLECTIC MIX!

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