Other Voices by Mark Shilansky

Amsterdam was the first tune I wrote during my brief period as a New York City denizen. I looked out the window down at 79th and Amsterdam, felt the energy of the city, and came out with this edgy mix of European late classical harmony and a melody and groove reminiscent of the Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal.

As Fate Would Have It derives its name from the fact that the energetic, harmonically ambiguous beboppish line and the funky middle section of the tune actually fit over each other quite nicely. Calm is my little seduction tune, and though it is no documentary, at least I get to sing it with Luciana Souza, and that is enough for me.

My Precious Feelings is a sojourn into the land of free jazz and carefully composed material that someone like Tim Berne occupies. Travis Sullivan and I used to joke about bringing our kind composition teacher, Christopher Kies, a piece of total random rubbish that we had written, then watching him squirm as he tactfully tried to critique the piece, which we had titled "my precious feelings," without sending us into therapy.

On the Rave is a funky angular melody, that, like many of the other music on this CD (and rare for a vocal piece), eschews tonality in favor of a series of free-improvised soundscapes, before suggesting that we dance again by the end. Her Eyes is a gorgeous ballad by multi-instrumentalist Jim Pisano, written for his bride Kristin, the night before their wedding.

Monument is inspired melodically, harmonically, and lyrically by Joni Mitchell, particularly her "Turbulent Indigo" record. It addresses the folly (in which I too often engage) of too frequent wallowing in nostalgia, which can ground and renew us, but which threatens our progress as people.

Other Voices is a through composed work (wherein no sections repeat) following a couple of nice melodies through various settings, from contemporary classical to pastoral jazz to folky, gospelly funk, all featuring my piano and the virtuosic work of the vocalists; especially dig Paul and Bob's vocal rhythm section.

Rave Reprise is guitarist/engineer Dan Knox's reworking of an alternate take of "on the rave," with an ear toward humor and to maybe give those ecstasy-fueled techno dancers something to think about while pirouetting.

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