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| • RECORDINGS • • Tobin on CDBaby • Tobin on iTunes • Tobin on Amazon.com • Commisions/Solo Piano • Progressive Rock • Alternative • Musical Theatre • More Jazz • |
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| Rain Bather / Jazz... | ||||
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Winner of "Album of the Year" for 2009 at JazzChicago.net.
Combining outstanding players in a variety of settings, RAIN BATHER captures fabulous performances on this extra long play CD. A breadth of styles find play within these totally hip arrangements of Tobin Mueller's innovative compositions. Many of these tunes are jazz renditions of songs from Tobin's Broadway show Creature (based on Frankenstein). The instensity of storytelling remains active in the arrangements, as well as the singable lyricism of each intertwining melody. These recordings transcend the original songs, however, living and breathing as completely unique jazz performances. As Dr. Frankenstein would say, this music breathes... is truly alive! RAIN BATHER moves adroitly between contemporary jazz, progressive big band, fusion, acid and funk. Three tracks (1, 2, 4) employ a progressive octet; two tracks use a septet (8, 10). The rest of the tracks build on a core quartet of organ, piano, drums and bass, adding in one or two extras voices (sax, trumpet, flute, clarinet and/or violin), forging an ever-changing variety of colors and tones. As front man to a fluid octet (see ensemble below), Tobin's progressive rock organ (AUDIOCRACY) fits perfectly into these jazz settings, providing sagacious accompaniment and melodic direction, but never dominating. Tobin's nephew, Chris, provides elegant acoustic piano accompaniments and solid arranging, with plenty of space for memorable improvisations and solos. There are so many great moments on this 80 minute extended play CD, but a shout out has to go to Woody Mankowski's astounding soprano sax solo in Cliff's Edge, his multi-sax layering in Windowshade; the retro-acid tripping flute solos of Sal Giorgianni especially in Seven Buttons On A Nehru Jacket; and the old school clarinet stylings of Bill Barner in Secret Of Life and Last Song On Vaudeville. Carl Fischer's trumpet solos in Acid Hopping absolutely groove, employing a whole collection of mutes and plungers. Martyn Kember-Smith's celtic fiddle provides a perfect change of pace in Caught In The Current. (Several of these players also appear on Tobin's solo album A BIT OF LIGHT.) Although most of the album is hard-driving and up tempo, two mellow ballads include breathtaking sax solos: River Runs Through Me (Woody Mankowski on soprano) and Waltzing Night Into Day (Doug Schneider on tenor). The interplay between piano and organ in Must Go Back also deserves a special mention. Through it all, Dane Richeson's percussion permeates and exults; his years studying everywhere from Paris to the Sudan come into play. The drum solo in Finding No Path is particularly stellar. This ensemble never treads water, never back pedals. Everything is full forward. A truly entertaining and inventive collection of tunes. This is music with a fresh spin, played by a band that communicates, that creates musical conversations (not just stand-alone solos). Listeners of the following artists will love it: Brecker Brothers, Ed Palermo Big Band (especially renditions of Frank Zappa's stuff), The Muffins, Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Chic Corea, Herbie Hancock, John Schofield, and Medeski Martin & Wood. RAIN BATHER is available on CDBaby and will soon be available on iTunes and several online outlets. A follow-up CD has been released, The Muller's Wheel. See it's project page for details. THE ENSEMBLE: (see below for players per track) RAIN BATHER track list (80 minutes running t I Wanna Fly (2:20)* Click here to listen to premastered tracks of Rain Bather on ReverbNation. Although it is the current rage to purchase music as downloads, the packaging of this CD is particularly pleasing. The disc resembles an old 45 record, complete with vinyl and grooves. The fade-to-scratches on the final track (mimicking a 78 RPM) aids this illusion. Worth purchasing just to be able to hold in your hands. |
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| RAIN BATHER track information
1. I Wanna Fly (2:20)* 2. Cliff’s Edge (7:34)* 3. Must Go Back (6:46)* 4. Lightning Strikes (3:49)* 5. Caught In The Current (4:43)* 6. Windowshade (8:23)** 7. Secret of Life (4:47)* 8. Seven Buttons On A Nehru Jacket (4:43)*** 9. Waltzing Night Into Day (7:48)* 10. Acid Hopping (6:24)*** 11. Finding No Path (8:37)* 12. River Runs Through Me (6:57)* 13. Last Song On Vaudeville (5:48)*** *Recorded at Lawrence University, Larry Darling engineer All music ©2008 Tobin Mueller. RAIN BATHER is a 2009 release. |
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| The Muller's Wheel / Jazz... | ||||
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The Muller's Wheel
is a collaborative project combining the talents of pianist Tobin Mueller and saxophonist Woody Mankowski in Jazz Quartet and larger ensemble settings. These original tracks represent their personal journey through jazz influences -- from swing to bop to fusion to funk. The styles of Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, Herbie Hancock, The Brecker Brothers, Weather Report and more influence this homage to the jazz greats. Even the blues are given Mueller/Mankowski's uniquely bop-funk treatment. In all, the duo's originality permeate each track, each jazz sub-genre.
This is joyous music. It reminds us of the happiness we relive when returning to our musical roots. Mueller/Mankowski remind us how the personalities of certain eras continue to assert their influence and power. "The Muller’s Wheel" title is based on the biological concept that mutation and DNA recombination creates cycles of growth and loss. It serves as a metaphor for the ebb and flow of the synthesis and creativity Mueller and Mankowski apply to their musical influences. The tracks are arranged in historical sequence, and the listener appreciates the cross-pollination between each of these genres. Listening from beginning to end creates a cyclical pilgrimage. It's rhythms and inventive flights of fancy invite the listener along for many return trips. Click here to learn more about the recording. • The Muller's Wheel on iTunes |
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| Solo Piano... | ||||
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The first in a series of piano recordings in various stylings, Morning Whispers is a commissioned song cycle of tragic beauty. Although it was marketed as New Age - and I supposed that is the closest genre label - it is more Neo-Classical and melancholy than most New Age recordings. The use of key changes, unusual time signatures, and other variational devices makes this work involving, not merely background music. Its internal intensity, however, does not detract from its healing essence, its sense of inner joy. The second is 13 Masks. This project came out of discussions about the role subconscious plays in creativity. Commissioned to use an illustration of 13 Masks to inspire songs combining ragtime, jazz and avant-garde classical, Tobin's subconscious lead the way, creating phrases and variations that pleased something deep inside. Two more collections are planned in the series: Myth and The Artsist. "Myth" will be a series of songs bring to life certain myths, utlitzing my storytelling experience, emphasizing classical styles. "The Artists" will use favorite painters as muses, as starting points for jazz portraits of each. For more details, see Tobin Mueller's Recordings... |
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| AUDIOCRACY / Progressive Rock... | ||||
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See: Audiocracy: Revolution's Son for latest band info.
![]() Ever since I first listened to Yes, I have been enthralled with progressive rock. Using the Internet, I've ararnged to collabroate with players from around the world. We are putting tracks together piece by piece, a whole different way to record, but it's been very rewarding: the music is great. All the song for the first album have been written. Finishing the tracks has been a challange. You can hear some of our drafts and demos on Audiocracy's ArtsForge page or on Audiocracy's MySpace page. I've used some of the tracks (the less prgressive rock tracks) on A Bit Of Light, shaping just the more political and post-political songs for the upcoming Audiocracy release. • Audiocracy on CDBaby • Audiocracy on iTunes • Audiocracy on ReverbNation • Audiocracy on MySpace • Audiocracy on ArtsForge |
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| A BIT OF LIGHT / Alternative Rock... | ||||
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A Bit Of Light, a collection of progressive folk fusion featuring a bunch of great players from the now defunct Lost Records stable, plus world renown violinist Entcho Todorov and saxophonists Danny McCaslin and Woody Mankowski.The CD comes with a digital booklet in PDF format: Download the Digital Booklet here! (click to view in browser, right-click to download to desktop) Two previous releases of mine are also in the Adult Contemporary camp: • Pilgim Village • Holy Land For more details, see Tobin Mueller's Recordings... |
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| Musical Theatre... | ||||
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2004: Runners In A Dream, musical drama set in the Holocaust,
(music by Tobin Mueller; book & lyrics by Tobin Mueller & Randyl Appel). 2002: What Survives, a jazz rendition of Creature themes, CD recording. 1998: Creature, an alternative Frankenstein, musical drama. 1998: Xianu Override, a computer space opera, available for Mac only (story, script by TJM). 1998: Established ArtsForge, an online community of artists, composers, and writers. 1996: Frankenstein, the Man-Made Messiah, musical drama. 1995: Robin Hood, musical drama. 1994: Freedom’s First Light, musical drama (music & lyrics by TJM, book by Ed Medina). 1993: We Are the Ones, theme song of United Nations’ Global Youth Forum & Children's Alliance for Protection of the Environment. 1990: To Save the Planet, children's musical about the environment, winner of 4 national and international awards. 1974: From the Creation, avant-garde drama performed by Odyssey Playhouse. 1973: Find the Cost, surreal drama performed by the Samuel Pickard Theater. For Additional Major Works, see Bio. |
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| Online Music MP3s... | ||||
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• Streaming Music Player • Artsforge.com • MacJams.com • Audiocracy on MySpace • Audiocracy on ArtsForge • Spoken Word Poetry |