Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to apologise because it’s…
What’s it called?
I’m Sorry.
What’s it from?
My 2019 ragtime musical ‘It’s Not Really the Apocalypse’, which tells the story of four old friends who wake up one morning to discover they are the only people remaining on planet Earth.
What’s it all about?
Basically, there’s a big falling-out between the characters at one point, and one of them (Gary) decides he’d be better off striking out to live on his own. Eventually though he realises that this was a bad move, so he returns to the group and tries to patch things up by means of this musical apology.
Listen out for…
The little ‘bridge’ section just after the first chorus, which I think is really quite pretty (1:50-2:15).
Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/inrta
Messiah 3000: Out Now!
WARNING: MAY CAUSE SERIOUS DISTRESS TO DIE-HARD HANDEL FANS
It is almost a year since, on a car journey to a gig in Retford with my fellow members of The Jelly Roll Jazz Band, we received untold inspiration by listening to Bob Dylan’s seminal album, ‘Christmas in the Heart’.
So taken were we with this masterwork, that we were each moved to create our own Christmas album to spread the joy of the festive season. And now that we are once again nearing the month of July, it finally seems the ideal time to share with you the results of my own labours on this front.
The resulting album is ‘Messiah 3000’, and is my interpretation of highlights from Handel’s ‘Messiah’ as if it had been written by a robot 1000 years in the future. But more importantly, it was an excuse to make use of as many of the weird synth sounds kicking around my computer as possible.
As usual, the whole thing is available on The Bandcamp by clicking here.
Or if that doesn’t appeal, here’s a handy little player for your ultimate convenience:
New Music Monday, #26: ‘Parting Waves’
Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to cross the Red Sea because it’s…
What’s it called?
Parting Waves.
What’s it from?
‘Miniatures’, my 2023 album of classical piano compositions.
What’s it all about?
As with all the pieces on this album, it’s abstract and not meant to be interpreted in any literal or concrete sense. I’ve always thought, though, that it has a certain bittersweet character to it which is evocative of the sadness of saying goodbye. That’s why I felt it should go right at the end of the album, despite being the first of the pieces I wrote.
In coming up with a title, I first struggled with various dreadfully naff ones like ‘Farewell’, ‘Goodbye’, ‘Parting Sorrows’ etc. I eventually managed to come up with something a little more interesting and oblique, however, with ‘Parting Waves’ – a phrase that is open to several interpretations:
- The action of physically waving to someone as you bid them farewell.
- Waves of emotion that you feel when parting from someone.
- Sound waves – in that sense, this music is literally the parting waves of the album.
- And of course, the Moses interpretation. But that one doesn’t really make sense in this context so is probably best ignored. Think of it as a bonus meaning for if you decide you need it.
Listen out for…
If you ask me, the whole thing’s pretty beautiful (and beautifully pretty). But my personal highlight would be the middle section (1:49-3:05).
Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/miniatures
What If Handel’s ‘Messiah’ Was Written By A Robot, 1000 Years In The Future?
‘Cos you’re gonna find out soon…
New Music Monday, #25: ‘These Four Walls’
Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to count up your load-bearing support structures because it’s…
What’s it called?
These Four Walls.
What’s it from?
My 2019 ragtime musical ‘It’s Not Really the Apocalypse’, which tells the story of four old friends who wake up one morning to discover they are the only people remaining on planet Earth.
What’s it all about?
Once our protagonists have discovered the apparent disappearance of all other human life, their natural inclination is to go and check on their families in case by some miraculous coincidence they too have been spared. Of course they are disappointed, and this song follows Helen as she looks around her empty home, reminiscing about times gone by and trying to come to terms with the loss of everything she held dear.
Listen out for…
Ooh, where to start! Here are a few things you might want to consider:
What’s it called?
These Four Walls.
What’s it from?
My 2019 ragtime musical ‘It’s Not Really the Apocalypse’, which tells the story of four old friends who wake up one morning to discover they are the only people remaining on planet Earth.
What’s it all about?
Once our protagonists have discovered the apparent disappearance of all other human life, their natural inclination is to go and check on their families in case by some miraculous coincidence they too have been spared. Of course they are disappointed, and this song follows Helen as she looks around her empty home, reminiscing about times gone by and trying to come to terms with the loss of everything she held dear.
Listen out for…
Ooh, where to start! Here are a few things you might want to consider:
- This is the only song in the musical that is accompanied by just one piano instead of two. As such it gave me an opportunity to do my most authentic ragtime pastiche, with syncopated figures in the right hand superimposed over an ‘oom-cha-cha’ bassline in the left. This really comes to the fore in the instrumental, even though the chord progression is decidedly more contemporary (3:01-3:50).
- In the first verse there’s mention of an out-of-key piano (0:23-0:37), which I follow up with a little musical joke in the form of the following phrase (with an Ab major key signature):
Note that the left hand is correct and fits with the chord progression. The right hand, however, is two semitones too low, representing a piano that has sunk in pitch over the years! - Writing lyrics is a funny business because you find yourself setting puzzles which you’re not even sure are solvable. One of those occasions occurred in the first verse of this song – I wondered if I could think of two consecutive numbers that could conceivably be a child’s age, which also rhymed with two coastal English counties. I can’t tell you how proud I was when I came up with this solution:
“And here is the pottery jug that I made
on my birthday back when I was ten… or eleven…
And the painting we bought at a coastal resort
On a holiday one year in Kent… or Devon…”
Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/inrta
New Music Monday, #24: ‘Compost Frog’
Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to jump around frantically because it’s…
What’s it called?
Compost Frog.
What’s it from?
‘Miniatures’, my 2023 album of classical piano compositions.
What’s it all about?
This is a piece for which I had a really clear concept. Namely, I wanted to write something for piano where only one note is played at a time – not a texture you often come across! I also thought it would be fun if the piece was made up entirely of ‘quavers’ (in other words, it has a completely regular rhythm like a ticking clock, with all the notes the same length). So you could say that it is a piece without any (explicit) harmony, and also without any rhythm to speak of.
When it came to thinking of a title, my thoughts quickly turned to frogs on account of the way the music jumps up and down all over the keyboard. Then one day, when working in the garden, I was delighted to find a frog hiding in my compost bin – so delighted, in fact, that I thought he deserved to have a piece named after him. And that is how ‘Compost Frog’ was born (if, indeed, a frog can ever be said to have been ‘born’).
Listen out for…
All of it’s quite similar, to be honest! And you might as well listen to the whole thing because it’s not even 2 minutes long. But if I must pick a section, I’ll go for the concluding bars (from 1:38) where the pianist jumps between F sharps in 5 different octaves despite only having 2 hands, before bringing the piece to a ferocious close.
Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/miniatures
‘Night Flight – A New Musical’: The Orchestrations Begin!
Today I’m thrilled – and ever so slightly trepidatious – to be commencing work on a substantial new project: a set of full-scale orchestrations for a brand new musical!
The show is called ‘Night Flight’, and is a tale of danger and daring set in Latin America in the early years of flight, which asks the question: what are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of progress? (N.B. Yes I did pinch that summary from somewhere else.) I had the pleasure of helping out with this musical back in 2021, when I put together a few of the piano-vocal arrangements for the original workshop production. So I was delighted when the inimitable songwriting duo of Luke Simnett and David Staines (the collective brains behind the show) asked if I’d be interested in expanding the music into a full set of orchestral scores, in readiness for a potential album recording.
I’m also excited to report that we’re taking a real no-holds-barred approach in terms of scale. I’m really going to stretch out over the broad canvas of a large-scale symphony orchestra, and that will then be brought to life through the magic of virtual instruments (with one or two real woodwinds thrown in by myself)! For those who are into this stuff, here’s the instrumental line-up as it stands:
Woodwind
Piccolo
Flute x2
Oboe x2
English Horn
Clarinet x2
Bass clarinet
Bassoon x2
Contrabassoon
Brass
French Horn x4
Trumpet x3
Trombone x2
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Percussion
As required, but definitely a motley selection of timpani, cymbals, drum kit and maybe a silly noise or two.
Harp
Strings
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Piccolo
Flute x2
Oboe x2
English Horn
Clarinet x2
Bass clarinet
Bassoon x2
Contrabassoon
Brass
French Horn x4
Trumpet x3
Trombone x2
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Percussion
As required, but definitely a motley selection of timpani, cymbals, drum kit and maybe a silly noise or two.
Harp
Strings
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Double Bass
So you see it’s going to be rather epic. But it’s also rather intimidating to be faced with a screen that looks like this (especially given the title of this first song):
I have a feeling, however, that I can’t really procrastinate much longer – I’ve already baked a cake, sifted some gravel in the garden, vacuumed the carpet, and written an extensive blog post. Yeah, maybe it is time I made a start. Wish me luck.
I’ll just make one more cup of tea first though…
New Music Monday, #23: ‘Affettuoso’
Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to learn a new Italian word because it’s…
What’s it called?
Affettuoso.
What’s it from?
‘Miniatures’, my 2023 album of classical piano compositions.
What’s it all about?
In a literal sense, nothing in particular – as with the other pieces on this album, it is abstract classical music which isn’t meant to represent anything concrete. Stylistically though, it’s a flowing romantic waltz, quite delicate overall but occasionally becoming more bombastic. The title, by the way, is one of my favourite Italian words that is commonly used as a musical performance direction, and translates literally as ‘tenderly’ or ‘affectionate’.
Listen out for…
The middle section (2:12-2:49), where I go a bit off-piste and indulge in some really quirky chromatic harmonies and rhythmic tricks to provide a jarring contrast in an otherwise fairly simple piece.
Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/miniatures
Recent Exploits with The Jelly Roll Jazz Band
I don’t often post on here about The Jelly Roll Jazz Band, largely because I put things fairly regularly on the band’s Facebook page and YouTube channel so I somehow feel as though everyone already knows about it! Further thought, however, leads me to believe that this may not in fact be the case, and therefore I thought it proper to today share a few of the band’s recent audio-visual creations for those who up to now have been missing out.
To start off, here’s us doing a 9:30 am slot on the bandstand at Harrogate Flower Show back in April. And what better tune to pick than Sidney Bechet’s fragrant French melodie about a little flower:
Next up, a touch of irony. On the coronation weekend at the start of May, we travelled to the distant land of Oxfordshire to perform at a Henley Regatta themed garden party. It was quite a long way, despite what Duke Ellington would have you believe:
13th May saw an historic event when the Eurovision grand final was held in Liverpool. This seemed an opportunity not to be missed, so we hot-footed it down into the city for a bit of themed busking. Here we are having a go at ‘Euphoria’, which won the contest back in 2012:
And to finish off, here we are a couple of weeks ago at the beautiful Grays Court Hotel in York, delighting the crowds at a wedding reception with our rendition of a Sinatra classic:
That’s all for now I think. If you like what you’ve heard here, don’t forget you can learn more about Jelly Roll and keep up to date with our wild adventures at the following locations:
New Music Monday, #22: ‘Every Hero Needs A Villain’
Every Monday throughout 2023 I will be highlighting a different piece of music that I have either written or been closely involved with. And this week, prepare to celebrate the key roles that bad guys play in society because it’s…
What’s it called?
Every Hero Needs A Villain.
What’s it from?
‘Mongolian Death Worm: A Puppet Show Musical’, the show what I wrote, starred in, directed, produced, edited etc. with my regular collaborator Mister James Ure during the first national lockdown in 2020. It’s a full 68 minutes of silliness, centring around the search for a mysterious creature that has been pilfering steaks from a village community somewhere near the Gobi Desert.
What’s it all about?
This is the baddie’s big song, where she gets to sing whole-heartedly about how delightfully evil she is, and how antagonists are just as crucial as their heroic counterparts. Along the way she cites a whole range of mythical examples, from Zeus/Hades and Van Helsing/Dracula all the way to Jedi/Sith and Holmes/Moriarty.
Listen out for…
I think the instrumental section (from 3:50 to 4:27) is particularly fun, starting out as it does with a reference to the classic Punch & Judy “That’s the way to do it!” line, before continuing with a frying pan solo followed by a piano solo from the surprisingly multi-talented Witch Doctor. I promise, it all makes sense in the context of the film…
Find out more at…
www.michaelgrantmusician.com/mdw
