Noor - A Song Cycle from Geoffrey Armes

Noor Inayat Khan, ‘Sufi Princess’, daughter of Hazrat Inayat Khan, children’s book author, musician, Allied Spy, died in Dachau at the age of 29. Geoffrey Armes has written and recorded a song cycle inspired by Noor. I recently had the opportunity to discuss this project with Geoffrey.

How did you become acquainted with Noor’s life?

I was looking through the online edition of “The Independent”, an English Newspaper, and saw a headline about “Sufi Princess, Allied Spy” and it leapt out at me and really grabbed me. It mentioned a biography that had been written about her. I ordered it from the UK because it’s not published over here, and had it sent over. I don’t always do that but I knew that there was something important for me in that story.

What attracted you to Noor’s story?

Noor was the daughter of Hazrat Inayat Khan, who was a Sufi philosopher who wrote specifically about music as a sort of medium for spiritual work. I was intrigued by the idea that anyone who was a Sufi was involved with WWII directly, let alone dying in Dachau, and then when it was his daughter and I already knew his work…I was just fascinated by that.

She grew up in Paris, and went to England when the Nazis occupied France. She had a dilemma as someone who was a pacifist and a Sufi, and at the same time was very aware of overwhelming evil that was threatening to take over the world. These were dark times and I think she felt that it wasn’t enough to sit around - she needed to do something, to take part in the struggle. That was one of the things that attracted me to the story, because I do think we still live in dark times and I think we have the potential of overwhelming evil in the world still. Noor’s story could easily be a story that has to be lived again. And that’s rather frightening.

Sure, but it’s always up to us to confront evil and take an active part in being one of the positive forces rather than one of the negative forces in the world.

I think so. I think she reached a point where to be the good daughter of a Sufi philosopher and correctly living her life wasn’t enough. She needed to get involved firsthand. Although Noor had a very international upbringing, she had lived in Paris for a long time - it was like her home city. So going back to Paris was almost like going home, struggling for the freedom of her home.

How did this go from being a moving book that you connected with to being something that you saw as the basis for some music?

I felt it was a subject that was meaty enough and deep enough that I could play with some of my own ideas of life and death in a way that wasn’t completely preachy or overtly religious. I was deeply moved and I started improvising one day and knew I’d get at least one song. It was kind of empathic, asking the question, “How did you cope?” For a while I thought that song, which became the title track, would be the final thing. But I just kept going back and writing more music. Then I got attracted to the idea of a CD called Noor, a suite of songs about the situation that this woman was in.

Do the songs present a progression of events in her life?

Some of them do refer to particular events in her life. They could have been arranged chronologically, and at one point they were. In the end I arranged the songs in the way that seemed to unfold best musically.

The song “Yasmin” is about a specific moment in her life. There was a whole chapter in the book about her going off on her one and really only mission, and the mood of these young women as they went to take this flight. It’s really a moment of no return. We’ve all had these experiences where you know you’re stepping off the abyss and there’s no going back and I think that was such a moment for her.

I felt very drained after recording the song “Witness”. It was very painful to do. By the time I finished it, I thought that there was some kind of statement of intent that Noor might have made – that she wanted to get involved.

Most people know you as a guitarist, but electric piano is the dominant instrument on Noor. Was there a reason you gravitated towards piano in composing and recording this music?

It’s fair to say that the core instrument here is the Wurlitzer electric piano sound. The most recent CDs I did prior to Noor, Spirit Dwelling & Ambient Black, used sounds I always had floating around, instrumental/textural/fourth-world/spacey even new-agey sounds mixed in with Dub and Electronica. For some people that is really the antithesis of acoustic music but for me it isn’t. Those aspects of music had been a part of the past CDs but I felt that the songwriting and vocalizing and poetry had really been neglected since Elemental Red. Noor was a project where I wanted to combine the instrumental stuff with the vocal music and simple songwriting.

You played all the instruments, you sang, and you were the producer/engineer. What were the challenges and benefits of recording this all alone?

I wrote these songs in a very improvisatory fashion, just laying down tracks. Then, quite spontaneously finding parts where I thought vocals would fit and then putting the vocals down, not in a careless way, but not in a carefully edited manner either. In an expensive studio with an engineer and the clock running, unless you have a huge budget it usually doesn’t afford you that opportunity.

Like a Peter Gabriel or a Kate Bush recording, Noor sets up and sustains an engaging aural landscape that really draws you in. I’ve listened to this a few times now and it is an emotional record – especially your vocal performances. It’s very moving.

I felt close to her and her story, and quite empathic with her suffering. I was quite admiring of the things she had done, and questioning if I would have the strength to do that if I was called upon in that kind of situation.

Well, the CD sounds great. ‘Noor’ is due for a September release so be sure to check out Geoffrey’s website and pick up a copy!
( www.geoffreyarmes.com)

Ladies Center Stage at the Vintage lounge

I was very pleased with all the great music I heard at the Vintage Lounge in Levittown on Ladies Center Stage night. Vinnie Dimarco continues to cement his reputation for putting together solid shows with well- matched bands and solo performers.

Kathy Fleischmann was the first to perform. She played a fine set of original songs that were rich in melody and lyric detail. She did great renditions of "14th Floor", "Iowa" and "Eyes Like Natalie Wood" from her most recent CD, Unresolved. She also played a few new songs. "Tulsa", inspired by a photo essay, was a vivid song of life on the streets. "Erasing Me Away", about how desperate a person can feel trying to continue a relationship when they know it's over, was another standout. She also treated us to a slow, moody rendition of the REM classic, "The One I Love". Kathy connects with the audience because she's comfortable on stage and she sings from the heart of the song.

Patti Marone was up next. Frank Walker accompanied her on guitar. Patti began her set with a few original songs from her CD, Myopic Melodies. It's easy to see that Patti enjoys singing catchy love songs, from her originals like "I Still Wait" and "Childhood Sweethearts", to well-chosen cover songs "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and "Be My Baby". Patti was in fine voice. She and Frank harmonized very well together on a number of songs. When she grabbed a guitar for "Heart of Hope" and a Joe Rock song called "The Life I Choose", Frank had the opportunity to play some tasty lead guitar while Patti took over the rhythm duties. She ended her set with a Tom Cavanaugh song, "Looking Back".

The Blaque Rose Project is a five piece band with a heavy, somewhat dark sound. Lead vocalist Jennifer has the perfect voice for this band. Slow brooding guitar arpeggios built into hard-rock choruses. Jennifer handled the soft sections and the loud, heavy-with-crunch-guitar sections with equal ease. "Run" and "Let Go" were especially strong songs that fit this mold. It's always great to hear a band that understands how to use dynamics to build a song's intensity. The guitarist played melodic solos that fit the songs well, no empty shredding here. The last song of their set "Carry Her up to the Dark" was also very strong.

One True Thing ended the night with an electrifying performance. They truly rocked the house. Lead singer Melanie Wills was emotional and engaging. This four piece band has been together in various forms since 1990, and the commitment these musicians have to their music comes across. All of the songs were well- written and tightly played. The band had great stage presence, especially front-woman Melanie. They made great use of dynamics, had inventive arrangements, and played with 100 percent focus. "Greasy Jungle" and "I'll Wait" were especially good. They ended their set with another fine song "Tired". Solid, energetic, professional - this is a very cool band.

for additional info see: myspace.com/vinnypresents

Cloud9 Recording - A Great Place to Make a Record

Cloud9 Recording is owned and operated by brothers Joe and Jack Napoli. When I recently asked Joe Napoli why a band should choose to record at Cloud9 instead of using home gear or going to a budget priced project studio I expected an answer that addressed the technical advantages. I expected to hear about Cloud9’s new mixing console custom built by Andrew Roberts from Purple Audio, or their impressive instrument collection (37 guitars, 43 amps, many microphones & mic pre amps, numerous snare drums). I thought he’d mention the floating-room non-parallel wall construction of his facility and how that provides optimum conditions for recording music. I thought we’d talk about the flexibility of Pro-Tools editing at Cloud9 or the fact that they provide both digital and analog recording.

Joe’s answer addressed the heart of the matter. “What makes Cloud9 important is the environment here is conducive to making a great record. It’s about making something that’s going to move people emotionally. We bring the A-game. I can’t remember a time when someone was prepared and focused in Cloud9 that we didn’t exceed expectations for the recording.”

Joe and Jack’s A-game is what has attracted bands like Nine Days to record at Cloud9. It’s what recently brought a young band called The Vacancies in from Ohio to record their debut CD for Joan Jett’s Black Heart Records with Kenny Laguna producing. It brought New Jersey duo Aerial Acoustics to Cloud9 to record one of their fine CDs. Word is getting out on Long Island’s best-kept secret – this affordable pro recording studio really supports the artist.

Bands sometimes think that going to a pro studio like Cloud9 is out of reach because it will be too costly. However, being prepared and being able to communicate your ideas to the producer/engineer makes working in a professional facility affordable. Joe Napoli agrees. “If you know what you want, and you’re working with professional people in a professional environment you can get a tremendous amount of work done for a reasonable amount of money.”

Joe speaks the truth. I’ve recorded a full-length CD and a CD single at Cloud9 and both experiences were extremely positive. I went in to each session with an ambitious list of tracks I wanted to accomplish and every day we completed my list and then went further. Over the years I’ve played in many bands and recorded in numerous studios. Cloud9 is the most artist-focused recording studio I’ve been in. As a solo artist who likes full band arrangements on my recordings, they were even able to hook me up with first-rate musicians like Meatloaf’s drummer John Micelli and Nine Days bassist Nick Dimichino for my sessions. They took the time to understand my vision and then provided the tools and talent to help me get there – and they do this for all of their clients.

Local bands and solo artists, bands with recording contracts, and producers looking for great sounding performance and mixing rooms have all benefited from the commitment, experience, and excellent gear at Cloud9 Recording. Joe Napoli sums it up, “I care about my work. I love what I do. This is the best job in the universe for me.” His enthusiasm and dedication to his craft are evident as soon as you walk in the studio – it’s a great place to make a record. To learn more about Cloud9 Recording visit their website: www.cloud9recording.com.

Mark Yodice at the Knitting Factory

On Wednesday, January 18^th, I parked my car on Broadway around 9pm and walked down a deserted Leonard Street to The Knitting Factory. Located in the Tribeca area of NYC, the Knitting Factory has three separate performance spaces on three floors. Once the home of hip headlining acts and inspired avant garde Jazz and Rock, the Knitting Factory has lost its focus and has become like many other bars – booking whoever can draw an audience regardless of their actual musical abilities. Interestingly, when the club booked on merit alone, it actually created a scene. People knew that ANY night of the week they could catch great music there, and the club was always crowded. Despite the current hit-and-miss booking trends I was headed to hear someone in particular so I knew there would be good music in store.

Mark Yodice has been writing and performing on LI and in NYC for quite a few years. His debut solo CD, “June Again”, was released in 2000 and contained original solo guitar compositions that gave a stylistic tip of the hat to adventurous guitarists like Michael Hedges. Combining busy rhythms, an original melodic sense, and dense harmony achieved through the use of open tunings, Marks music immediately stood out. The CD garnered positive reviews and airplay. He has been keeping a bit of a low profile of late, teaching guitar and writing music out on LI’s East End.

This night Mark was performing in the Old Office, located in the Knit’s sub-basement. Originally scheduled to play at 10 pm, scheduling changes had him eventually playing a truncated set at 11:45pm. The Old Office was packed with people, apparently friends of another performer celebrating a birthday. While waiting for Mark to go on I sat through one set of random sound collages performed on prepared guitar, computer samples & cello; and another set of computer drum loop, keyboard, and guitar noodling.

The schedule changes forced Mark to omit some of the new songs he had originally planned on playing. He also decided to have friend Scott Tweedie sit in on trumpet for all songs. The previous bands were quite loud and the room was very crowded, however, everyone quieted down once Mark began playing – a testament to the subtle power of his music. He began with “Lion Eats Tamer”. This song has a jazzy harmonic sequence punctuated by some cool bass runs. Scott Tweedie let Mark take the song in and then contributed some sparse solos on muted trumpet.

The second song was “Jamu, the Bewildered Buddhist”, a tune from “June Again”. This song sports some complex rhythm playing. Tapping, slapping and harmonics were combined in an aggressive approach that still managed to be very catchy. Mark has a way of always using his prodigious guitar chops to serve the music. With eyes closed you might think you were listening to a guitarist, bass player and percussionist. As the song began a group of people from the back of the room edged their way up to the front of the stage to get a better look at how one person could be making all this music. Scott entered again with long noted melodies atop the busy guitar part. The trumpet playing complemented the guitar part and added contrast as well.

After the 2^nd song Mark handed the drum stool he’d been sitting on over to Scott and proceeded to play the remainder of the set sitting crossed-legged on the stage. I later found out that the drum stool wasn’t steady enough and was throwing off his rhythm. He continued the set with “Glow” from his CD as well as a new song that doesn’t yet have a final name. They were both well-composed pieces of music.

Mark ended the set with another new song. This was a moody piece, slow and deliberate. It began quietly and built in volume as it progressed. Mark prepared the guitar by inserting a pen underneath the 12^th fret of the 5^th & 6^th strings. This changed the pitch of the strings both in front of the pen (between the pen and the headstock) and between the bridge and the pen. Mark made use of all of the sounds created in this way and Scott did some very tasty soloing. It was a very open, contemplative piece of music, nicely done!

I later learned that the last song was the only one that Mark and Scott had actually rehearsed. The changes to the placement and length of Mark’s set had him changing the song selection but still wanting Scott to sit in as much as possible. Knowing how challenging Mark’s songs are I think Scott did a great job fitting trumpet parts into them on the spot.

All in all, despite some spiritless and self-conscious performances by the bands that preceded him and bumped his set, Mark and Scott played an inspired set where the focus was on the music. It was worth the wait.

(This article was featured in the April 2006 Issue of Aural Fix Communique)

Scott MacDonald - Custom Guitars and Expert Repairs

Walking into the reception area of Scott B. MacDonald’s workshop I am always struck by how Scott makes me feel welcome and gives me his complete attention as I describe whatever my latest guitar problem is and wait for his advice. He’ll bring the guitar over to his workbench, check it out, and offer suggestions. The room is well lit, there are a few comfortable chairs, and an old ice-cream parlor type stool reserved for customers picking up guitars – Scott wants you to feel at home when you try out your new or repaired instrument.

Scott has been building and repairing guitars for 16 years in Huntington, Long Island. He has become well known for his custom guitars, vintage instrument restorations and repairs. He has clients all over the world. Having been authorized by Gibson, Fender, Martin, Taylor, Ovation, Gretch, and Tacoma for repair and warranty work, his workshop is always filled with guitars. He has a knack for addressing the underlying causes of guitar problems quickly. I’ve taken an electric guitar to Scott thinking I needed to spend money on new pickups only to have Scott say, “I’ll put new pickups in if you want, but I bet those pickups are fine and this wiring is what’s killing your sound.” Scott was right – he re-did the wiring and the pickups sounded great.

Although his extensive knowledge of both vintage guitars and modern guitar building suggests a man who works because he loves instruments, Scott told me there was something else that he found even more satisfying, “It’s not really about guitars, it’s about people.” He means it. When he says he builds ‘custom guitars’, he’s talking about instruments designed around the needs, spirit and personality of the musician, not just two or three designs that he cranks out over and over. Scott always strives to make a unique instrument for the PERSON who orders it. He insists on getting to know as much about each customer and their music as he can before design and construction begins. In the end, each instrument is as unique as its owner. He considers the whole personality of the musician ordering a guitar.

I’m a guitar player. I like guitars. I like it best when I pick up a guitar and it sounds and feels as good as it looks. Music is born when the right instrument reaches the hands of a creative musician. This is why I’ve become such a fan of Scott’s custom guitars. I haven’t had Scott build me one yet (although I do see a custom electric in my future…), but I have played a few that he’s built for others. They look and feel like something special, they sound great, and in the cases of a few LI musicians I know who own his guitars the instruments genuinely suit their music and playing styles. I think Scott gets high marks for hitting his goal of constructing guitars that fit the personality of the player.

Scott says that he’s seen tremendous growth in his business in the past few years as a result of the internet. I think Scott’s reputation for meticulous work and attention to detail might have something to do with it too, but he has recently re-vamped his website, www.customguitars.com. In addition to seeing photos of some of his custom guitars potential customers can now hear samples of what they sound like. They can also see video clips of Lucinda Williams and her band making good use of the Resonator Electric Guitars Scott made for Lucinda and her lead guitarist.

Scott builds custom instruments for musicians who play large venues and for musicians who play bars and coffee houses. He gives everyone the same respect and attention. Scott says it usually takes about a year to make an electric and fourteen months to make an acoustic. His prices are very competitive so before you shell out a lot of money for an assembly line instrument you might want to consider getting a guitar hand-made with your personality and playing habits in mind instead.

(Industry Insider column for April 2006 Inside Connection Magazine)

A Review of “Spirit Dwelling” by Geoffrey Armes

If you’re used to ‘New Age’ music referring to a lot of directionless noodling by people who haven’t mastered their instruments, maybe punctuated by samples of ocean waves and wind, you will be pleasantly surprised listening to Geoffrey Armes’ latest recording, “Spirit Dwelling”. Geoffrey has already established himself as a singer/songwriter worthy of notice with his CDs “Green Love” and “Elemental Red”. “Spirit Dwelling” demonstrates that he’s also a gifted enough instrumentalist, vocalist, and composer to pull off an ambitious 70-minute, mostly instrumental, recording.

This will be a very long article if I comment on every song, so I will turn most of my attention to the first song. “Spirit Dwelling” begins with “Sun and Cloud.” It starts with a low synth note – so deep and resonant you feel it as well as hear it. You have been alerted; you’re entering a different space. Guitars enter slowly, arpeggiating an easy welcome. A flute plays in the background. Nothing is rushed. The music takes all the time it needs to slowly unravel and you feel as if you have all the time in the world to listen.

Four minutes in and we haven’t even changed chords yet. In fact, there are no chords here, nothing to anticipate, nothing to rush towards. Here, melodies intertwine, they come and go like the leaves drifting past my window as I write this on a November morning.

At almost six minutes into “Sun and Cloud,” percussion and electric bass create a pulse and harmonic foundation. Indian and Middle Eastern influences dominate the guitar melodies. Reggae/Dub influences are apparent in the groove. Eventually the guitar and the groove give way to synth strings that suspend the mood and finally fade to end this eleven minute song.

This ain’t rock’n’roll. This ain’t the blues. This IS thoughtfully improvised world-folk-newage music that creates an atmosphere for introspection, meditation, or yoga – as the composer intended. In fact, Geoffrey subtitled this CD, “Music for Yoga.” I think he succeeded. With this music playing I can let my mind wander as I listen, yet the focus of the musical performance keeps me focused and alert to each thought that enters and then leaves my mind. This music creates a perfect aural landscape for yoga practice.

This is an important recording. It is unified. It maintains a definite sense of purpose from the first song to the last, from the first note through to the last. It is spacious and calming, but not sleep-inducing. Songs with extended improvisations sit beside instrumentals reminiscent of Indian Ragas where modal melodies dance over pedal tones. Some songs groove, some are built on a more open landscape, and some have obvious Celtic/Folk influences. This contrast makes for a positive listening experience. All of the music is engaging – not an adjective I would normally associate with ‘New Age’ music.

The recording’s sound quality is excellent. Recorded at Geoffrey’s Village Recording, and mastered by Tom DeSisto, this CD sounds great. Acoustic guitars sound warm and full, the percussion rings crisp and clear.

This is adventurous music that you should hear. You can purchase a copy at http://www.geoffreyarmes.com/. Then you can light a few candles, put the CD on, and bend your body into shapes like a pretzel.

(originally published in January 2006 Aural Fix)