Indaban Matt Palmer is up for props.  Why, you ask?  Because his song, "I Wish," (available for a listen on his Indaba profile page ) was named best song of the month by Songwriter Universe Magazine .  They also wrote a fantastic bio for Matt, some of which is excerpted here.

Matt Palmer, a talented pop/R&B singer & songwriter from New York, NY, has won the August SongwriterUniverse “Best Song Of The Month” Contest, with his song “I Wish.” “I Wish” is one of eight new songs Palmer has written for his upcoming album project, which he will be releasing in early 2009.

“I Wish” is a very hooky, appealing uptempo cut, which is the vein of hit singles by Usher and Ne-Yo. It’s clear that Palmer has developed the ability to create very commercial pop/R&B songs which can be placed with major label artists. This recording of “I Wish” also showcases Palmer’s artist potential – he effectively performs all the vocals (lead & background) on this cut. And notably, Palmer played all the instruments on this demo, using his ProTools studio setup.

Palmer, who is 21, grew up in Atlanta, GA, where he was inspired early on by listening to Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey and other artists. When he was seven he started to play piano, and when he was 14, he began writing songs. “During high school, I would write my own material, and record demos,” recalled Palmer. “Then (in 2005) when I was a senior, I released a CD (14 songs) called Getaway .

Congrats, Matt!  We wish you the best of luck and hope you don't forget about our little website when you've made it big.  And hey Indabans, if you or any other member you know of has won an award, signed to a label or any other musical move of consequence, don't hesitate to write me at Streeter@IndabaMusic.com and let me know.

Indaban and noted jazz drummer, Adam Nussbaum , scored a nice review in JazzTimes Magazine for Standards by the Nuttree Quartet (Nussbaum's group).  Let's give it a read, shall we?

Standards are the lingua franca of jazz, a shared lexicon that puts musicians—and their audiences—on common ground. But they also present a challenge that, while frequently attempted, is not always met: how to place a unique stamp on a tune everybody knows without sacrificing its beauty or timelessness. Standards thus represent a chance to bring craftsmanship to the foreground or, in the best cases, to break through the rigid boundaries of expectation and display true artistry.

The all-star Nuttree Quartet rises to the occasion admirably, warping Tin Pan Alley and modern jazz classics with casual ease, balancing winking subversion with heartfelt affection for the material. Drummer Adam Nussbaum assembled the group and provides its spark, enthusiastically tossing rhythms about and giving every number a joyous propulsion. Jerry Bergonzi displays introspective tension and bluesy release on tenor sax, while guitarist John Abercrombie adds a laid-back but elusive, free-floating quality that creates a kind of levitation. The wild card here is Gary Versace, who keeps things off balance with Hammond B3 organ lines that are playful, ominous and offbeat.

Taken together, the results surprise and delight. Duke Ellington’s gospel-based “Come Sunday” becomes a gentle road song, Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” a snazzy romp. “All or Nothing at All” picks up a detached, almost steely mien, while a brilliantly moving “Naima” evokes autumn breezes rustling through fallen leaves. It’s a fine ride that encourages repeated listening.

Read it in context

Congrats, Adam!  It's certainly well-deserved.  And hey, if any of you other Indabans feel like sharing your good reviews (or your bad ones) please send them over to me at Streeter@IndabaMusic.com .

When I first looked at Ryan West's Indaba picture I knew I was going to be talking to someone very, very serious about music.  He has to be.  No casual musician would take the time to learn what every button on that massive console does.  Ryan is a producer, engineer and musical man-about-town.  For the hip hop fans out there, you'll be impressed to hear that Ryan has worked with the likes of Dr. Dre, Kanye West and Jay-Z.  Not bad, not bad at all.  Ryan was nice enough to answer a few of my questions...

First off, is producing and/or engineering a recording 'making music' or is it something else?  Can producers rightfully call themselves musicians?  As someone who stands on both sides of the line, I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.
I think that any producer who doesn't play an instrument and calls him/herself a musician is full of shit. You really only need a dictionary to clear that issue up. As you mentioned, I am a musician, producer and engineer. Some projects need only one of those services, for example mixing. If I mix a record and don't play an instrument on it, you don't see my name in the credits as a musician because it's not true. Just to be thorough, if all you've done is tap out a beat on some drum machine pads, you really don't get to call yourself a musician or producer. I'm not sure how people have become confused as to what it means to be a producer or musician, but they have.

A lot of people (mostly older people) say rappers aren't musicians.  Your resume includes some of rap's heaviest hitters as well as some more traditional musicians, how do rappers stack up against someone like Bette Midler in terms of musical knowledge?
Here's another opportunity to resolve another uninformed attitude. Yes, rappers are musicians. A singer is defined as a musician who uses his or her voice to produce music. Whether it's a long drawn out note or short, fast vocal sound , it's still singing. Rappers deal with lyrics, tempo, rhythm and sometimes melody and harmony. It takes a lot of skill and practice to get that right. A great rapper has the ability to perform and record in a way that's captivating, just like Bette Midler or anyone else you want to compare them to. What's more, lots and lots, maybe the majority of modern singers don't have much training. They often develop their craft without textbook musical knowledge. What singers tend to understand better than non-singers, is their own body. They study and practice the art of manipulating their vocal chords, mouth, throat, sinus cavities, breathing, and sometime their whole body to create sound. Some will get more into the science of it to improve themselves while others prefer a less-refined approach, but that doesn't mean it's not singing.

What is your take on home recording equipment and the rise of amateur producers using laptops?  Do you see this as a threat to you career and the careers of other professional producers?
I think it's the best, and worst thing that could happen.  The advent of the digital audio workstation lets us make music faster and easier, but doesn't replace talent or the ability to know what's good and what's trash. I don't think I've ever felt that my career has been threatened by it. I have years of experience that can't be duplicated by a plug-in. Not yet at least. Besides, the more amateur producers and engineers there are, in the future they'll be looking for someone to give them a great mix, or bring conventional production qualities to their project. I already work with these kinds of people all the time and have always been an early adopter of new technologies. I'm betting that my experience with major label/old school record making, analog equipment, virtual instruments, digital audio workstations, skillful musicians and proper studios will keep me in business. I can utilize all of the tools. Plus, it takes years to learn to mix well. Where is anyone gonna learn how to do it with all the big studios out of the picture? That's why I've decided to teach the craft as well. Bassy Bob Brockman and I have put together a master's series workshop for people who want to learn how it's done. 

What is the worst thing a musician ever said to you through the glass?  The best?
Hahaha! Hmmm...let's see.
The worst: "Hey fuck you! I know that was out of key, but you can fix that for me. Isn't that what I pay you for?" - prefer not to say who that was...
The best: "Put a tuba on that fuck!" - Composer/arranger Rob Mathes during Just Blaze's production of 2nd Coming Nike Commercial featuring Juelz Santana

What was the first song you ever heard that made you really want to get into producing?  Was there one track that you started dissecting in your head that lit a fire in you?
I'm not so sure it happened like that for me. I have been a musician since I was about 7 or 8. Naturally when I was old enough to buy a little four track, I was always trying to make good sounding music. I'm also an electronics geek. That helped fan the fire too.

What do you make of Indaba's online mixing console?  Benefits?  Drawbacks?
To be honest, I haven't used it. I've met tons of great people on Indaba, but my work is mostly done in Protools.

Is there an artist out there that you feel has been mis-produced? In other words, is there a great artist putting out garbage records because he or she has the wrong production team?  If so, what would you do to change his or her sound?
There have been situations that I was aware of where the label pushed a certain producer on the artist and it wasn't a good fit, but I think it's a mistake to think that the artist can be relieved of the responsibility for how their recordings sound. I mean, they were in the studio when it went down, right? If they didn't know any better, they're in the wrong business. Hardly worth being called a great artist I would say. I also think that if more artists were able to develop beyond the boring drool that we hear so much of on the radio, the music business would be in a different place than it is today. This has been going on for years. So much of the crap that is put out these days is lack-luster, bottom of the barrel type garbage because there are too few labels who are taking creative risks, and as a result are stuck repeating the same mistake. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again expecting different results. Looking at the vibrant indie scene right now, I can safely say that the fault lies with those who are promoting commercial music. The labels, MTV, VH1, ClearChannel, etc. They blew it. There's quality music being made, but not promoted because the powers that be have this fucked up idea that the power single is the only way to make money. Wrong. That's why their business is in the toilet.

Finally, what single song would you say is the most well produced track you've ever heard and why?
Wow. That's a tough one. I like a lot of different songs for a lot of very different reasons. There are some I would say are very well produced because of it's beautiful pristine audio quality, flawless arrangement and great musicianship. Those whose excellent production values play a big part in making the song interesting and powerful. I would use Mercy Mercy Me by Marvin Gaye or anything from Pink Floyd, Bjork or Peter Gabriel as an example of that.  Then, there are some that I would say are outstanding because they are simple, but extremely powerful. A poignant, heart wrenching song, performed with passion and intensity, but maybe lacking in speaker filling instruments or high fidelity can be just as effective. Listen to Elenore Rigby by the Beatles, Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley, or Nightingale by Norah Jones. Those songs have basic instrumentation, but their power doesn't lie in what was added in the recording and production, but what was left out. The producers knew one crucial skill: How not to fuck it up. 

I've been pretty bad about keeping my proclivity for pop-rock a secret which is why you're not going to be surprised that my little heart skipped a beat when Hello Operator signed up for an Indaba account.  If you haven't heard of them then you must not be from Canada, where they've made quite an impact.  Now they're working at taking the States like so many great Canadian bands have done before (Nickleback anyone? Kidding, of course).  The duo's sound is heavy pop rock interspersed with some solid harmonies to create a nice, full sound.  They have three tracks up on their Indaba page which I highly recommend listening to.  You can also get their first album, The Breaks, on iTunes.  But why am I telling you all of this?

Well, just because Indaba is Gotham-based, doesn't mean we won't give our West Coast users some love, too.  It just so happens that Hello Operator is doing a few shows out there and I wouldn't want you to miss them.  So left coasters, take note...

Jan 9,  8:00P
Club Moscow @ Boardners 18+    
Hollywood, California

Jan 10, 8:00P
Beauty Bar
San Diego, California 

And even if you can't make either show, at least enjoy the video for their single, "Chasing Satellites"

 

 

Hey everyone, let's meet one of Indaba's favorite contributors, the one and only Ashley Witt.

Though curiously lacking much biographical information, Ashley's music speaks for itself.  From classical to electronic, Ashley does it all with enviable skill.  According to his profile, "I work as an arranger, orchestrator, composer, sound designer, programmer. My heart is in classical/orchestral but I have done about every type of music professionally." And who knew, he also does covers.  Ashley was nice enough to put a few of his thoughts in an email to me earlier this week.

How did you, in this day and age, find your way to classical music over other forms?
After schooling I wanted to be a rock star and played several instruments in several different bands, one of which came very close to stardom but was broke up.  Soon after that I found the girl of my dreams and moved to Santa Cruz CA. with her while she went to school.  While working at Seagate I met up with the Chief Engineer, Kevin Monahan of E-mu Systems and after he heard some techno I had done with some pretty crappy gear he decided to lend me an Emulator IV sampler.  I quickly discovered that this sampler had the ability to do some pretty good orchestral stuff so I messed around with several original pieces and some dead composer stuff, sent it over to Kevin and E-mu used it for trade shows which went over very well and the Emulator IV began to penetrate the film composer market.  Now all it needed was some good sample library and because of my experience with orchestral instruments and my familiarity with the Emulator IV I took on the task of programming the Miroslav Vitous library with Miroslav at his house in the Bahamas.  Now I had better library and could sound more realistic and this was very exciting.  I went on to program for several more libraries which gives me quite an advantage at becoming intimate with the samples.  Because of our ability now to create orchestral music that sounds so good using computers I just can't help myself and it took doing it to realize that no other music gives me the feeling of accomplishment, .


Your sample work is pretty varied - from classical to jazz to some electronic - do you feel that spreading your talents across different genres dilutes your focus on classical or do you incorporate these other influences to your classical compositions?
Because most of the work I do is in arranging/orchestration I have to be familiar with basically every kind of music.  For one film I was asked to take a rock/industrial song and turn it into a 1940's German cabaret tune.  I never know what I'm going to be asked to do and I have to be ready or I won't be hired, so many of my sample songs are merely exercises I gave myself.  Most of the time even when I'm doing any other type of music I am in arrangement/orchestration mode and tend to approach the pieces in the same way as I would with classical.  It's basically a vertical approach, I imagine all the instruments and parts that could possibly fit in a section like vertical holes and I fill the holes.  In orchestral music you can imagine that there is a section where every instrument is playing at once, all the vertical holes are plugged, if you take some of the plugs out it becomes less vertical and sounds different.  At times with music other than orchestral I will take the same approach and plug as many holes as I can during one section then use that as a scratch board to create phrases of the song.  In contemporary music since there is basically a crescendo from beginning to end I will start towards the end, build it up big then strip parts out and work toward the beginning.


Walk us through arranging a song.  For some of the less musically-inclined, what does that entail?
This is a pretty tough one since there are so many forms that the project will come to me.  If it's an artist or band I may only get a guitar part or vocals, then I may get a mixdown that just needs orchestration.  If it's a film composer I might only receive a piano part that needs full orchestration or I may get a score that just needs to be mocked-up with my equipment so that it can be heard close to what it will sound like when an orchestra plays it.  With an artist or band I am usually given an idea of what they want the outcome to be, a genre or a specific artist sound that they want it to come out like.  If I'm not familiar enough with that genre or artist I'll buy some of that music, usually three or four songs to get an idea.  I listen specifically to what the drums do, the sound of the guitar, and general fx.  I obviously have to pay attention to what makes that kind of music fit in the genre, like how in reggae the bass line frequently carries the melody.

Occasionally when I am given something by an artist I will start from scratch, replay guitar parts, drums, even re-sing parts that they had done.  This could be because they hadn't recorded to a metronome, I am adding/deleting bars/phrases, or the dynamics don't match.  Really the first thing that needs to be there is some sort of rhythm part that goes through the entire song like a guitar or keyboard, then the lead vocal.  Using drumpads I'll play all the drumkit all the way through.  With these three parts in I'm able to start creating dynamics and phrasing with other instruments.  With all the instruments in I will most likely replay the drums, add harmonies to the vocals and create a basic mix (I am not a mixing engineer, I only do basic mixing!).  If the artist requires orchestral instruments then the song basically needs to be done before those are added. If all I was asked for is orchestration then I would get a basic or even finished mix to start with.  This is when I have the most fun.  I learned an important "trick" very early about orchestrating for artists, always totally over do it.  It's much easier to pull stuff out then give too little and have to go through the trouble of going back and forth with the artist to figure out what it needs.  They will have everything they need to mix, so much so in many cases that the song could carry itself as an orchestral piece.

For composers that "trick" can't really be used.  Composers usually have the complete idea already in their head and straying from that doesn't usually end up working out.  The state of composition that I receive music from composers varies as much as from artists.  I have done a complete film just from a piano score that was eventually played by the Prague Symphony, and I have gotten scores played by an orchestra that just needed fattening up with my equipment.  Many of the orchestral scores you hear in film today have samplers playing along with the orchestra, just to fatten it up or because the composer just liked what it sounded like are two examples.  If I get just piano the I really have my work cut out for me, especially if the piano isn't even one of the instruments that will be in the score.  I have to build a full orchestration from what was played by two hands.  The most important decision right off is which instruments will take melodies, luckily most of the time the composer has a preference for that, mine are the oboe and french horn.  Once that melody has been taken care of the musical training kicks in, harmony, counterpoint, and build a basic structure.  I'll send that back to the composer and we'll go back and forth to come up with what needs to be done/undone.  It's usually at this point that I add my own taste to the piece, which so far has not caused any problems.  I will stray from the musical training and rules of classical theory to hopefully add to the piece.  From that and the edits made from the composer and I talking I will send it back and at this stage it is usually a good representation of what the composer wanted.  Usually it will just need mixing and some parts will need to be replayed to improve performance.  If the score is to be played by an orchestra then my job is mostly done except to hand over to a MIDI copyist where they will create the sheet music for the orchestra.  If my mock-up is to be used then I will have to spend extra time making it sound as real as possible, play some real instruments myself and even record a small group of players.  From that I will create stems for the mixing engineer.  Stems are groups of instruments and usually depend on the mixing engineer.  Most of the time they are grouped as the orchestra are, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, then by frequency, bass to treble, then melodies and solo instruments are usually on their own stems.  The hardest part for me is that these stems won't have reverb on them and it's painful listening to orchestral samples with no reverb.

One thing that comes up a lot is that the composers or artists are usually nice people and if they don't like something I've done they will be apologetic.  I always have to make sure that they remember that it is their work, I am here to help it get realized, I take no offense to them not liking what I've done and will try again without thinking about it.  Even as a composer for a film I have a saying that goes right along with that, "Music in film must enhance what the viewer is seeing... it should be the icing on the cake, my goal is not to show an audience how good my music is, but to show them how good the film is."


What are your thoughts on groups that try to bring classical music "up to date?" Trans Siberian Orchestra is one that comes to mind.
I have done some of that myself so obviously I am a proponent.  I'm not so sure that it brings awareness to the dead composers as many believe.  I believe that since it was most likely a well written piece to begin with that the up to date version already has that advantage.  This isn't meant to be a blanket forgiveness to anyone that does this.  There are recreations that I would consider offensive to the original compositions but I am not the only judge.  I do believe in a musicians hell and do have a personal list of who I think should be there, then again, I may be on that list for someone else.  At the least, the people doing the recreations will be improving their skills, becoming more intimate with the people that were the first rock stars, and spending time on something which hopefully we will all get to enjoy.


Finally, judging by the pictures on your stage, you have a pretty serious set up at home computer-wise.  Is it as important these days for a musician to be familiar with computer music programs as it is for him to be familiar with playing music itself?
Some of the greatest writers in history had no musical training whatsoever so at it's face, I'd say it's not important as a musician.  It only depends on what one wants to accomplish.  For someone that just plays an instrument, the only thing they may need to know is how to import an audio file, record, save, and upload.  They could make a living doing music with just that knowledge.  For orchestral music the computer allows a composer to hear with their ears what they create in a short time without having an orchestra.  Some excellent composers aren't able to score by paper and pen so this may be the only way we could ever hear what's in their head.  I use as many tools as I can to force the computers to create what's in my head.  I can't even think of having too many tools.  I have created tools in the Environment for Logic to make composing faster and more realistic and there is no other sequencer that gives me that ability, I have no choice.  If another program comes up with something better for me I will switch without thinking.  I use as many MIDI controllers as I can to make sure what I do remains "human," and I quantize as little as possible for the same reason.  I have to use several computers (Mac/PC) because there isn't a single computer that can handle the load of all the instruments I need playing at once.  I have programmed instruments that crossfade dynamic levels (pp-ff) of samples using a wind controller, this takes a lot of audio channels, CPU, and MIDI data.  It may seem silly to put MIDI data in that statement but it is a factor, MIDI can choke even the fastest CPU still, don't forget that it is the only thing that hasn't changed in the personal computer since it was put in the first one, twenty-five years ago.  For what I do, I have to be an expert with both Windows and MacOS, every available software sampler, sequencer, and audio editor.  None of this makes me a better composer than anyone else, it does make me more efficient than most and in this business time is money.  However, I'm not going to be the one to tell John Williams or his arrangers/orchestrators that they should be using computers, they seem to be doing a decent job without.  I am truly not avoiding the question, I have worked with people that still have no computer experience and although frustrating for both of us at times they are amazing musicians and I'm not about to tell them to spend time learning a computer at the cost of the time they could be spending with their art.  Until Talent 2.0 comes out the computer isn't going to make people more talented and Auto Compose 1.0 is still a long way off.  Lastly, a good composer could still create from pen and paper and have an orchestra record their piece to create demos.  The only difference between him and someone that uses a computer is the cost of creating the demos and of course, the sound of the orchestra is going to be better.  The people that either composer needs to impress will be looking for talent and ability to put music to picture quickly.  In the case of the person using samplers, the people that the composer needs to impress know the sound of samplers by now and are forgiving since they also know what it will sound like when an orchestra records the score.  If samplers are to be used for the score the composer needs to show the ability to work quickly and produce a very good representation of an orchestra.  I know several people trying to get into the business that are able to produce a good representation of an orchestra but they aren't able to do it quickly so even if they impress someone with their sound they could get kicked off a project because they can't get it done under time restrictions.  You really have to know computers and controllers very well or even better, know them intimately, there's no way around it.

 

If you would like to suggest someone for a user spotlight, please email me at Streeter@Indababmusic.com and let me know. 

This week we'll be getting to know one of Indaba's most accomplished users, composer, film scorer and musical man-about-town, Michael Whalen.  Desert Flower

Seasons of Light

I Have Loved You for a Thousand Lifetimes

Hey everyone, take a look at our newest front page feature, the Indaba Spotlight. This is the place where we'll showcase our favorite Indaba users.  For our first, let's all meet...

Greg Osby
From his Website Bio:

Born and raised in St. Louis, Greg Osby began his professional music career in 1975, after three years of private studies on clarinet, flute and alto saxophone. Coming from a vibrant and musical city, Osby showed an early interest in the performing arts and spent his years in secondary school with a heavy involvement in Blues and Jazz groups. In 1978 Osby furthered his musical education at Howard University where he majored in Jazz Studies. He continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music from 1980 to 1983. 

According to his site, after Berklee Osby moved to New York, played with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Herby Hancock and Jack DeJohnette, signed in 1987 with a German jazz label and, in 1990, switched to Blue Note Records. He has recorded 16 albums and is set to tour Europe early next year.  He is known as one of the most innovative jazz musicians in the country and, as if that weren't enough, is a competent and intelligent lecturer.  Greg is, in short, the guy who makes you feel bad about your own accomplishments.  

Greg was nice enough to answer a few questions via email for me.   

I noticed you have tons of Myspace friends and a bunch of Indaba contacts.  Have you found that the Internet has helped spread your music to not only your fans but to new listeners?
I've been involved with the Internet since it was made available to the public, when it was all text and usenet - no graphic images. I've made it my business to use it to directly link and associate myself with students and supporters of my music on all of the online music and social networks. As an artist, it's important to make oneself as accessible as possible to every potential patron or purchaser of your music, especially since most of the sites are free of charge and make it incredibly easy to set up accounts.

What is more important to becoming a successful musician and why: touring or recording?
Both are entirely necessary. The recording is a documented example of what an artists intends to present during a performance. It is used by booking agents and promoters to determining which groups offer the right programming for their events and venues. The artist must perform live in order to connect personally with his audience and to demonstrate that what was done on the recording was not studio trickery or a one-shot fluke.

Where do you find inspiration when composing?
Composition is 50 percent intuition and 50 percent utilization of what one KNOWS will work. The source of divine inspiration in art is unknown, although the catch-phrase "spiritual" is tossed around somewhat recklessly in order to define what takes place. While it is possible to be influenced by one's environment, personal philosophies or beliefs, true inspiration stems from an innate desire to express undefinable thoughts via some form of tangible communication.

What qualities do you look for in a fellow player when putting together a group?
Enthusiasm, eagerness to learn, punctuality, responsibility and most of all, fearlessness.

Well, I'm 0 for 5 there.  And now that you've heard the words of Greg Osby, enjoy a few of his songs that he was nice enough to post on Indaba.

"Channel Three," the title track off his latest release.

"Heard" off 1997's Further Ado

"Nature Boy" off 2000's The Invisible Hand

 

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Osby's Website
Osby's Indaba Profile
The Berklee Music contest, featuring music from Greg Osby

 

-Streeter

Pssst. Is there anyone you'd like to see profiled on Indaba?  Shoot me an email at Streeter@Indabamusic.com and let me know.