to digital booklet

GOIN’ HOME…
A RETROSPECTIVE
Gay Pearson’s Eclectic Ensemble
John Lockwood bass
Gay Pearson piano
Phil McGowan drums
Tracy McMullen tenor sax
Lea Pearson flute
Shannon Allen cello
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Goin’ Home…A Retrospective
C-SAW
Gay Pearson
C-SAW is built on a C7 alt C#m7 vamp. Starting with measure 7, techniques are used that bring out the common tones as well as the
tension tones between the two chords, which are not necessarily confined to a whole measure for each chord, and are intended to create
seamlessness throughout. I submitted it to two competitions, one for the Red Hedgehog Trio in Boston as a trio for French horn, cello and
piano for a concert in Pittsfield MA featuring the Brahms Horn Trio. (The trio got its name from the Red Hedgehog Cafe in Vienna, which
was Brahms’ favorite cafe.) Up to two minutes was allowed, but I left it at a little over a minute. The later submission was for a one-minute
piece for the 15 Minutes of Fame competition to be performed by the MAN trio for two flutes and piano. I simply increased the tempo to
reduce the time to one minute. This performance is for the original instrumentation, plus bass and drums.
Michelangelo 70 Astor Piazzolla (arr. W. Thomas-Mifune for cello and piano)
My introduction to Piazzolla’s music was through the Princeton University radio station, where I had heard tracks from his last release
Tango Zero Hour, which includes Michelangelo 70. Soon after I moved to Maine, I started researching his prolific output. I purchased
some arrangements, which included 3 pieces for cello and piano, one of which was Michelangelo 70. Around that time I also performed
Le Grande Tango with Loren Pearson at the Portland Conservatory. Since the original instrumentation included three chordal instruments
(accordion, piano, guitar) the cello/piano arrangement sounded thin, so I included flute and bass to thicken the texture.
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
Sigmund Romberg (arr. & reharmonized, Gay Pearson)
This was the featured work on my 1998 album Alone, Independent and Unresolved, which received regular airplay on Temple University’s
WRTI. A year or so later I was commissioned by my bassist Tyrone Brown to be a contributing arranger of this arrangement on his NAXOS
chamber jazz release Song Of the Sun.
Sea Journey
Chick Corea
Sea Journey was made famous by vibraphonist Gary Burton. It is the first half of the title track of my last studio album Sea Journey-So
Far Away which was recorded in 2004 in my home in Trenton NJ, and inspired by my upcoming move back to Maine. My engineer at the
time was also my drummer. He fortunately had a plethora of percussion instruments, which we decided to take advantage of to overdub
and overlay a variety of percussion tracks. As a result the recording has exciting textural buildup. This performance will be quite mellow
in comparison.
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So Far Away
Carole King (Piano & Bass Arr. Gay Pearson)
As noted above, So Far Away is the second half of the title track. Although King’s recording has a folk-rock feel, I heard it as a rock ballad
with an R&B feel, and at about half the tempo. However, the bass/piano arrangement I composed is too busy for the faster tempo. So,
this performance includes some of both, with the tune and improvisations at the originally intended tempo, and the duet at half tempo.
Chromatic Exploitations Gay Pearson
This piece was inspired by a simple harmonic sequence. Even though there is little room for improvisation, the format is similar to the
standard jazz format where there is a head followed by improvised choruses based on the same chord progressions. But here there are
two written-out choruses, with no return to the head. As I began to develop ideas, I decided to maintain lyrical lines for the sustained
instruments. In contrast, the rhythmic and often percussive drive in the piano uses a variety of chordal techniques, many based on
Brazilian rhythms I had been working on and accumulating. Some of the piano part I composed directly into the notation program,
without first trying out on piano. Although I originally wrote the piece to submit to the Portland Chamber Music Competition for the required
instrumentation of violin, cello and piano, I always had flute in mind instead of violin. For this performance I also included chord changes
for the bassist, as I much prefer hearing the music with the fuller sound of the bass range.
Piece of Cake
MICHEL CAMILO
Dominican Republic jazz pianist Michel Camilo is one of my favorites. I’ve been listening to his albums for years. I found the sheet music
for Piece Of Cake from an issue of Jazz Improv many years ago, and finally decided it was time to learn it and use it as an opportunity to
work on some Cuban riffs. It is not a piece of cake to play!
Peacocks
Jimmy Rowles
Peacocks is one of my favorite ballads, hauntingly beautiful in part because of its use of chromaticism, which lends itself to interesting
harmonic color for soloing. A friend requested I include it.
The Song Is You
Harold ArLen
This is an up-tempo jazz standard I’ve been wanting to perform for the last few years. I’ve always felt the bridge lends itself to the classical
sound of an Alberti bass, which I’ve made a point to utilize on last year’s concert, and in some music in this performance.
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Goin’ Home
Russell Ferrante
Goin’ Home is my favorite tune of the Yellow Jackets from their 1981 album. I had decided to include it on this concert well before using
it as the title and theme of the concert, bringing my two homes together... from Trenton NJ to Falmouth ME, and ultimately to
Newburyport MA.
Positive Vorticity Advection
gay pearson
Vorticity itself is way too complex to give any easy and quick definitions of, as it takes on many different vertical and horizontal shapes,
forms, scales, and layers in the atmosphere and troposphere. But basically on the synoptic scale, positive vorticity is clockwise spin in
the troposphere caused by troughs and ridges and other embedded waves or height centres. Advection is horizontal motion, so wind
flow through a vorticity gradient (change with distance) will produce regions of PVA. PVA could apply to this piece because of the chord
progressions coming full circle, plus broken chords in left hand of the piano part creating a rotational effect, all the while with large-scale
horizontal motion.
Pent-Up Love
Gay Pearson
I had originally conceived this piece as very up-tempo based on the use of a permutation I had been using with pentatonic riffs. Though
I initially called my piece Pent-up, I think Pent-Up Love is more suitable because my soloing includes a suggestion of John Coltrane’s A
Love Supreme, and because of a recent personal experience with pent-up love. This is my first attempt at a more contemporary sounding and up-tempo composition to solo over. Though over the years I worked with quartal harmonies, minor sus chords and soloing in the
Dorian mode over pieces such as Coltrane’s Impressions, I had never written anything in that idiom.
Arise
Lynne arriale, (arr. anthony mcdonald)
contemporary jazz pianist, Lynne Arriale was caught across the country on 9/11. The only way to get back to her home in NY was to rent
a car and drive the whole way. This tune came to her on that journey.
STickslap
Alan pasqua
Vardan Ovsepian introduced me to this piece when he relocated to LA. He may also have performed it with drummer Peter Erskine. I love
the title and the piece.
This Will Be My Shining Hour
harold arien
I am revisiting this tune, which is also on Alone Independent and Unresolved, applying more advanced and hip soloing based on my years
of work with Vardan Ovsepian. Although the harmonic rhythm gives the illusion of a slow and hymn-like melody, it really rips.
- Gay Pearson
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Gay Pearson received a B.M. in applied piano from Lawrence University in 1965 and
a B.S. in Meteorology from Purdue University in 1983. During her 12 years of employment
in air quality evaluation with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in
Trenton, she also studied jazz harmony, theory and improvisation. Pearson was a
pianist with two big bands in the late 1980s-early 1990’s, and she also performed with
her combos in coffee houses, book stores, museums, restaurants, and jazz clubs.
Since relocating to Maine, she is finishing her ninth year of studying advanced
improvisation and composition with Vardan Ovsepian, first in her home town of
Newburyport MA, then via Skype. Pearson has performed her compositions for
four annual concerts in Newburyport, and in Portland for First Parish UU and Back
Cove Contemporary Composers Fest. From 2005-2010 she taught piano and
theory at Portland Conservatory of Music. She has released four self-produced
albums to local and national acclaim. Gay’s composition Density Gradient was
submitted for a “15 Minutes of Fame” competition through American Composer’s Forum, and was performed by the Verismo trio on their October 26 concert at
the University of Wyoming. Density Gradient is a one minute version of “Positive
Vorticity Advection.”
Gay’s live recording of her 2014 Chamber Jazz Concert A SINISTER ENDEAVOR is
available on Big Round Records bigroundrecords.com.
Jim Santella, of Cadence raves:
“Pearson gives her audience a double barrel of swinging
excitement that’s married with a love for the lyrical melody.”
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John Lockwood, who teaches at Berklee, says, “I basically learned on the bandstand. I got called for these gigs that I shouldn’t have
taken, I suppose, looking back. People just proceeded to shout and scream at me, and that’s how I learned. Piecing things together. So
when I teach it’s the same thing. A student walks in, I teach them the tune, and—bang—we’re off. It’s pretty much playing all the time.
Once we get into it there’s sheets and things like that, but it’s mainly playing and then talking about concepts. To me, it’s the best kind
of learning. You learn fast.” His career highlights include a B.M. from the Berklee College of Music and performances with Gary Burton,
Dance Umbrella, Donal Fox, the Fringe, Eddie Harris, Johnny Hartman, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Dave Liebman, Joe Maneri, Tate
Montolia, Makoto Ozone, Joe Pass, Danilo Perez, Pharoah Sanders, Carol Sloane, Clark Terry, Kenny Werner, James Williams, and others.
Currently, drummer Phil McGowan can be found throughout greater Boston playing with some of the top jazz musicians in the area, who
have included Bruce Gertz, Marshall Wood, Billy Pierce, Greg Hopkins, Russ Hoffmann and Ted Casher, among others. A New England
native, McGowan was born in Newburyport MA in 1985. At an early age, McGowan joined with his brother and a local pianist to form a jazz
trio, and began his career as a freelance musician. At this time he also began his studies with Les Harris, Jr., who has roots in Newburyport
as well. With Harris as a mentor, McGowan was able to hone his skills by sitting in with various legendary musicians at the Press Room
in Portsmouth, NH through his middle and high school years. Later on, McGowan was hired as a sideman by some of these
musicians, including Herb Pomeroy, Dick Johnson, Ted Casher and Volker Nahrmann. McGowan holds a Music Performance degree in
Percussion, with Jazz Studies concentration, from the University of Southern Maine, where he continued his studies with Les Harris while
gaining familiarity with different types and traditions of music from around the world. Through his years at music school McGowan
continued to freelance, finding himself in concert halls, clubs, music festivals and cruise ships, which ventured into Europe, Africa and Asia.
Currently he can be heard weekly at the Andiamo restaurant in Newburyport MA.
Tracy McMullen is an assistant professor of music at Bowdoin College. She has performed with Pauline Oliveros, Anthony Davis, Dana
Reason and many others and can be heard on the Cadence jazz label.
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A teacher and performer for more than 35 years, Lea Pearson
studied music, education, psychology and anatomy and holds
a BA degree from Hampshire College, an MA from Stanford
University and a Doctorate in flute from The Ohio State University.
She is a Fulbright scholar and the author of one book, more than 15
articles, and numerous resources on body use. A Certified Health
Coach, she is educated in the Alexander Technique and licensed by
Andover Educators, the leaders in injury prevention for musicians.
Pearson has performed and presented residencies, workshops,
classes and private coaching at more than 40 universities
and music schools, military bases, festivals, conferences and
conventions across the USA and Europe. She is a founding
member of Dr. Tony’s Original Ragtime Band and former Artistic
Director of the UUNIVERSE! Chamber Music Series.
USM student and cellist Shannon Allen is currently pursing a
degree in music performance at USM’s School of Music (class of
2015). Born and raised in Portland Maine, Shannon began his cello
studies with Katherine Graffam. He subsequently studied with Paul Ross of the Portland String Quartet, and currently studies with William
Rounds at USM. He has been an active freelance musician throughout New England for well over a decade, and he enjoys performing in
many different genres. Allen serves on the faculty of the Portland Conservatory of Music.
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Gay Pearson’s Eclectic Ensemble
Gay Pearson piano; Tracy McMullen tenor saxophone;
John Lockwood bass; Phil McGowan drums;
Lea Pearson flute; Shannon Allen cello
1 C-SAW Gay Pearson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1:23
piano, flute, cello, bass, drums
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Michelangelo 70 Astor Piazzolla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:54
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Softly as in a Morning Sunrise Sigmund RomberG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:05
(arr. W. Thomas-Mifune for cello and piano)
piano, flute, cello, bass
(arr. & reharmonized, Gay Pearson)
synthesizer, flute, tenor saxophone, cello, bass, drums
4 Sea JourneY Chick Corea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:59
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
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So Far Away Carole King. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:05
6 Chromatic Exploitations Gay Pearson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:01
(piano & bass arr. Gay Pearson)
piano, flute, cello, bass, drums
piano, flute, cello, bass
7 Piece of Cake Michel Camilo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:25
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
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Peacocks Jimmy Rowles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:45
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
9 The Song is You Jerome Kern. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:28
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
10 Goin’ Home Russell Ferrante. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6:05
synthesizer, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
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All tracks recorded live October 18,
2015 at Unitarian Church Parish
Hall in Newburyport, MA
Session Producer Gay Pearson
Session Engineer Timothy Phillips
Cover Photography Joanne Arnold
Executive Producer Bob Lord
Executive A&R Sam Renshaw
A&R Brandon MacNeil
Audio Director Jeff LeRoy
Mastering Shaun Michaud, Nate Hunter
Art & Production Director Brett Picknell
Graphic Design Brittney Tambeau
Marketing Morgan MacLeod
info@bigroundrecords.com
www.bigroundrecords.com
223 Lafayette Road
North Hampton NH 03862
Big Round Records is a PARMA Recordings company
DIGITAL ALBUM
BR8946
Positive Vorticity Advection Gay Pearson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3:06
piano, flute, cello, bass, drums
12 Pent-Up Love Gay Pearson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:26
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
13 Arise Lynne Arriale. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:34
(arr. Anthony McDonald)
piano, flute, cello, bass, drums
14 Stickslap Alan Pasqua. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:04
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
15 This Will Be My Shining Hour Harold Arlen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30
piano, tenor saxophone, bass, drums
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