Denny Zeitlin - Solo Voyage

While I love the interaction in group music, there is something very special about being alone, and solely responsible for what emerges. I try to stay out of the way, and trust that my unconscious will guide me to the compositional integrity I seek. This is a very personal form of expression, but simultaneously involves a reaching out to you, the listener. I hope this music will resonate, and that you will be taken on a journey that unfolds in a natural way.

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"Solo Voyage" comprises half of the CD - a suite of jazz and songbook standards, originals, and free improvisation interludes that I created for one of my oldest and closest friends, Bill Young. Bill was a good drummer and an even better entrepreneur who presided over Chicago's top commercial music production company for many decades, providing countless hours of work for Chicago musicians. He was also a fine father and husband, and a great friend of mine for over 50 years. Bill's life was drawing to a close after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was home on hospice care, and above all, wanted a peaceful, contemplative ending.

I wanted this music to aid reflection; to quietly inspire him; to perhaps offer something transcendent. Most of all, I wanted to ease his final journey, a solo voyage in the company of loving family and friends. The acoustic piano is at the core of the suite, with some synthesizer orchestration. On a Wednesday night, in the process of recording, I learned from Bill's wife, Denise, that he had taken a turn for the worse. It was quite possible that he might not survive until my arrival in Chicago on Friday. I stayed up all night, finished the suite, and got the CD to FedEx on Thursday. It arrived Friday morning, and I learned that Bill had heard it and been touched by it before he slipped into the final coma in which I found him when I arrived that night. Although this music was an intensely personal good-bye gift to a dear friend, I believe Bill would have felt good about sharing it.

I hope the suite will be heard in its entirety, but as an aid to radio play and for listeners who may want to hear certain pieces, I have divided the suite into 8 sections that can be selected separately or allowed to play seamlessly.

— Denny

TRACK LISTING

01 BEMSHA SWING 4:47

Thelonious Monk, Denzil Best

02 MIYAKO 5:38

Wayne Shorter

03 CASCADE 8:50

Denny Zeitlin

04 QUIET NOW 12:11

Denny Zeitlin

05 WALKING, PRANCING, MARCHING, DANCING 4:12

free improvisation Denny Zeitlin

SOLO VOYAGE (Suite)

06 PRELUDE* 2:10

free improvisation Denny Zeitlin

07 IN YOUR OWN SWEET WAY* 3:41

Dave Brubeck

08 I SHOULD CARE* 6:24

Cahn, Stordahl, Weston

09 INTERLUDE 1 1:44

free improvisation Denny Zeitlin

10 LAMENT* 3:00

J.J. Johnson

11 INTERLUDE 2 3:48

free improvisation Denny Zeitlin

12 MOVING PARTS 1* 4:12

Denny Zeitlin

13 MOVING PARTS 2* 4:06

Denny Zeitlin

Total Length 64:44

* songs with Synthesizer