My Electronic Music I course at Phoenix College is going great. Students are learning about creating music on the computer, I’m learning about teaching, and we’re all having a good time. My home studio is mostly up and running now, though I still have a few more pieces to fit into place before it’s the equal of my studio at OLM. Also, I’m planning a trip to LA at the beginning of August to meet and talk with professional film composers, and particularly to attend Ron Jones’ Ravel Orchestration Study Group.

My latest arranging work is a collection of patriotic music for our new “Special Events” category at Spiritrax, just in time for July 4th. Click through to listen- I’m proud of these arrangements, and they’re selling quite well.

I’ve had a nice break from composing, but it’s time to jump back in. This month I’ll be working on the latest episode of Carol Benwell’s “Stand Up Guy”, and writing music for a short film by the Rebel Filmmaker AZ Group titled “Of Blood and Gin.”

At One Light Music, we finally released the first-ever complete karaoke Messiah, which helped push Spiritrax through a great holiday season. We’ve done a few musicals for Desert Stages Theater and a Sondheim collection for Stage Stars Records. We’re also working on some extensive back-end changes to improve the functionality of Productiontrax and give it room to grow.

In the composing department, I’m finishing a 5-minute comedy for SCC senior Chris Redish, entitled “Got Milk?” I’ve also been offered the next episode of the web comedy series Stand-Up Guy by local producer Carol Benwell, so that’s next in line. And Ryan and Jeremy (of At Best Derivative-fame) are starting pre-production for their next movie, a historical Western about Arizona lawman Commodore Perry Owens. I’m super-excited to do another feature- but I’m also glad I have another year or so before it takes over my life. Speaking of, the DVD of ABD has finally been released- it’s at the Friar’s Lantern store.

The Bad Cactus Brass Band has had a promising first month. We’ve recorded a solid demo, which is up at badcactusbrassband.com, and band photos and gigs are in the works. Our first show is on July 8, opening for the Sugarthieves at the Sail Inn.

I’ve also been practicing trombone every morning before work. Besides Bad Cactus, I’ve played this month with Renee Patrick, the Sugarthieves, the Jazz Alliance, and David Bernstein, as well as at the jam sessions at Pita Jungle and 98 South in Chandler.

I haven’t been able to invite people out to the gigs yet because I’m not a member of the band- they just hire me when they can afford an extra person- and so far I haven’t known about the gigs until a few days before- but I definitely recommend seeing them (for you Phoenix folks). They (we?) play every Tuesday at the Asia de Cuba (in the Hotel Mondrian in Scottsdale), every Friday at Trader Vic’s (by the Valley Ho in Scottsdale), and I think they have a Saturday gig starting soon, somewhere on the west side.

Here’s their myspace page, if you’re interested.

Why did it take me a month to get these up here? Well, I’ve had a long month. If you’re a friend of mine (and I doubt many other people ever read this), then you probably already know what’s been going on for me- if you don’t, just ask. If you’re an enemy, I’m not telling.

The show’s MC introduced the band as “a swinging good time”, but when they hit it was like stepping into a trendy shoe store in NYC- very modern house rhythm, very ambient, evolving slowly through textures. The organist played cloud-like morphing synth pads, drums and bass slammed out the house beat, and Garrett played his saxophone sparingly, and only through effects pedals, using wah and distortion to get an evocative, electric sound. Garrett also played his sax through a keyboard synth, distorting the sound even farther beyond recognition. They still played some songs with heads and solos, but the emphasis was on continuously evolving texture, subtle rhythmic play, and relentless modern groove, not on blowing hard and fast through chord changes. Garrett also had a Rhodes onstage, and he would often put down his saxophone and join the rhythm section, picking out repeating rhythmic figures that would be picked up by the band and take the feel in a new direction.

Anyway, after a weekend of being sad that the 20th century was gone, this made me psyched for the 21st. I was just so inspired to see his approach- that his band was as danceable as any dance music- that his solos weren’t about “showing off” or even playing choruses, but were more directly evocative, often like vocal cries- that there’s still room for creativity about form and texture- and that there doesn’t have to be anything old-fashioned about jazz. It was really a good model for me, and really inspired me to keep playing and to put together my own band. Of course, it’s hard enough to do what’s been done before; doing something that’s never been done before, like Garrett is doing, probably requires exceptionally talented and creative musicians- but it’s an exciting goal. I gotta go buy some pedals…