Computers and Music

Sunday, January 27, 2008

New Geoff Peters Trio Recordings

Mark, Greg, and I spent a few hours today doing some recording. We recorded the tracks using my new Motu 8-pre recording unit, and I mixed them myself at home. I am quite pleased with the results! Please click the track names below to listen:

1. Quiet Night - time 3:19 (Geoff Peters composition)

2. Joy - time 3:25 (Geoff Peters composition)

3. All Blues - time 3:08

4. Blue Bossa - time 5:06

5. Sonatina - time 3:34 (Geoff Peters composition)

6. One Dance - time 3:06 (Geoff Peters composition)

7. Footprints - time 4:40

8. Balance in All Things - time 3:27 (Geoff Peters composition)

9. Dolphin Dance - time 5:52

10. My Favorite Things - time 4:05 (Geoff Peters arrangement)

¶ 12:15 AM

Monday, January 21, 2008

New Composition: Bop for WJ

I had the really good fortune tonight of being invited to a concert of William Joseph, a young, wonderfully talented "classical crossover" pianist from Arizona (view his website, or his myspace page). He plays classical/pop-sounding music along with a rock-influenced drummer, an electric bassist, a super violinist, and some programmed strings and electronic instruments.

When I came home I got inspired to write a tune, which turned out to be something totally different from William Joseph's style. It's a jazz tune which I call "Bop for WJ". Please click below to listen and let me know what you think!

> Bop for WJ - Mp3 time 1:14 (Composed and performed by Geoff Peters on piano)

¶ 1:05 AM

Friday, January 18, 2008

New Composition: Waltz for Jason

A good friend of mine, Jason Cho, left town to pursue his music career. He is a very talented jazz bassist and composer (click here for photo). I am really sad that he's gone, and I wrote a little musical portrait of him, "Waltz for Jason". It's one of my most heartfelt pieces and it ends almost in mid sentence, as if one day our conversation may continue again. I certainly hope so. :) Anyways, here's a recording of my piece dedicated to my friend. Please have a listen and let me know what you think! I hope from listening to this piece you will learn a bit about his personality.

> Waltz for Jason - MP3 recording time 2:37 (Composed and performed by Geoff Peters on piano).

¶ 12:23 AM

Sunday, January 13, 2008

New Recording - Claire and Geoff

This weekend I did a recording with Claire M., a really excellent woodwind player. Claire plays a beautiful clear tone on the recorder, with near-virtuosic speed and wonderful phrasing. She also has incredible command of the Baritone Saxophone, with a tone that is almost like a rich cello or other bowed instrument. Here are some highlights for your musical enjoyment.

Bus Stop Reel - time 1:25 MP3 (Claire on recorder, Geoff Peters on piano)

Classical Improvisation in C Minor - time 5:00 MP3 (Claire on Baritone Saxophone, Geoff Peters on piano).

(1/15/2008: first link updated with a remixed version with better balance)

¶ 10:37 PM

Jen Lyle trio - new jazz recording

This weekend I made a recording with Jen Lyle, a Vancouver jazz vocalist. A native of Abbotsford BC, Jen is classically trained and she previously competed in vocal jazz competitions throughout the Lower Mainland. She currently sings with the SFU Vocal Jazz ensemble.

Please click below to enjoy the recordings.

Manhã De Carnaval - time 2:59 MP3 (also known as Day in the Life of a Fool) - sung in Portuguese by Jen Lyle, with Geoff Peters piano and Mark White bass and percussion.

Auld Lang Syne - time 1:25 MP3 - sung by Jen Lyle with Geoff Peters piano and Mark White bass.

¶ 10:36 PM

Thursday, January 10, 2008

New Composition: Rain (for Charisse)

I was playing a bit on the piano last night, and I suddenly got inspired to write a song (the first one I have written this year). It's called Rain and it's for my friend Charisse (web site) who recently had an art show called Rain. Please click below to listen:

> Rain (MP3 audio track, time 2:01) - Geoff Peters performing his own original composition on piano

¶ 1:12 PM

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Article: experiences at a summer jazz camp

Felicity Rubinstein writes in the Times Online (click here to read article) about her experiences taking a jazz improvisation course with her son. She writes:

Unless you play to concert standard, which I don’t, the piano is a lonely instrument. Jazz offers more of a chance to play with other people.

[...]

But here’s the thing. For a couple of bars, at the end, I was in there, I was really doing it. Or who knows, maybe I wasn’t, but I felt I was and it was incredible. And even though I should have slunk home that night covered in shame I actually felt a kind of heady exhilaration.

¶ 10:38 PM