tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40999801618572293862024-03-05T23:45:22.613-08:00Don't Mess With the MesserA blog about Benjie Messer's musical lifeBenjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-36181054902039711252009-05-18T00:17:00.000-07:002009-05-18T00:19:50.266-07:00New WebsiteI won't be using this blog anymore, because my friend Terran Olson just finished a new website for me, <a href="http://www.benjiemesser.com/">benjiemesser.com</a>. See ya there-Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-79022237919173825922009-04-08T21:39:00.000-07:002009-04-08T21:40:55.976-07:00Easter gigsThree gigs this weekend- drums on Friday, piano on Saturday, trombone on Sunday- kind've digging that-Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-70559850180505632302009-03-25T13:42:00.000-07:002009-03-25T13:52:01.727-07:00random tracksWe just started a "DJ Elements" category on Productiontrax, for anything expressly meant for sampling or live use by DJ's, and we started giving our contributors a choice to offer permission to sample their work (or not). So I wrote two tracks at the end of the day yesterday to get the categories started- each is available both as a full track and as separate instruments- here are the full tracks:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.productiontrax.com/trackpage.php?id=72428">Latin Chillout</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.productiontrax.com/trackpage.php?id=72444">Trance</a><br /><br />This is really my job? Really?Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-62071596977458205532009-03-19T00:30:00.000-07:002009-03-25T00:06:41.638-07:00ABD Soundtrack CDs now available!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tFtGhCCX6N9D8ZV7jJcErXBDSnhc5MxbJa2AhdyClJAUnPqf84MPSL9EYX1jGbBVBJudb98l3D2G3Cklr7NnVy_xZS7cjb0XO8V1etBjmkgRjB24SKZoGZShue0J7-EG8NPrMkoMovs/s1600-h/ABDSoundbug.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 233px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2tFtGhCCX6N9D8ZV7jJcErXBDSnhc5MxbJa2AhdyClJAUnPqf84MPSL9EYX1jGbBVBJudb98l3D2G3Cklr7NnVy_xZS7cjb0XO8V1etBjmkgRjB24SKZoGZShue0J7-EG8NPrMkoMovs/s320/ABDSoundbug.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314808613940297906" border="0" /></a><br />The <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185040/">At Best Derivative</a> soundtrack CD is back from the factory! It includes 36 tracks and almost an hour of music. <a href="http://www.marknokes.com/Welcome.html">Mark Nokes</a> plays lead guitar, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Elliot-Ventimiglia/291800983">Eliot Ventimiglia</a> plays saxophone, and I do all the rest with a computer and some magic beans. There's retro-rock, chill-out jazz, tango, orchestral, surf-spy, kung-fu-style asian battle music, a let's-get-it-on funk tune, even a track with me singing in three parts like the Eagles, if the Eagles all had an identical slight lisp. Excerpts are in the gray flash player on the left.<br /><br />Soundtrack CDs, DVDs of the movie, and other ABD-related paraphernalia will be on sale <a href="http://www.friarslantern.net/id30.html">here</a> sooner or later, but for now, you can send me $10 through PayPal by clicking the button on the right, or email me for my postal address and then mail me a check for $10. Either way I'll send your CD via Pony Express.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-91509550726196554242009-02-25T16:18:00.000-08:002009-02-25T16:22:44.894-08:00Chicken-lovin' TerroristJust released- a complete scene from At Best Derivative:<div><br /></div><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ntvtACtlysY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ntvtACtlysY&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><div><br /></div>Do you have your <a href="http://Tca.ticketforce.com/orderticketsarea.asp?p=387&a=55&backurl=default.asp">tickets</a> yet?Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-26014959579222625282009-02-24T23:06:00.001-08:002009-02-24T23:18:19.924-08:00Boomin'I made a short film last weekend as part of the <a href="http://www.thea3f.net/">Almost Famous Film Festival</a> 48-hr challenge. Our <a href="http://www.meetup.com/The-Phoenix-Indie-Film-Makers-Meetup-Group/">PIFMG</a> team already had a composer- <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=303112370">Bogdan Rygalski</a>- so I signed on as boom boy (which meant I held the microphone), and I ended up helping out with the lighting too (I guess that means I was an "assistant grip"?) It was the first time I'd been on a movie set, and I learned a ton. It was interesting and boring and fun and hard work all at once. I guess only the top twenty teams even get their films screened, so I don't know if ours will make it or not. It's a goofy 5-minute middle-class-economic-fear comedy about a guy who can't pay his mortgage and ends up in a sort of alternate horror universe of the poor.<br /><br />Anyway, if you want to come see it- don't! Come see At Best Derivative on March 6 instead. I'm sure this one will be posted on YouTube in a week or so, and I'll put it up here for all to see.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-67609089378291457092009-02-18T22:00:00.000-08:002009-02-18T22:04:39.081-08:00Looking for Music Samples?The streaming flash players I had installed on the left suddenly got really buggy, so I had to remove them. If you've come here looking for samples of my music (hi, 48-hr folks!), check out my the tracks on my <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=85426781">myspace page</a> for now. Hopefully they'll be back here shortly.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-12954242579514674892009-02-16T23:17:00.000-08:002009-02-24T23:06:05.313-08:00Favorite film scoresNow that I've done a film score, and am thinking of doing some more, I'm trying to become a more organized fan of film composers. Anyway, in my first step of getting more organized, here's a list of my favorite film scores- which is really a list of my favorite movies in which I've been really struck by how the music gives life to the movie:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0366780/">Mirrormask</a>- This is probably my favorite film score to date. It's by a British saxophonist named Iain Ballamy. The music has a hundred colors, and it's largely played by six guys, who also appear in the movie as an integral part of the plot. It's a fantasy film, and the way the music changes to transport the viewer from the real world to the fantasy world is just awesome.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/">Brazil</a>- Probably my favorite movie ever, and not least because Michael Kamen's score makes me laugh out loud. Tremendously creative use of a single song.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0393109/">Brick</a>- This movie came out in 2008, and I'm totally cheering for and following this brilliant young director Rian Johnson, and his brother Nathan Johnson, who did the music. Nathan runs a band in Boston called the Cinematic Underground that performs on homemade instruments- it sounds like an indie punk vaudeville thing, I can't quite tell- and his score for Brick is both perfect and very unconventional- very spare and eerie, lots of weird sounds. They have a new movie coming out this summer, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0844286/">The Brothers Bloom</a>, that I'm looking forward to.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096895/">Batman</a>- This is probably my favorite "big fat superhero" score. It was Danny Elfman's first "big fat big-budget hero" movie- he'd mostly done goofy movies up to this point: Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Edward Scissorhands, etc.- and I think he really created a new masterpiece in the genre. Of course since then he's done a ton of these- I also love his recent score for Ang Lee's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286716/">Hulk</a>, but then I sort of identify with the main character, so...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098936/">Twin Peaks</a>- I know- it was a TV show- but Angelo Badalamenti's music is SO iconic and mysterious that it makes the list.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299977/">Hero</a>- How many modern classical composers can you recognize from a few notes? I love Tan Dun for that reason- he's got such a personal style. His score for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0190332/">Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon</a> was a huge hit, and I think this one is just as great- it just wasn't as well received because the movie was too philosophical for most martial arts fans. Itzhak Perlman is the featured violin soloist.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/">The Matrix</a>- Don Davis did a brilliant job with this. I've watched a bunch of these fight scenes on YouTube recently, and the music and sfx are brilliant at uniting and pacing these scenes, and making them look cool. It's no accident everybody wants to sound like the Matrix now.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/">Star Wars</a>- Kids today grow up knowing John Williams' score for Jurassic Park, but for me, it's still all about the Star Wars movies. I just love his orchestral writing- it's so emotional. Sure it's cliche if you've seen it a hundred times- but you wouldn't see it a hundred times if it wasn't good. And as long as we're on John Williams, his score to the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082971/">first Indiana Jones movie</a> was pretty iconic as well.<br /><br />Hmm... what else...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000035/">James Horner</a> is a composer I want to listen to more. I remember being very moved by the music to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097441/">Glory</a> when I saw it as a kid- picking it out on the piano afterwards and reliving the movie. And he also wrote the music to <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105435/">Sneakers</a>, one of my most-times-watched movies, which features saxophonist Branford Marsalis in a sort of cool-jazz chill-out vibe.<br /><br />Probably my oldest favorite movie is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054331/">Spartacus</a> (which isn't even that old, I guess- it's from 1960). I used to see it on TV all the time, and Alex North's music is awesome. His "Love Theme from Spartacus" has been recorded as a ballad by lots of jazz musicians, but I think North's original scoring is still the best version.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-69805864769678257252009-02-07T23:24:00.000-08:002009-02-07T23:35:56.759-08:00Done!Okay- I'm pretty much done with my work on <a href="http://www.friarslantern.net/">At Best Derivative</a>!!!!! I celebrated a few weeks ago, when I finished all the writing, but then I had another week or two of mixing and dubbing. I can't believe how hard I worked at it, and I'm very proud of the score, and excited to show people the movie. The sound guy has another day or two of post-production work, and then it's being sent off to be duplicated.<br /><br />I'm always carrying paper tickets to the premiere with me, to sell to anyone who wants to come, so those of you who are local, hit me up- they're $11. The premiere, as I wrote below, is at 7:00 PM, Friday March 6, at the <a href="http://tca.ticketforce.com/orderticketsarea.asp?p=387&a=55&backurl=default.asp">Tempe Center for the Arts</a>. See you there?Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-45510679950153018942009-01-08T08:58:00.000-08:002009-01-08T09:02:19.464-08:00Hail to the ChiefSome people were looking for Hail to the Chief on Productiontrax recently- I think to use in videos about the inauguration- and we didn't really have anything good, so I made <a href="http://www.productiontrax.com/trackpage.php?id=64831">this quick marching band version</a>. My little contribution to the big O :)Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-87716727487678474822008-12-23T23:34:00.000-08:002008-12-27T17:33:23.037-08:00ABD Film Premiere<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-swcMEFw-GOSwOWiZf0zH8wOO0H1rDVcq40dkpp7e998mG8teuhQcnvC0dIHwff4KOxnMdyaNPoiHsc5Pdh0BW-WLkVpGZNIJIzCesVjHwFLVdO5Ct6ucmlo8KJ9gTCOh00QX5S7HlM/s1600-h/6-15+1223.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-swcMEFw-GOSwOWiZf0zH8wOO0H1rDVcq40dkpp7e998mG8teuhQcnvC0dIHwff4KOxnMdyaNPoiHsc5Pdh0BW-WLkVpGZNIJIzCesVjHwFLVdO5Ct6ucmlo8KJ9gTCOh00QX5S7HlM/s320/6-15+1223.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5283265186666703074" border="0" /></a>I haven't been posting much lately because I've just been working non-stop on the score for <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185040/">At Best Derivative</a>, and not doing much else. ABD is a feature farce comedy, a self-conscious homage to spoofs such as the Naked Gun and Hot Shots, locally cast and produced on a micro budget. I'm very proud of the music I've written, and I have a lot left to write! (This pic on the right is from a scene I just finished.)<br /><br />Anyway, the first (and so far, only) screening will be on Friday, March 6, at 7:00 PM, in the main theater of the <a href="http://www.tempe.gov/TCA/">Tempe Center for the Arts</a>. Advanced tickets are available as of today, and can be bought online at the <a href="https://friar.cartfly.com/friar/">Friar's Lantern website</a> for $11 (with PayPal) or at the<a href="http://tca.ticketforce.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=66">TCA website</a> for $13 (or $18 on the day of the show.) Get 'em while they're hot.<br /><br />Parents, FYI: At Best Derivative contains ridiculously excessive swearing, probably too much to overlook, enough that your kids will ask, "Why are you letting me watch this?"Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-47826264015713373162008-10-13T22:57:00.000-07:002008-10-13T23:33:37.362-07:00Two Shout-Outs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5wl2-4brz4wewpDjJMvluIuRniwXJ-TrPjsiXvt-medM23-4xkM5H2ozHbMuUef3t3-Jh2MPcQZPiPCpEqZ3jfD_8DDG3yz7FL_fAtCVkp-f-KlVb2AgjHXUnWWNLoWmKqxfqYcfIE0/s1600-h/Kayodot2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5wl2-4brz4wewpDjJMvluIuRniwXJ-TrPjsiXvt-medM23-4xkM5H2ozHbMuUef3t3-Jh2MPcQZPiPCpEqZ3jfD_8DDG3yz7FL_fAtCVkp-f-KlVb2AgjHXUnWWNLoWmKqxfqYcfIE0/s320/Kayodot2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256892151098644930" border="0" /></a>First, my friend Toby's band <a href="http://www.kayodot.net/kayodot/index.php?text=home">Kayodot</a> just played Phoenix on their current US tour, and it was great to see him, Mia, my good buddy Terran, and the rest of the band. They sound better than ever, and if they're coming to your city (their schedule is on their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/kayodot">myspace page</a>), I urge you to consider going to their show (and bringing earplugs). You'll be supporting some true artists in the nearly impossible dream of performing music that no one expects to hear.<br /><br />I don't know how to describe their music at all anymore, and certainly not without stringing a lot of words together. "Metal chamber music dreamscapes" is the best I've come up with so far. I was astounded by the show they played here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT0pTg9IUwj_szWJpdg-IwZ4OY9wzHkUj76QeGquSGnQlKAvOCdXAnbDr1GJJlv0pdPJP4MnP-Az8rD6952HEBZ6WjOj-DRKhYJfUFzK78kyBrYZZ0T9hntFNMpQCv6Lo9NDch5OstYU/s1600-h/albumcover250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT0pTg9IUwj_szWJpdg-IwZ4OY9wzHkUj76QeGquSGnQlKAvOCdXAnbDr1GJJlv0pdPJP4MnP-Az8rD6952HEBZ6WjOj-DRKhYJfUFzK78kyBrYZZ0T9hntFNMpQCv6Lo9NDch5OstYU/s320/albumcover250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256892587270688082" border="0" /></a>Second, I've been listening to my good friend Michael Daves' solo record for a SOLID MONTH on my commute- I've probably heard it fifty times now- and let me tell you, this man is a legend in his own youth. I'm serious. His singing on this record took me a few listens to get used to- it's very evocative, but hard to understand the words at first- but once I'd heard it a few times, I couldn't imagine it sounding any other way. He makes the old time/bluegrass tradition sound new all over again, in our time, and it's beautiful.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-27938592287101987922008-10-08T19:23:00.001-07:002008-10-08T20:02:36.495-07:00ABD TrailerWe've finished the trailer for At Best Derivative. The music I wrote for it ended up being mixed fairly low, so turn the volume up if you want to hear it.<div><br /></div><div><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/26QyvSh2obE&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/26QyvSh2obE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /></div><br />And here's the audio track in its full glory (not that it means much without the video): <left><p style="visibility:visible;"><embed src="http://assets.myflashfetish.com/swf/mp3/mff-stick.swf" quality="high" wmode="transparent" flashvars="myid=13785414&path=2008/10/08&mycolor=111111&mycolor2=99CCCC&mycolor3=FFFFFF&autoplay=false&rand=0&f=4&vol=100&pat=6&grad=false" width="219" height="35" name="myflashfetish" align="middle" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" border="0" style="visibility:visible;width:219px;height:35px;"></embed><br /></p><p style="visibility:visible;"></p></left>Be patient- there are a few seconds of silence at the beginning.<p></p><img style="visibility:hidden;width:0px;height:0px;" border="0" width="0" height="0" src="http://counters.gigya.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.4NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEyMjM1MjAzMzM1NTYmcHQ9MTIyMzUyMDM*NjQyMSZwPTE4MDMxJmQ9Jm49Jmc9MSZ*PSZvPWFhMjA2YjM1OGIzZDRjMzdiNmViYjFkZTdkOWM*MjZh.gif" />Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-60287802127579113552008-09-19T17:12:00.000-07:002008-09-19T17:22:14.425-07:00New on SpiritraxI did some songs for Spiritrax six months ago that only just got online now. Listening back now, they didn't sound so great and I had to remix them, which is good- it means I've gotten better in the last six months. Anyway, they should sound acceptable now.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.spiritrax.com/trackpage.php?id=1160">Thus Saith the Lord</a></div><div>My latest installment in the upcoming complete karaoke Messiah.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.spiritrax.com/trackpage.php?id=1159">I Know My Redeemer Lives</a></div><div>Rock band with renaissance orchestra. Big huge sound for Easter etc.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.spiritrax.com/trackpage.php?id=1157">Adir Hu</a></div><div>This is the most common klezmer melody to this Passover hymn.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.spiritrax.com/trackpage.php?id=1156">Adir Hu</a></div><div>And this is the older, more well-known melody, in an orchestral setting.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.spiritrax.com/trackpage.php?id=1155">Swing Low, Sweet Chariot</a></div><div>Reggae-style.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.spiritrax.com/trackpage.php?id=1154">Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho</a></div><div>Jazz trio, a la Moondance.</div>Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-15095945793232766452008-08-23T01:56:00.000-07:002008-09-18T00:37:08.312-07:00Rakatá!So I've been playing trombone with a new band for two or three weeks now- a local latin pop band called Rakatá. The two percussionist/singers who run it really know their stuff. They do pop songs with a latin flavor (Colombian, Brazilian, salsa, merengue, timba, etc.), and traditional latin songs with a more soulful crossover sound. If you've heard modern pop music from Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil- it's that kind of thing. Phoenix is full of salsa bands, but these guys are doing something unique here, as far as I know. Very fun, very danceable, and a great situation for a trombonist.<br /><br />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 <a href="http://www.mondrianscottsdale.com/mondrian_hotel_scottsdale_asiadecuba.asp">Asia de Cuba</a> (in the Hotel Mondrian in Scottsdale), every Friday at <a href="http://www.hotelvalleyho.com/content/fooddrink/tradervics.html">Trader Vic's</a> (by the Valley Ho in Scottsdale), and I think they have a Saturday gig starting soon, somewhere on the west side.<br /><br />Here's their <a href="http://www.myspace.com/rakatamusic">myspace</a> page, if you're interested.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-58255358154759899082008-08-18T00:50:00.001-07:002008-08-18T17:17:28.162-07:00At Best, Derivative<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kGF2-dY9ECfpbTC7y562NhRaTTaLO8aOzdq2UIAH0wiWtE8cjifYVaeZNodOa24zXHnprkcfdQuxraf5VsCmJ-KrNQoYvDe3cASg0LxVN6HYcvunpBH2QqEniBZlaMIMaLA4LevckhY/s1600-h/l_04a43d43b83693e9a3688b3bfe0523d0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kGF2-dY9ECfpbTC7y562NhRaTTaLO8aOzdq2UIAH0wiWtE8cjifYVaeZNodOa24zXHnprkcfdQuxraf5VsCmJ-KrNQoYvDe3cASg0LxVN6HYcvunpBH2QqEniBZlaMIMaLA4LevckhY/s320/l_04a43d43b83693e9a3688b3bfe0523d0.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235767772162348594" border="0" /></a><br />I'm scoring my first independent feature film! Woo-hoo!<br /><br />"At Best Derivative" is a comedy/farce about a gang of would-be criminals who are planning to sell the movie rights to a crime they have yet to commit. It's the first full-length feature by director Ryan Pierson, and the cast and crew are all local Arizona folks. They've been working on it for over a year, and it's now officially in post-production. We're hoping to be able to release it this fall, maybe in October. Anyway, I'm totally psyched to have the opportunity to score a feature film. But no music to show you yet- just this poster, their <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=260751968">myspace page</a> and their <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185040/">imdb page</a>.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-24875890121326338242008-08-03T22:22:00.000-07:002008-08-03T22:57:18.414-07:00The Mating GameTwo weeks ago, I composed music for the romantic comedy "The Mating Game", the Phoenix Independent Film Makers Group's entry in the <a href="http://www.ifpphx.org/">IFP-Phoenix</a> 48-hr film challenge. Friday at 7:00 PM we were given a prop (a spatula), a line ("How did that get in there?"), and a genre (we got comedy). Our completed 3-minute film was due Sunday evening at 7:00 PM. There were 30 or so teams that participated- the screening this Thursday involved more spatula-related homicides than most of my evenings out.<br /><br />I didn't get to score to picture, just to the script, because of the time contraint, but I think the music ended up working fairly well anyway, and it was fun to do. Here's the 5-minute "director's cut":<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1192e7KdpLM&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1192e7KdpLM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-72149681298709299182008-07-29T23:28:00.000-07:002008-08-03T22:59:02.209-07:00Sextet Concert Last MonthA month ago, I got to present a concert of original music as part of the Jazz in the Hills series, in Fountain Hills, AZ. The musicians were Mike Krill on saxophones, Denny Monce on trumpet, myself on trombone, Dave Henning on piano, Tim Paree on bass, and Andy Ziker on drums, who all learned a lot of my tunes in a very short time. I've posted a few of them here, on the left, just below my gig calendar. I really want to record cleaner, tighter versions, but for now, enjoy! The first four are originals- Mo' Better Blues is the theme from the <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100168/">movie of the same name</a>, composed by Bill Lee.<br /><br />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.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-71468160604691669692008-06-05T20:27:00.001-07:002008-06-05T21:01:21.677-07:00Corporate AffairLast Sunday, I was accepted into <a href="http://pollackscorporateaffair.com/">Corporate Affair</a>, a very special function band here in Phoenix. It's run by Michael Pollack, who, aside from being a drummer, is a <a href="http://www.pollackinvestments.com/">successful businessman</a> and local philanthropist. (I'm also in his debt for starting my favorite (and the only) <a href="http://www.pollacktempecinemas.com/">local discount movie theater</a>.) The band is dedicated to helping raise funds for local causes and non-profits, and keeps very busy playing benefits, charity events, and city functions. It's a full-out show band, with background singers, a dedicated percussionist, and now a full horn section ('cause it ain't full unless there's a bone in there!) I'll be adding their dates to my calendar- we're basically off for the summer after a July 4th gig, but then have a regular schedule all winter long. Anyway, I'm psyched, for the music, the new folks to know, and (as my friend <a href="http://www.k2band.com/musician-lead-guitar.html">Tyrone</a> of K2 always said) the cha-ching.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-78226268850540843792008-05-31T13:52:00.001-07:002008-05-31T13:58:13.030-07:00Not accepted to Richard Bellis programYup- got word from <a href="http://www.ascap.com/">ASCAP</a> a few days ago that I wasn't one of the lucky few accepted into their July film scoring workshop in L.A. Oh well- I'll just have to find some other fun way to get out of Phoenix at some point. Cruise ship job maybe?Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-67832886898920319732008-05-31T13:39:00.000-07:002008-05-31T13:57:29.849-07:00Concert June 27I've been writing up a book of a lot of jazz tunes I've written, and I've been thinking about finding a way to play them, putting a group together or something. My friend Dave Henning and the guys in his band have been super-supportive of this, and they called me last week to offer me some space for my music on a concert they'd been asked to do. So on June 27, the Jazz in the Hills series will present the Dave Henning Quartet, plus me and trumpeter Denny Monce, playing a whole concert of mostly my music. It's really generous of them and I'm totally psyched. Hoping to get all the arrangements for them done during the next week...<br /><br />The gig is in the Fountain Hills Community Theatre, which- maybe takes place in a restaurant called the Appian Way? I'm not quite sure, but here's the <a href="http://fhct.org/index.php?section=24">listing</a> on their schedule.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-71590047553002392602008-05-16T18:49:00.000-07:002008-05-16T19:23:06.762-07:00More PracticingLast week I tried to coordinate a session to record a few of my jazz tunes that have been sitting around forever. The session ended up not happening- the people I called couldn't find common time, at least not yet- but in the five days before I found out it wasn't going to happen, I started practicing a lot- first by being more consistent about playing at the community college in the morning before work, and then for the last two days, after work as well, usually about 40 minutes each. I guess when I imagined recording myself, I immediately heard things I wanted to change in my playing- plus I had to learn all these tunes I had written so long ago. Anyway, it's been a heavy schedule sometimes, and if I want to keep it going I'll probably have to lessen my other commitments- but it's felt really good too. The disheartening feeling of having to relearn the horn every time I pick it up is finally disappearing. My a.m. routine is the Schlossberg daily drills book, sight-reading, and etudes for technique, and my p.m. routine is Caruso excercises, learning jazz tunes, and working on improvising.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-62866425807179596992008-05-16T18:31:00.000-07:002008-05-16T18:48:31.676-07:00More Musicals!Since we finished the Little Mermaid at work, I've been working steadily on South Pacific for local theater <a href="http://www.desertstages.com/">Desert Stages</a>, and also for <a href="http://www.stage-stars.com/">Stage Stars</a>. It's been all my work so far, but since it's Friday evening now, the show is due on Sunday night, and I still have three main numbers to go plus reprises and stuff, my boss and I will both be at work tomorrow morning, and he'll do one or two of these last numbers.<br /><br />I wish I knew how long it took me, but I haven't been keeping track. I've been working on it for either 2 or 3 weeks, but I'm not sure which.<br /><br />Sorry I can't post samples of the music, but it's not really my property- I'm just hired to create it for other people who actually own it. When the CD hits Amazon, I'll link to samples there.<br /><br />PS Never mind- Stage Stars doesn't seem to have samples to listen to on their Amazon page. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Broadway-Musical-Yankees-Karaoke/dp/B00114XR7M/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=5174&s=music">This</a> is the Amazon page for the Stage Stars album of Damn Yankees that I worked on nine months ago- no samples.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-45876714993587378552008-04-20T16:39:00.000-07:002008-04-20T16:45:31.130-07:00Funny picture<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0vU1ST4GMGehI8iQ0gt-xYTCKQViAZnHEQUUZziuKpRlHj6Ya9htl8pooovQHuojHjBAvaocvocZl9zDHpIMOu-TofHKfaciUqK4erDSRZbVJQcGew_grcXaI1ZLKyqeM6v1Ay6wy2M/s1600-h/Trombones.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB0vU1ST4GMGehI8iQ0gt-xYTCKQViAZnHEQUUZziuKpRlHj6Ya9htl8pooovQHuojHjBAvaocvocZl9zDHpIMOu-TofHKfaciUqK4erDSRZbVJQcGew_grcXaI1ZLKyqeM6v1Ay6wy2M/s320/Trombones.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5191477819024245922" border="0" /></a><br />This is the gig I played Friday night with the "Sonoran Serenade" big band at a golf course in Carefree, AZ. I thought it was a funny picture.Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4099980161857229386.post-9543256954388037092008-04-20T15:29:00.001-07:002008-04-20T16:39:50.825-07:00Part Two: 21st century tromboneSo then, in the same weekend, I was lucky enough to go to a concert by saxophonist Kenny Garrett. Garrett is 44, played in some big bands early on, but has made a long career leading small groups. At different times, his playing and compositions are playful, funky, spiritual, and often draw on various world cultures. I've known many saxophone players who consider him one of their favorite players. Anyway, on Sunday he played a concert in Chandler, AZ as one of the headlining artists for the Chandler jazz festival. Let me see if I can describe why this show was so inspirational:<br /><br />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.<br /><br />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...Benjie Messerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14084577868157816573noreply@blogger.com