Dave Douglas and Michael Bates host a conversation with American guitarist Miles Okazaki about how nature informs structure in his music, Dave talks about his Greenleaf Music record label, and the music of Herbie Nichols is spotlighted.
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Here we are already posting Episode 4 of A Noise From The Deep, Greenleaf Music Podcast! Michael and I have a lot of fun making these, and it’s a pleasure to hear and talk about the music. This episode features the brilliant guitarist and composer Miles Okazaki. Go pick up his music if you haven’t heard it.
Please subscribe to the podcast at iTunes and help us spread the word about this music. We will keep making new free episodes so check back in every week or two for a new episode. And if you like them please leave a comment or review at iTunes, it helps people discover us.
Part of what we talk about on ANFTD is what we’re doing here at Greenleaf Music. There are always new projects: this year, new albums by myself, by Linda Oh and by Matt Ulery. We always hope to do more! And we try to make sure the model feeds the creative flow whether it’s touring, workshops, sheet music, mobile apps, this podcast, and the recorded music. You can join our Subscriber community for access to stream the entire catalog, our ever-expanding Subscriber Downloads catalog, advanced video, and much more. If you like what we are doing please visit our store to find out more.
As always, we also welcome your comments here at Greenleaf Music. Got someone you think we should talk to? Got a topic or question you’d like us to address? Send it to us here.
Thanks and happy listening.
Dave
Audio from this episode:
Intro: A Noise From the Deep – Dave Douglas & Keystone (Greenleaf Music)
Dozens – Miles Okazaki (Sunnyside)
Spiral – Miles Okazaki (Sunnyside)
Bach Cello Suite #4 in Eb BWV 1010 performed by Pablo Casals (EMI Classics)
Overture – Miles Okazaki (Sunnyside)
Loom – Miles Okazaki (Sunnyside)
Go-Go (Theme and Re-Introduction) – Miles Davis (Columbia)
Dozens – Miles Okazaki (Sunnyside)
Lymph Swag (Dance of the Leukocytes) – Steve Coleman
Come to Jesus – Dave Douglas Quintet (previously unreleased, Greenleaf Music)
Argumentative – Herbie Nichols trio (Bethlehem Records)
The Gig – Herbie Nichols trio (Blue Note)
Personnel:
Miles’ band on all his tracks is: Miguel Zenon-saxophone, Miles Okazaki-guitar, Thomas Morgan-bass, Dan Weiss-drums
The Steve Coleman track is from “Functional Arrhythmias” (PI recordings) Steve Coleman- saxophone, Jonathan Finlayson-trumpet, Miles Okazaki-guitar, Anthony Tidd-bass, Sean Rickman-drums
Miles Davis Quintet: Miles Davis-trumpet, George Coleman-saxophone, Herbie Hancock-piano, Ron Carter-bass, Tony Williams-drums
Herbie Nichols trio: Herbie Nichols-piano, Al McKibbon-bass, Max Roach-drums.
Explanations from Miles
1) An intervallic pathway visualization, connecting pentatonics (guitar, baby!), whole tone scales, and diminished 7th chords in a big modulating lattice.
2) The type of natural structure I got the idea from, something called “quasicrystals.”
3) A rhythmic cycle visualization, where each “generation” of the rhythm is similar to the previous one, but more detailed, following a growth pattern from nature.
4) A Passion Flower, which has a similar kind of geometry.
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