I wrote the majority of these jazz tunes in the early-mid 2010s. I wasn't sure how to upload them, but as they're all in lead sheet format I decided to have each one accompanied by a very basic drum pattern and also to loop a couple of choruses, should any listeners wish to improvise along to them. I have some more which I will upload at some point in the future.

Ballad 🔊

I really like Maj7 chords with either a ♭9 or a #9 and I feel that the one in this tune is quite effective.

Bluebeard (Visszamegy az első ajtóhoz) 🔊

This one is based on a 3-note melodic fragment found in Bartók's Bluebeard's Castle, which I expanded to form the 12-tone row that forms the melody of this piece.

I love bars 5-6; that m7 descending to a M7 a semitone below is one of my favourite sounds (although I guess if you omit the root it's just a major chord becoming minor). Also the ending chord, that m(♭9), is another favourite of mine.

Chittorgarh 🔊

I've never been to India but I liked the sound of the word “Chittorgarh” as well as the photos I found of it. Not sure how I feel about the bitonal B section - what do you think?

Does a rose lose its color in the rain? 🔊

The title is taken from the lyrics of Ryuichi Sakamoto's A Rose.

For Andrew 🔊

Dedicated to Andrew Hill. From bar 13 I used an expanding mirror interval sequence with some octave displacements: minor 2nds followed by major 2nds, minor 3rds and major 3rds. Maybe I was reading Persichetti at the time?

For Joe 🔊

Dedicated to Joe Farrell.

Kraton Terumasa 🔊

I really like this one. Kraton Terumasa is named after Indonesian kraton palaces and jazz musician Terumasa Hino. Whilst there is a tenuous gamelan influence, there is no direct influence by Hino's fantastic music - I simply liked the way the title sounded. While you're here, I strongly recommend you give Hino a listen; maybe start with May Dance.

Lonely Child 🔊

Yes, the title does come from Claude Vivier.

No té cap? 🔊

The title of this one is in Catalan and translates to "doesn't it have a head?". Even though I speak the language, I don't know what word Catalan jazz musicians use for "head" in this context, so it's a literal translation. I really should know this…

So why doesn't it have a head, you may ask? Honestly, I don’t remember! Maybe I didn’t think it needed one?

Rincik 🔊

According to Henry Spiller (author of Focus: Gamelan Music of Indonesia), "rincik" is a Sundanese word that has "connotations of delicately falling rain or a creeping vine that intertwines itself with whatever supports it".

Sojourn 🔊

Sojourn is a reharmonization of the standard minor blues and, to be frank, I personally love the changes.

To the memory of an angel 🔊

This one is derived entirely from Berg's Violin Concerto's tone row. Following a brief intro, each set of two bars forms the total chromatic (aggregate): the minMaj7 chords' pitches are complemented by the remaining ones in the melody, and the same for the dominant 7ths in the B section. It's not strict at all, as you can see.

The octave jumps might look rather daunting on the guitar, but if you want to play it just use plenty of open strings and slides and don't worry too much about making it sound clean (don't make it filthy, but a bit of dirt is OK).

Wozzeck's Blues 🔊

Another one inspired by Berg. The melody comes from three chords found in Wozzeck, specifically from the second scene of the first act.

Yearning 🔊

I remember thinking a lot about Charles Mingus when writing Yearning.

Zadala mamka 🔊

Not a huge fan of this one. In fact, I think don't like it, but maybe you will? Either way, go listen to Bartók's arrangement and, while you're there, why not his entire oeuvre?