As is often the case, this song “existed” partially in my head for at least a year, but I finally figured out how to finish it during a 4-day trip to the seaside with Cécile and Emma (it rained for four days straight, so I had plenty of free time!).

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This track here, “the Wolves,” is the first of the project’s output that I’m really happy with, both in terms of the song and the recording. I think I’d rather leave the song up to interpretation rather than hash out all of my writing process, etc, so I’ll stop here and let you just listen.

It’s a pretty simple song, as far as the harmony and the overall approach go. Maybe that’s why it works so well?

It’s real debut was at our wedding in the states, when I sang it during the ceremony. Even though lots of friends and family had already heard it – at our house, at my parents’ house, down in Burgundy with the grandparents, or just about any time a pulled out the guitar! – there were still some among the guests who weren’t even aware that I sang!

I’ve included just the first 2 minutes of the song here, but if you’re interested, contact me and I’ll send you the full track.

Eddy came up with a chord progression that reminded me a lot of a tune I like by Gerardo Alfonso, called “Asi de sencillo.” He had the basic structure in place, with a great groove and coro, but we both thought it could use a bridge to break up the monotony of the basic progression. Inspired in part by “Sencillo,” we started with a basic minor descent from the iv chord, then used some modal mixture to resolve the phrase in an unusual. I think it gives the song some nice harmonic variety – and Eddy found some great lyrics to fit to the melody, as well.

Con el permiso de los santos

A very short clip of our concert in Vaires-sur-Marne, filmed by flutist Emilie Laroubine (thanks, Emilie!), who came to sit in with us for a few tunes.

Çasonando Live

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We’ve just finished the arrangement of singer Eddy Carvajal’s new tune, which includes a bridge that Eddy and I worked on together. We’ve been looking for a solid medium tempo song to include in our new demo recording (to be completed by the early spring, we hope!), and this track looks like it will make it on the list. In the meantime, this rough mix will give you an idea of what’s to come!

A rough take on one of my favorite Cuban son standards, a tune that is actually a recent composition by Alejandro “el viejo” Almenaris, of Santiago de Cuba. After his quartet was featured on a Putumayo release back in the ’90s, the song has made the rounds and has been covered all around the world. I like the simplicity of it, which seems to lend itself well to really opening it up and looking around inside.

De Alejandro Almenaris, grab. 6 octubre, 2007, 33 rue viala

A rough take on one of my favorite Cuban son standards, a tune that is actually a recent composition by Alejandro “el viejo” Almenaris, of Santiago de Cuba. After his quartet was featured on a Putumayo release back in the ’90s, the song has made the rounds and has been covered all around the world. I like the simplicity of it, which seems to lend itself well to really opening it up and looking around inside.