What Can We Learn from Erik Satie (Gymnopedies)

This arrangement is a bridge between the European and African musical traditions. Erik Satie was an innovative composer at the time of the French Impressionist movement. It is said that Claude Debussy sat at Satie's side and wrote the notes down on paper for him, as his inspiration came directly from the sound.

My inner ear had told me for years that such a treatment was possible, but it wasn't until late in this project that the proper mix was revealed. After much experimentation, I selected a tempo of 98.6 beats per minute, and recorded first parts on the drum kit, followed by the Gato drum (using a rhythm from Manteca), completed by muted triangle.

In the recording session, I asked our piano player, Ms. Teri Oso, to help phrase the chord changes, and we improvised over the percussion track. With this foundation in place, I returned to record the flute track. The surprises and serendipity in this version make it one of my favorite tracks in the project.