"The Eighth Miracle" Big Band Play-Along
Building on the success of the (Bob) Mintzer Big Band App, this (Bob) Curnow app is a unique play-along app for iOS. What sets the FUZZY MUSIC, LLC apps apart from other “play-along” products is that our apps allow users to either SOLO or MUTE multiple instruments in the big band setting.
Please note that I use the word “users” versus “musicians,” because this app is a musical resource for ANYONE interested in music, whether they are a player or a fan. The ability to remix a finished track is fun no matter what, but indispensable for students wishing to practice or study how to best play a contemporary big band chart (and an historic Bulgarian rhythmic scheme qualifies this as a most contemporary big band chart).
Bob Curnow and I go way back to the Stan Kenton Orchestra days when he was an arranger and producer for the band while I was the drummer (1972-1975). Bob is perhaps best-known for his innovative big band arrangements of the music of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays. His Sierra Music Publications offers these charts as well as being the source for classic charts and scores from the Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Bill Holman, Oliver Nelson and Benny Carter libraries, among others.
“The Eighth Miracle” app allows users to Solo or Mute
1st (Lead) Trumpet
3rd Trumpet
1st Trombone
Bass Trombone
Lead Alto
Lead Tenor
Baritone Sax Keyboards
Bass
Guitar
Percussion
Drums
Solos
… and the rest of the horn section in any combination, plus the ability to record yourself or multiple play-along partners and then save/send that mix to your instructor, colleagues or friends. Your iPhone’s or iPad’s built-in mic can do the job, but a 3rd-party microphone/interface (from such companies as Zoom, Shure or Apogee) might give you the best-sounding results. Each chart/part can be printed or emailed from the app (for best emailing results, use built-in iOS Mail).
If you’re interested to get yourself a complete set of parts for “The Eighth Miracle,” please visit https://www.sierramusicstore.com
The musicians who played these parts & solos are among the very best in the world:
Wayne Bergeron (trumpets)
Alex Iles (trombones)
Jeff Driskill (saxophones)
Tom Ranier (keyboards)
Larry Koonse (guitar)
Damian Erskine (el. bass)
Brian Kilgore (percussion)
Peter Erskine (drums)
Cuong Vu (trumpet solo)
Bob Sheppard (tenor saxophone solo)
Thank you and have fun!
From Sierra Music
Based on the marvelous meters of Bulgarian dance, “The Eighth Miracle” moves in and out of rhythmic settings, providing exciting and powerful ensemble writing and also space (in 4/4) for trumpet, tenor saxophone and drum solos. A swing section moves the piece into the final thrilling ending. If you want to move your playing “up a notch” (or two), you’ll find the challenge and thrill of playing with the Bob Curnow band right here. Thanks to Peter Erskine for producing this extraordinary track.