Revolution Evolution

Al Jarreau's performance at the Naming Ceremony for the Freedom of the Seas blew me away. He's nearly 70, and the energy and smoothness with which he accentuates his jazz is awe-inspiring.

Made me think a lot of the complexities in the intricate chord structures of jazz, and whether there is a bridge where Indian elements can fit in. I'm not talking about Shakti and Louis Banks, where they have two disparate elements coming together in the oft-cliched "Fusion" style of music. I'm talking about delicate flurries which give the song an Indian feel.

Well, I know its difficult to visualize what I'm talking about, so I developed an instrumental slow jazz piece with a keyboard-saxophone lead to give you an idea. You'll catch the delicate Indian flavor in the lower registers of the song, but thematically, the overall feel is smooth jazz. What began with a little bit of research into jazz chords, has turned into a fairly decent instrumental theme. So for all you cool cats, here's Bittersweet Bliss (BEST Experienced on Koss, or any other headphones) and you'll see the bittersweetness in the snappy alterations from major to minor throughout the song. Very curious chord structure, which was challenging to develop, but fun nevertheless, and don't miss the minor chord at the end which completely diverts the listener's attention. It was an essential (and impromptu) last minute decision, because I didn't want a honeysweet ending to this track. and hence the title.