Racer Session #300 | Andy Clausen | November 22, 2015

MIDNIGHT SKETCHES

For the past 18 months I have kept a musical journal of sorts, a book of sketches and little ideas that I've written for no purpose other than exploration and experimentation. I use this journal to capture and catalog raw, intuitive ideas that have no other home. Most often, I pursue this work late at night, when my roommates and neighbors have gone to sleep.

The mind can often induce a crippling, hypercritical voice that stifles complete freedom of expression. But in my late night delirium, I find that the critical mechanisms in my brain are less active, or less attune to normal logic. There is a beauty, a magic, and a mystery that occurs when that critical voice is muffled.

Sleep deprivation has played an important musical and therapeutic role in my work over the years. This late night compositional escape is often most productive after a day of intensive critical thinking - focused rehearsals or very specific composing projects like film scores. The more tedious the day, the more my mind enjoys letting go and seeing what crazy things come out late at night.

For this week's session, I revisit several several of these "Midnight Sketches" with the help of Gregg Belisle-Chi on Guitar and Luke Bergman on Bass.

I encourage you, during the open session to follow, to channel your "late night" self. What would you play when sleep deprivation has completely stripped you of all logical mechanisms?

Andy Clausen (trombone) presented four "Midnight Sketches" with Luke Bergman (guitar) and Gregg Belisle-Chi (guitar)

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Improv 1: Christian Pincock (trombone), Neil Welch (tenor sax), Chris Icasiano (drums), Nole Kinnen (keyboard)

Improv 2: Eric Jones (accordion), Andrew Olmstead (keyboard), Thomas Campbell (drums), Janna Webbon (violin)

Improv 3: Evan Woodle (drums), Cameron Peace (guitar), Andy Clausen (trombone), Travis Fisher (keyboard)

Improv 4: Taylor King (drums), Nole Kinnen (guitar), Luke Bergman (bass)

Improv 5: Andrew Olmstead (keyboard), Jim Knodel (trumpet), Neil Welch (tenor sax), Keeli McCarthy (drums)

Improv 6: Levi Gillis (tenor sax), Janna Webbon (violin), Daniel Webbon (drums), Aaron Otheim (keyboard)

Improv 7: Qoqo Maria (voice), Ryan Beckley (guitar), Gregg Keplinger (drums), Eric Jones (accordion)

Improv 8: Chris Icasiano (drums), Andrew Olmstead (keyboard), Olivia White (voice)

Improv 9: Thomas Campbell (drums), Andy Clausen (trombone), Taylor (keyboard), Matt Wohl (bass)

Love,
Andy Clausen