INDIAN SUMMER CD
7 Songs, 42 MINUTES
Released: July 29, 2002
© 2019/2020 MüktiMusic Ascap
℗ 2019/2020 Light Without Heat (Steve Vai)
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id1457884519?ls=1&app=itunes
Credits:
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar, Producer
John M. Keane: Drums and Keyboards :: Up Bubble & Mukti (CoProducer/CoComposer: UpBubble)
Michael Manring: FretLess Bass (UpBubble)
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String & Electric Guitar (© Simple Prayer: BuzzFeiten Music)
Tom Kennedy: Bass (Indian Summer & Mukti)
Lenny Castro: Percussion (Indian Summer & Mukti)
John Barnes: Synclavier (Diagonal Flying)
Paul Livingstone: Tambura (UpBubble)
Steve Vai: Executive Producer
Jeroen Noordhuis: WebMaster
Matt Guthrie: Cover Art & Graphic Design
1) Lydian Meditation rT 9:22
Zendo (with zafus & zabutons: meditation cushions)
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar, Composer
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String Guitar
Lydian Meditation is featured in three places on the website: here on the Indian Summer CD, again on the Live at the Temple Bar CD, and also a unique arrangement on the Solo VG-8 Synth Guitar CD. The tuning I am using here is a Lydian DADGAD which is an augmented 4th built into the open strings. In this case DADG#AD. Bu tuning the guitar this way it creates a foundation for the key of A Major and allows for strong mode rotations to scales beginning with A (Major), B (Dorian), D (Lydian), E (Mixolydian).
The piece begins with a solo slide guitar intro played against a tambura drone. In East Indian Music ragas are assigned times of the day which are most suitable for playing a particular raga. Lydian Meditation draws from the Kalyan family and has a designation to played in the early night. Additionally it includes the signature augmented 4th as a part of the scale which is a rotation of A Major. The rotated mode is DEF#G#ABC#D or 123#45671 = D Lydian.
2) Indian Summer rT 4:44
Van Gogh: Langlois Bridge at Arles
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar, Composer, Co-Producer
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String Guitar
John M. Keane: Keyboards, Co-Producer
Tom Kennedy: Bass
Lenny Castro: Percussion
Indian Summer is the title track of the album and in my opinion one of the most emotional pieces on the album. It is rooted in Folk and a bit of Country Pop. The slide guitar work is highly intonated, with a bluesy overtone, and though it covers a lot of ground, marries with the mature simplicity of the piece. There are some subtle contributions by Castro, Keane, & Kennedy; and beautiful contributions by Buzz on nylon string guitar throughout. I find this to be a very cinematic piece.
3) Gulf Stream rT 4:45
Gulf Stream
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar, Composer
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String Guitar
Gulf Stream is a beautiful duet containing quite a few elements: fingerstyle guitar with a classical sensibility both by Buzz on nylon string, and me on steel string (Tuned to DADGAD); some simple and emotional expressions on slide guitar; a cool Neo-Bossa feel by Buzz on nylon string. I find this song to be a piece for lovers, for that matter the entire album is.
4) Simple Prayer rT 7:39
Asylum
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String Guitar, Composer
Simple Prayer is the one piece on the Indian Summer CD that Buzz wrote. To his credit, he did contribute small influences to some of the other pieces, but Simple Prayer is 100% his. He told me at the time of the recording of this album that he was excited to be recording a purely acoustic duet album which was a first for him.
The piece begins with strong tapping and harmonics and segues into the melody of the piece. It’s a lovely piece. I have heard this done with electric guitar, but this is the only version that I am aware of that is purely acoustic. There is an understated slide solo on the chorus. The performance of the piece reflects a strong sense of friendship which was the foundation for the entire album at the time of its recording. The performance ends with some highly rhythmic tapping played with Buzz’s fingerstyle noodlings. The piece is really a work of art. Kudos to Mr. Feiten.
5) Mukti rT 5:53
3D Perpetual Mobius Strip
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar, Composer, Co-Producer
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String Guitar
John M. Keane: Keyboards, Co-Producer
Tom Kennedy: Bass
Lenny Castro: Percussion
Mukti is a continuation of the duet between myself and Buzz with the addition of some very fine players in the ensemble. John M. Keane who has been involved in the production of this album contributes some beautiful synth work. Tom Kennedy (A respected bassist with Dave Weckl and others), and Lenny Castro’s very mindful percussion throughout are a blessing. My guitar is tuned to Lydian Dadgad.
6) Up Bubble rT 5:14
Indra’s Net
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar, Co-Composer. Co-Producer
John M. Keane: Drums and Keyboards, Co-Composer. Co-Producer
Michael Manring: FretLess Bass, E-Bow
Buzz Feiten: Nylon String & Electric Guitar
Paul Livingstone: Tamburas
Up Bubble is IMO the premier ensemble piece on this album. John M. Keane began the project by sitting down in his studio and recording 4 rhythm tracks on his Roland Synth drum kit. He then emailed me the .wav files and asked me to select one of the tracks and further contribute, which I did. I selected one of the pieces and composed a basic rhythm track .
7) Diagonal Flying rT 6:33
Tin Tin’s Lunar Launch
Richard Peikoff: FingerStyle & Slide Guitar
John Barnes: Synclavier. Producer (InnerSounds Studios)
Discography
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bkvf3hqulc68u87/JOHN%20BARNES%20BIO%20INFORMATION%203.doc?dl=0
At times I would go and hang out with my friend John Barnes and record at his studio which at that time was in North Hollywood. I also had the opportunity to perform with his Big Band at an event at the Bahai Temple for about 1,200 devotees in Baldwin Hills CA. To get an idea of John’s depth click on the hyperlink above. He has performed with, produced, arranged, written for, and so much more for some amazing musicians over the years including: Herb Alpert, Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion, Roberta Flack, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson (and all the Jackson for that matter), Keb Mo, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Ritchie, Manhattan Transfer, The Pointer Sisters, Minnie Riperton, Smokey Robinson, Leo Sayer, any many more.
I loved working with John. I would bring a couple of acoustic-electric guitars to his studio and sometimes I would record in an isolation booth and other times just sitting a few feet away from the board. Diagonal Flying is a piece of music that hadn’t been developed yet. I took a few passes on slide guitar and John added some percussion, specifically clay pots, using his expertise on Synclavier. Thanks John!
Felix Vallotton: Evening Loire
Fin