Marcus Duke kickin' it in Grazalema

Petrichor Dreams

petrichor (PET-ri-kuhr) noun

The pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

This work is about my travels in time and space: Friends I've known for over 40 years and friends I've only made in the last year contributed to the music. Places—from the green and golden wilderness of north central Washington to the concrete and steel canyons (and nightclubs!) of my home town, Manhattan, to Africa and back home again—provided much of the musical inspiration.

Much of the music on this recording is being be performed by my band, Somewhere in Between.

Lost River Reflections

Lullaby of a lost river, spectral tides of night,
Gentle caress of a zephyr, childhood dreams of flight,
Illusive and transitory senses, yet these things endure

Mazama Zephyr

Goat Wall

Ian Duke, bass

Marcus Duke, keyboards, acoustic steel guitar

Robby Morshead, percussion

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Moises Padilla, drums

Ernesto Pediangco, percussion

As the sun rises or sets in the Methow, the thermals pick up and hawks, crows and ravens, and vultures describe gyres as they wend their way up Goat Wall. We watch them from precipices above the valley, and are often gifted with the warm caress of the zephyrs that give these birds such effortless flight.

Petrichor Dreams (Afternoon)

Petrichor Dreams (Afternoon)

Marcus Duke, keyboards

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Ernesto Pediangco, percussion

The late afternoon thunderstorms of August often are followed with brilliant sun breaks that turn the earth into a steam bath, releasing vapors from the oils, or ichor, long stored on the baked earth and rock. These fragrances can at times conjure a dream-like state that takes us well past sunset, into the evening. Years ago, my wife, Chris, and I thought there must be a word to describe this sensation, and that's how we found petrichor.

Lost River Lullaby

Lost River Lullaby

Marcus Duke, keyboards, nylon-string guitar

David Gordon, harmonica

Robby Morshead, drums

Oren Sreebny, bass

There are so many sensations that bring such peace and tranquility to us when we are in the valley—the visual beauty is obvious, but in my music I chose to convey other sensations such as zephyrs and petrichor. No less striking is the sound of the Lost and Methow Rivers (in late summer, that is!) as they lull us into a sense of rightness with the universe. The murmur and burble of the rivers are an excellent prescription for peaceful naps!


Manhattan Moods

Beer with a straw,
Jeff "Jedi Master" Johnson,
Walking slow, walking fast,
Yankees and Mets,
Politics, music, women talk,
Two blind guys, Bernard Purdy
*

*Carlos Alejandro's summation of
several long & late nights he,
Warren and I spent stompin'
'round Hells Kitchen back in '09.

"That's What She Said," Said Big Red

Bob "Big Red" Hansen

Dedicated to Nava-Jo Bob "Big Red" Hansen

Jim Coile, tenor sax

Ian Duke, bass

Marcus Duke, keyboards

Robby Morshead, drums

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Dave Nolet, guitar

Ernesto Pediangco, percussion

Gary Shutes, trombone

Bob Hansen was the acest VW mechanic we ever knew. He helped a friend do an entire Beetle engine rebuild by phone when she was stranded in Oregon. He was one of the core group of "buds" with whom we spent much time recreating and gathered in each others' homes over fine food, drink and companionship. Car mechanic he may have been, but he also had a taste for classical music and a talent for filming the great outdoors.

He was a good friend and we miss him. In this piece, I tried to convey some of his essence: sassy, witty, and unable to resist applying inuendo to the most innocent of phrases or events—which of course is what any self-respecting auto mechanic would do. Wouldn't you?

Warren, Carlos & Me

Warren, Carlos & Me

Dedicated to Jerry Solomon*

Warren Benbow, drums

Jim Coile, tenor sax

Randy Clere, bass

Marcus Duke, keyboards

David Gordon, harmonica

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Gary Shutes, trombone

In 2009, I went back to NYC for my 40th high school reunion—Performing Arts High School, that is. Classmate Warren Benbow kindly put Carlos Alejandro and me up in his apartment overlooking Times Square—talk about a contrast from the wilds of north-central Washington, yeaux! We went to the several organized affairs for the reunion, but then afterwards, we stayed up 'til 4-5am stompin' 'round Hells Kitchen, reminiscing and otherwise catching up on 40 years of our lives. That experience was so memorable, so enjoyable, that I had to name this song after Warren and Carlos (pues, … y me, por supuesto!).

*This song's name reflects my time with Warren and Carlos, but it is dedicated to Jerry Solomon—and his wife, Pat, and two kids, Alex and Skyler—who was one of my favorite musicians ever. When I left NYC, I didn't see him again for 10-15 years at a time over some 4 decades. But each time we got together, we'd play music (he played bass) and it was akin to picking up where we had left off in a conversation from yesterday. He and I had radar: we never talked about key, tempo, meter, chords…none of that. It was just "bada-boom" and off we went, sometimes so far out we needed radar to find our way back, but man oh man, what a blast we would have. He reminds me to this day why I enjoy nothing more than unbridled improvisation. Jerry was supposed to play bass on this song, but he couldn't make it. I plan to re-record it when I meet up with him again somewhere down the singularity. It'll be a gas and it pro'ly won't sound anything like this version!

Put Yo' Phone Away

Put Yo' Phone Away and Enjoy the Show!

Featuring Skywheel

Norman Baker, bass,
Randy Neal, guitar,
Marcus Duke, keyboards,
Naphtali Rashid, lead vocal and editorial comments

Plus

Warren Benbow and
Robby Morshead, drums

Jim Coile, tenor sax

Cynthia Dean, harmony vocal

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Dave Nolet, harmony vocal

Jye Paet, harmony vocal

Gary Shutes, trombone

I was working in my garden when I heard a mighty shout
I ran into the street to see what it was all about
Everyone was standing ‘round with their eyes shut wide
I asked someone what was going on here and they cried

Where’s my cable?

Where’s my cellphone?

I’m unable

To find my way home

Walking down my street I took a look around
It was the strangest thing … no one was a making a sound
People everywhere, they were frozen in place
There was nothing in their eyes but empty space

Where’s my twitter?

Where’s my beeper?

I am so unstable

I’m falling deeper

Deeper…deeper…deeper
Y'all, I'm goin' deeper now, deeper than I ever been before
Y'all gonna need a shovel to get me outta this mud,
Yeah, get me back up on the ground.

Hang it up                           
Put your phones away

Turn it off                               
You’re gonna be okay, just

Step outside
It’s time to change your space, so

Look around
A
nd get face to face

Doo-dop bop bop bop

Doo-dop bop bop bop

Last Song

Last song is over

Moises Padilla, drums

Cynthia Dean, harmony vocal

Marcus Duke, keyboards, keyboard bass

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Dave Nolet, rhythm guitar, harmony vocal

Jye Paet, lead guitar, harmony vocal

Tom Patton, lead vocal

The time has come to say good night,
Will the last one leaving, turn out the light,
The hour is late it’s the end of the show,
We played our set now it’s time to go.

Rock me gently, rock me slow
Rock me all night, don’t let go
All night long, until the last…until the
Last song…the very last song.

The time has come to say good night,
May your life be filled with joy and light,
But before we pack, be fore we’re gone,
We’ll leave you with this one last song.

Rock me gently, rock me slow
Rock me all night, don’t let go.

The last song is over, the
Last song is over.



Far and Back

The Infidel

The Infidel

© Marcus Duke 1992

Sammy Alamillo, drums

Jim Coile, tenor sax

Ian Duke, bass

Marcus Duke, keyboards

Genkyo, electronics, sound manipulation

Robby Morshead, percussion

Steve Mostovoy, trumpet

Randy Neal, pedal steel

Jye Paet, guitar

Rob Pastorak, talking drum

Ernesto Pediangco, percussion

Gary Shutes, trombone

There's the remote wilds of the Pacific northwest, the arguably wilder environs of Manhattan, and then there are the really far horizons that I've experienced both in person and in my imagination. One such place that has always struck a chord with me is Africa, especially for the gift of its diverse and wonderful music.

I've never been to Nigeria, but thanks to the music of Fela, King Sunny Adé and other juju musicians, I feel like I have at least been able to experience Nigeria, and other African countries, sonically. Those experiences inspired me to write the Infidel in the early 1990s. When we had the fortune to (too-briefly) visit Morocco in 2008, the intense experience of being in a truly different, and African, world motivated me to finally finish this tune.

I thank Randy Neal for helping me to bring this tune to fruition, both in his advice about aspects of the composition and his crucial pedal steel contribution.

Petrichor Dreams (Evening)

Africa at night from space

Photo courtesy of NASA.

Norman Baker, Nigerian night sounds

Ian Duke, didgeridoo

Marcus Duke, keyboards, percussion, waterphone, singing bowl, tingsha

We finish up in Nigeria, pass over Australasia and cross the Pacific, and the dream within a dream ends, bringing us back to north-central Washington. We are transported into the evening, and its inhabitants—bats, nighthawks, meteors, the Milky Way, the International Space Station!—stand and deliver. The dream goes on…


Comin' Home

Comin' Home

Marcus Duke, keyboards

Robby Morshead, drums

Jye Paet, guitar

Oren Sreebny, bass

until we awake from it and are home at last.

Offstage Credits

Jamie Jones, engineer, producer, and long-time collaborator and friend (tinderboxproductions.com), and Jay Kenney, engineer, AudioLogic Studios (audiologicinc.com)—thanks especially to Jay for his wonderful Yamaha grand and "Ol' Bessie," a most excellent Hammond A-100!

More than 20 musicians played on this project. I can never thank them enough for the honor of working with them and the joy they brought me through their music.

I also thank my family, Chris and Ian, for their insightful, pull-no-punches critiques of the music in its various phases. The end result was much improved thanks to their help.

I especially thank Robby Morsehead for the many hours he patiently spent with me over several years working on everything from drum grooves to arrangements. His contribution was invaluable.

Similar credit goes to long-time friend and musical partner, Don Lake, who took to heart my request for a critique of the tunes before we finalized the mixes. His insightful and objective comments yielded substantive improvements to the individual tunes and the overall work.

About the title: When I think about all the faces and places that have influenced me across the distance of time, it feels like a waking dream...the kind of dream state that is induced by rain on the warm rocks in the Methow after a long dry spell.

All photos except where otherwise noted: © Chris Duke. Design by Robyn Ricks

All compositions and lyrics © 2012 M. Duke, except where otherwise noted. Produced by Webfoot Productions, LLC, and Tinderbox Productions.