New Wave Oatmeal

Tomorrow is the big day: Billy Wolfe’s graduation recital will go down at DePaul at 4:00 CMT.

I’m excited to play, especially because Aaron and I each wrote a tune for the occasion. We’re actually not going to be playing the tune I originally wrote, but rather one I finished yesterday. New Wave Oatmeal is the breakfast I’ve been having daily since my arrival in Chicago; a hefty bowl of the stuff covered in cranberries, blueberries, and soymilk, served up by the good folks at New Wave Coffee. That oatmeal, an endless supply of coffee refills, good reading material, and the luxury of early morning hours for thinking and conversing have been a highlight of my trip.

Here is a rehearsal recording from today’s run-through. The idea here is to combine time playing over changes with free playing in a way that captures both energies. The rhythmic concept came first, then the chords, then the melody last. There will be more recordings from the show later. This is Aaron’s Tune.