Before I am 50, I want to have an orchestra perform a symphony I wrote.
The melodies and themes, and chord structures will be a breeze. I can lay that out now. But to arrange the music with the brushes available to Beethoven, that’s the hard part.
I am really good at the skeleton of songwriting, but fleshing out productions and arrangements is where I always need help.
I could collaborate with an arranger, but what if I could take it further, and really be able to notate and see the music come alive on the written page like a true maestro?
…well that would be a true transformation. That would reshape my brain as I begin to age.
It’s been odd approaching 40 and magically becoming younger on some Dorian Gray type trip. But after May 12th I am 40.
These next ten years are golden.
In my 20s I put everything I had into The Staxx Brothers as a vehicle, and on my 30th Birthday at Nectar Lounge I released only 2nd full length We Are The Blaxstonz. In my 30s I completed Jungle Cat and Hot Chocolate, obsessing Hot Chocolate as I did my debut The 12th St Blues.
I thought of all of those albums as song cycles based on movements like Symphonies.
I composed ‘Detroit is Dead’ like a mini symphony. I thought of the finale of Jungle Cat as a Sonata, with 4 distinct movements and recurring themes.
I drove into that song head on, staring up at Haystack Rock with a type of mania that was absolutely necessary. I looked at the rock and said I want to write a song that big.
Bigger.
I have one more Staxx Brothers album to put out there. But while I may release a few singles from it such as ‘Natural’ and ‘Slick Willie / White Sugar’ in the next year, I want to wait to drop that album, at a precise moment.
First I must rebuild my Soul United machine and have wrap my arms around a loyal fan base that will sell The Tractor or Crocodile out in advance. There must be a demand.
Momentum and a thirst.
What is the point if the final movement of that bands’ recording career is not a grand finale?
But a symphony. Maybe having all my songs charted will help me see and feel what needs to be done. I’ll know exactly what I’m looking at.
One rule: Every instrument would have been available to Beethoven, so at least I get an organ. I love the harpsichord.
I can write it how ever I want. It can have elements of Soul, Funk, it’s not a time capsule. But it will have to be played by a symphony available in any city worth its name.
Now conducting it…no. That should be left to master. It is good to know your limits.
But I think a symphony…a choral symphony. With spaces for virtuosity to take liberties. With room for a great conductor to make some changes here and there in terms of voicings.
I’ll need help. A lot of help. But it’s how far I can take it on my own and see it breath on manuscript paper.
If I pull that off, that is exceeding the expectations of my trajectory in life by a one hundred thousand miles.
I am stubborn enough to do it. But most importantly, the talent surrounds me. It abounds.
I wrote this on my journey to listen to the Top 100 symphonies of all time.
I listened to,
Symphony No. 9
by Antonín DvořákI also learned that Haydn’s 2nd symphony was less than 10 minutes, but Detroit is Dead awfully close to being argued that I am writing my second symphony. I had a lot of help on that one.
But I did sketch out the chord changes, melodies, themes, movements, which I brought to Chris O’Connor. He in turn, brought Detroit to fruition as music director, conductor, and maestro. He added that awesome break in the last movement with its 1950s melody that tugs your heart strings from 6:14 to 6:30.
DETROIT IS DEAD:
If I write a write a symphony, a couple good books, and release at least ten classic albums, I am fine with being old…and even dead.
Because I’ll have said, all that needed to be said, with an echo that will seem like it goes in forever.
But nothing does, except time, and even that beyond our reach is bending around these stars that will someday burn out, like every life that sarrounds us.
But at least we have music. And talented friends that make us better, and make us seem by some degree, even better than we are.
Davin’s new song has become a global earworm and Caribbean dancehall hit. Listen here on Reggaeville: DAVIN MICHAEL STEDMAN & ANTHONY RED ROSE – FREE YOUR MIND FEAT. SLY & ROBBIE WITH LENKY MARSDEN. The video is now available on Youtube.
– Musician and writer Davin Michael Stedman has many ventures, such as the AMAZING blog, 100milesofmusic.com. In the spring of 2018 he spent weeks networking in and reporting from Kingston, Jamaica. He will return there soon for more recording. His single with British band Sherlock Soul is available here.
