Peter Jones
The new material here is exquisite, showing Bill's love of the sound of the Rhodes to the full. Hearing the title track, I though "this is the one" the final one just stole the show.
Favorite track: What It Is.
freejazzy
Can't tell the difference between a MK8 and any other Fender Rhodes. But Bill can and he obviously felt inspired. Pretty much good for us.
Favorite track: Do What You Want.
The original plan for "Do What You Want" was to mark the launch of the new Mk8 Keyboard on the Rhodes Sessions, with 4 brand newly written compositions.
A live recording session took place at Nave Studios - Leeds, UK with the Bill Laurance Trio and a new line-up featuring Menelik Claffey on bass and Oscar Ogden on drums. On completion, the results were so spectacular that the thinking process shifted towards making the sessions available as the Trio’s next full-fledged release.
Their first record since the limited physical release of “Zeal”, the decision was made to combine the two to create “Do What You Want”, now available on both CD and Vinyl.
The four brand new compositions featured on the release—spanning indie rock, straight-ahead swing, funk, and a heartfelt ballad— demonstrate the MK8's versatility. "What excites me most about the MK8 is its capacity to accommodate a wider spectrum of styles," Laurance said. Each track was crafted to showcase the full breadth of the instrument's capabilities, drawing inspiration directly from the MK8 itself. "It's a whole new world," he enthused. "The MK8 is incredibly ambitious, integrating effects and the ability to assign pedals, which takes the instrument to another level."
Laurance was particularly inspired by the specific MK8 piano he used for the sessions, which had been signed by numerous renowned musicians who had tested out the unit previously. "Seeing the MK8 with all the signatures on it was incredible. Knowing that so many amazing musicians had played this instrument was truly inspiring. It felt as if the piano itself was a conduit for creativity, guiding the writing process," Laurance reflected.
1. Set Piece: An indie rock inspired track where Laurance utilized the MK8's overdrive feature to create powerful riffs.
2. Do What You Want: A straight groove piece, enhanced by the MK8's delay effects, allowing Laurance to easily add nuances.
3. JuJu: A ballad that came to life with the MK8's tremolo, highlighting its ability to produce rich, emotional tones.
4. What It Is: A funk-based song showcasing another unique aspect of the MK8's sound palette.
Laurance often thinks big. Whether it’s the expansive chords or his ability to write epic melodies that tap into the full range of human emotions, the five-time Grammy winning pianist and composer can paint vivid sonic pictures that cross genres and push boundaries in equal measure.
“Zeal” which is also featured, was recorded during the throws of the covid-19 lockdowns. This unique project overcame the challenges of recording an orchestra remotely, and is inspired by Bill’s insatiable pursuit of opportunity out of adversity. Featuring Jonathan Harvey on bass, Marijus Aleksa on drums alongside the Untold Orchestra, “Zeal” sees the return of Laurance's better known aesthetic, combining symphonic melody and texture alongside hard hitting grooves, swirling synths and his unmistakeable and unique piano sound.
credits
released August 23, 2024
Rhodes Mk8 Sessions
Bill Laurance - Rhodes Mk8 & Mellotron
Menelik Claffey - Electric & Upright Bass
Oscar Ogden - Drums
Recorded at Nave Studios, March 22nd 2024
Engineered by Danny Blackburn
Mixed by Nic Hard
Mastered by Dave McNair
Produced by Bill Laurance
Originally release released on November 19, 2021, the ZEAL E.P. featured
Violins: Andra Vornicu, Chloe Hayward, Eleanor Shute, Emma Rushworth, Heather MacLeod, Helena Logah, Isabella Baker, Kathleen Ord, Madeleine Fitzgerald, Simmy Singh, Stephen Bradshaw
Violas: Henry Rankin, Rosamund Hawkins, Sophia Dignam, Natalia Senior-Brown
Cellos: Awen Blandford, Rebecca Thomas, Ellie Boney, Polly Virr, Inés Mota
Double Bass: Alice Phelps, Joshua Cavanaugh-Birley
Arrangements by: Sam Davies, Joshua Poole, Rory Storm
Mix engineer: Nic Hard
Mastered by Dave McNair
Recording engineer: Camilo Salazar
Assistant engineer: Paul Skinner
Produced by Bill Laurance
Co-produced by Jonathan Harvey & Marijus Aleksa
GRAMMY award-winning pianist, composer and original member of Snarky Puppy. Founder of the Flint Music label. Endorsed by Yamaha, Mellotron, Dave Smith, Moog, Korg, Native Instruments, Roland, ROLI, Nord, Arp, Audio Technica, MXR, and Expressive E.
