#improvise 8 with Phillip O'Banion

Comfort in every scenario, any genre of music and on any instrument in the percussion family  has always been extremely important to me and is something that I am always striving for. Many things are related and everything is worth exploring. You never know what you might learn. 

One of the reasons why I asked Phil O'Banion from Temple University on #improvise is his ability do everything -  from playing regularly with the Philadelphia Orchestra to commissioning and premiering solo and chamber works by cutting edge composers. Whatever he's doing, he is right at home. While we were hanging the other day he told me that he doesn't have the chance to improvise much anymore, but you would never know that when watching the following videos. This proves that when you're an all-around good musician, you can do anything within our field well. If not, everything will suffer. 

Improvising is just another way to boost your musicianship. Through doing so, you learn to get ideas out in a way that is meaningful through constant brain activity. You have to compose, arrange, solo and accompany in real time. If that doesn't make you a better musician and "one" with your instrument, I don't know what does.

*Headphones strongly encouraged due to the extreme dynamic contrasts*

8a:
We chose to assemble a multi-percussion setup using both pitched and non-pitched instruments or a "super marimba" as Phil called it. In my previous posts I focused on keeping pitched and non-pitched instruments separate, but you'll see here that combos work too. The melodic material is based on four notes: C-F-F#-B and we slowly progress into the key of C minor.

8b: 
This one features lots of metric modulations and also body percussion (clapping, snapping, stomping, etc...) as well as the two doumbeks. Another version of the non-pitched palette!

8c:
One thing that was really interesting to me about this one is how we explored long notes using bass tone. If you focus on the two pitches it is like a melody.
Texture- song-like
​Dynamic- soft

8d:
​The four notes D-Eb-Bb-G are developed during this session. Listen to how far we take it! Compositional tools such as augmentation, diminution, inversions and more were used. Phil had so many great melodies in this one!!

8e:
Free improvisation on snare drum. Can you name the pieces Phil quoted?? You better...

8f:
The theme in this session is the paradiddle. Notice how we took elements of the paradiddle sticking and turned them into phrases. We also expanded to double, triple and paradiddle-diddle. Check out "Rudimental Arithmetic" by Bob Becker for more permutations of these stickings. That book changed my life.

Thank you to Phil O'Banion for your time and amazing musicianship! Everyone should now go listen to his new album of pieces for percussion and electronics called "Digital Divide". It features music by Ivan Trevino, Andy Akiho, Lane Harder, Baljinder Sekhon and Patrick Long. That is all.