09/07/2015 Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation

Neil Welch Continuous Resonance Solo Project

Date: 09/07/2015
Location: Childhood home in Edmonds, WA
Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Notes:

Todayâs improvisation focused on alternating multiphonic/split tone fingerings at various tempos and exploring combinations of tone color, rhythm and timbre. I would occasionally isolate melodic voices within the chords to play monophonic lines before returning back to a harmonic landscape.

The image “La remission des chutes (2012)” accompanying today’s post by Alain Huck.

09/03/2015 Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation

Neil Welch Continuous Resonance Solo Project

Date: 09/03/2015
Location: South Whidbey High School band room. Langley, WA (Whidbey Island)
Instrument: Tenor saxophone / concert timpani

Notes:

This improvisation was recorded using a large, vintage concert timpani located in the South Whidbey High School band room. I recorded this piece during a short break between teaching my students this afternoon.

The image “Jeezlepete II"I accompanying today’s post by Mark Fox.

09/02/2015 Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation

Neil Welch Continuous Resonance Solo Project

Date: 09/02/2015
Location: Band Room at South Whidbey High School. Langley, WA (Whidbey Island)
Instrument: Tenor saxophone / piano

Notes:

Between my afternoon students I recorded this improvisation in the band room at South Whidbey High School. I utilized the baby Baldwin Grand located in the room, and explored a very pensive, etherial mood during this improvisation. Recurring melodic and harmonic themes and wide intervals provided the framework.

The image “It for Others” (2013) accompanying today’s post by Duncan Campbell.

08/28/2015 Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation

Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Solo Project

Date: 08/28/2015
Location: Beside a bay in Newport, OR
Instrument: Tenor saxophone neck/mouthpiece

Notes:

This morning I went for a bicycle ride and decided to take along my saxophone neck, mouthpiece and audio recorder. I searched for quite a long time before stumbling upon this recording opportunity. As I rode along the bay I noticed a man in a small sailboat that appeared to have taken on some water. He was pumping out water from the boat and trying to pull objects off the deck while doing so. The boat was slowly moving around in a circle in the water. I was struck by the beautiful chordal shapes the pumping motor made and decided to harmonize along with this wonderful machine.

The image accompanying today’s post was taken during this bicycle ride.

08/25/2015 Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation

Neil Welch Continuous Resonance Solo Project

Date: 08/25/2015
Location: A bathroom in a condo complex. Newport, OR
Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Notes:

This morning I drove on a long stretch of road heading Southeast against a bay in Newport, OR. I eventually pulled off at a historic landmark designating the original homestead a family of white settlers in the area some years ago. I walked past this area and recorded while standing on the hard clay beside the bay, in a small alcove that shielded me from sight from the road just beyond.

The image accompanying today’s post was taken during a bicycle ride from a day or two before in the surrounding area.