Steve Ball

Sofie’s Suite: Complete

Song of the Day: Sofie’s Suite: Complete (8.9M MP3)

Five Four Three Two – all in One.  Nice to put this piece to bed since it’s been putting Sofie to bed so much over this past six months.

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Morning Recap: Improvisations and Sitting for Five Guitarists this morning back in the Art Studio.   Some new and exciting dynamics brewing.  

This Quintet has an all Improvised “show” next weekend, Saturday February 7th, at Regina’s Art Opening at Tougo Coffee shop on Westlake. 

I’ll update with more details here later this week.

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Sofie’s Suite: Part II

Song of the Day: Sofie’s Suite – Part II (2.1M MP3)

Here we have four quick tracks in four quick takes, minimal editing, fading tops and tails.  

Played and captured quickly since it’s a “school night.”  

Next step, “Part I” - the full piece stitched together with bridges, choruses, and transitions. 

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Sofie’s Suite: Part III

Song of the Day: Sofie’s Suite – Part III (3.4M MP3)

Moving into three with the inevitable two against three polyrhythm that calmly always brings me to life, even in times of stress and uncertainty.  

For those who studied Electrical Engineering or Electronics, you may also notice that learning resistor color codes may come in handy when designing appropriate Songtiles for music in different time signatures.

Special thanks to brother Loren Claypool for finding a link typo in Part V.

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Sofie’s Suite: Part IV

Song of the Day: Sofie’s Suite – Part IV (3.7M MP3)

With two of five now available here, it becomes clearer (for those paying attention) what is going on here: part numbers match time signatures. 

What may not be clear is that these ‘Suites’ have been part of the ritual of putting Sofie to sleep each night for the past few months.   It is not quite possible for Sofie feel like it’s bedtime until she points up and asks for Gi Gi (the blonde Ovation that hangs next to the bed.)  

She also loves to hold the pick (“peeeeek”) and play a few strings before reliably dumping the pick into the sound hole, so she can watch me shake it out of the guitar – every single night.  

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Sofie’s Suite: Part V

January Update: Various economic meltdowns have not quite reached our front door (he said, vigorously knocking on the wood in that door.)  As usual, there is much more going on than finds its way into this occasional glimpse of a life in motion. 

Yesterday, Sofie learned that she could walk backwards, and she was thrilled to have us watch this new skill. 

Today marks Sofie’s 18-month birthday.  We celebrated by having dinner with her big pals Ethan and Aidan. 

Then Dada celebrated the evening by completing the third of the five-part series of Sofie’s Suite.  Beginning backwards in honor of the backwards times.

Song of the Day: Sofie’s Suite – Part V (4.1M MP3)

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Other recent excitements: Improvised Guitar Calisthenics for five this morning at Perri Lynch’s art studio, a break-through morning on many levels.   

SBRS is moving into a new ‘performance practice’ mode and our improv work of this past year is really beginning to shine.  

Thanks to all who have reached out inquiring about recent Corporate Ax swinging.  I am and have recently been 100% focused inward on family, and more local and immobile than ever before – living and loving it.    All is well.

Regina has her first painting show at Tougo Two coffee shop downtown. We’re working on scheduling an opening event for mid-February. 

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