MacGuffin came together – as all great projects should – through writing and playing. The back story to this album starts as a series of commercial projects that required hundreds of short musical stings to be written. In the studio, Pat & Pete looked at these short and very catchy stings and ventured in exploring and playing them as full tunes. They experimented and expanded their favorites. They explored tones and tempos, keys, and interplay … solos and structures. What came out of that was a list of thirty or so tunes that made the first cut. Out of many studio hours of refining these tunes, the final ten tunes emerged and made the final list of tracks on this CD. (Reading between the lines, there are lots more where these came from!)
All samples are edited and lo-rez
Track Snippets
After All, and After Then
Powerful, grounded rhythms and cinematic sound textures build to a climax of jazz piano voicings and thunderous drum sounds, fading out to the ambiance of a warm summer evening. Total length 4:48, 100 bpm
MacGuffin
Playful, light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek tune, with wah-wah guitar textures, infectious melodic hooks, and bouncy dance rhythms. Total length 6:54 (begin early fade at 4:08 – 4:17 out) 112 bpm
Spaces, Places and Random Faces
Chill, ambient lounge, mesmerizing collage of Dreamtime imagery, the recurring theme played on other-worldly theremin and evocative South American flute, driving real-time drum performance, sizzling jazz fusion synth solo. Total length 7:15 (begin alternate fade at 4:05 – 4:14 out) 106 bpm
Cryptic Odyssey
Electronic drum beds support alternating themes played on slide guitar and chilled keyboard stabs, with cinematic orchestra and acoustic piano interludes. Darkly mysterious. Total length 7:11, 116 bpm
Crooked House
Uplifting chill groove with a real-time drum track, salsa-influenced piano, and a gradual build. Total length 5:06, 116 bpm.
Bossa Nuevo
Playful percussion-based improvisation, supported by funky clav riffs and resonant electronic tapestries. Total length 6:25, 120 bpm
Zeitgeist
Complex, multi-layered percussion performance, featuring two independent bass lines both played on the Zendrum. Total length 5:50, 90 bpm
Just All the Luck of the Draw
Atmospheric chill-jazz fusion, synth solos and expansive ambient interlude. Total length 7:20 (begin early fade at 5:00) 120 bpm
Hummer
A laid back chill, ambient lounge track, featuring recurring shinai and reverberant flute hooks over a rich tapestry of electronic percussion. Total length 6:47 (begin early fade 3:47 – 3:57) 80 bpm
Medicine Man
A celebration of African and Middle Eastern ambiance, featuring a dynamic rock organ alternating with synth melodic lines and solos, supported by lively world percussion. Total length 7:20 (begin early fade at 5:08) 112 bpm