Album Notes

Arlene McDaniel is a jazz pianist who has been performing in the Lansing area for over 30 years. She is married to John McDaniel, and they have 2 daughters. John is a recording engineer/sound man/musician. He plays baritone horn on the track El Azteco from the CD 'Timeless', as well as being the co-producer of the album. Arlene has been both a band leader and side musician. She composes,arranges, and teaches jazz piano both in her home studio and at the Michigan State University Community Music School (CMS). The majority of tracks on the CD Timeless are original compositions by Arlene McDaniel. The band members include Gene Rebeck, bass; and Ian LeVine, drums. The trio has been performing together for nearly 20 years. Liner Notes written by Arlene McDaniel, from the CD Timeless: This project has been a dream fulfilled! The original compositions span over 25 years of writing. Some Odd Swing Thing is an oddly phrased bebop tune, with 2 - 5 bar phrases, followed by 2 - 4 bar phrases. Lazy Afternoons was adapted from a solo piano piece written in my very early years of composing as a student at MSU. Half Whole Samba was written for John. It is a blues progression, with the melody based on the half-whole-diminished scale. Overtime Blues reflects the many hours JT was working back in the 80’s. Summer Winds is a more recent contribution. The easy swing follows a short AABA form. My favorite movie is The Sound of Music. I arranged this as an easy latin, which is a joy to perform. How High/Ornithology is an arrangement Gene wrote as a bass solo with piano accompaniment. We adapted this for the trio. Brazil Nuts was originally a full jazz ensemble arrangement, another early piece that follows theme & variation form. The title track, Timeless, has become a favorite of ours. The ballad has evolved, opening with bowed bass and string accompaniment. Waltz of the Giant Moths (also full ensemble) was inspired by the dance of giant moths around our lantern during a camping trip in the Smoky Mountains. Our dear friend Joe Laird penned El Azteco for John and I, as a tribute to our favorite mexican eatery. The piece was arranged for jazz trio with the baritone solo feature. Monk-Like is my tribute to the great Thelonious Monk. Intervallic dissonance and percussive phrasing echoes the great Sphere.