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The Island Song

from Songs Of My Life Volume 1 by James Murrell

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about

I wrote The Island Song as an assignment for a jazz composition class with my teacher James E. Smith in 1999. The song's chord structure is based on George Gershwin’s "I Got Rhythm" which is in a rounded binary form (AABA) and is 32 measures long (without the verse). My assignment was to write a bebop/hard-bop melody based on Gershwin's tune. I made the song twice as long (64 measures) so that the chords would last twice as long also. I then wrote the melody. The melody is influenced a lot by two songs - St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins and Christopher Columbus by Chu Berry. I also added in devices from bebop like the use of diminished arpeggios and tritone substitutions. The bridge (B section) of The Island Song is an improvised solo over the chord changes (the easy way out). The feel of the song is a Calypso-Jazz feel similar to the way St. Thomas is played by a lot of jazz musicians.
Kids really love The Island Song a lot (but they don't like playing it because it is hard to play). I have a lot of fun playing this tune and I always get a big response from the audience when I play it live. I hope that you enjoy listening to the recording of The Island Song!
Peace,
James Murrell
www.jamesmurrellgtr.com

lyrics

Instrumental

credits

from Songs Of My Life Volume 1, released August 16, 2010
James Murrell: Guitar, Jeff Huffnagle: Piano, John Toedtman: Bass, & Jim Leslie: Drums.
Recorded & Mixed by Thomas Coggshall at McCutcheon Music Studios. Mastered by James Murrell.
Written by James Murrell.
Artwork by James Murrell.

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James Murrell Dayton, Ohio

I am a guitarist and composer from Ohio. I have been playing since 1979. I play many styles of music with influences from Jazz, Fusion, Rock, Pop, Blues, R&B, Folk, & World Music. I pray to bring peace & love to all those that hear my music.
Thanks,
James Murrell
www.jamesmurrellgtr.com
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