JPF Home Page Forums Lyric and MP3 Feedback MP3 Feedback Forum It's No Wonder - Latest Track For The New Instrumental CD

One day I was thinking about changes but then this bass line just came leaping out of me and I could not stop it. What a groove man. The track has been laying around for a few years. But with many hours of practicing on the guitar recently I was acceptable enough and finally able to finish it. I desperately wanted a killer horn on it but could not afford it. And was tired of waiting to be able too lol

It's No Wonder 3:48 Mike Caro Instrumental
http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=10632399&q=hi&newref=1

Rob Kip - Piano, Piano Solo
Mike Caro - Bass,Keyboards,Guitar,Producer,Engineer.

Only three more or four more songs to finish depending if I add the last one. They are all started though and nearly finished. The instrumental CD started in 2009 with no real deadline but I feel like it's a race against the clock now.

Thanks
Mike

As you know, I heard your work in progress in your studio just a couple of weeks ago. And, your added guitar is as great as Rob's piano track. Wow! Top pro performances for all the parts! George Benson would shake your hand, I KNOW!

Love the soft bookends to this. And when your bass and drums come in? Wow! Such a groove. Then Rob's piano is just perfect. So smooth, and having all the right "touches". I would love to witness his playing someday. SOOO much to learn from him.

GREAT playing there Mike! Sounds like you and Rob were drinking from the same great cup of music.

Killer!

Cool track Mike! Pro all the way! Good luck with your CD.

I'm listening on K271 MkII headphones and the panning is perfect.

Best, John

Hi Buddy Thanks bro.

Yes once I decided I couldn't shell out $300 Plus for a horn player I figured move the piano to the middle and put the guitar on the front and back end.
The last thing I added were the flute parts I thought they were a nice touch and complimented the song.

I did some editing on Rob's track to piece together what I liked best. He came in for about an hour or so session.

The only reason George Benson's shaking my hand is to be a gentlemen and shake hands upon meeting.. Then once he realizes I'm such a big fan he may shake it again even firmer. I KNOW!
LOL

But thanks, When I was a kid about 15 or 16 I saw him on the Midnight Special on TV. I was watching it as usual but to see some Rock band I really wanted to see especially. Maybe Areosmith. The there was this guy sitting there with this beautiful hollow body blonde wood finish guitar playing a song called "Breezin" I was mesmerized, totally mesmerized and moved.
A few days later at high school the other kids were asking me who was the guy on the button of my led Zeppelin jacket across from the Jimmy Page button. I said George Benson, they said "Who"??

The last time I was moved like that watching TV was upon seeing Roy Clark perform on the Odd Couple.

So this song captures my love of soul music and smooth jazz.
It's named on a pun coming from, "It's No Stevie Wonder" but it's alright. So "It's No Wonder"

I like that word alot in the musical sense.

I often put my arms out and wrists together in the studio as though being handcuffed, without saying a word. That means a song is killer and I or the person playing me a killer song should be locked up for murder LOL

14 year old Kacey got a big kick out of that one. After she played me a song with a hook and lyric line that was killer...

Hey Mike, when I was in high school I was really into "Weather Report" and "Sea Level". This gives me the same feeling when hearing this, less the horns.

I'm not an expert on jazz, but these are the two bands that I thought of(not comparing) when I heard "It's No Wonder".

If I had $300, I'd buy a used tenor sax(I can play sax) and practise until I could add a track.

I love this picture of you...if I was 20 years younger, ....lol... this is really good although i'm country, you had me moving my feet with this...great stuff, sir...


glyn

Take me to the chill out room. Man this takes me back to my youth and going to clubs it’s freakin killer tune man. The bass line alone it immense! I would love to have the backing for this I’d spend days just playing over and over it with my guitar. The groove is just so solid.
Mike you’re a legend and this track has just made want go home and write write write so thx for that mate. I await the CD

This is my bag big time !!!

Hi Mike,

This is sooooo smooth> I love it! So glad to hear you making progress on your CD. I eagerly await its completion! Put me on the list.

Ricki

Hi Mkie,

This is wonderful, perfect music to unwind with. It has a great feel to it… Hats off to you!

Dottie

Mike,

A wonderful listen, what more can anyone say?? I do enjoy your songs.

Tammy

The guitar shreds my friend!

I don't particularly care for the processing on the pad/ep (the very 1st sound you hear). There's something disconcerting about it. But it's not bad really, just a different sound.

Sounds pro. Great job Mike.

Peace,

Ian

Thanks Ben

YES! I saw Weather Report as well, also Spyro Gyra
The bass line is inspired by Jaco...

You want the sax track u got it!

Hi Glyn

It's meant to get you in a mood, then get you moving and keep you groovin. If I WERE 20 years younger I could do that as well LOL

Thanks dear
Mike

Hi Andy

I'm so happy this got you going. I was a little worried about this one since it never changes at all. All I did was layer it very tastefully. But yeah the bass line, when it leaped out I thought a demon got in me or something, I never played quite like that before, I was just watching my hands like they didn't even belong to me.

Thanks so much, and I maybe able get you the backing track, I think I actually may have made an INSTRUMENTAL mix of the instrumental lol
So in case it needed to be done for some reason without the solo sections. Or for reasons such as this.

Also may have something for you to try on the CD before it's done.

Thanks man
Mike

The CD is ALL I'm making progress with Thanks Ricki you were already first on the list...

Mike

Glad you enjoyed it so much Dottie, this is exactly how I get around the daunting insane task of writing and finishing lyrics.
I leave them OUT! LOL

Mike

Thanks Tams I'm happy to know this as it really makes this extreme amount of work so much more rewarding to hear you say that.

Thanks
Mike

Did I say extreme? I meant EXTREME!!

Hey ya old buddy,

Thanks man. It feels real nice. I agree I noticed many times but then sometimes I put it on and it didn't bother me at all.

I think the tremolo effect just gets to warbled but it could be a weird stereo thing with it. Maybe better off one channel up the middle.

Ah but it's too late now I don't think I'm going back, NO automation on my end, imagine that? Every move made by hand on an analog mixer....

But if possible I can just re-do the beginning and slice it into the rest of the mix... May be possible. It did bother me and I should have addressed it when it did... Thanx...

Mike

Mike , this is fab !!

That bass line is a killer :-)

I really enjoyed the listen and performance .

Looking forward to Your cd release .

All the best
Jan

What they said. Very nice.

Them there's flying fingers on guitar and piano!!! I agree a nice horn or sax in the right spot would be a bonus but you'll need a bonus to recruit someone, yikes!!! Frustrating!@#$%)(*&!
Another great instrumental from my favorite New Yorker!

Best,
Lynn

Yeah, and your mixes do sound great Mike. I can't imagine going back to that way of mixing though. If I decide to change a vocal line from something I did a year ago, my mix is still saved... all I have to do is a little punch in and voila...

Did you know that the major DAWs now quantize audio? Not that you'd want to, but you can quantize your quitar, bass and drum tracks if you want to. It's REAL handy for fixing spots in a performance!

Peace,

Ian

Hey guys, this sounds really cool! Love that bass figure. Great tone! What's that bass?

Fun title, as it def. doesn't sound like (Stevie) Wonder, but a lot more like a mix of Bob James & George Benson.. Bob's "Westchester Lady" comes to mind - who did bass on that?

I guess the bass loop keeps it together thematically, as both the piano and the guit sounds like improvisations on top of the changes and the loop. But hey, that's in the true spirit of the genre, right?

If you develop it further, you could consider changing the bass loop after 2mins, and develop a couple themes in the piano/guit, that could be interchanged with each other, maybe a breakdown if it runs long.

As a musician I truly appreciate this!

Thanks Mags,

It was my 1974 Fender Precision Bass that I had to sell. The only thing I really really miss that I sold. I did it for a few measures then looped it throughout.

Every time I tried to play something else a change, the song feel fell apart. And having no change is what made me put it on the back burner for five years. Once I revisited it and edited it down and put that riff into play along with the solo sections it felt great again like it first did.

Unable to find anything to match up with the A section I gave up. I'll never go back either LOL

Thanks Jan & Colin.

Soon I guess...

LOL - you don't need no horns. You're playing that guitar like it's a saxophone!

Very cool, Buddy - yeah, that bass line is a keeper

Yeah, finish the CD - I need some good driving music! Something to keep me alert but not aggressive!

Scott