Five Piano Improvisations

by C.W. Franz

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1.	Vermillion River (October-April) 03:25		buy track
2.	Pavane: Long Lake 04:20	lyrics
[instrumental]
3.	Worcester (Frost on Your Birthday) 05:18		buy track
4.	Kate 04:00		buy track
5.	Sleeper to Cleveland 03:10		buy track

about

These pieces were all recorded at the lounge piano in the Harriett Fuller House on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University circa September-November 2018. I would often come in with nothing but a key and a mood I wanted to evoke. My unschooled approach to the instrument eschewed melodic frameworks for something more abstract: my fascination with sustain and love of Brian Eno and La Monte Young reveal themselves in subtle ways here, and a rotating cast of instruments lends a sort of chamber music atmosphere to the proceedings. For meditation, contemplation, and above all, enjoyment.
-C.W. Franz

credits

released July 11, 2021

C.W. Franz:
piano, breathing (2), keyboards (3), sampling (3), mixing, production

For this release, C.W. Franz was joined by:

Nicky V.:
electric guitar (1-2), acoustic guitar (4)

Steve Williams:
electric lap steel guitar (5)

Rodnell Matos:
mandolin (4)

Larry Salzman:
frame drum (1), rainstick (1), shakers (1), temple blocks (1), Akai drum machine (2), synth vibraphone (2), bells (5), sound design (5)

Reinaldo Ocando:
marimba (4)

Joe Di Fiore:
Eb clarinet (2), piccolo (4)

Oscar:
bansuri flutes (1), EWI (5)

Camille Bois:
Ondes Martenot (3)

D. Heming:
ice breaking (3)

Kyle Bottcher:
mastering

Cover art is The Piano Lesson by Henri Matisse, 1916

license

some rights reserved

about

C.W. Franz Chicago, Illinois

Enterprising poet with a strange taste in music. Butchering everything from folk to musique concrete or something.

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