Sometimes a piece of music starts with a plan. Sometimes it starts with a chord progression that simply refuses to leave your head.
And sometimes it starts in a Bangkok music bar.
That’s where I first met Irish keyboardist and songwriter Keith Nolan. Keith was playing funk, soul and blues with his seriously hot band, fronted by Aussie diva extraordinaire Deni Hines. We got talking, connected through music and became friends.
Not long afterwards, I had this chord progression and melody line buzzing around my head. I couldn’t shake it. So I did what any songwriter might do — I invited myself over to Keith’s home.
Together, we began developing what would become our smooth-jazz “symphony”, “Serenade in Cool.”
I use the word symphony rather loosely. There are no orchestral movements or grand concert hall involved. But the piece does move through four distinct musical sections, rather than following the familiar verse–chorus–verse–chorus–bridge formula. It takes you somewhere.
Once we had the foundations down, I sent the demo to Thai jazz-guitar supremo Kris Nandharaj, who added another dimension to the melody with his wonderfully tasteful guitar lines. Kris has that rare ability to add something special without ever overcrowding the music.
Then it was time to turn the idea into a record.
The three of us headed down the road to Polarbear Studios in Bangkok, where we were joined by saxophonist Nowkung, bassist Nueng Akarapol and US-born drummer Shawn Kelley.
That was when Serenade in Cool really began to breathe.
We did take after take, searching for those little moments when great musicians stop simply playing the notes and start creating something together. We wanted to make sure our world-renowned technical producer, Moose, had everything he needed to shape the performances into something that might just melt a few hearts.
That’s why we do what we do, right?
The finished track has landed exactly where I hoped it would.
When I listen to it, I hear echoes of those wonderful GRP recordings my brother repeatedly installed into my wee musical brain all those years ago. There are riffs, melodies and textures that take me back to the music of David Sanborn, Lee Ritenour and Dave Grusin — artists whose records showed just how sophisticated, melodic and accessible jazz could be.
That was the sweet spot I wanted Serenade in Cool to find:
Organic enough to feel creative. Melodic enough to stay with you. Smooth enough to find a home on radio.
Most importantly, it sounds like a group of musicians enjoying the experience of making music together.
And perhaps that’s the extraordinary part.
A melody buzzing around in one person’s head travels from a living room to a guitarist, into a Bangkok recording studio, through the hands and hearts of some exceptional musicians — and eventually becomes something people around the world can hear.
“Serenade in Cool” — October 10 on all major music platforms.
Thanks, bro. I think some of those GRP records stuck.
