SONGoftheDAY: “Brandon Jacob” by Chuck Biel
LISTEN: “Brandon Jacob” by Chuck Biel
Charleston-based musician, composer and music educator Chuck Biel is one of the most prolific band leaders in the region. His many groups have spanned multiple genres, from high-intensity avante-garde outfits to his current blues-boogie-hard rock group Underdog Blues Revue (next gig: Fri., March 28 at the Blue Parrot) and the forthcoming jazz fusion group Punk Jazz (catch them Thurs., March 6 at the Empty Glass). He recently self-released an instrumental CD, which has some of the last recorded sounds of the young saxophonist Derick Kirk, who died last year. Biel performs all other instruments, including all fretted instruments, a midi guitar, percussion, harmonica, a swarmandel and more. We’ll let him introduce the first cut from the CD, titled “Brandon Jacob.” You can order the CD off his website at chuckbiel.com
CHUCK BIEL ON “The Courage of My Convictions”:
“I think every musician/composer eventually realizes that the good stuff comes from outside, random occurrences. Like when John Lennon heard his daughter say “Look, daddy, Lucy in the sky with diamonds…” Ping! I write often and because musical ideas seem to come easily to me, I only get attached to the tunes that are a product of things in my life. Often these tunes lead themselves, and I merely follow them to a logical end. Furthermore, I don’t have a choice as to the style of the tune because some ideas cross all musical boundaries.
I was always a little wary of presenting some of these tunes to the public because of the, say, eccentricity of the material. However, one day I was watching a video clip of the great chef Julia Child. She was flipping the contents of a hot frying pan into the air, to mix it up, with obvious potential for disaster. She said: “There is no art to flipping food — it just takes the courage of your convictions…” Ping!
Brandon Jacob was written the day my grandson was born. During that time, I had the good fortune to study with my friend, Leni Stern, who is a great instrumentalist, singer, composer and song writer. Her take on using chords led me on a path that ended with the “Brandon Jacob” chord progression and culminated in the melody being born essential on its own. It was the birthday on a birthday! Thanks for listening.”
February 20th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Brandon Jacob is a beautiful tune!! Can’t wait to check out the entire cd. Chuck is a great composer, performer and teacher. I was fortunate to study with him!!
-bryan murray
February 20th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
This is awesome, Chuck. Your music is simply the Best !!
-Sean Murphy
February 29th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Chuck Biel is one of the best there is.
March 9th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Chuck; you are an “annointed” talent. I’ve learned so much from you, not just the guitar although that alone would be sufficient. But also music theory, which helps in every facet of creativity. Thank you. (Check out my new CD, “Start Over Again” by Brothers in the Cross, on which I played bass and guitar.)
March 10th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Clarification: “Start Over Again” is not “my” CD, but one on which I was honored to play a small part (bass and an ear). BTW, “Brandon Jacob” is brilliant. The chord progression is a stroke of genius! But, one would expect no less from Mr. Biel.
March 14th, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Very nice song. Thanks for always being an
encouraging musician. Also, thanks for pounding
the drums way back when…!
Sean
March 18th, 2008 at 12:09 am
John Lennon didn’t have a daughter.
March 20th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
That is why we have fact checkers…but they were on strike…change that to “child”.