I WILL FIND MY WAY - released on all streaming platforms July 25, 2024
Music has been many things over the years since I started on piano at age six: a mostly boring and frustrating kids nightmare at my mother’s insistence, my progress overseen by a stern private teacher in whose presence I cannot recall having an ounce of fun; years later, music was a magical shield, a way to transport myself out of horrors I faced at home as I became entranced by the popular music of that time. This is when I took up guitar and bass and joined my first band (Monsoon) at age 16. I was smitten with the guitar Gods of rock and roll, and loved pop, folk, then funk, fusion, progressive rock; then jazz, classical Indian ragas, African drumming, salsa, and later electronic music, New Age, Ambient music, modern finger style guitar and a bunch of other genres I’m sure I’ve left out. I took up the sitar and other instruments and threw myself into learning theory and composition. Throughout this long arc, I was steeped in the Western Classical tradition, learning to play Bach, Beethoven, Mozart first on piano, and in college taking up classical and jazz guitar. I was incredibly fortunate to have wonderful teachers (save that first one!). But I was a restless student - constantly falling in love with yet another genre. I was the ultimate master of none.
By the time I got to Cal Arts I mistakenly believed I actually new something about music, that I could proudly count myself a musician. But I came face to face with 200 conservatory-trained musicians all of whom seemed so much more accomplished than me that I fell into a deep depression and spent several very dark months contemplating leaving music altogether (and worse). It was during this time that music became my tormentor, then my best friend, then a mirror, a life saver and a means to find my way. I had not written any music for five or six months when one night I decided I would write a piece that would document the depression I was experiencing and compose the ending so as to find my way back to myself and my relationship with music. The moment I threw myself back into composing, the depression lifted. That was the first time music concretely helped me find my way.
That was in 1978. Since then I have continued soaking up genres, composing, song-writing, accompanying, taking up tabla, deepening my exploration of modern fingerstyle guitar, and ultimately arriving at this place - forming and composing instrumental music for MVI, a progressive acoustic group of virtuoso musicians that enables me to incorporate all of the musics I have absorbed along the way into what is hopefully a fully integrated, accessible blend that listeners will find both refreshing and sometimes challenging, new and yet familiar. My primary composition teacher - Pulitzer Prize winner, Mel Powell - instilled in me the notion that there is a bond, a contract between a composer/performer and a listener. The listener gives their attention and their hard-earned money; the composer/performer must then give the listener their absolute best. There is no “good enough.” I Will Find My Way lives up to this.
It does so in the musicians performing, all exceedingly accomplished players with a vast range of performing and recording experience. I have been overwhelmed by the magic they have brought to this recording.
It does so in the care taken in the recording process. That starts with Dan Feiszli, my co-producer, recording and mix engineer, bass player extraordinaire, and a great friend. There is no compromise in how this music has been recorded. Dan brings many years of expertise to the process - put a good set of headphones on and feast your ears!
It does so as well in the production of the three videos for this album. Our videographer, Mark Heim at Maximum Flavor Media brings the same commitment and expertise to the videos as Dan does to the audio.
It does so in the choice of Grammy award and 5x Latin Grammy winner, mastering engineer Adam Ayan who previously mastered In The Rain Shadow.
And my fervent hope is that listeners will find that it does so, in the end, in the music itself . . .
NOTES ON THE ALBUM
I Will Find My Way is divided into three parts. Part One consists of three new compositions written for MVI in its quintet form: Winds, Violin, Cello, Guitar and Upright Bass. Part Two consists of two pieces for the full seven-member group including our two percussionists, Ty Burhoe and MB Gordy. Part Three consists of four pieces recorded on previous albums, here re-written and rearranged for the smaller MVI quintet.
PART ONE (Quintet)
The Four - an ode to parenting
This piece is inspired by four people near and dear to my heart. Two of them are my children. The other two are my surrogate children. The four of them grew up together in a wondrous organic pod of humanity that was more than friendship and sibling bonds. Their need to be together was an absolute force-of-nature non-negotiable imperative. They were a marvel to behold. Now, twenty-five years later, and despite being separated by geography, they are still bound together. The piece is written both to try to capture the sheer joy of parenting these four as well as to reflect the nearly universal sentiment of parents looking back over the arc of their kids’ childhoods as a head-spinning blur that seems in retrospect to go by with blinding speed. To capture that, I’ve written a short piece that intentionally transitions from texture to texture in rapid fire succession. There is a literal moment in the middle of the piece in which the cello plays a series of notes that are rhythmically independent of all the other instruments to represent my son’s penchant for frequently deciding to do his own thing in the context of The Four. Check out the violin solo Mads plays just before the coda.
Squall
Credit given to my wonderful wife for the title. Having listened to an early version, she said it felt like the piece started with someone watching a gathering storm approach, then the storm breaking over them and then ultimately dissipating. Given my wife’s fascination with, and love for, weather, the breaking of this storm is followed by a joyous moment in which being drenched in a storm is deemed FUN! This piece harks back to my love of rock and funk and a singable bluesy melody (and the Lydian mode for all you theory geeks!). For the guitar folks: this piece is tuned C - G - D - G - A - D but with a capo at the 7th fret only on the first five strings. I have never done this before!
Three Bridges
This piece takes its title from the place where it was mostly written - along one of my favorite hiking trails in the Eastern Sierra mountains of California. The trail meanders along Rock Creek. As it does, it criss-crosses the creek with a series of wooden bridges. Three because the piece is in three distinct sections: 1) a fast 7-beat Tangoesque romp; 2) a slower completely improvised section for pizzicato bass, cello and violin accompanied by me playing percussion on my guitar (with Matt playing a few sax flourishes), and 3) a classical Chaconne based on a repeating set of chords with textures changing each time the chords repeat.
PART TWO (the full group)
Icarus
If ever there was a piece of instrumental progressive acoustic music that could be considered a “hit tune,” Icarus is it. Written by Ralph Towner in the early 1970’s (I count him as a major influence), and recorded by the Paul Winter Consort with none other than George Martin (of Beatles fame) producing, this gorgeous melody begged for an updated arrangement - and I was told by members of MVI and others that this group was the ideal group to do this. In tribute to Ralph and the Paul Winter Consort, I have arranged the beginning of the piece very close to the original version. The B section melody is exactly the same as the original but the accompaniment is my own.
More Hot Apple Stuff
An updated version of a piece that first appeared on the album Interconnected.
PART THREE (Quintet)
Higher Desert
This is a re-written version of the piece High Desert from In The Rain Shadow. After performing the piece, I decided to extend the intro, replace the English Horn with Soprano Sax, and replace the electric bass with upright bass in addition to a few other changes. Give some serious attention to Dan Feiszli’s upright bass playing in this piece. It’s extraordinary!
Cloud Shadows Revisited
This is a re-write of Cloud Shadows from In The Rain Shadow. Really, it’s a new piece with some of the same harmonies and melody from the first version.
Alluvial Fans Revisited
Another substantial re-write from the version on In The Rain Shadow.
In The Rain Shadow
This is really a re-mix of the original, just with the percussion taken out.
CREDITS
MADS TOLLING/Violin
MATT RENZI/Oboe/English horn/sax
JOSEPH HEBERT/Cello
MARK VICKNESS/Guitar
DAN FEISZLI/Upright Bass
with TY BURHOE (tabla) and MB GORDY (percussion)
Part One (quintet)
The Four
Squall
Three Bridges
Part Two (septet)
4. Icarus
5. More Hot Apple Stuff
Part Three (quintet)
6. Higher Desert
7. Cloud Shadows Revisited
8. Alluvial Fans Revisited
9. In The Rain Shadow Revisited
Produced by Mark Vickness and Dan Feiszli
All compositions by Mark Vickness except Icarus (written by Ralph Towner/arranged by Mark Vickness)
Copyright 2024 Mark Vickness; All Rights Reserved, Except Icarus
Recorded and mixed by Dan Fieszli at What’s For Lunch, El Cerrito, CA and 25th Street Recording, Oakland, CA
Mastered by Adam Ayan, Ayan Mastering, Portland, ME
Art/Design by Sara Glaser Design
Video by Mark Heim, Maximum Flavor Media, San Francisco, CA
CRITICAL PRAISE FOR I WILL FIND MY WAY
“Mark Vickness’s musical journey spans a lifetime of exploration and mastery across various genres and cultural traditions. With a foundation in Western classical tradition and experiences ranging from jazz to world music, Vickness and MVI embody the belief that music is a universal language that transcends boundaries. Their music speaks to the interconnectedness of humanity, offering a rich tapestry of sounds that resonate with listeners worldwide.” Jon Stojan, LA Weekly - 7/15/24
https://www.laweekly.com/mvi-premieres-the-four-music-video-today/
Music to lift you out of your lull – to soothe the soul and raise the mood, to entertain and impress; everything we hope for when we press play or enter a venue. Mark Vickness Interconnected captures the very essence of all of this, and does so from the very moment the music hits the airwaves. Rebecca Cullen, Stereo Stickman, 8/10/24
https://stereostickman.com/music/mvi-mark-vickness-interconnected-i-will-find-my-way/
“A must-listen for fans of jazz, classical, and world music, and for anyone who appreciates innovative and well-crafted instrumental music.” Broken 8 Records - 7/25/24
With I Will Find My Way MVI once again offer a rich tapestry of engaging melodies and harmonies, expertly embedded within interesting and multifaceted arrangements that draws from a diverse pool of influences and performed by top-flight musicians. Truly sublime! Bob Mulvey, The Progressive Aspect - 9/9/24
“A musical odyssey, blending intricate compositions with soul-stirring melodies. Inspired by the beauty of interconnectedness, both musically and environmentally, the album is a testament to MVI’s commitment to artistic excellence. Each track is crafted with meticulous attention to detail, inviting listeners to embark on a transformative sonic experience.” Vents Magazine - 7/26/2024
The nine-song set is a showcase for the band’s unique instrumental progressive acoustic fusion sound. From the cinematic melodies of “The Four” to the experimental expanse and rhythmic grooves of “Higher Desert”, the record captures a collective of world-class musicians at the top of their game. Bob Smith, Static Dive, 8/12/24