the cubest compilation series by the cube orchestra now numbers fourteen, with the release of cubest 014. it’s a bumper edition, totaling 47 minutes, as it features tracks from a single session too numerous to fit within my remit of 35-40 minutes, but too good to split up

i had moved away from the notion of using tracks from single sessions and back to that of including a variety of sessions and thus musicians, but here the session from 3 june 2015 has variety, yet sounds very complete, almost like a band session

the subsequent task of selecting tracks, not selecting tracks and then editing those tracks down resulted in an album length of 47:23, from session tracks lasting 1:28:22, leaving 40:59 of music on the cutting room floor. i wanted to cut the time further, but felt it would be going too far, always a bit paranoid about whose bits i remove and how they might feel about it. it’s not that i thought the rest was not worth listening to, it’s simply that i was trying to balance finding a structure for the listener and keeping in as much juicy stuff as possible

what [always] astounds me is that these tracks sound like an album, yet were created on the spot, without any arrangement, through improvisation. it’s a testament to the skill and interaction between the musicians present, along with that ingredient you simply can’t turn on – vibe. whatever it was, something clicked at that session and it worked

cubest 014 and indeed the entire cubest series can be auditioned and downloaded for free on the cube orchestra website, so i encourage you to go check out the grooves

cubest 014 by the cube orchestra
cubest compilation series
cube orchestra website