cubest 025

Some sessions seem to go so well that I decide to showcase them on a single Cubest album and this is the case with Cubest 025. It wasn’t a massive turnout on the evening, but crucially we had a newbie arrive in the shape of Priscilla Andersohn, who took to the vocals like a pro. The instrumentation around her voice is balanced and sparse, allowing us room to manoeuvre, though much of the time we chose not to

Despite the fact that we’re improvising throughout, the tracks sound like pre-written songs and I’ve left them in the order we performed them. In fact, the only track not to appear here is the final one we did, which has a sound to it that I disliked, so I decided to round things off one track early

To me it sounds like a singer has turned up to record her album only to find her band has been replaced by us and it is decided to record the album anyway, off the cuff. There are mistakes, especially with my drumming, but the end result is surprisingly listenable

Cubest 025 might come across as a demo, but it’s a demo of an album that should probably be recorded …

Planet Gong

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

Priscilla asked if we had any effects for the vocals, so I whacked some on …

A Fair Few

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

Marcus hits a chord progression and Priscilla comes straight in with some vocals. Martin finds the chords and does some nice bass work around them, while Jon compliments him on guitar. You can hear Tim with his clackers, but the tune remains floaty and anthemic. I find a little line to play on melodica and it’s all very restrained …

Wonderous Sky

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

I’m messing around on my synth and Marcus introduces a lovely chord progression very quickly. Once again Martin is quick on the bass and I begin modulating my synth in the background. By the time Priscilla comes in I’ve moved over to the drums with a little cymbal action. Priscilla delivers something akin to lyrics, her words sometimes discernible, sometimes indistinct. A beat forms. I realised afterwards that I’m playing one beat behind everyone else, something I do from time to time and something I’m trying to remember to work on correcting. Somehow I slip into time, but I don’t think it matters. It’s a great tune …

Fantabulosa

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

Crashing into Fantabulosa. We’d been playing for a minute or two, but very untogether. It wasn’t until Jon came in with his guitar riff that I could tune in and get it together. I like Marcus’ organ sound. Tim comes in with a short trumpet solo. I adapt my beat, trying to keep time. When it drops out at about 2:40 it’s because I can’t keep up my beat, but it seems to work. It drops again then rises and Jon starts soloing, reminding me of Bob Dylan’s Band. When it drops down for the final time Marcus plays some great lines on the organ and I build it up, but am aware we could keep doing this forever and make an executive decision to end it quickly. Luckily everyone else reacts too. You can’t do that with machines …

Even Then

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

I kinda like the two tracks that fade in. Marcus is plonking on his keyboard, Priscilla is straight in, Martin drops in the odd bass note, Jon finds some notes to pluck, while I struggle with my synth, sometimes loud, sometimes very quiet. There’s a nice feel to the tune. Here and there I try to follow Priscilla’s vocals in the round, which isn’t that easy bearing in mind even Priscilla doesn’t know what she’s singing. It’s a gentle tune with heart, floating along. Near the end my synth returns and Martin plays some nice bass lines, while Priscilla’s voice gently floats over top. Nice ending …

You Belong To Me

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

Jon’s guitar sound like a chicken clucking and Tim’s clackers compliment this. Martin is in funk mode and plays some excellent bass, while Marcus’ organ grinds away. I’ve decided to drop the drums out from time to time and am pleased to hear the others picking up on this. It works especially well when Priscilla’s vocals come in. It sound like she might be reading from her note book, which I think she referred to from time to time. It could be one of singles off the album. The stop start nature seems to be working well throughout, but particularly at the end …

An Unkind Vision

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

We slipped into a more serious and thoughtful mood next, with Marcus playing some very impressive piano off the cuff. Martin’s bass is impressive too. Priscilla’s lyrics are lovely. I provide some sparse melodica, but there’s very little to the instrumentation and it suits the mood perfectly …

Makes No Difference

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

Jon and Martin are playing a lovely riff together. Priscilla comes in, tuneful, soulful, meaningful. Annoyingly you can hear me trying to find the key on melodica in the background at one point. Marcus comes in on the second verse and the arrangement is complete. I provide the odd stab of melodica, but the main event is Priscilla’s voice, following Martin’s lead on bass. Again this sounds like a proper song …

Found The Spring In My Step

2018 01 10 –
Marcus Valentine: Keyboards;
Keef Chemistry: Melodica, Vocals, Percussion, Synth, Effects;
Jon Shepherd: Guitar;
Martin Urmson: Bass;
Tim Robertson: Trumpet, Clackers;
Priscilla Andersohn: Vocals;

My chosen end point. It’s an instrumental and makes a nice way to round things off. The vibe is upbeat, based on Jon’s guitar riff. Martin once again displays how well he plays the bass, running around the frets. Marcus comes in on vibes, then switches to a nice thin synth sound and we’re fully-formed again. Bit by bit I play less, looking for an end point, weirdly speeding up on drums, then deciding playing even less would be easier, eventually stopping and leaving them to it. They find their own end point incredibly well …

It’s my hope that Cubest 025 sounds like a complete album, as it’s an honest account of what transpired on the night of this session …

  • keef chemistry

artist and musician