Jazz EP “The Lockdown Sessions” composed and recorded during 2020’s covid-19 crisis.

And suddenly, we are in lockdown…

Words cant explain the difficult moments we are facing with this pandemic state we are experiencing for the first time in our lifetimes. An invisible menace that forced humanity on its knees, and with it, we have been clear witnesses of several issues we must deal with in order to rebuild.

One example is that the planet and its other inhabitants are far better without us and our pollution, but it’s not too late for us to use this opportunity to save the environment and have more respect for our shared home.

Our current economic models clearly are not working, disparity among the population is notorious, we have also seen that medical professionals are way more important than influencers with no other talent than looking good and/or acting like clowns. In my book, people should get notoriety if they do things better for the world, by working hard, by having artistic talent, by what they have to say, by helping others.

We have also seen the best and the worst by politicians and regular people all around the world, perhaps that’s our nature. But ask yourself : Are you actually doing something for a better world? or you are only taking from it?

Some industries are being and will be affected very hard by the recession. Music industry is one of them, as musicians rely on playing live to make a living. If during this quarantine music has make your life much easier and enjoyable, remember to support artists who are trenched making music for you.

Things have changed, that is a fact. The world wont be the same, but as usual we will endure, adapt, and survive. Of course, we must remember that every crisis brings opportunities for those who seek them.

The lockdown sessions… (Release April 24)

One night everything changed, we got alarming news and images of horror from all over the world, this science fiction movie suddenly got very very real. And then the following days we understood the magnitude of the events packed with uncertainty, fear and confusion. At the same time things became less materialistic and more human as we got this opportunity to be more introspective with our lives and understand what is actually important. It would be crazy to just go back and do things exactly like we used to at so many different levels.

I live in a small apartment in Buenos Aires, I don’t have a terrace or a balcony. The city have been designed to live more outside than inside. I have my studio in home so at least I can still make music normally. So that was an opportunity right there waiting to be exploded.

I really miss my family and my friends. I don’t know when I will see them again, being far away in a different country. This pandemia brings double the stress. Ive been following whats going on where I live, but also the difficult moments my people are facing in Ecuador.

I was managing the project of my first album which I wanted to release in a few months. Two first singles have been dropped already, and a third one is ready, but this Lockdown has been such an overwhelming experience that I really wanted to take a new and fresh approach from my artistic side and create a new work from scratch, in which I would be able to express myself with music and at the same time deliver something for other people to relate and rely on during hard times.

Even when I’m composing funk, pop or rock music, every single time people and media mentions that there is a jazzy vibe in all my music, and with a good reason.

Martin Strang during the recording of “The Lockdown Sessions” Buenos Aires, April 2020.

When I was 17, Hart (my friend James dad) talked to me about Jazz music. From Miles to Thelonious, from Charlie Parker to Herbie Hancock. I was suddenly hooked. Hart passed away a few years ago, but I always remember him with love and thank him for this important jazz introduction to my life.

Later on, I was already exposed to fusion jazz legends like Scott Henderson to mention just one. I attended a clinic with him at my university and it was mind blowing. I decided to pursue jazz training for my music.

At the time I was gigging constantly with the Joe’s Cafe Band as their composer and bassist, so I took bass lessons with Cayo Iturralde who is a very respected jazz bassist and I really expanded my musicianship during those years, only to later on, reinforce by adding more instrumentation to my sauce.

Jazz is a true love of mine and my favorite genre of music in all its variants so I wanted to create this new instrumental Jazz Ep called The lockdown sessions to flow freely outside of the box, in one of my most honest works to date.

After working many years at advertising and digital marketing I always create an entire concept out of my music projects and this is no exception.

The lockdown sessions is composed of three new songs representing past, present and future, and two interludes representing adaptability in transition. I really wanted to showcase emotions on every single note with this work

The Lockdown sessions consists of:

Soho (Past)
Interlude, Pt. 1
Quarantine (Present)
Interlude, Pt.2
November (Future)

Soho

This is a song that represents past. A more relaxed and classic Jazz club take on experiencing live music. You can even hear people clapping together before social distancing was even a thing. At the end is noticeable that something happen. It all have been so abrupt.

What’s going on? (Interlude 1)

This short statement transition us from an unexpected situation to an emotional state. Uncertainty comes to mind.

Quarantine

This song represents present, the lockdown state. Fear, sadness, acceptance. Everything into a sensible deep instrumentation form of chords waiting to transcend into emotions. This song really reflects the way I’m feeling (at the moment of writing this) regarding this crazy situation. (By the way, today is easter Sunday. )

What now? (Interlude 2)

This interlude is very calming and soothing. I was emotionally tired when I was composing this piece, So I created the music I needed to hear at the moment. An easy and warm transition to the future ahead, the kind of music that tucks you into bed. Tomorrow will be another day.

November

A song that represents change, a new beginning, a future cohesive sound to embrace. November will deliver an immersive experience. We don’t know when and if things will get back to “normal” November is just a dot in the horizon to think about the future. There will always be another November…

What is truly amazing about the music community is that musicians are ready to jump into a good project when the opportunity arise. I need to thank Pepe German for the help provided with this project. He was in charge of mixing and mastering for Soho, What’s going on?, Quarantine and What now? Fantastic work.

November was Mixed and mastered by Chris Peden.

But wait there is more…

Some of you might know that I’m also part of the Electronic duo “Mahatma Candy”, we are working on our first EP, even while it’s a project with more than a decade of planning. We are working on a big bonus for “The Lockdown Sessions” in the form of a remix of the song November.

I really hope you to enjoy this EP, please let me know if you did!