CHAD EBY QUARTET "THE SWEET SHEL SUITE"

For years, our children have loved the poetry and stories of Shel Silverstein, and my wife and I have been deeply moved by the "grownup" messages that are delivered in ways that are equally meaningful to our children. It occurred to me that the meter, spirit, and imagery (both implied and brilliantly drawn) of these works were perfect foils for musical inspiration. The first compositions were completed in the winter of 2012-13, and I finished the last few in May of 2014. A few words about each of the tunes (leadsheets of which will download for you in PDF format): Lester (The Wish-Waster) – Lester is a character who receives wishes from a genie, and proceeds to use them to wish for more wishes, becoming greedier and greedier but yet never actually accumulating anything. The melodic fragments repeat and pile up on top of one another as the tune rolls along, eventually ending with Lester’s dissonant demise, with nothing to show for it. One of Lester Young’s favorite vehicles, “Oh, Lady Be Good," provides a loose framework. The Long-Haired Boy – This anti-bullying parable touches me deeply. The song represents the boy’s long hair lifting him into the sky, and helping him soar up and down amongst the clouds, finally bidding a not-so-fond farewell to the townspeople who tormented him, and then wanted him to be their friend once they discovered he can fly. Ourchestra – Just a go-get-em, burnout-type tune. The poem is about people playing a bunch of wild-sounding, body-part instruments, and the crazy band they make up. CHAD EBY QUARTET