Impact Zone

“Impact Zone” is an original instrumental in which I try to get a surf-rock/Ventures/garage band vibe.

Ten Weeks

“Ten Weeks” is an original jazz-rock-funk fusion track.

Seneca

“Seneca” is an original composition in which I try to combine the feel of 60’s instrumental guitar rock with a somewhat more sophisticated musical and harmonic language than was typical for that genre. This native-American inspired track is similar to the style of the Shadows, who also did a number of American-Indian themed recordings.

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Nivram

“Nivram” (Marvin spelled backwards) was a track from the Shadows 1961 album “The Shadows” — the first album release, which went to #1 on the UK album charts.

Writing credit for “Nivram” is given to Bruce Welch, Hank Marvin and Jet Harris. It is a swing jazz tune.

 

Rumble

One might say that “Rumble“, an instrumental originally released by Link Wray & His Ray Men in April 1958, started the whole instrumental guitar rock thing. One of its most notable features was the distorted guitar tone — largely a new idea at the time.

It was banned in several US radio markets because the term “rumble” was a slang term for a gang fight and it was feared that the piece’s harsh sound glorified juvenile delinquency. In spite of this, it became a hit in the United States, where it climbed to number 16 on the charts in the summer of 1958.

The Rumble

“The Rumble” is the first track on the Shadows’ 1962 album “Out of the Shadows”. It was written by Ike Isaacs, a self-taught jazz guitarist who was born in Rangoon, Burma in 1919.  He moved to England in the mid-1940’s and became a staple of the music scene there.

My version of this tune is basically a cover of the Shadow’s original.

Good Day Sunshine

“Good Day Sunshine” was released by the Beatles on their 1966 album Revolver. It was written mainly by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney.

My instrumental arrangement follows the original, but is a bit more aggressive in feel.

The Lady in the Shadows

“The Lady in the Shadows” is an original composition in which I try to combine the feel of 60’s instrumental guitar rock with a somewhat more sophisticated musical and harmonic language than was typical for that genre. This one is similar to the style of the Shadows.

I’m Only Surfing (Sleeping)

“I’m Only Sleeping” is credited as a Lennon–McCartney song but was written primarily by John Lennon. It was released on the Beatles’ 1966 studio album Revolver. In the United States and Canada, it was one of the three tracks that Capitol Records cut from the album and instead included on Yesterday and Today, released two months before Revolver.

My instrumental arrangement turns the song into a surf-rock number, so I have retitled it “I’m Only Surfing”.

The Word

“The Word” was co-written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and released on the Beatles 1965 album Rubber Soul. Reportedly they wrote it after smoking marijuana, something they had not done before in a composing session.

My instrumental version maintains the feel of the original while making some adjustments to the instrumentation.

Wait

“Wait” was released by the Beatles, on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. The songwriting credit is Lennon–McCartney, and the song is usually said to be a joint effort between the two — although both have indicated at one time or another that the song was mainly Sir Paul’s.

The song was originally recorded for Help! in June 1965 but was rejected for inclusion on that album. When Rubber Soul fell one song short for a Christmas release, “Wait” was brought back.

My instrumental arrangement is not a straight cover, but does folllow the original contours.

Girl

This is my instrumental arrangement of “Girl“, which was primarily written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and included on the Beatles 1965 album Rubber Soul. This is one of the more melancholic and complex of the Beatles’ early love songs.

Check In

“Check In” is an original composition in which I try to combine the feel of 60’s instrumental guitar rock with a somewhat more sophisticated musical and harmonic language than was typical for that genre. This one is similar to the style of the Shadows.

The Boys

The Boys was a 1962 British courtroom drama film, directed by Sidney J. Furie and with a screenplay by Stuart Douglass, starring Robert Morley.

In the film, a night watchman at a garage is found murdered, and four “teddy boys” are put on trial for the crime. Witnesses and suspects give differing accounts of the lead-up to the crime, and the truth eventually emerges.

The Shadows recorded the soundtrack for the film. In the UK, four tracks were released on an EP in 1962 and was number one for three weeks there. In Australia, “The Boys” was paired with “The Girls” (also from the film) as a single and topped the charts there.

My arrangement largely follows the Shadows original.

Tell Me What You See

“Tell Me What You See” first appeared in 1965 on their album Help! in the United Kingdom and on Beatles VI in the United States. As with all Beatles compositions by either of the two, the song is credited to Lennon–McCartney.  However, the consensus is that it is entirely Paul McCartney’s work.

My instrumental arrangement preserves much of the feel of the original while adding some additional rhythmic variety.