This is a piece I composed last year. Actually it's the first piece I've composed since I was taking A-level music almost two decades ago.
I didn't really set out to compose anything when I started. I was having a play, as you do when you're learning jazz. Experimenting with diatonic passing notes in even quavers. I played something I liked - so I repeated it a few times until I'd fixed it in my head. Then I asked that all important question what happens next? And I came up with some more stuff and then asked the question again. And after about 10 bars I realised I should probably write it down.
It's very simple. A bunch of diatonic passing notes taking a journey round the Cycle of 5ths (with added 7th harmonies).
This is posted as an unlisted video on YouTube. If you do want to go so mad as to link to it - I'd appreciate it a lot of you would direct people to this blog so they can understand the context in which it's been posted. Thank you.
When I thought about it I realised that the piece was a little bit subconsciously influenced by Yann Teirsen's music for Amelie and maybe a little bit by Satie's Gymnopedie No 3. Although, of course, it's not in quite the same league as either! I have some personal reasons why those two pieces belong together in my mind that helped me come up with a title.
The piece is named after the 388 bus route which goes from Mansion House to Hackney Wick via the Bethnal Green Road.
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