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A little bit of chopin goes a long way
A RICH FUSION OF ROCK, WORLD MUSIC, JAZZ AND THE CLASSICS FASHIONED FROM THE IRREPRESSIBLE EMOTION OF CHOPIN’S MUSIC AND STORY.
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The show
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Listen:
The Music
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Atacama Hope
Based on the inspiring, breath-taking story of the Chilean miners in 2010, trapped for 69 days below ground as they prayed for, hoped for, and eventually found their freedom.
Vistula Vision
Chopin watched as his native land struggled for independence. A century later, in 1920, on the banks of the Vistula, Poland finally won her hard-fought freedom.
Turbulent Times
In the middle of testing times like these, we need a resting place, a rock that is higher
Wild Frontier
The unfamiliar can fill our vision with uncertainty and even hostility, filling us with undue foreboding. Life and beauty awaits, however, as we face our fears and break new ground.
East River
Chopin’s (frenetic) 1st prelude reminded me of the constant momentum of New York City life as viewed from the East River.
In composing from the material in this prelude, I drew from the consistent rhythmic movement and Chopin’s well-crafted harmony.
Exiled in Paris
Chopin spent most of his adult life away from his native land of Poland. He grieved to see his motherland struggling for freedom, and his music surely represents this heartache.
He knew what it was to feel like an alien in a foreign land. This track is based on a few ideas from Prelude no.10.
New Found Land
A challenge (though often painful) is also an opportunity to grow, to think and live differently.
Chopin produced ground-breaking musical expression (especially in his preludes) in the midst of (at times) agonizing illness. In crafting this piece, I borrowed from Prelude no.11.
Sand
Based on Chopin’s best known prelude (no.20).
The original melody is transformed using 5 time, with a further section in 7 time, plus an improvised section.
The result is a musical picture of Chopin’s vicissitudinal relationship with George Sand: caring, passionate, dynamic, but increasingly turbulent!
Hidden fire
Sometimes we meet people who have amazing depth and presence (which is often not immediately apparent); they carry a hidden fire…
In Prelude no.15, the left hand takes the melody while the right hand has an insistent pedal note above. The idea of cross rhythms (3 vs 4) is borrowed from Prelude no.23.
G.a.L
For my wife Geraldine (G.A.L.), a gospel singer with fantastic creative rhythmic ideas; this is our wedded dance.
A single note is added to Chopin’s 8-note motif from Prelude no.23. The pattern is organised into 4, 3 & 2 note groupings (a kind of 9 time). As the piece develops, listen out for other groovy syncopations and cross-rhythms!
More Releases Coming soon
Soulful melodies and breathtaking rhythms tell stories from around the world
Artists
making the noise
Carey Luce
Carey’s creative effervescence flows into his producing, session playing, and overflows now into his Chopin Fusion project with his band CASTLERAY.
Geraldine Latty
encourager, songwriter, performer, worship leader, vocal coach and choir director. Her music fuses Soul, Gospel, Blues, World, and Jazz styles.
Tom Hooper
Tom (aka The Admiral!) is a seasoned jazz musician, meticulous in tonal choice (will bring 7 snares to a session!) yet joyfully creative; a much admired session player.
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the fusion
What is ‘Chopin Fusion’?
Ten new pieces loaded with character, wide-ranging in emotion, igniting imagination and packing a party punch of soulful melodies and captivating rhythms.
Carey the composer says:
“I picked my top 10 from Chopin’s original Preludes and started improvising using features that struck me from each Prelude, like interesting melodic fragments or sophisticated rhythms.”
The result is (after much sweat!) ‘Chopin Fusion’
Who is Carey and what is CASTLERAY?
Carey Luce, a graduate musician of Goldsmiths’ College London, has worked in a wide range of musical contexts and says ”as a composer, drawn to Chopin’s Preludes, I’m fascinated by how these miniature pieces can say so much within a short space of time.”
Working with the talented Tom Hooper, (who added a drummer’s interpretation to the album) and performed by the band CASTLERAY with bass Meister Matt Weeks and vivid vocalising from Geraldine Latty (his wife) and Gemma Scharnowski, Chopin Fusion was very well received for its debut performance in York in January 2022.
Carey enthuses:
“There’s enough structure so that you can feel a part of the story.
Please journey with me and my friends in the band whose terrific talents bring Chopin Fusion to life.”
What is the sound of Chopin Fusion?
Agitato! – this is Chopin’s instruction or performance marking at the beginning of his Prelude no. 1 priming us for the drama which peaks only 15 seconds later! The creative musical journey unfolds with melodies that are immediately hooky that are sometimes bold and in your face, other times racked with pathos all interlaced with rich harmonic language and ‘juiced’ with funky backbeats.
Carey explains:
“Improvisation sections are deliberately short rather than an extended jazz fest that can sometimes leave the audience non-plussed…”
Difficult to play, easy to listen to
When asked about the difficulty level, Carey laughs, “They’re pretty tricky to play to be honest, but ideas within them are very playable; some chord structures are easy to pick up, get inspired by, and have major fun.
Who is ‘Chopin Fusion’ for?
Whether you love listening to new sounds or dancing around the room to funky grooves, a beginner player or a seasoned muso, you will quickly encounter the magnetic attraction of Chopin Fusion.
…and finally
Carey sums up the sound of Chopin Fusion:
“Brace yourself for the rhythmic diversity of world music, the freedom of jazz, the structural clarity of classical music, and the energy of rock.”
BOOK CASTLERAY!
Book Castleray
Contact us for bookings and enquiries
Contact Carey and CASTLERAY at www.chopinfusion.com/
Available to stream on all major platforms.
Piano scores available from www.LuceMusic.london