Cliff's Edge

TobinMueller

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Description

Jazz ensemble piece performed by several friends of mine. It features two really great sax solos. It was recorded at Lawrence University choir room and I edited it down (the original was over 8 minutes) in Garageband. Jeff Cox on acoustic bass. Dane Richeson on drums. Woody Mankowski and Doug Schneider on saxophones. Ken Schaphorst on flugelhorn. Bob Levy on trumpet. (Artwork by Alan Perry.)

Cliff's Edge won the Macjams song contest in the autumn of 2004. It is a jazz interpretation of my composition "This One" from my Off Broadway musical drama "Creature" (based on Frankenstein).

Other songs featuring some of the same players:
I Wanna Fly
Windowshade
River Runs through Me
A Promise
Dreams III

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Song Stats

Hits: 13028
Comments: 58
Fans: 47
Plays: 2416
Downloads: 814
Votes: 70
Uploaded: Apr 22, 2004 - 01:52:36 PM
Last Updated: Feb 28, 2007 - 10:10:43 AM Last Played: Jan 08, 2018 - 02:50:40 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Hardware:

Recorded on Yamaha equipment; mixed on a Mac.

Software:

ProTools; Peak; GarageBand.

Comments

piker	piker said 5114 days ago (April 22nd, 2004)
	Groovy ...as in, contains many fine grooves. Diggable. Check out my latest song called Jimmy Crack Corn

macapa	macapa said 5114 days ago (April 22nd, 2004)
	Another keeper Jeez, Tobin, if you keep offering this much good music to MacJams, I won't need to buy another CD for a long while. (hehe) I'm keeping "this one too". Thanks for posting it!--- Thierry Daigneault

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 5073 days ago (June 2nd, 2004)
	Another keeper Nice catch on the title change, macapa. And thanks for the comments. I'll try and keep them coming! I was part of the Internet is Free 90's movement, the synergy of collaboration and everyone in it for the art thing. That's what ArtsForge was all about. Now MacJams is a perfect venue. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

Mcboy	Mcboy said 5114 days ago (April 22nd, 2004)
	yumma..yumma.yumma..... i dig this the mostest...........soprano sax solo was hip.....arrangement was topnotch....nice big sound from the ensemble..drummer reminds me of the late eric gravatt from Mccoy Tyners big band of the seventies...a 9 from me.... Check out my latest song called Bluesphemy (MJRF 2010)

kevin_stone	kevin_stone said 5114 days ago (April 22nd, 2004)
	Great musicianship Wow you know some great players.. Knock out Check out my latest song called Mary

mujigo	mujigo said 5113 days ago (April 23rd, 2004)
	Very Nice Very Nice Check out my latest song called Bernie's Tune

	morrie said 5111 days ago (April 24th, 2004)
	Way to go Tobin Tobin, As of this moment, your song sits atop the ratings scale with an 8.27 from 11 ratings. Very nice. There are some people who really like what you and your very talented friends are creating. And I'm one of them.---Morrie Check out my latest song called Just Be Calm

	detdom said 5111 days ago (April 25th, 2004)
	Way to go Tobin diddo! amazing talent, performance, arrangement and overall finished product! definete keeper! 10 from me detdom (d.g.c)

	casbahp said 5109 days ago (April 27th, 2004)
	brightened up my day thanks, tobin-what a treat!

mstuartev

mstuartev said 5107 days ago (April 28th, 2004)

Reminds of an afternoon
in the parking lot outside Old Orchard Shopping center
with my pops
listening to Woody HErman's Wambling Herd, wailing as the summer set sat down
well, a smaller ensemble
nicely done
I rekon a lotta 'ears' on Macjams don't hear this sort of thing too often (if ever at all). good exposure and good work. niiiiicce solo and mix-----You haven't lived til you been to Clarksdale

Check out my latest song called You're the One

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4864 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Reminds of an afternoon Woody Herman's Herd was my dad's favorite too! Yeah, they knew how to cut it up, thats for sure. Thanks for the memory. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

	said 5106 days ago (April 30th, 2004)
	Indeed... ...Very nice! Are you sure Flim Johnson isn't there, too? How 'bout the BB's?

	Anonymous said 5104 days ago (May 1st, 2004)
	Cool, Daddy-O When can I buy the album?

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4722 days ago (May 19th, 2005)
	Cool, Daddy-O (Why is it that when someone wants to buy the album, they also want to remain anonymous!) Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

	tarki said 5100 days ago (May 6th, 2004)
	helal sana...(turkish bravo) cong.... you must be sell this :) Check out my latest song called bassbass

penguinsocks

penguinsocks said 5086 days ago (May 20th, 2004)

awesome!
one great big reason why this song is so successful is that
it's recorded with REAL instruments played by REAL
musicians. you can't replicate a sound like this in GB and
with that kind of variation.
it got better and better as it went along. there was one
key moment where i thought, ah! this really worked in this
instant, the way everything fit together, and it kept going
with full strength. drums sound great. i like how they
sound further back when the song picks up.

Check out my latest song called reel me softly in the shade

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 5073 days ago (June 2nd, 2004)
	awesome! Wow. Great ears. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

Ringo

Ringo said 5076 days ago (May 30th, 2004)

Yeah, Loved it
Used to play a lot of stuff like this with some of the music
students when I was at college (only nowhere near as
good). The recording quality is pretty good too.

Love to know where the title came from. I did a drum and
piano duet that ended up being called "Cake on Friday"
because it was Friday and..yeah you can guess the rest.
We even improvised the titles...

Anyway, this is Quality Stuff. Excellent

Check out my latest song called Real Slow

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 4722 days ago (May 19th, 2005)

Yeah, Loved it
The song is loosely based on a showtune I wrote called "This One." The
working title for the jazz version was "This One Too," as a pun for the count
off, "One, two..." But when I tried to imagine what the song did inside my
head, I felt like I was flying along the edge of a cliff, like in one of those Imax
movies. So I changed the title. Kind of dig the idea of dancing along a cliff's
edge while playing, and using that as an analogy for improvising, too. I like
titles that connote movement.

Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

	JamesDeCaro said 5076 days ago (May 30th, 2004)
	lawrence This is a nice tune. Sounds like the recording is from a couple years ago...I'm currently at Lawrence as a music major. Levy is retiring this year, Schaphorst is teaching at NEC (though he came and played here a while ago), and Dane is still here.

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 5073 days ago (June 2nd, 2004)

lawrence
Yes, we recorded this in the choir room just off the practice rooms,
improvising a sound partition to "isolate" the drums, and stuck the recording
machine and Jeremy Satchell (in headphones) in the closet, balancing his
coffee on his LA Sound equipment. Never signed the tracks on with anyone,
so I recently edited down the original 8:48 track to post and share on
MacJams.

Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

obbster	obbster said 5067 days ago (June 8th, 2004)
	Impressive Impressive, i love it. Check out my latest song called Attack Ships On Fire

csnowbar said 5066 days ago (June 9th, 2004)

Good stuff!
This is a tight groove, man. Your nephew is a talented arranger. You're not so bad yourself either. I was a music major in college. Vocal was my emphasis, but I play piano, drums, and guitar. I hope someday to learn how to play some wind instruments so I can do some good arrangements, because, as you know, the best arrangers are those who know how to play the instruments they are arranging for. Correct me if I'm wrong but your nephew is probably an accomplished musician, right? I'm sure your just as good, if not better. Anyway, I keep blathering on. I've written some themes similar in style to this piece, but that was before Garageband came around. I've ordered it from Apple and it should be here any day now. As soon as I get some songs layed down, I'll be posting them. They won't be anywhere near the quality of yours (due to the lack of live instruments and accomplished players) but you might enjoy listening. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this piece and will be looking for more. Thanks for sharing.

Craig Snowbarger

	csnowbar said 5066 days ago (June 9th, 2004)
	Question I forgot to ask you. Were you referring to Lawrence, Kansas? I was born and raised in Kansas. Just curious.

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 5039 days ago (July 6th, 2004)
	Question Lawrence University, Appleton WI. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

SlimGirlFat	SlimGirlFat said 5064 days ago (June 11th, 2004)
	As Always totally amazing sounds great musicians SlimGirlFat Check out my latest song called Waiting For You 'Feat' David Paul Newell & Slimmie

Moodee	Moodee said 5036 days ago (July 9th, 2004)
	How refreshing What can I say, I love jazz and I dream I could play this way. The joy when all the musicians explode together made me think of the joy I felt when listening to Stan Getz's "The Dirge" on the album "Billy Highstreet Samba" Thank you for the music ! Check out my latest song called Coalesce (Parkee mix) - re-uploaded

Del	Del said 5035 days ago (July 10th, 2004)
	The Best What a great groove, great shifting rhythmic space. Absolutely fantastic set up for amazing solos. Great players, great chart. Check out my latest song called The Androgyne

	said 5028 days ago (July 17th, 2004)
	More Kudos... Great jazz track. The sax grooves are, as you said, really great. Just a perfect, complete, satisfying piece of music to listen to. I can't always describe why a song is a good one. But I know when I hear one! The ear doesn't lie. Jack

mcsweb	mcsweb said 5013 days ago (August 1st, 2004)
	Professional & Tight as Ever Fantastic musicianship and writing. Beautiful attention to detail and nuance. Sounds more impressive the more you listen. Bravo! Check out my latest song called Forgotten - 12

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4864 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Professional & Tight as Ever Thanks. Yeah, we spent a ton of time on the details with this. Of course, it is easier to blend players who already know how to listen to each other, but making it work in the mix... must have taken use 4 hours just to mix it. Thanks for noticing. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

Scorpjammer	Scorpjammer said 5013 days ago (August 1st, 2004)
	Groovin on The East Coast Way to go! Love this number. Now you and your brother got proof that mom and dad are not wasting their money on your college educations! Good luck to you and your musical friends. Hope to see on the jazz fest circuit one of these days. Checkout: www.berksjazzfest.com Scorp Check out my latest song called Christmas Time Is Here

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4802 days ago (February 28th, 2005)
	Groovin on The East Coast Great comment! We all need to show proof sooner or later, don't we? Mom sang jazz for lullabyes. And my father was always a huge backer ... my entire life. Your comments mean more as the years go by. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

koolpaw	koolpaw said 5006 days ago (August 8th, 2004)
	wow great work!! its hard to play real "jazz" with computers. And this is BIG BAND JAZZ with good band arrangement :o Check out my latest song called Strong In The Rain -Amenimo Makezu

	said 5002 days ago (August 12th, 2004)
	Prickly! Never been too much in to the jazz side of life, but I love a great riff when I hear one and this one may make me change my mind! I keep playing the beginning of this track over and over again. It simply makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up as soon as it starts - just how good music is supposed to! Keep up the good work! Graham

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4864 days ago (December 28th, 2004)
	Prickly! Thanks. I love it when the music can make the hairs stand up. Thanks for listening and staying with it. I really appreciate it. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

SpasmodicMan	SpasmodicMan said 4805 days ago (February 25th, 2005)
	cats can blow Man, you cats can blow. Some great moments. Wish the recording was closer sounding, but great capture. Wish I'd a been there in the room. Took me over the cliff with ya, you did. Check out my latest song called The Androgyne

thetiler	thetiler said 4803 days ago (February 27th, 2005)
	master of suspense I've heard this before. Love the suspense of it. Another great tune! Thanks for sharing. Love that horn sound, really scootin. Check out my latest song called They Went Underground

	said 4763 days ago (April 8th, 2005)
	good ! Very good solos !

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4760 days ago (April 11th, 2005)
	good ! Yes, these cats can really blow. An absolute joy recording this. And I think we did it all in 2 takes. Such fun. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

John Stebbe	John Stebbe said 4748 days ago (April 22nd, 2005)
	Well done A great groove. So great to hear live music. You're right- the sax solos are terrific. And your nephew is doing a fine job on the 88s. Check out my latest song called Midwest States Song

Einarus	Einarus said 4741 days ago (April 30th, 2005)
	Awesome Groovy and extremely cool. Love it! Check out my latest song called "I Hate Goodbyes"

	krtaylo said 4549 days ago (November 8th, 2005)
	great toon and arrangement Love the way the arrange has space but still features some very tight harmines and rythms. Solos are incredible. I like the tune because it's accessible for the average listener. Wouls hav liked the drums to be more present but overall a fine recording in such an improvised space. Check out my latest song called 514

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 4546 days ago (November 11th, 2005)

great toon and arrangement
Jazz drums are inherently light and difficult to give the same power as normally
heard. In this case, everyone played in the same room with the drums
sequestered by 2 five foot glass walls but the sound still bled onto everyone's
mic. It was torture trying to mix it and give it the right ambience. What amazes
me his the groove he uses. He only had hits on his chart, the groove was totally
his invention. Never tell a drummer exactly what to do, they will come up with
something cooler than you can even imagine (unless, or course, you are a
drummer too.)

Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

DynamiteDave	DynamiteDave said 4522 days ago (December 5th, 2005)
	A1 Boppidy, slurpy, Seasoned, it's a slipp'n and slide'n. Enjoyed it a lot! Check out my latest song called Hot to trot

thoddi

thoddi said 4386 days ago (April 20th, 2006)

Well
Cant beleive I missed this one... this is so goooood:)

I found a link to this one from Einarus' homepage....

I can't tell any more than what has been said before... other than I really like it too:) If not that kick drum has been mentioned, it has a true jazz feel and sound to it. And that bass player kicks ass...

If you don't mind, I'll D/L a copy for my collection of MJ goodies...

Check out my latest song called The King has left

Richlee said 4297 days ago (July 18th, 2006)

Smokin'
You and the boys up there in Conn sure got something going on. Nice tight build up to those disonant voicings in the horns. Dittos on the soprano solo and your tasteful little piano licks. I thought the drummer could have taken a few extra measures up top before everything kicked in to further emphasize the intensification that permeates this piece. Loved it

Check out my latest song called The Need To Know

tatin	tatin said 4234 days ago (September 19th, 2006)
	Big sound from the band. Top notch ensemble playing from the composition. Great solos. Check out my latest song called freeash aire ( remix-me )

	said 4073 days ago (February 27th, 2007)
	not only Do you have a gorgeous brass section goin' on here - woah on the sax, the down beat is exceptional in the swing of things -> definitely see why it's a fav of yours. Nice!. - Harold

TobinMueller	TobinMueller said 4072 days ago (February 28th, 2007)
	brass section Thanks. The brass section was 2 reeds (sop and tenor sax) and 2 horns (trumpet and flugelhorn). We actually had to do a few more takes than normal to capture the kind of trumpet I was looking for, but it ended up having wonderful consequences. Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

DOCTORBIZARRE	DOCTORBIZARRE said 4073 days ago (February 27th, 2007)
	Amazingly killer Wow what a great tune! Check out my latest song called STORM

bug67	bug67 said 4073 days ago (February 27th, 2007)
	Holy Jazz ensemble Batman! Really, I'm speechless as to how to put in words the emotion this conveys to me. I love jazz. This is, without a doubt, top frickin' notch! So glad you posted a link to it in John's forum thread. Might not have heard it otherwise. So glad I stopped by! Check out my latest song called Cowboy's Song

Cori Ander	Cori Ander said 4067 days ago (March 5th, 2007)
	Really reallly great Really reallly great. First it is a super nice piece. Then it is superbly performed, really cool and dynamic. What an unerring band. And the recording: so full of natural space. This one on headphones is a treat, so naturally deep and beautiful! Glad you pointed it out!! Check out my latest song called O store Gud

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 4066 days ago (March 6th, 2007)

Headphones and the cache of MJ tunes
Thanks for listening in headphones! Music sounds so much better in good headphones. I've spent so many hours in studios listening in headphones to pristine gorgeous mixes only to be disappointed by the relatively dead spaced result of the final track in speakers. I wish they could figure out how to deliver dynamic, lush, warm, detailed sounds in speakers, or that maybe the rooms themselves could be better audio environs. Thanks for listening to this older track. I am really happy people keep listening to the cache of great tunes in the MJ database.

Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

FEEL	FEEL said 4067 days ago (March 5th, 2007)
	Tobin Really enjoyable jam... that's a great example to me of separating the men from the boys. A lot of talent thrown around in there live on the fly. Thanks for sharing.. Check out my latest song called Apathy

Scott Carmichael

Scott Carmichael said 3932 days ago (July 18th, 2007)

You are in a class by yourself
This is so good... It's clear that there are many great songs that came and went before i got here... Your mixing and production choices are always top shelf... It doesn't hurt that there is no weak link in this chain of players... But i really like your choices here in the mix... it's not fusion... it's definatley jazz... but it's ramped up... the drums don't sound like traditional jazz drums, but they're perfect for this peice, and a little testoserone soaked... you've captured a very believable stage... it's at once spacious and still in my face... tyou seam to work in 3 dimension, while I'm stuck in 2...

I often have the thought "I'd like to look over your shoulder when you work"

Check out my latest song called Dogwood

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 2393 days ago (October 4th, 2011)

Working in 3 dimensions.
Thanks, Scott. I love when you comment on my stuff. Definitely makes me feel good. I told the drummer to do a hip hop groove with a jazz feel and to not feel constrained by genre or expectation. He made the chart come alive, set the tone. A few of those almost rock moments came by accident, not original design, and I guess the whole rhythm section shares the blame. But the power of Woody's soprano sax solo added such passion to the piece that it was hard not to respond by adding a heavy dose of something to the mix. That moment is about as head-banging as jazz gets for me.

Check out my latest song called Momentary Undertow

tokai	tokai said 2437 days ago (August 21st, 2011)
	class such a beautiful piece of art. Loved it. Check out my latest song called sleeper

Fan List

Artist Info

Name: Tobin Mueller
Location: Rowayton CT USA

I am a professional musician, composer, playwright and director. I've led a charmed life. I'm married to fellow MJer Suzanne and MJer Twonicus is my son, who currently sings and writes for rock bands in the NYC, D.C. and Cleveland areas. My second s... [see more]

Check out some of my other songs:

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