If you ever listen to the "Smooth Jazz" stations that are all over the air these days, you'll find that many popular songs are finding their way into this psuedo-morphed genre by simply re-recording the songs with a fresher, more modern beat.

Try taking some standard or classic songs that people respond to from your repertoire and adding a newer drum beat .... like a hip hop (for example)Don't make it nuts ... just add a more movin', happenin' beat and play the song with THAT style ... it'll freshen up your playlist, keep you from getting bored and maybe even spark some new ideas.

Especially at Christmas time - this can be a great tool for expanding your repertoire. Try The "Christmas Song" with a funky 16 beat or easy hip hop pattern .... it lays SO nice in that style. I even do the "Christmas Waltz" in a swing 4/4 sometimes ...... it's weird singing "....in 3 quarter time ...." when I'm in 4, buy hey ! I have poetic liscence !
Merry Christmas everyone !

Dave ,

Were you using the drum remix on the XD9 ?

Or are you talking about just using a different style/pattern ?

do

Good one UD. My wife is always saying that the accompaniment I am playing does not go with the song I am playing, but many times I do a 3\4 song in 4\4 or vice-versa. Bossa to a Swing number or Samba to a waltz tune. I know I go over the top sometimes.....But hey....doing this has greatly helped towards my timing.

Graham UK

Interesting concept. And related to an observation I made a long time ago... a good song is a good song is a good song! Case in point is the song "Misty". Several years ago someone made a very upbeat jazz organ version... sounded great. Then I heard a medium tempo C & W version! At first I thought is was downright sacrelig, but after listening more I really liked it (I'm sure others will disagree).

Another example is one of my favorite standards "Dream a Little Dream Of Me". 2 excellent versions, 1 by Mamma Cass and another by Chicago (Night & Day Big Band CD) are totally different. It was also done upbeat in a movie titled with the same name.

A good song is a good etc!

Glenn

Ray Stephens did the Country version of Misty. Evidently he and the band were fooling around before a recording session, and it "worked" so they cut it that way.
DonM

I was in the dentist chair one day and heard " do you hear what i hear " .

It had a nice 16beat type style . I went back to my keyboard and it worked perfectly .

dano

Now that you guys have me thinking, I don't do any of the Christmas songs in the original style. I do all of them to more modern beats.
There is a song that goes over well in the South called "Christmas In Dixie". It was done by Alabama. I use the Country Men Harmonizer setting on the chorus and change a word or two to localize it.
DonM

I agree with UD's smooth jazz notion. Those easy-listening funky styles go-down well for background music at dinner parties, etc... Some may think of it as elevator music, or music played on the weather channel, but I like it. Those I play for seem to like it as well. In changing styles around for well-known tunes, I've never had anyone complain with---"Hey, that's not the way that song goes". I wish all arranger keyboards in general had a much greater selection of styles that fit the concept of smooth jazz. I can't define it, but I know it when I hear it.

DanO,
The XD9 is not in use at present. I want to keep it fresh for sale. I was talking about using different styles. For example:
Try Silet Night with a 4/4 and then try it with a 12/8.
The Christmas Song lays well in a 12/8 ballad, but really swings a bit with a 16 beat. Christina Agulera does it with a modern house/disco beat and that works too. (really does, for a club date or a dance)
She also so adds a hiphop flavor to Angels we have heard on high too m- that's catchy.

Don,
I like that Ray Stevens arrangement of Misty. The banjo is kickin' ! I have a bluegrass midi file of the "Phantom of the oPRY" THAT HAS THE SAME FEEL. iT'S A GAS WHEN i WANT TO LIGHTEN THE MOOD A LITTLE.
(DAMN CAPS LOK !!)
Sometimes I use it after the "Love theme" from Deliverance. ( )

We play the kids Christmas party at the Country Club every Christmas Eve. I've played "We Three Kings" using a funk pattern and it works out very well.

I use many different patterns to well known songs. Don Mason my mentor, told me once that you just tell the audiance that it is your version of the tune. If U2 did a Beatles song they wouldn't be expected to sound just like the Beatles. Why do I have to sound like Elvis just because I do a song that he did? Here are some examples of familier tunes done to different styles: "Ticket to Ride" as a medium blues, "Mellow Yellow" as an easy funk, "After The Lovin" as an eight beat ballad instead of a slow swing, "Spooky" as a hard funk, "Ruby Baby" as a boogie, "Ob La Dee Ob La Da" as a polka. You wouldn't think that some of these work but they do.

Look at what Jummy Buffet did to Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl". He did it sort of Caribbian style and it worked out beautifully. It is fun to experiment and since I will never sound like the Beatles anyway, why not?

Tom