“providence suite - movement no. 7- transcendence"

as “perfection” mirrors “atonement”; so “transcendence” mirrors “purity” – so it’s the same thing, while “purity” is the all “ebow ensemble”, this “variations” driven version features the same four mellotrons:

1 “ebow ensemble” mellotron (energy bow or “ebow” guitars)
2 "mk II violin orchestra" mellotron (strings)
3 "st. peter's choir ahs" mellotron (choir - stereo left)
4 "st. peter's choir oos" mellotron (choir - stereo right)

once again, I created variations on the theme, by mixing things up, using various combinations of the four melltorons to create a hopefully creative and interesting version of what is basically takes 6 through 9 of my original “theme IV” – and again, it’s interesting to compare these variations with the “all ebow ensemble” version that is “movement no. 6 – perfection”.


about “providence suite”:


I recommend that if possible, to listen to the entire suite as a single work – that’s how it’s intended, of course, you can listen to any of the movements in isolation, but playing the seven movements in sequence gives you the music in the way John and I discussed and intended it to be, as an “album” – and given that John was not able to actually contribute any recorded music, I still very much valued his input, I valued our collaboration, and the ideas we exchanged, and his intentions are as well-reflected as they can be in these pieces – I have worked very hard to do justice to his memory, by assembling this plaintive, sometimes sombre set of musical movements, made up of the raw material that was originally meant for the first “providence” album – the album that was not to be.

"providence" as a band never completed or released any actual music, which is why I have taken the time to mix and master "providence suite" now, at the end of december 2013, and to release it with my best wishes, sending my positive thoughts with it into the new year 2014. reluctantly, I release it under my own name, rather than under the name "providence" - but that's not a problem, it's just an unavoidable issue - this is the way I can release this work, which features only myself performing, unfortunately. if John had had time to send me his parts (it is actually unclear if he ever was able to record any parts, or if they were recorded, he never sent anything to me), it would be a very different story…and a very different album, too. so what was to be a collaboration of many instruments with much percussion, instead, I am presenting these “solo” versions of the seven movements, taken from the original master recordings made in march, 2012.

“providence suite” was conceived to honour the memory and intention of the band “providence”, and to honour the input of John as much as is humanly possible when the music presented does not contain any of his recorded sound – but his heart is in it (as is mine), and when I hear this music, I think of the music of “providence” – not of “dave stafford solo recording” – that’s a choice that was made for me, I am very happy indeed, but at the same time, it is with a heavy heart, because John isn't here to see it happen (and more importantly, he is not present to hear the music inspired by the band – beyond in demo form - and from our collaborative thoughts and communications) – I am most happy to release these pieces now, comprising “my half” of the work, in John’s honour and in his memory.

I never met John “in the real world” but from his letters and other communications, I felt a kindred musical spirit, we shared a vision of a new kind of collaborative effort, across an ocean, from providence, rhode island to the wilds of central scotland - we were set to set the world on fire with our music – and in hearing “my half” of what the band would have eventually released, I’d like to think that we actually would have :-)

this one is for you, John, wherever you are.