Kicking off the 10EBRAE 2024 celebrations, I’m pleased to announce a new music release available as a free download from Bandcamp.
Minstrels of the Modes is the latest offering from Pinnacle Tricks; a modal jazz album exploring the modes of the major scale through seven different characters. Each track offers a different mood relative to the scale used. Click the cover art below and have a listen!
Track Listing
The Lydian Sprite
The Ionian Monk
The Mixolydian Peddler
The Dorian Trickster
The Aeolian Knight
The Phrygian Nomad
The Locrian Lunatic
Septet
© 2024 All music and mistakes by P.S. Clinen
The Lydian Sprite
Adrift a cottonweed breeze a fae floats
Her powdered wings beat a scent of acrid mint
Pollen pour and dust diffuse
On flowers that shiver of shears
And what is that she’s holding?
Key of F Lydian
All natural ♮ (Lydian + Ionian + Mixolydian = 7)
4:28 (4×7)
63 BPM (9×7)
The Ionian Monk
A most unremarkable life, the envy of all.
The man of God at peace with
The God of man
Needs no earthly lead
For he remembers his vespers
A languid liturgy
Key of E Ionian
4♯ (Lydian + Ionian + Mixolydian = 7)
3:21 (3×7)
77 BPM (11×7)
The Mixolydian Peddler
Merchant on the trade winds
Spins a double-sided coin
Bathed in the oil of snakes
New and improved for the 90’s
The big man in the big suit
Because it’s 5 o’clock somewhere
Key of E Mixolydian
3♯ (Lydian + Ionian + Mixolydian = 7)
2:14 (2×7)
84 BPM (12×7)
The Dorian Trickster
A warlock of words
A charlatan of charades
Locks the door and chucks the key
In an enharmonic river
And makes it look like an accident
Key of C♯ Dorian & E♭ Dorian
Enharmonically 7♭ & 7♯
4:28 (4×7)
105 BPM (15×7)
The Aeolian Knight
Waits vigil on his crestfallen sword
For duty or pride
Or for no other reason than he always has
For thrill and despair
Are all the same awash the plumed silver helm
Key of G Aeolian
2♭ (Aeolian + Phrygian + Locrian = 7)
3:21 (3×7)
98 BPM (14×7)
The Phrygian Nomad
His home of roads
Afloat the dusty axles
That play their wind chimes
On the uneven paths
And a caged bird sees the world
From betwixt its little prison bars
Key of C Phrygian
4♭ (Aeolian + Phrygian + Locrian = 7)
2:14 (2×7)
91 BPM (13×7)
The Locrian Lunatic
In an evening of mangroves far from my home
I can’t remember where I parked
Or if I drove at all
It’s not that far to walk
But I’ve hurt my foot
And I’ve lost my keys
And perhaps I never owned a car at all
Key of F♯ Locrian
1♯ (Aeolian + Phrygian + Locrian = 7)
Mercifully, 1:07 (1×7)
175 BPM (25×7)
Septet
It’s all fake
The puppets pass off their threads for ballroom attire
And ride the elevator to the penthouse floor
And remark how nice it is to be out of the basement
Part 1 – Abyssal Winds / Potemkin Village
Part 2 – Moth-Eaten Puppets
Part 3 – Rose Gold Elevator
3:21 (3×7)
133 BPM (19×7)
The 7 converge
P.S.Clinen 