FDR meets trip-hop

Experimental improv record forges a sonic path between past and present

For the past nine years, Paul D. Knight has been the director of Riverfield Rocks, teaching students at Riverfield Country Day School about playing music and forming bands. Over the last couple years, Knight has created trip-hop/post-rock tracks in his spare time, playing every instrument and improvising each part in one take. The resulting album, “progressions/colors,” is now finished and will be released March 11. Below, in his own words, Knight discusses “Fireside Chat,” a track on the album that incorporates audio from the first of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s iconic addresses in 1933, and Knight’s communications with the FDR Presidential Library and Museum.

Getting in contact with the [FDR] archives was really kind of surreal.  I did not know what to expect, but they were incredibly knowledgeable about the work of FDR, and were seemingly very interested in someone taking an interest in this material in an artistic endeavor.  I contacted Bob Clark, supervisory archivist, primarily to make sure I was legally acknowledging the content from the historical speeches as not my own, claiming no ownership, so that there were no legal issues.  Upon telling them what I was doing, not only were they helpful with the information I needed, they asked if they could have a copy of it.  I promptly told them yes, and I hope they like what I did with those speeches.

When I was a kid, "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour was all over the airwaves and featured some famous lines from FDR, JFK, and others.  I thought that was cool then, and still do today. The reason I chose the Fireside Chat #1, “On the Banking Crisis,” as the focus of my piece is that there are many words that strongly echo today’s political and fiscal climate, especially after the recent banking collapse. I used another speech that spoke about national unity in times of crisis that really spoke to me and how I feel about bi-partisan bickering and petty politics while more important things are going on that need our togetherness to help us address them.

Musically speaking, I chose a melody on the celesta I improvised that had a floating feel that I felt would work well against the speech and FDR’s unique speaking style.  I began the composition with a time signature I have never played in, 17/8, and went from there.  I recorded his speech through a Kaoss pad and manipulated the track in real time, affecting his voice and timing, and then improvised drum, Rhodes, and the other parts on top of it afterward.

The entire song and album was recorded and mixed in my classroom studio at Riverfield Country Day School. Being a teacher, husband, and father of two young children, time to record and mix the album was certainly at a premium.  At times I would even use passing periods during the school day to lay down a guitar improvisation here and there.  

Making the album was, in a way, like a concurrent sabbatical. I am very happy with the way it turned out and I can’t wait to get it out there for people to listen to, relax to, and maybe even find a use for it in the background in their lives.” 

progressions/colors will be available March 11 online at iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby, as well as at local outlets. The Vanguard will host an album listening party March 10 at 7 p.m. followed by performances by We Make Shapes and Foster Pace. Entry is $7.