Here’s a wild Phish cover I did after experiencing the jam band at the Hollywood Bowl a few weeks ago. It was a fun challenge learning the first half of this particular song. I started by listening to the studio version featuring a horn ensemble, then I focused on a couple of live versions I have: Live Phish Vol. 7 recorded in 1993, and Live Phish Vol. 4 recorded in 2000.

Musically, it features the whole tone scale, which I include during the jam section. Also, I love how the chords change to reflect the dark nature of the lyrics, something I feel is sometimes lost in music. As a fan of the band’s live recordings, one version could be laid back, and another could be faster. I took more of the fast approach, with a dreamy, atmospheric jam.

The keyboard drums were played without a click track. Later, I played the piano using Nord’s early piano sample, the Studio Grand 2 (Yamaha C 7). Then I played my five string bass using my line 6 bass pod, the “Session” preset. I finished with the guitar with the sustain pick up. All the echos, including the spacey, dreamy sounds were completely live on the spot!

Anyway, I would love to compose a song that features the whole tone scale in unusual ways, and unlike this song, write a vocal idea inspired by Ella Fitzgerald and Dinah Washington. I hope you like this cover.