Earthy Jazz Tunes for Earth Day

Songs to listen to this Earth Day – April 22

Did you know that Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970? So Earth Day is over fifty years old now! And did you know that the purpose behind it is to demonstrate support for environmental protection, which includes not only the daytime environment, but also the nighttime?

With all the pictures of sunshine, green grass and bright flowers, we often forget that the nighttime environment is just as important as the daytime environment, and worthy of protection. For instance, have you ever thought about the immense amount of light pollution blocking the beautiful stars and confusing the nocturnal wildlife? And what about sound pollution that prevents us from hearing the beautiful chirps, crickets and rustling of nature?

This Earth Day let’s draw attention to the nighttime environment and sound pollution by listening to a few jazz songs from Night is Alive. These songs capture the beauty of nature, nighttime and all the relaxing sounds of our earth.

Lorca Hart Trio – Dew Drop

The lovely conversation between the piano and saxophone in this piece evokes a single dew drop trickling down a piece of bamboo at midnight. Like a dew drop this track is ephemeral and clear, glistening and vulnerable.

Harry Allen Trio – Runnin’ Wild

This brand-new original composition captures that exhilarating feeling of running wild through the woods when the moon is out. The quick pace of the saxophone is like footsteps on a path, leading you to the watering hole where you and your friends plan to go swimming. And the drum is the heartbeat of the universe, encouraging you to embrace all the wonders of this beautiful planet.

Lorca Hart Trio – Recluse

The term ‘recluse’ tends to carry a negative connotation, but it doesn’t have to. There’s nothing wrong with taking some time to be solitary, especially in nature. Famous nature poet Mary Oliver writes, “For me it was important to be alone; solitude was a prerequisite to being openly and joyfully susceptible and responsive to the world of leaves, light, birdsong, flowers, flowing water.”

Lorca Hart Trio – Discoveries

The soft and playful nature of this tune brings to mind childhood and play in nature. Remember when you used to stay outside until the sun went down, listening to the crickets and breeze, discovering bird nests and rocks? Our earth is abundant with discoveries and it is beckoning to us to find them.

Harry Allen Trio – Each and Every Yesterday

We hope that this Earth Day you take some time to reflect upon each and every yesterday; each and every day that we are lucky enough to be alive on this rich and gorgeous planet. What can we do to protect our earth? How can we preserve all the wonders that make it so exciting to be alive? Let’s allow our gratitude to guide us to action.

Remember, here at Night is Alive, we believe that the night is teeming with life!

An Interview With Dave Darlington

In a career spanning over thirty years, GRAMMY award winner Dave Darlington can proudly attest to being a master of many varied musical styles. With over 1000 album credits to his name, Dave Darlington’s work has touched many lives and garnered much deserved praise in the process. His experience ranges from composing and producing the soundtrack to all six seasons of the groundbreaking HBO series, OZ; to being on the Sonic the Hedgehog production team; contributing to the Free Willy soundtrack; various J-Pop and rock albums; and, of course, jazz, with multiple awards to show for his incredible work and talents.

Now, after mixing & mastering Night is Alive’s newest album, It Takes 3, we were fortunate to be able to sit down with Dave and ask about his illustrious career…

Night is Alive: How did your childhood contribute to the music that you mix today?

Dave Darlington: I was 12 years old when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. Like every adult American male, I instantly fell in love. When I went to college, I discovered my passion for jazz music. However, I was a bass player, which was a different world than the music I fell in love with. I knew the symphonic orchestra was not the place for me. My love of jazz music guided the next steps of my musical endeavors, which led to what I do today as a mixer.

NiA: So you switched from a focus in symphonic orchestra to mixing and producing. What exactly contributed to that change?

DD: I got a little recording device and played around with it. I continued to improve with the equipment, so much so that I began working as a part-time programmer for some smaller recording companies. Then I met Jerry Ragavoy, who said he needed an in-house engineer at his recording studio. He took notice of my skills and offered me a job as a house engineer. I took the job from Jerry and began working at his studio. Jerry said that because of the time commitment, I had chosen between playing the bass or engineering. The choice was easy, given that I had contributed to various successful projects from the mixing side.

NiA: What is the difference between the producing side of records and the playing side?

DD: When you’re mixing, you must worry about balancing the elements of the whole song. You must make sure that each instrument is balanced with the other to make it a pleasant listening experience. Balancing all the elements of the piece out is the central part of my job as a mixer, as opposed to someone who is playing.

NiA: What was your favorite part about working on It Takes 3?

DD: Well, I love Harry Allen; he is one of the cats. It’s first-tier when you work with an artist of his caliber. I had never worked with Rossano before, but I had heard about his stunning reputation. That combination turned out to be really musical. My favorite part was just listening to the music come together by two remarkable, talented individuals. And Bryan [Carter] is a gem! He is the consummate pro and always asks my opinion before making adjustments. Musically, he is world-class.

NiA: What should listeners expect to hear from It Takes 3?

DD: There is a warm envelopment of sound, and Harry tells the story of the song. There are fireworks moments where you see how good these musicians are. However, the most crucial aspect for listeners is not necessarily how good the musicians are. The most critical element is having a beautiful melody. You want something that listeners want to listen to more of. To accomplish this, you need to have a melody that the listener can get lost in.

That is where my job as a mixer is important because I need to balance all the elements to create this melody. I think we did a good job on the ‘It Takes 3’ trio of balancing those elements to create a melody that leaves the listener wanting more.

It Takes 3 is available now! Be sure to order your copy today.