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Porcupine Rim

by Jake Schepps

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February 2018 Round Window Radio
Porcupine Rim by Jake Schepps


When the “Entwined” album came out in early 2015, it included a bonus track only available on Bandcamp. During the last few months of that project I attempted to write a piece using some of the elements I learned from working with these composers. The piece was not “cut” from the album, as the intention for “Entwined” was to feature classical composers (and to juxtapose Mr. Flinner’s more inside piece). Not to mention the CD was completely full with over 77 minutes of music.

The bulk of this piece is an exploration and deconstruction of a 5-5-6 rhythmic motif (subdivided 2-3, 2-3, 3-3 for those counting along). I found this idea while staying in a crazy-cool AirBnB in Vermont (see link below). The kooky layout of this house offered inspiration, and I wrote much of the piece around that groove. The bridge moves to 7/4, and explores other ideas and juxtapositions I gleaned from learning the music on “Entwined.”

The piece is named after my favorite mountain bike ride in the world. Just above Moab is a geologic feature called the Porcupine Rim. The trail climbs up a few miles of rough 4WD road to the edge of the rim. The trail makes a hard left and cascades along this rim, and quite close to the 2000 foot drop. It then descends over many obstacles to the Colorado River. I think the piece captures some of the excitement of that trail.

Late in the fall a few years ago my family and I were camped outside Moab. On our last morning, we awoke to a cloudy and dark day and decided to drive the La Sal Loop Road and down the east side of the La Sals to Gateway, Colorado. As we gained elevation, there appeared a light dusting of snow along the northern flanks of the La Sal Mountains. I jumped out of the car and grabbed this Eliot Porter moment.

Photo of the Vermont House
designdrawbuild.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/archiebunker1.jpg

A bit of video from the Porcupine Rim Trail:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIQTnp3-Wnk

credits

released February 1, 2018

Jake Schepps: banjo
Matt Flinner: Mandolin
Enion Pelta-Tiller: violin
Ross Martin: guitar
Eric Thorin: bass

Composed by Jake Schepps
Produced by Jake Schepps

Recorded in March 2014 at Immersive Studio, Boulder, CO
Engineered and mixed by Justin Peacock
Mastered by David Glasser, Airshow Mastering, Boulder, CO
Photo by Jake Schepps
Artwork by Duncan Burke

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Jake Schepps Boulder, Colorado

Jake Schepps has made a name for himself as a banjo renaissance man, an artist with not only an adroit touch on his instrument but an intrepid, imaginative vision for contemporary stringband music. Based in Boulder, Colorado, he leads the Jake Schepps Quintet, playing longform classical works written for string band, music by Bela Bartok, and of course some good ol' bluegrass. ... more

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