Silesian Mist

“Silesian Mist”
(composed by reynold d. philipsek 2018 copyright Zino-Rephi Music BMI)

guitar, mandolin-reynold
percussion-michael bissonnette
acoustic bass-matt senjem

My family comes from the eastern part of Europe (Poland, Ukraine and Bohemia or Silesia).

My natural tendency is toward harmonies that reflect an Eastern European bent which are basically minor scalar things with flattened fifths and raised sevenths.

That might be an overly technical explanation for some but it essentially means a sort of “gypsy” flavor. In fact the scale is called by some Hungarian Minor and by others Gypsy Minor.

Again, I don’t purposely write or play in this mode, it just happens.

This song came to me one day while I was out jogging. The recurrent “mantra” in 11/4 was not premeditated. I only go to odd meters if they naturally occur. Otherwise it seems forced or contrived. In my opinion.
In fact, only when I came home from the jog and wrote down the melody of the theme did I realize it was in 11.

The solo sections in between are very modal. The whole thing goes even a little further “East” than Silesia and enters a little quasi/faux “raga” territory.

The piece is a staple of both of my performing groups East Side and Sidewalk Cafe, as well as being on my latest album, Picture This.

Listen Button
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQSiG-Cxu1g