David Baron Stevens - Aspirations (feat. Mark Levine)

David Baron Stevens (saxophone / composer)
Mark Levine (keys)
John Wiitala (bass)
Paul van Wageningen (drums)

Written for my star student, Sam Gendel of #ClownCore, upon his acceptance to the University of Southern California's Jazz program and receipt of a full-tuition scholarship

It is meant to symbolize the relationship between an apprentice and master, and how it grows and changes over time

In the opening line, the "apprentice" and "master" are playing in unison, but when the band comes in, they split off into harmony, one above the other. This is the change at which student copy their teachers until they can carry their own weight, but still under the tutelage of their master.

The improvised section provides the student the opportunity to fly on their own, so to speak, and maybe even overtake the master at moments.

The Coda features a vamp, otherwise known as the "mambo" (not to be confused with the genre of the same name), in which the two saxophonists are now competing for dominance, representing when the student matures and is now in direct competition with the teacher for attention and even jobs that were previously primarily belonging to the teacher alone.

There is no greater, yet strange, feeling than to see your kids surpass you, and it has been a privilege and honor to be a part of, and to witness, the meteoric growth of this young man into what he has become.

I'm also very honored that I was able to perform this composition with the royalty of the San Francisco Latin Jazz scene, while they were still with us.

This recent repost of this song is dedicated to Mark Levine (author of "The Jazz Piano Book") and Paul VW, RIP.