Notes from Michael

“Bad Kids to the Back”

written by Justin Stanton
arranged by Justin Stanton, Michael League and Snarky Puppy
transcribed by Andreas Hä berlin, edited by Chris McQueen
recorded on Immigrance, GroundUP Music 2019

As the rest of the band was bringing in weirder and weirder tunes for this record,
Justin Stanton came through with something that pays homage to one of our heroes,
Bernard Wright (former Jamaica Boy and keyboardist for Miles Davis, Roy Hargrove,
Chaka Khan, and many more), in addition to having the very specific style that
characterizes Justin’s compositions. It’s funky, playful, and filled with loads of
beautiful chords as well as a contrapuntal rhythm guitar soli (I don’t think I ever
written those words in that order before).

I should begin by saying that, as also happened with his composition “Gemini” from
Culcha Vulcha, I initially felt beat one in the wrong place (two full beats off, where
“three” actually is). Don’t do that. I still hear Gemini wrong and have to count a 2/4
bar in a certain place to make the transition into the solo section. It’s a long, ugly
road- unlearning things.

I love the way that Justin moves the melody around in this song from the horn
section (bar 5) to the bass and guitars (bar 35) as a setup for the solo section. This is
a great device to try on your own as you compose. The choruses of this song (bars
21 and 60) remind me a lot of a song by Bernard called “Bread Sandwiches,”
especially the killer Minimoog bass that Justin plays on them.

The thing I like most about the recording is the fact that all three drummers
(Jamison Ross, Larnell Lewis, and Jason “JT” Thomas) get the opportunity to trade
solos over the outro vamp. It’s always interesting to hear different musicians’
perspectives on the same section, and they all make such strong choices here.

This is a tune that can easily be played at a variety of tempos with a variety of feels,
and even in different keys. It has loads of flexibility and opportunities to make it
your own, or just do it straight down the middle and have fun.

Off-the-page stuff to try:

1) play it at a different tempo, with a different feel, and/or change the key
2) switch roles between parts of the band (i.e. have guitar and bass play the
first melody, maybe only horns on the bass/guitar soli, etc.)
3) give the outro solo to a different instrument than drums