Video, The way you make me feel, Michael Jackson

This is a live take of a bluesy interpretation of Michael Jackson’s The Way you Make me Feel. The original song was released by Epic Records on November 9, 1987 as the third single from his seventh studio album, Bad (1987). It was written and composed by Jackson, and produced by Quincy Jones and Jackson. I had also the pleasure of recording my album Spanish Breeze, in the same studio as BAD was produced in Los Angeles, USA. 

In this video, I create constant variations of the melody and chords on the go. This way I keep the song flowing and change what I need as I go along. 

How did I do this?

I first memorised the melody and chords of The Way You Make Me Feel, (M. Jackson), and then wrote one solid arrangement of the song. Then, I practiced variations of melody and chords. In this particular song, I practiced each section independently on a loop, and choose what and how to play, to allow for variations of intensity on every repetition, to simulate the live feel. 

I can do this on the go because I have a solid understanding of the fretboard, the chord scale relationships, possible reharmonizations, hours of memorised solos, solid improvisational skills where I have endlessly on concepts as: time stretching, motif development, over the bar phrasing, ect.

In other words, I have a vast array of tools that I have mastered. Therefore, I can choose on the go, the most appropriate to slowly increase the intensity of the interpretation or the solo. As a consequence, every time I play the song, I can vary it and flow.

Why do I create variations?

I feel best when I can create a dialogue in my music in accordance to the way I feel. But in order to achieve my desired fluency. I have to practice and practice until I have the variations as solid as any written perfected arrangement.