Watch a video of Andrew Beal and VineLyte.
The saxophone is an enigmatic instrument. A member of both the brass and woodwind families, the saxophone is revered across genres for its unique voice, which can be subjectively manipulated based on an artist’s whims.
One local artist, Lompoc resident and music teacher Andrew Beal, doesn’t blow, bend, and growl his notes on a whim, but seeks to connect with audiences by employing the emotive power of the saxophone. He has been performing regularly at the D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro in Lompoc, where audiences appreciate his high-energy mashups of various genres of music.
“The best players in the saxophone world are esteemed for their language acquisition skills,” Beal said. “I think my ability is more creating with what I already have, as opposed to absorbing new vocabulary.”
Beal’s background is steeped in the genres that made the saxophone famous: rock, jazz, funk, and R&B. These styles can meld seamlessly with contemporary forms of music, he explained, and can be used to perform hip-hop or even gospel. What Beal enjoys is arranging songs by contemporary artists and mashing them together with older songs.
After getting to know a number of local musicians and collaborating with quite a few, Beal put together a band called VineLyte. The support of drums, bass, and keyboard enables him to arrange songs in exciting, rhythmic ways with enough backing to explore each song melodically.
“I really like composing new music, arranging, and assigning parts,” he said. “What we do is we remix modern hip-hop songs, so you can name any artist you like, and we take that and will often mix it in with a gospel song.
“There are no vocals, so you can really get away with it,” he added. “Some people might recognize one and not the other.”
Beal tries to make his arrangements appeal to a variety of listeners. His No. 1 goal is keeping the music interesting, whether that means arranging breaks between a couple of band members, or coordinated hits that involve the group acting as one sound.
He is aided in these efforts by bassist Edwin Echols, drummer Kenthony Simpson, and keyboard player Jeff Bell, whose collected skills make up VineLyte. Much like in the jazz tradition, the band members contribute their own flavor to each song, even when their parts are arranged by Beal. The goal is communication, Beal explained.
“You have to spend time with those people so they can read you and feel you and they know the story you are trying to tell and the direction you are trying to go,” he said. “I think it is more on the level of a communication of energy between the guys you are with.”
Beal and VineLyte are scheduled for a show approximately every four weeks for the next few months at the D’Vine Wine Bar and Bistro, as audiences at the popular downtown Lompoc music venue find the group’s jams perfect for listening or dancing. The group is waiting on some recently ordered equipment, Beal explained, and hopes to expand and perform at other venues in the area.
“I really play saxophone the way I love to play it, dancing around, having a good time, and when I’m done I’m sort of excited and happy and satisfied,” he said. “It feels so good, because art isn’t about profession, it’s about expression and meaning what you say.”
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
VIA YOUTUBE.COM
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 5, 2015.