Blog | Mark Maxwell Music

"Freedom Jazz Dance" Solo Transcription Project

For the "Freedom Jazz Dance" project, I created a custom backing track, recorded a complete tenor sax melody and solo, then had the entire sax part transcribed. Watch one of the video below and you'll see what I mean

Also, a part of this project, I included, and noted in the transcription, 15 of my favorite jazz solo licks. You can read and see more on the Freedom Jazz Dance page.

"My Girl - A Saxophone Tribute to the Fairer Sex"

"Purple Rain" Backing Track

Smooth jazz play-along backing track for Prince's Purple Rain. CD quality .wav files, instant download.

"Purple Rain", a Smooth Jazz version

Prince's signature song, 'Purple Rain' has become a pop anthem, and is #143 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the Greatest 500 Songs of All Time. Here's my smooth jazz version of this timeless classic.

Prince said about the meaning of 'Purple Rain': "When there's blood in the sky – red and blue = purple... purple rain pertains to the end of the world and being with the one you love and letting your faith/god guide you through the purple rain."

The play-along backing track for this version of 'Purple Rain' can be found here. Enjoy!

"Yellow Submarine" Backing Track

Here's a smooth jazz play-along backing track for the classic Beatles' tune, Yellow Submarine, which was the best-selling song in the world in 1966. You can download it here. Enjoy!

"Stay With Me" (Sam Smith) Backing Track

Smooth jazz play-along backing track for Sam's Smith's Stay With Me. CD quality .wav files, instant downloads. More backing tracks here: http://markmaxwellmusic.com/backing-tracks.

"I'll Follow The Sun" Backing Track

Here's a very smooth and funky play-along backing track for The Beatles' song, I'll Follow The Sun. This song was an early Paul McCartney composition but because it didn't fit their early rock personna it didn't get recorded until their 4th album. Enjoy!

"I Can't Go For That" Backing Track

I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) was a huge hit for Hall & Oates back in 1981; as it turns out, it makes a great smooth jazz play-along backing track. Enjoy!

"All About That Bass" Backing Track

Smooth Jazz play-along backing track for Meghan Trainor's mega-hit, All About That Bass. CD quality .wav files, instant downloads.

"Use Me" (Bill Withers) Play-along Backing Track

Here's our latest backing track video - this one's for our version of the Bill Withers classic, "Use Me" from our Angel Biscuit album. Enjoy!

"I Can't Make You Love Me" Backing Track

Here's the backing track for the Bonnie Raitt classic, "I Can't Make You Love Me" from my album, And I Love Her. You can hear all our backing tracks here. Enjoy, and let me know how it works for you!
~Mark

SaxObamaRama

I'm warning you right now - I'm getting political with this one. For this video, I pulled out my song from about 7 years ago called SaxObamaRama from the Angel Biscuit album and used it to tell the story or Obama's many accomplishments despite the unabashed obstructionism from the GOP. Enjoy!

Game Of Thrones - A Smooth Jazz Version

I recently realized, with some shock, that there was no smooth jazz version of the Game Of Thrones theme song (I've since learned that Dave Koz recorded one before me). Imagine my dismay! Well, being the enterprising smooth jazz arranger and recording artist that I am, I created one. And here it is:

I also documented the in-studio creation process, from start to finish. Here's that video:

I also recorded a video of myself performing the song in the studio:

You can learn more about my smooth jazz version of the Game Of Thrones theme song, including how to download the play-along backing track and the sheet music to my version.

My Funny Valentine - Play-along Backing Track

Here's the play-along backing track for my smooth jazz version of My Funny Valentine, originally recorded for the Midnight Mood album. Enjoy!

Found But Not Found - Floating Flute and Deepening Space

One of my favorite sounds in the world is the alto flute, and especially when it's played in the lower registers - it's heavenly, and so relaxing.

This song is a one I composed specifically for the alto flute. The composition is designed to evoke a sense of mystery and wonder; the alto flute is the perfect compliment to the spacey background pads.

Found But Not Found is from my album, Deepening Space. This video can be found on our Relaxing Music YouTube Channel. Check it out!

Let's Stay Together Play-along Backing Track

Here's the play-along backing track for my version of Let's Stay Together from the Dance With Me album. All my play-along backing tracks are full fidelity CD quality .wav files. Enjoy!

Saxual Healing Play-along Backing Track

If you're an instrumentalist, you might enjoy playing along to the backing track to my song Saxual Healing. Here's the video; the track itself can be downloaded here. Enjoy!

Just My Imagination

Here's a beautiful video to a beautiful song from my latest album, Ain't No Mountain High Enough. The song, Just My Imagination, was a #1 for The Temptations, and you can see why: beautiful melody, bittersweet lyrics, and flawless performance by Eddie Kendricks. Sweet, sweet, and sweeter. Enjoy!

Imagine. We miss you, John Lennon.

Wow, imagine - it was 35 years ago! that John Lennon was killed. I remember that evening vividly, and it changed by life. Radio stations started playing his and The Beatles' songs non-stop and it rekindled my life-long love for their music. The Beatles' music is a passion and a hobby for me that lives in heart to this day.

Here's my sax tribute to John Lennon, my version of his anthem, Imagine. Enjoy.

I Wanna Be Your Man. Really, I do.

As I was completing an upbeat arrangement of this classic early Beatle's song, I played it for Roberta Maxwell and she said, "No, it needs to be slow and slinky." So of course I did it over. As usual, she was right. Here's the final, better version. Enjoy!

Fallin' - Live Performance Video

Fallin', the Grammy award winning song from Alicia Keys, is a perfect song for the saxophone - soulful, sultry, emotional - it's got it all. Here's my live version of this beautiful haunting masterpiece.

This song, "Fallin'", is from my album Saxual Healing and can be found here: http://markmaxwellmusic.com/saxual-healing . If you're a instrumentalist and you like to perform this song yourself, the play-along version can be found here: http://markmaxwellmusic.com/smooth-jazz-play-alongs

By the way, this is a song that my wife, Roberta, insisted that I record and, as usual, she was absolutely right!

Ain't No Sunshine - Live In Studio

I’ve recorded something like 25 albums, and I stream over 2,000,000 tracks a month, but this song, “Ain’t No Sunshine”, is always my best selling track. There's something really sexy and smooth about it that people love. (By the way, it was my wife, Roberta, who insisted we record this track; as usual, she was right!)

So here’s me recording my sax over the rhythm section tracks from the original recording session.

Enjoy!

Imagine a video of the album Imagine...

Here's a video version of my latest album, Imagine. Smooth jazz saxophone Beatles - what could be better? Enjoy!

Viewing: Video - View all posts