Buttnaked in Moldova | The Time Thief blog #10

This cheeky tune is piece in three, possibly four movements. When I played it to a musician friend he asked if it was a ‘musical joke’ – well, I wouldn’t go that far but it is certainly a humorous tune with, at times, some seriously funky undertones.

Listen here.

Originally we performed this tune under the title ‘Strictly come dirty dancing’ which was made up of ‘Strictly come Dancing and ‘Dirty Dancing’ – one a seriously successful TV show and the other a classic movie about dancing.

The changing rhythms reminded me of my time working as bassist in the new London Theater in a show called ‘The Talk of London’ next to ‘Cats’. (With Mike Dolbear on drums and Jennifer Robb on vocals). Sometimes there were dance competitions after this cabaret type show and I played bass in the Big Band – mostly watching my bass charts but in the corner of my eyes seeing the dancers swirling around the dance-floor. This is probably why there is a faux rumba rhythm and even a miniature tongue in cheek inspiration of ‘Time in my life’ from ‘Dirty Dancing? in it.

However, the title changed altogether when a good friend of mine landed in a tight spot with his business. He was short of grapes, lots and lots of them – as he is in the wine business. I forgot the details but a major supplier overseas couldn’t deliver a massive amount of red grapes because of one reason or the other – so he needed to look elsewhere – after checking with Italian, French and other Western European suppliers he had to find out very quickly that they all have sold their red grapes and he needed to look at new places. And this is how Moldova came into play – he traveled there and found an abundance of the good stuff he was after.

So, this bit of the story possibly explains the Moldova bit of the title – but what about ‘Buttnaked’?

Before you start imagining someone ‘scantily dressed’ running around on a vineyard or rather wine cellar somewhere in Moldova I must inform you that my friend’s wine company is called ‘Buttnaked’. Why ‘Buttnaked’? Well, his last name is Butt. (Look up his wines – they are delicious!) And before you ask – this is a non-sponsored ad – wine or otherwise;)

As this tune is cheeky and humorous I thought it deserved a title which mirrors the nature of it with this little play of words, names and associations.

The plunger solo in the middle is exquisitely improvised by trumpeter Sid Gauld and the whole band did a great job in making this tune come together – with all the shifting riffs, moods, counter- melodies and rhythms by no means an easy task – my take on a play in 3 acts.

And of course, I absolutely enjoy riffing with the Baritone saxophone…

Ps: the cheekiness of ‘Buttnaked in Moldova’ seems to also have caught the attention of Rupert Christie who picked elements of it to underline a few scenes in the ‘black comedy’ short film ‘Run Rabbit Run‘ by Max Evans. Highly recommended!

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