Written on April 15th, 2025, “Tyler’s Ride” is composed for RedShift drummer Tyler Walton. Throughout my musical life there were four drummers that shaped my understanding of rhythm and groove. In the 1980 it was Tom Williamson. In the 90s it was Marshall Gentry and in the 2000s it was Steve Sykes. I met Tyler around 2005, his dedication to musical excellence inspires me every time we play.
This song is built on a Samba groove with a subtle modal feeling from the harmony. The composition offers the band plenty of space to interact with the melody. As of this writing, the piece is still new—we’ve performed it only a few times—but it already feels like a work that will stand the test of time.
Original Manuscript
