“Insomnia” (PDF) by Khris Royal & Dark Matter, featuring Trombone Shorty.

This transcription was requested by Patreon member Smelley Bone - thanks for your support!

Trombone Shorty shares his featured spotlight with another rising star from the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA), saxophonist Khris Royal, who has already performed with nearly everybody, and his band Dark Matter, which continues to bring jazz deep into the 21st century.

Perhaps we are simply echoing the electronic movement in jazz during the 70’s and 80’s, an exploration in sonic boundaries and synthesized tones, however the modern focus seems to be on expanding the production techniques which re-create the elements of music to form entirely new genres. “Insomnia” is the product of post-dubstep, tropical house, and reggaeton influences; emulating the textures of electronic music from Europe and the Caribbean. It’s no coincidence that post-Katrina New Orleans is an incubator for modern jazz.

Trombone Shorty’s performance on this track appears to be inspired by dub reggae legends Rico Rodriguez, Don Drummond, and Vin Gordon. Although the overall harmony of this solo is G minor, the use of the harmonic minor scale leans toward the implied chord progression of the main theme, with the dominant D7b9 chord outlining the end of each melodic phrase. And the triplet-feel over a half-tempo rhythm creates the funk of roots reggae and ska, while the repetitious and staccato melodies replicate the production techniques and effects of Jamaican sound systems and pirate radio, the origins of remix culture.

Here’s a YouTube video of Khris Royal performing this tune with Dark Matter:

Recommended reading: Jazz and Justice: Racism and the Political Economy of the Music by Gerald Horne. Published by Monthly Review Press.