Virtual Time Records (VTR) 

Virtual Time Records (VTR) was created as a means of documenting original compositions, improvisations, and performances of interested Music Faculty at Illinois State University.  This is deemed to be the most effective manner of disseminating our on-going projects.  VTR provides a manner of distribution of ISU Faculty performances and compositional craftsmanship within the various disciplines of contemporary, jazz, world fusion, and traditional classical literature. Virtual Time Records produces compact disc studio recordings which we feel have depth and meaning, and reflect our own musical voices. 

Bill Koehler - Double Bass

Bob McEntyre - Drums

Kyle Gregory - Trumpet

Barrington Coleman - Electric Piano

    The pieces on this disc feature the bass in solo, duo, trio, and in quartet settings.  I thank Bob, Barrington, and Kyle (all of whom are my closest friends) for sharing a bit of themselves on this recording.  Bob McEntyre, an Emergency Room Physician, has been playing drums all of his life in his native Los Angeles, and in the Midwest. I’ve played with Bob over a ten year period.  He has an insatiable expressive drive and he has a different meter in every limb!  Barrington Coleman, Associate Professor of Music at the University of Illinois, is a Chicago native.  Barrington and I have been playing together for over six years.  I particularly enjoy his intuitiveness and his deep harmonic sense!  Kyle Gregory, former Assistant Professor of Music at Bradley University, has since moved to Verona, Italy, where he has found a great audience for his music.  I have known Kyle since the mid-eighties when we were at Indiana University.  Kyle’s lyricism and pathos are always exiting!  To sum up the experiences of playing with these wonderful friends, I should say that they are very expressive,  spontaneous, and continually searching to enrich the colors on the musical pallete.

1.  Oracle - Quartet - trumpet, electric piano, double bass, drums (B. Koehler, B McEntyre) 10:04

Oracle is predominantly in 7/4, and is based on two tonalities (G lydian dominant and A             major mirror).   Bob opens and closes the tune with a deception in 4/4. 

2.  Another Place - Duo - double bass, drums  (B. Koehler)  4:08

Another Place is a happy waltz for bass and drums.  Even though the piece is in 3/4, the rock music of my youth inspired me on this one.

3.  Moment - Duo - double bass, drums  (B. Koehler)  4:22

Moment, an Indian/Arabic influenced piece for bass and drums, sets up a dreamy,                           contemplative  mood.  We hope you find it “hipnotic”. 

4.  Sail Away - Quartet - trumpet, electric piano, double bass, drums   (T. Harrell)   11:12

Sail Away, by Tom Harrell, is a “bossa” tune.  I have always been a fan of Tom Harrell’s                    playing, and when Kyle suggested playing it, we did.  This was the first and only take! 

5.  Least of These - Trio -  trumpet, double bass, drums  (K. Gregory)  12:13

Least of These, written by Kyle Gregory, is a deeply  beautiful composition written in the            Aeolian mode for trumpet, bass and drums. 

6.  Soliloquois #5 - for Solo Double Bass  (Roque Cordero)  10:18

Soliloquios  for Solo Double Bass is a contemporary piece by Panamanian-born                           composer Roque Cordero, written in 1981.  Roque Cordero wrote a series of Soliloquies             for members of the music faculty at Illinois State University.  I have had the pleasure of                    working with him on a number of  works including the premier of his string trio Three                      Permutations 3 (vln, vc, db) and orchestral works.  Roque Cordero’s music is extremely            exciting and is always written with the idiosyncrasies of the particular instruments in mind. 

7.  Concert Study #10 - for Solo Double Bass  (Annibale Mengoli)  3: 57

Concert Study #10  for Solo Double Bass by Annibale Mengoli is a Romantic work in A                   Minor featuring bowed double stops and cadenza-like passages.

8.  Storyteller -  Trio - trumpet, double bass, drums  (B. Koehler)  8:10

Storyteller is an angular tune for bass trumpet and drums, with the melody predominantly in            double stops.  The piece has an extended progression for improvisation which uses the            feature of common-tone modulation.

9.  A Child is Born - Solo Double Bass  (T. Jones)  3:59

A Child is Born, a well-known standard by the late Thad Jones, is performed here for solo            bass with the melody and harmony in double stops.  This piece  represents the quieter and            more introspective moods in Jazz.

10.  Rupolding Songbirds - Solo Double Bass  (B. Koehler)  1:01

Rupolding Songbirds for solo double bass is a very short Requiem  for my Aunt Irmgard.             The somber mood is conveyed by the use of harmonics in the upper register of the bass.

11.  Doxa Mea - Duo - double bass, drums  (B. Koehler)  3:23

Doxa Mea (my thoughts) is a hymn-like tune for bass and drums, with the melody played            predominantly in double stops. 

CD - Total Time: 73:12

Sheet music for the six original compositions on Glimpse as well as other transcriptions by Bill Koehler for double bass can be obtained from Schorer Publishing Co., Münich, Germany.  In addition, the CD Glimpse is distributed in Europe by Schorer Publishing Co.

Comments on Glimpse:

I have heard your CD entitled Glimpse and all the songs are very melodious. The choice of instruments is wonderful and the songs are very pleasing to the ear. The song Moment is very beautiful and listening to it brought back memories of our performance together at ILSTU.  

Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman  - Mridhangam - Master South Indian Drummer

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  Bill Koehler - Double Bass

 1.  Nardis

 2.  Solar

 3.  Beautiful Love

 4.  Soul Eyes

 5.  Dearly Beloved

 6.  Yesterdays

 7.  First Song

 8.  You Stepped out of a Dream

 9.  Sweet Georgia Bright

10. Back East (B. Koehler)

    During the Fall of 1995, I was on Sabbatical leave from Illinois State University. While exploring the processes of improvisation, I thought that to record solo bass improvisations would be a great project. I have always been attracted to intimate improvisational settings. In duo or trio settings, for instance, the interaction is a great challenge. These settings are demanding in that the players involved make specific personal contributions to the music. The solo bass venue is most challenging because the bassist alone is responsible for the melody, the time, the accompaniments, the arrangements, and the improvisations. The last tune on this recording is a short improvisation in Indian and Arabic styles. I hope you enjoy the music.

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Barrington Coleman - Piano

Bill Koehler - Double Bass

Don Cochran - Drums

1.  Nardis

2.  Blessings (B. Coleman)

3.  Twisted

4.  Dance (B.Koehler)

5.  Recordame

6.  Well You Needn't

7.  Nica's Dream

8.  I Remember Clifford

9.  In a Sentimental Mood

10. They Can't Take That Away From Me

11. Autumn Leaves

Following in the tradition of America's most unique art form, jazz, the trio began rehearsals early in 1995. The group was brought together as a vehicle to express music in the jazz idiom with a strong emphasis on improvisation. The trio features the traditional standards of American song writers, music written by the master composed of jazz and original compositions. In combination the group's selections form a repertoire that is appropriate for all listening occasions. This collection is the opening effort to capture the eclectic yet unique quality of the trio.  Enjoy!

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Kyle Gregory - Trumpet

Bill Koehler - Double Bass

1.  Coral 

2.  African Flower

3.  Interplay

4.  Dear Old Stockholm

5.  Epistrophy

6.  A Night in Tunisia

Kyle Gregory, former Assistant Professor of Music at Bradley University, has since moved to Verona, Italy, where he has found a great audience for his music.  I have known Kyle since the mid-eighties when we were at Indiana University.  Kyle’s lyricism and pathos are always exiting! 

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Barrington Coleman - Piano

Bill Koehler - Double Bass

1.  Turnaround

2.  Summertime

3.  Goodbye Pork Pie Hat

4.  Soul Eyes

5.  First Song

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Bill Koehler - Double Bass

1.  J.S. Bach - Suite #1 in G Major (Praeludium, Allemande, Courante,Sarabande, Minuet,             Gigue),

2.  the Dream Time (B. Koehler)

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Peter Cook - Soprano and Alto Saxophone

Richard Dray - Harp, Piano, Accordion

Bill Koehler - Double Bass

1.  She Beg She Mor

Peter Cook and Richard Dray are both Instructors at Christ Church College in Canterbury, England.

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All recordings are available by writing to:

Dr. William Koehler

Music Department

Illinois State University

Normal, Illinois 61790-5660

e-mail:  wkkoehl@ oratmail.cfa.ilstu.edu

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Bill Koehler is:

Professor of  Double Bass at Illinois State University

Performer/Composer in Classical, Jazz, and World Fusion  Idioms

Principal Bassist - Peoria Symphony

Researcher in string pedagogy, biofeedback, and psychology of music

                            drawing by Rick Mjos