When Chicago meets Masashi Hamauzu...

...something like THIS happens:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IG4K1TN2


This is, I believe, my first EVER attempt at a mashup. And despite my dilligence and perseverance, it's gonna be rough in spots.

But anyway...

A few months ago, my brother brought my attention to an unreleased album by Chicago called "Stone of Sisyphus". It was an attempt to break away from the ballad era of the 80s, and return to the horn driven sound with a modern edge.

But the record company hated it, and refused to release it. And even though Chicago split from the label, they didn't release it themselves. And that's a shame, because it's very, VERY good. I encourage you to go looking for it on the Web. If that poses a problem, and enough people say so, then I will deliver.

With that sidetrack out of the way...

The leadoff song on SoS most likely would have been a track called "All the Years". It was written by Chicagoan Robert Hamm, and did appear in a different version on his "Life is Good in my Neighborhood" solo album.

When I heard it, one thing that struck me was that the chorus chords were a lot similar to Masashi Hamauzu's "While Whale in the Sky" (or "White Whale of Heaven", as it also can be translated) from Musashi Samurai Legend. Right about yesterday, the crazy idea came to me...what if I could mix two flavors that I'm quite fond of?

A good bit of today went into making this file, as I tried desperately to get each part right, again and again. And for a first attempt, and the (in)experience I have doing this, it came off a bit better than expected. Well, maybe. So I humbly offer it up.

Jam it back in, in the dark.