Elizabeth Rose

THE SET ASIDE SONG

“When it comes to happiness – I don’t know what I don’t know”… The Set Aside Song (lyrics)

I’m starting my daily mountain walk and the whole first verse just comes in. I grab my iPhone and sing it into its voice memo.

“I’m gonna set aside everything I think I know about happiness.”

In the world of 12-step recovery, some folks recite “The Set Aside Prayer.” It’s a prayer to set aside habitual thinking, keep an open mind and see the truth. I had thought it a bit corny. But when this entire song came to me over the next 6 weeks, I acknowledged its genesis.

“When it comes to happiness – I don’t know what I don’t know

They say Joshua fit the battle of Jericho

Hey Josh, help me break down these walls”

Once I sketched the keyboard, horns and vocals in my studio, I passed it along to Rusty Cloud. He took my arrangements and added the funk, his soulful keyboards and wrote the charts. “Who’s playing on it?” Rusty asked. Of course, my brother, Bob Rose. In the 1970’s Bob came into his own as a first call NY session guitarist. I remember when he had up to 5 recording sessions a day. He had to have a cartage company haul his 2 trunks of analog guitar effects from studio to studio. Many of the daytime sessions were for ads. So, you’d have peeps from the major ad agencies, excited to be in the studio – a break from their cubicles. Not generally celebrated for their musical sophistication, they would listen to these brilliant players do a take. Then, probably feeling as if they had to say something of value, they’d come up with a line like, “Can you make it more unique?” Sigh. So, what does this have to do with Rusty asking me who’s going to play on my song? Well, Tony Levin has been my fav bass player for a long time. You know him: Paul Simon, Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer,” King Crimson. I’m going to ask Tony. I met him once years ago. So, I asked Tony, mentioning brother Bob. Tony said yes.

The drummer in Paul Simon's One Trick Pony band was a young man named Steve Gadd. Tony Levin & Steve Gadd. They met when Tony enrolled at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, as a classical upright bass player. Steve, also a student and native of Rochester, turned Tony on to jazz & rock. Lives changed when these two musical virtuosos joined forces.

Steve Gadd! A living legend. “Aja” solo with Wayne Shorter (Steely Dan). “Stuff” (with Richard Tee, Gordon Edwards, Eric Gale, Cornell Dupree, Chris Parker.) That brilliant military drum solo at the opening of “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover?” Steve Gadd. He was 11 when he sat in with Dizzy. While still a student, nights he played in a club with Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione. Then Al DiMeola. Post graduation, Steve, Tony and Bob became busy with session work: Ads. Records. TV. Film scores.

I’d thought of Steve but pushed the thought to the back of my mind. When I told Bob that Tony said “yes,” he’d play on this song, he said, “Great. How ‘bout Steve Gadd?” That did it. I sent Steve a contact form online. Yes, I mentioned Bob and Tony. I signed the name I’m best known for in the NY session world: “Bob Rose’s Sister.” I heard nothing back. Three days later I got this voice mail:

“Hi Elizabeth. This is Steve Gadd. just returning your call about playing on a song and I’d be happy to do that…anyway let’s talk. And tell Bob I send my love.”

Will do Steve. And….

“I’ll follow happiness

And go where it takes me

…To LOVE…”