Hocket, pocket, and a surprise brass breakdown: Workin' Day and Night (Michael Jackson)

Listen to the songYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWnyCxva6bA Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/track/6BdiFsPMPkSEEO4fFXFVWX Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/us/song/workin-day-and-night/186166410 Amazon - https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B00138KJY0?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_n0DKAlMsv9XvZL5bSVgX5cY0z&trackAsin=B00137QO0O Other linksHocket in horns breakdownJackson family demo of Workin’ Day and NightHorns in the NY subway station (Lucky Chops)Key takeawaysIn this episode, Trist and Elaine explore how Michael Jackson incorporates the ancient musical technique of hocket, originating from 13th-14th century choral music, into his song "Workin' Day and Night," creating a seamless melody from alternating instrumental partsThe discussion highlights the rich, human elements of the "Off the Wall" album, including live brass sections, hand drums, and vocal percussive sounds, contrasting it with later albums that relied more heavily on synthesizers and programmed soundsElaine and Trist discuss how musicians with corporate jobs can play a vital role in the music industry by using their income to fund projects, pay fellow musicians, and sustain their passion for music while maintaining financial stabilityAbout usTrist Curless is a Los Angeles-based vocalist, educator, and sound engineer. As a performer, Trist has toured worldwide as a co-founder of the pop-jazz vocal group m-pact and a 10 year member of the Grammy-award winning The Manhattan Transfer. In addition to these two vocal powerhouse groups, he’s also performed with Take 6, Bobby McFerrin, New York Voices, Vox Audio, Naturally 7, and The Swingle Singers. His latest venture, The LHR Project, is a new vocal group collective celebrating legendary jazz vocal group Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross.As an audio engineer, Trist has toured nationally with several vocal groups and bands in a large variety of venues, working for Grammy award winners Pentatonix and Take 6, as well as prominent a cappella vocal groups Straight No Chaser, VoicePlay, and Accent.Elaine Chao, M.Ed is a San Francisco Bay Area-based vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, vocal percussionist, and songwriter whose career spans a cappella, contemporary worship, and classical music. She has leveraged her training in classical and choral music over the course of her contemporary performance, including in orchestras for musical theatre and in sacred spaces. In addition to music, she also is a martial artist and published author. She currently leads a product management team at a major software company dedicated to creative expression. All statements in this podcast are her own and do not reflect the opinions of her employer.