Album: Chronology: A Jazz Tribute to Chrono Trigger

Just coming back some years later to say that this is still my favorite OCRemix album.

still in regular play.

I wish I could get this on vinyl lmao

11 hours ago, Clem Fandango said:

I don't know how many other people out there are in the overlapping part of a Venn diagram of "People who experienced and loved Chrono Trigger in formative years" and "People who were in jazz band in high school and/or college" - but as someone who is in that overlap, I just love this album so much. I could only love it more if the whole album had the large ensemble feel of the first and last tracks (shout out to what I'm reasonably sure is a trombone solo in Driftwood), though I think the way it's done it works out great anyway.

There are a variety of different styles tackled within the jazz umbrella, with even the small combo stuff feeling distinct. Even the one that's "just" a trio has the unusual lineup of drum set, xylophone, stand-up bass, with the bass getting a lot of bow action rather than just being plucked.

What I love the most about this whole album is the way it brings a live performance energy to the tracks that's simply not present on the vast majority of mixes. There are a lot of them out there with great music where I know what I'm listening to is someone who sat down and made a computer sound this way. And then along comes Chronology. It's so fun.

Thanks Clem!

Definitely seems to be a coloration, I agree! Chrono Trigger no doubt pushed me towards improvised/jazz music, and to eventually directing this album! Keep an eye out for our next album!

I don't know how many other people out there are in the overlapping part of a Venn diagram of "People who experienced and loved Chrono Trigger in formative years" and "People who were in jazz band in high school and/or college" - but as someone who is in that overlap, I just love this album so much. I could only love it more if the whole album had the large ensemble feel of the first and last tracks (shout out to what I'm reasonably sure is a trombone solo in Driftwood), though I think the way it's done it works out great anyway.

There are a variety of different styles tackled within the jazz umbrella, with even the small combo stuff feeling distinct. Even the one that's "just" a trio has the unusual lineup of drum set, xylophone, stand-up bass, with the bass getting a lot of bow action rather than just being plucked.

What I love the most about this whole album is the way it brings a live performance energy to the tracks that's simply not present on the vast majority of mixes. There are a lot of them out there with great music where I know what I'm listening to is someone who sat down and made a computer sound this way. And then along comes Chronology. It's so fun.

Thanks for the kind words Wolflord! We hope to provide some more music in the not to distant future! Glad to see this album still getting some love!

This is my favorite album on OCRemix. It took me a while to get around to listening to it. Like...over a year. I downloaded it the day it came out, or close to it, but life...
Anyways, its just a really well done album. And its consistent. Something I appreciate in an album, keeps things connected and moving along in a way mixed albums don't do for me.
As a huge fan of Jazz (though, admittedly, more Duke Ellington style, or Big Band) this really scratched an itch for me.
This site is lacking in Jazz remixes (that being said, the ones available are damn good imo) and this helps fill that void.
The ChronoTrigger soundtrack has always been one of my favorites from the moment I first turned it on. It was a total aural odyssey for me. Its blend of various genres to create something different captured me from the start. But its most noticeable musical trait is its jazz based sound.
I honestly can't rave enough about Chronology. Since I first put it on roughly six months ago, its been a fairly regular play as I go about my day.

HOLY HELL, this album should be illegal for breaking the smooth limit. A+++

2 hours ago, JBarron said:

So there needs to be another jazz album like this :).

I'll give that a secular "amen"

So there needs to be another jazz album like this :).

5 hours ago, Gario said:

I legit find it hilarious that a user named Cole Train didn't immediately listen to a jazz album. Just a tasty bit of irony to that, I think.

The album as a whole is pretty damn great, by the way - it all comes together in a nice, jazz'd up package that never really breaks the overall atmosphere. If you like jazz, regardless of your feelings about the game music itself, you'll enjoy this album a whole lot. It's rich, the improv is great and overall the performances are tight.

I mean, if you like Chronotrigger you'll love this album, too, but that almost goes without saying, at this point.

Lmao, I know right.

Like since it came out though I had it downloaded but never took the time out to listen to it. Should have earlier tbh.

On 11/15/2016 at 6:36 PM, Cole Train said:

Gah damn.

I was sleping on this album for a bit, I don't know why. But this is probably in my favorite albums on this site now. You dudes did the soundtrack to this game justice.

I legit find it hilarious that a user named Cole Train didn't immediately listen to a jazz album. Just a tasty bit of irony to that, I think.

The album as a whole is pretty damn great, by the way - it all comes together in a nice, jazz'd up package that never really breaks the overall atmosphere. If you like jazz, regardless of your feelings about the game music itself, you'll enjoy this album a whole lot. It's rich, the improv is great and overall the performances are tight.

I mean, if you like Chronotrigger you'll love this album, too, but that almost goes without saying, at this point.

i love ocremix albums that are consistent like this(I am talking instruments or maybe even rhythm) ... it gives you the ability to dive in the world for a good length of time. sonic 1 speed of sound is probably my favorite oc album because of that, its pretty much a mix and master of instruments that relate to the original, plus they made mixes of the same track (special stage) through out with different pacing to give it theme and make it sound like a score...when ff8 album remix comes out(which by the way any plans on that?) give some consistency please. oh, and there is already a chrono trigger jazz album (brink of time), guess i'll mix this one with the other.

Gah damn.

I was sleping on this album for a bit, I don't know why. But this is probably in my favorite albums on this site now. You dudes did the soundtrack to this game justice.

Ugh, I wish I had reviewed this sooner. I listened to this awhile back, but didn't have the time to actually type up the full review. Until now. In short, I loved it. Love Chrono Trigger, love jazz, so this is one example of a perfect album for me

----

Yasunori Mitsuda did things in the games he composed for that not a lot
of composers could do. He was certainly ahead of his time when he composed
for his first game, Chrono Trigger. So how do you rearrange the music of Chrono
Trigger in a way that exemplifies, and honors the unique composing style that
Yasunori Mitsuda brought to the game? Make a full-on jazz album.

Wiesty notes in the comments that this seemed like an impossible task. But in
all honestly, the jazz genre perfectly blends with the audio asthetics of Chrono
Trigger. So the only impossible tasks were time (no pun intended), and motivation.
And all the artists apart of this managed to bring jazz to the forefront of one
of the greatest soundtracks of all time.

1. Wiesty, The OC Jazz Collective - "Way Before the Day Before Yesterday"
Era: Prehistoric (65,000,000 B.C.)
Sources: "Burn! Bobonga! Burn!"; "Lavos's Theme," "Rhythm of Earth, Wind, and Sky" (cameo)

An excellent opener for Chronology. It sounds like an excellent warm-up session,
quickly transitioning into the opening number of a fine jazz concert. Right away,
you know what to expect. The Lavos touch was quite remarkable. As a jazz piece,
it adds more of an introductory "OMPH" than any other piece composed for the
prehistoric era.

2. Triplepoint Trio (Doug Perry, Sam Suggs, Jonny Allen) - "Triggernometry"
Source: "Chrono Trigger"

I don't know if this was intentional or not, but the transition between track
1 and track 2 is one of, if not, the best I have ever heard on an OCR album. It
is so seamless, almost as if both tracks were one in the same. As for the track
itself, it is a great interpretation of the main Chrono Trigger theme. It's just
as exciting as the original source material. The vibraphone, and violin work here
is especially phoenomenal.

3. Nostalvania, The OC Jazz Collective - "Time's Seal"
Era: Dark Ages (12,000 B.C.)
Source: "Sealed Door"

What makes this track interesting is how they turned a slow, haunting track into
something very reminiscant of a night stroll through New Orelans. It makes opening
that sealed door a lot more exciting and interesting than kind of depressed and
lonely.

4. Wiesty, The OC Jazz Collective - "Neuga, Ziena, Zieber, Zom..."
Era: Middle Ages (600 A.D.)
Source: "Magus Confronted"

In comparison to the last piece, this one feels like a night club lounge jazz
track. Pretty appropriate considering the source material, the battle theme of
someone who at first is viewed as a dark, foreboding individual. The flute is
a nice touch. A fine way to honor the original, while turning a dramatic battle
theme into something more subdued, and chilling (the relaxing kind, not the creepy
kind).

5. Wiesty, The OC Jazz Collective - "Dream of Green"
Era: Present (1000 A.D.)
Sources: "Secret of the Forest"; "Chrono Trigger" (cameo)

Both this arrangement, and the original source material give off a sense of
mystery and intrigue. Right off the bat, this arrangement does the forest portions
of the game justice. It doesn't sound like just an arrangement, it sounds like
something that would fit right in with the actual game.

6. Nostalvania, The OC Jazz Collective - "Fight or Flight"
Era: Apocalypse (1999 A.D.)
Source: "The Epoch - Wings of Time"

The Epoch theme was already jazz inspired to begin with, so I can imagine this
being a difficult piece to arrange for a jazz album. The time signature changes
really helped make this arrangement stand out from the original source material in
a way that honors the game, and Yasunori Mitsuda's work.

7. Wiesty, The OC Jazz Collective - "When Hell Freezes Over"
Era: Future (2300 A.D.)
Sources: "A Desolate World," "Yearnings of the Wind"

Very mysterious, and very intriguing. The original source material was more
ominous, and reflective of a defeated mood. This sounds like something you'd
hear in a noir film when the main protagonist is at a loss on what to do next.
It kind of makes me think of what Casablanca would sound like if it were
made in this day and age (HOLLYWOOD DO NOT REMAKE CASABLANCA).

8. Fratto, Wiesty, The OC Jazz Collective - "Driftwood"
Era: End of Time (∞)
Source: "At the End of Time"

And here we reach the end. The end of time that is. At first, you think this piece
will serve as something of a "wind down" sort of track. But no, it wants to go out
with the excitement and flair that helps define this album.

From beginning to end, this album is nothing but pure fun. Other albums serve to
wow and excite you with how classics can be arranged into different genres, and how
many different feelings you can get throughout the album. That is why I appreciate
the pure fun that this album brings. I am still in awe over how tracks one and two
sound back to back. But each track can still be listened to on its own, and appreciated
at the same time. If you don't like jazz, this album may not be for you, as this
is 100% jazz all around.

this seems the sequel Esther's Dreams (so good) the essence of jazz makes me feel like I could fly away (i love jazz music) the truth is they did an excellent job sorry for my english

EDIT: all songs are my favorite

Thanks for the kind words everyone! And big shout out to @José the Bronx Rican for the amazing trailer!!!