The Two Notes Behind “Flava In Ya Ear”
Craig Mack's "Flava In Ya Ear" builds its core melody on two notes. A 1971 Melvin Sparks jazz guitar solo provides those slowed, treated notes.
Tracklist
- Flava In Ya Ear (Album Version) — Craig Mack
- Alone Together — Melvin Sparks
Transcript
Flava In Ya Ear (Album Version) — Craig Mack
Craig Mack’s “Flava In Ya Ear” has a two-note riff that its producer, Easy Mo Bee, said carries the song. In a 2014 interview, he called it “a guitar, but with a lot of reverb.” He said those notes were the melody, and everything else was built around them. Listen for how much rests on those two notes. Hear Flava In Ya Ear (Album Version) by Craig Mack.
Alone Together — Melvin Sparks
What could two notes in a guitar solo have to do with Craig Mack’s riff? Tom Breihan at Stereogum writes that members of the Sample Sanctuary Discord identified two notes from the middle of Melvin Sparks’ solo on “Alone Together” as its source. Sparks, a jazz guitarist, recorded this 1932 Broadway standard for his 1971 album Spark Plug. Breihan says the notes were apparently slowed and treated with effects. A YouTuber called ShakerMaker has been sharing the group’s discoveries. Hear Alone Together by Melvin Sparks.
You’ve heard Mack’s riff and Sparks’ recording. What do you make of the two-note connection Breihan describes?