Grateful Mastered 

The name for my upcoming CD is "Grateful". And it has been mixed and mastered by Tom Eaton. It Sounds Great!

And grateful I am for everyone and everything involved with: the project, my life at this time, and the path my career has taken while here in New York City.

A special amount of gratitude goes out to my wife (Sheryl) and my parents (Mitch and Elaine) for continuous support, of which this journey would not have been possible.

Learning to enjoy "the process" so much more in life is like a gift, one I gave myself permission to receive. It's really gratifying to enjoy "the now". Even though there's probably more to get excited about with this stage of my career as a pianist, I'm patiently enjoying the ride as it's moving me along, whether I worry about what's way up ahead or not.

I have a vision, and a team forming around me, to help facilitate this dream I've had for a LONG time. It's so easy to get too excited! Must take a deep breath.....ahh....

Grateful. I think it sums it up in one word.
 

Richard And I 

Richard Devine is a very successful electronic musician, sound designer, producer and much more. He's part of a genre of music that's instrumental, grooving, electronic, with constantly changing rhythms, etcetera.

Two things really strike me about the music: 1) the ever-changing drums and percussion produce a quality that sounds like jazz to me because it's evolving relentlessly, moving forward; 2) As an improviser this music is really appealing to want to play over. Accompanying the grooving beat is mostly a pad of sounds that can be very minimal at times, so it's inviting to want to super-impose a layer above with solo or melodic material. The trick is adding to it but not too much!

Well, I stumbled on this smooth jazz kind of tune of Richard's the other day, and it really had the room to add piano. So much so, I created an intro and outro of solo piano, and had lot's of space to solo and riff over his groove throughout the body of the tune.

This kind of digital "collaboration" and many other possibilities for such "consensual or not" collaboration raise issues with permissions to expose these materials. Richard doesn't know I've done this (I'm curious to know what he thinks and may pursue that) so I won't "put this out there on the web" and just have it here for now.

Disclaimer: This is a fun little side project and there may be more as it was a blast to have such a great track to play with here - Thank You Richard Devine

The New CD Has Been Mixed 

I had a really nice time up in Newburyport, Mass. last week being present for the mixing of my upcoming CD. Tom Eaton was stellar at adding light percussion and getting a gorgeous blend and overall sound. It was a great experience.

I'm very excited to have Tom do the mastering, and we get the CD's manufactured, and get ready for the release.

Will Ackerman, Tom, the instrumentalists and all the people involved in the Imaginary Road Studios production family have all been very supportive in this process, and I am very grateful.

Winter Update 

My contemporary classical/new age piano record is moving along slowly but surely.

I just deleted my last blog entry, made just days ago. I haven't done that before but I thought it appropriate in this case as I posted a new piano piece also. I've decided the piece needs work, and it now has a chance to be on the new CD so I need to protect it until I'm ready to pre-release songs at the right time. I'm really hoping to move things along but my ability to be really, really patient will pay off in the end. (Sigh).

So if you caught the piece while it was up here, good for you and I hope you liked it!

At the end of next week I'll be back from the Boston area, where I will do most of the mixing for this project with Tom Eaton, esteemed recording engineer for Will Ackerman. I'm looking forward to the work we will do, that should get us close to completing this album, yay!

Thanks for tuning in and I'll keep you posted as to the progress being made.
 

Winter Update 

Winter is here. The holidays were nice and quiet. It's kind of a peaceful time, when I'm able to exercise more patience.

My life of late has been at a slow pace. The record project is moving slowly, but it's moving. I'll be doing some mixing later in the month with Tom Eaton, and that will get the production process pretty close to completion. I'm looking forward to the drive up to the Boston area for that.

I've had this song idea in my head for a while, and with some snow having finally come down in NYC I thought of a really slow and relaxed version for this piece. It was conceived as an anthemic sort of thing, but this version might be the one.

I hope you like the relaxing vibe of this piece - peace!

Chamber Trio 

An actual chamber music trio (real instruments) of piano, cello, and english horn has been recorded on two of the songs on my up and coming CD.

What a great sound! I've been waiting to hear something like this on my original compositions forever!

Thanks to Jill Haley who played gorgeous phrases and with beautiful tone and intonation on these tunes the other day. Also a continued nod to the incredible team of Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton at Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont adding yet more magical tracks to my CD project.

As you can tell I'm getting pretty excited, and with good reason. I'm so looking forward to finishing this recording and releasing it to the world, and performing again to bring it to the people live - oh yeah!

'Til next post - peace my friends - and thank you.

Album / Business 

Now that my writing, arranging, and performing of the music for the album is done, it's time to take care of business.

Right now, I'm looking over so many technical and legal items it's mind boggling. Books, random chapters printed out, check lists, etc..

Wow! But, I do know that when this process is completed I will have learned a lot. I will also be starting work on the marketing and promotion of the album, followed by the pursuit of performances.

Musicians that have gone through this process many times can probably do all the stages for multiple albums simultaneously.

I think it will be a while before I can step back into the world of creating and playing the music. That's the place I live and thrive in.

Album Takes Shape 

A week ago today (and pretty much around this time of day) I was finishing up the piano tracks for my upcoming CD. It felt great to have created enough original songs to complete the project. I was able to let out a sigh of relief and go to the next phase.

Then a stroke of great luck came. Will Ackerman was able to get his long time collaborator, and supreme cellist Eugene Friesen to come in last minute for the afternoon! This was perfect as I wanted cello to be the predominant complimentary instrument to the piano on this CD. He did three songs, and while Will, Tom and I directed him through the pieces, the sound of a really expressive cellist in my music for the first time ever made me well up with tears of joy.

What a satisfying trip up to Vermont last week. There are some English horn and probably percussion tracks to be added and it will be time for mixing and mastering. I'm hoping to have the CD ready to go in a few months.

Everything is moving nicely with this project and I'm looking forward to filling you in on it as it unfolds.

Last Turn to the Homestretch 

Just over a week ago I finished another day of recording for my next CD. It went well, and yes, it provided me with the perspective to see the straightaway to the finish line.

Four weeks from today I will be in the studio again. I'm hoping to finish all the piano tracks then. I've been relentlessly working out tunes and arrangements that might be worthy of making the cut. I will most likely come up with a new tune or two to throw into the ring also.

This process continues to be a great learning experience for me. I feel Will Ackerman is teaching me so much about playing heartfelt music without the unnecessary stuff (mainly notes), clearing the clutter to get to just what's essential. Yet, when I listen to the music (about two thirds done) it sounds very much like me - my identity isn't lost. It doesn't sound like I'm conforming to a genre or whatever.

It really feels great after more than two years here in New York to have chosen this path to pursue. Of course, after crossing this finish line, more laps, turns and finish lines are cued up! Releasing this CD, promoting it, and looking to perform again for the first time in about 15 years, and doing solo piano tours and concerts (a career-long dream) will be extremely gratifying.

I'll keep you posted.

Recording Piano Tracks 

The last six months has been really great. I've embarked on a whole new project that is exciting and has the possibility to take me above and beyond any place I've ever been with my solo piano music, and music career altogether. I've been intensely writing new music and in a new style for me.

I'm getting ready to go back to Imaginary Road Studios to record my second day of piano tracks with Will Ackerman producing.

The first session took place two months ago. It was great to take the trip to Vermont and see Will's studio, the very live Steinway B, meet Tom Eaton the engineer, and put in a day of solo recording not to forget soon! It was a blast, and Will and Tom are great to work with.

I think I'm better prepared to get some composed ideas turned into pieces this time. It's a new and unusual process for all of us and I think we're flexing to accommodate the situation well.

This whole project, so far, has taken me away from updating my website and especially this blog. I haven't developed a way to put an intense process like this in words as it unfolds, so the modest number of regular viewers here have been left out the most. For this I'm sorry, and know from my research that this is the opposite approach to reward the people most interested in what I'm doing.

I think this recording session next week will be pivotal in defining this projects shape and structure. I will be able to open up more to the process after next week also. This will get me showing up here more often to share info! Stay tuned.

Thanks for listening,

Joe

For Erik Satie  

I've been writing and putting together pieces for a new piano record project.

This is the first fully composed and notated song I've created in a while. It also just might be the most stylized piece I've written.

I really wanted to capture Erik Satie's vibe and make it my own too.

Relax and Enjoy.

From Nothing 

My entries here have dwindled to a very slow trickle.

I'm preparing for the most meaningful solo piano recording session I've ever done.

In the past I would put so much effort into what I thought I needed to do. I would rack my brain, stress, drive myself nuts hoping I was doing the right thing. This behavior caused me to come up short (basically over-preparing for what's not needed, and not letting myself just be me) with a few of the biggest side-man jobs ever offered me. Okay, now it's my songs, my direction, my gig!... No, it's still a bunch of noise that won't help. Over-preparing the right stuff doesn't work either.

This time will be different. It just has to be. I want to create completely new music - from nothing.

I'll spend one day in a rural area I've never been to, with a producer and engineer I've never worked with, and a piano I've never seen. There's one goal - let's make some magic. How do you prepare for that? What will they want from me, suggest to me, blah blah blah...... All noise in my head.

I'll bring my fingers, ears, awareness, curiosity, openness, and gratitude that I have this day,...... to create magic..... from nothing.

Twenty Five Days Ago 

Twenty five days ago is what I just saw re-reading my last blog entry. I had to revisit the last five entries to remind myself what I said. Oh, the magic of blogs, and this very rewarding aspect of them - after almost 400 entries it's quite the chronicle now.

I'm struck at how receptive I was to an impending major change coming, and being able to articulate it. I was absolutely right.

Not only has a conceptual shift been made by me to make my piano music more accessible, I'm making a dramatic shift in how it gets marketed and delivered.

It's in the very beginning stages of development so there's not much to share yet, but this next recording of mine (to be recorded 7 weeks from today) will be at the highest industry standards for recording and production. I will hand over niche targeting and marketing to the pro's, so I can really make the music I want to share.

This is a big deal and a huge opportunity for me to "breakout" in a big way. Now I must go, to work on the music you want to hear.

Coming Home 

I'm coming home in two ways right now. Flying to my home town to be with my family for a few days is one.

I'm so glad, and really satisfied with my decision to let myself go totally free in the last year and a half - a very importand step in an artists development, and a blessing to have the support to make it possible. My Clazzimprov albums Volumes 1 & 2, along with Piano Compositions and Improvisations, and all of the 300 plus minute-long MBLOG entries here over the last year, were recorded under unconstrained restrictions on rhythm, tonality, form, etc. This, I thought, was the Holy Grail of "artistry".

The second way I'm coming home is artistically - with my music.Like everything else in life, change is inevitable. So, I enjoyed flying out to Pluto [figuratively] (why not? Because I can and I'm curious), but watch out for what you ask for! Indulging in my personal brand of freedom turned lonely, and why shouldn't it? I wasn't connecting with listeners, I wasn't even trying. After all, I wanted to create for ME, and surely there are some people that can relate to it and want it, right? (I grow weary trying to find them).I realised recently that I wanted to swing around Pluto and shoot back in the direction of earth where there are more people to interact with.

It's funny how I have thought of so many things in life as either / or. A creative musician can get so hung-up on NOT wanting to "go commercial". Recently I've found a place with my piano playing where I can create what I want (real challenging music for me at this point) and appeal to more people.

I do want to reach an audience, touch them, connect my art with many people. I can confidently say my next project will be more accessible, to more listeners, than I have ever composed before.

New Sage 

What does the title of this blog post mean? I'm trying to think up a term for the next phase of my career.I love playing with words, making word games, and completely throwing different words or phrases around, usually to brand something as concisely as I can.

Between now and January I'm going to work on what it takes to hit the ground running to start the new year. There's a new focus emerging that will bring my music to a more accessible listening place. After many years of creating "art music" for my self-indulgent pleasure, and realizing how difficult it is to connect it with people who don't share my specific message, I want to make music that is intended to reach out to a larger group of listeners.

There's a very established category of music that has a contriversial name, especially by some of it's own artists. If I do decide to throw my hat into this marketers' named "genre", I too will want a better name for the fruits of my labor.

I like the title of this blog post. At least it's a start.

Almost Time 

The almost two years of exploring is leading me somewhere. It's almost time.

Musically (really what all this pertains to), I've been looking for a place to hang my hat, and get into that world. There's been a lot of browsing so some targeted planning is in order. Of course it will also just be part of a bigger journey that will take me somewhere else, and move me on again.

All the while I've been enjoying the process more than any other time in my career. Being in "the now" while difficult for me, is the antidote to depression about the past, and anxiety of the future.

I'm so ready to take on a plan that includes all my musical energy - playing, composing, and performing - (and here comes the hard part) in a particular niche or category that is already established, and I can find my place in.

A calmness has come (aging helps!). It's Almost Time.

Space 

This is Space Time.

The space between creative ideas forming.

A vacuum devoid of inspired notes, words, or images.

Not to be scared or worried. It needs to happen - to leave room for what's next.

If I think about what's next, or especially talk about it, it will change things, and might backfire.

Best to let the time take. Be patient and ready. I don't want to disrupt what is about to emerge. Time to trust.

Every Day 

Every Day? Not of late.

I was prolific with the every day minute long tunes - for a year. I've pushed out video concepts (shorts) with thoughtful piano tracks as much as I can for the last month. Now I'm in a challenging phase for me. It feels like a major transition is coming soon, and again I don't know what it's going to be. I'm learning to ride a roller-coaster ride through this multi-year career developmental time period.

I can't really open the flood-gates and type it all down here, it would be a tome, with all that's going through my head and being processed. I probably haven't said much of late, but my primary focus the last year and a half has been to market my music online, here on my website. This blog has been a side-project for the most part. I want a balance between playing the piano, recording, writing music, blogging, and online research. Performing is something I want to get back into and have been putting more energy into it.

At least for the next month I'll be doing some holiday travel so things could be sparse in the blog entry category. Truth in advertising might force me to change the "every day" part of the mission statement. I'll work on preventing that.

Skating in CP 

Hello!

I'm back after an extended holiday weekend. I was able to get some nice ice skating video from Central Park on a beautiful and active Saturday afternoon. I've been looking for the right kind of imagery for some nice waltz time for a piano track.

I tend to make improvisations short these days but this one required three minutes of "keep it moving" music that challenged me some. It's difficult, with so many people and a lot going on visually to queue music to the action, but I did catch a few and lucked out some too!

Time To Eat 

Dang. I couldn't get the video of "cool cat" done today. Now it's time to shut down for a few days and eat!

I've got to get busy with domestic stuff so I can relax and (yes, again) eat.

Have a nice holiday.

Stuff - ing Around 

I'm doing "stuff" today. Stuff-ing around I'll call it as it's TG eve - eve.

Grocery shopping, go to the gym, do some cleaning, just shot video of my "cool cat" - hope to have the video for tomorrow, tune-smithing, phone calling, etc.....

Stuff-ing gotta be done. Gravy on stuffing - my favorite!

Dusk at Sherman Square 

Alrighty then! I have my action video with action sound track. This turned out even better than I thought it would.

It was a cold and windy evening and I was at the end of a video shoot that wasn't going well. This video is completely un-edited. I did speed it up 50% which provided a nice tempo to create the music from.

I used three different piano tracks to make this. It was a blast as I have been wanting to do some music that got me out of my relaxed/introspective mode.

Here it is - Dusk at Sherman Square.

Video Challenged 

I want to write something today. I shot video, all in vain yesterday. I'm looking for something pretty active because I have a musical idea I want to do that takes me away from the light, relaxing stuff.

You'd think I could go outside here in NYC and find plenty of fast-pace hustle-bustle to capture. For me, it hasn't happened like that. Just aiming at active stuff doesn't necessarily make it exciting or action packed. I mean, I'm not expecting a hollywood movie trailer! But......

So, I don't know but I'll get something soon. I really want to do this for the next one. Coming soon.

Pan In 

As intimated yesterday, a new video is up here again today. Pan In.

I really wanted to get in to the video making process as a springboard for my piano pieces. I also wanted to get two or three made each week to keep this blog moving. The biggest challenge I wanted to meet was making all this compelling, or at least interesting. I am doing all these things as well as expected - I think.