direction
Current Goings On
I am thrilled and honored that my music video "There Is A Moose" has been earning accolades on the film festival circuit, including the Award of Recognition by the IndieFEST Film Festival 2024, in the Film Short & Music Video categories. The song incorporates many musical elements, which include the groove and guitars of surf rock; the mystery and danger of the ’60s spy genre; a rap-styled vocal and a big-band influenced climax, all driven by a throbbing jungle beat...
I wanted an unexpected topic
for a subject, and I've always found the Moose to be a fascinating animal with a strong personality & complex behaviors. His one-of-a-kind character informs the whimsy and adventure I wrote into the arrangement and lyrics...
My objective was to create an invigorating musical work that would appeal to all generations, from ages 1-111, designed to delight and amuse with an action-packed, full length dance number that will get people moving while becoming acquainted with this intriguing beast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DpDvbi643I Viva la Moose!
One year in the making, in October 2022 the full-length holiday album, "Winter Awhile" was completed. With over an hour's worth of music, it sports ten original orchestrations plus two new vocals, features 36 outstanding instrumentalists, and was engineered and mixed by the super-gifted Sacha Müller. My previous releases were created in Los Angeles, so it was rewarding to work in studios in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, and to finally record alongside the great comrades with whom I'd performed live for many years. Throughout this unique & exciting process exist many stories of good fortune and uncommon synchronicity...
I've been a big fan of the world-class Oregon Symphony since childhood, so it was a rare pleasure to invite several key members into the project. I admire the intense dedication of the new friends I made during the course of these sessions. What a thrill to integrate my jazz-based charts with classical elements, and to evoke styles from different parts of the world. The winter holidays embrace a universal appeal, and music brings people together.
Inspiration
Working across the globe for many years onstage as a musical artist has been fulfilling and illuminating, and I am in deep gratitude for those experiences. Now I relish this phase of my life with concentrated focus on writing & arranging, sculpting sound in the controlled environment of the studio, and making short-subject films. When music is blended with moving images, those art forms mutually enhance each other, and that combination stimulates the viewer/listener in a new way. This offers a multi-layered experience that can arouse unique emotions and responses...
In our world-wide culture, the alliance between music and film has been prevalent for so many decades, we accept it as a normal part of our collective consciousness. It's easy to take its impact for granted, but that union is tremendously powerful. As a director and musician, I love how the rhythm of the music affects the rhythm of the editing process, and vice versa.
The extensive travel, both personally as well as professionally, has made a significant impression on my life. I regard travel as one of the most valuable activities for humans, because it exposes one to diverse cultures, walks of life, varieties of atmosphere and opportunities to connect with new people from everywhere. Traveling can also be an inspirational muse. Fresh ideas come while exploring new locales...
Different climates and unfamiliar air are enriching for the creative process, and this is just as true close to home. Hiking in nature or taking a drive, visiting an art museum, embarking on a quick weekend someplace nearby, swimming in a lake or showering in a waterfall, or simply enjoying meals with friends are perfect tonics to keep refreshed and maintain positive flow.
Life can be distilled down to two basic things: living beings and experiences
zest
