John Clements

Bio:

.. Born in 1977, Evanston, IL, John Clements is a musician for life. Along the path, he has been a band member, promoter, live engineer, recording engineer, teacher, solo artist, lighting technician, A/V supervisor, and filled various other roles in the creation, production, promotion, and performance of music.

He believes in the power of Music to unite America mentally, particularly in the small towns and suburbs which are farther from cities and hubs of commercial culture and music. Having lived in Chicago, New York City, Boston, Orlando, and Newport, RI, John knows city life. He knows it is necessary for supporting music as a whole, and much of the cultural change which happens, happens to the tune of revolutionary music.

John is a guitar, bass, piano player and a sound engineer with college studies in Music Education and an Associates' of Science Degree in Recording Arts. John is also a certified Pro Tools Operator for Music Recording and Post Production and is always available to assist on sessions. He records and mixes local artists, produces beats and demos, and works for a high end lighting and audio company called Ormonde Productions.

Seeing all of his friends' original bands, like the George Lesiw Project or Tony Purrone Trio, Solillaquists of Sound, Selector Moldy, Chronicle, Black River Sound, the Louse, and many independent musicians (to name a few, of which all of which are amazingly dedicated and talented), struggle to find gigs in a market where more people would pay more for good music in good venues, has been at once frustrating and inspiring for John. One of his goals is to integrate young artists and established local performers into regional music scenes which they have more control of by taking all of the people who have talent and desire and providing community-oriented venues and promotion for their expression.

He is influenced heavily by the philosophies of the early Hip Hop movement, and is seeking to fuel local musical culture with creativity, positivity, and conscious thought. Musicians need to come together and unite on festivals and underground venue networks which will provide the income they depend on from live performance.

Being a part of the Boys and Girls Clubs Movement heavily influenced John. He was the Director of Technology and the Young Producers music recording and performance program at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Newport County, Rhode Island. During the ages of 13-18, people are constantly seeking to define themselves. If they are given the opportunity to express their individuality through the arts, they find focus and definition that can help them survive as an adolescent in today's consumer wasteland. When the creative energies of youth are stifled, young people suffer from a lack of self-actualization. From his own personal experience, John has seen that motivation is often a result of exposure to new perspectives, and the arts make these perspectives truly available.

At the Boys and Girls Club, John devoted his energy to bringing young people into music as an art and communication medium. He spent time teaching them to use the technologies necessary for success in today's business environment, as well introducing them to self-education resources on the internet.

John feels blessed every day to be able to learn, educate and collaborate with talented, driven people and to create, be inspired, and create great works together.

John will be posting original compositions as they are completed, so please have a listen. If you are interested in licensing this music for film, tv, or vidgames, please contact John via Myspace.

If you are an old friend and we haven't spoken for a while, please get in touch --- esp. if you are doing any creative work. I am really interested in collaborating on film, animation, or any post-production work, as well as recording/producing acts. Let me know if I can be of any service... or if we haven't spoken in a while, hit me up, I miss many friends....

Member Since:

June 05, 2004

Members:

John Clements

Influences:

This could possibly be the longest list I could ever make... but I will try. Here they are, in no order of importance, except the first one. Miles Davis, Teo Macero, Quincy Jones, John Zorn, Grant Green, Bill Laswell, Mike Patton, many WARP artists, anything on Ninjatune, Nils Petter Molvaer, Cliff Martinez, Lalo Schifrin, Herbie Hancock, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Kruder and Dorfmeister/Tosca/Peace Orchestra, Charlie Hunter, Dave Liebeman, Igor Stravinsky, King Kooba, Bela Fleck, King Tubby, Bela Bartok, Wesley Willis, Ernest Ranglin, Jurassic 5, Boards of Canada, Luke Vibert, Selector Moldy, Fela & Femi Kuti, Parliament Funkadelic, Frank Zappa, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Up, Bustle, and Out, Joe Henderson, Weather Report, Thelonius Monk, Saint Germain, Squarepusher, Blackalicious, Depeche Mode, DJ Numark, Freddie Hubbard, Aphex Twin, Sofa Surfers, Roots Manuva, Roy Hargrove, DJ Food, Moondog, The Boredoms, Estradasphere, Secret Chiefs 3, KRS-One, Bob Marley, Cinematic Orchestra, Frederic Chopin, Preston Murphy, Charlie Christian, anything off Congo Natty, James Blood Ulmer, DJ's Krush, Shadow, Vadim, and Zinc, Keith Jarrett, Dr. Dre, Kool Keith, Fila Brazilia, Four Tet, Jimmy Smith, Kraftwerk, The Meters, Ol' Boy, Arnold Schoenberg, Ming and FS, Mr. Scruff, Charlie Hunter, Lil' Jon, Bonobo, The Roots, Jaco Pastorius, Franz Liszt, Tower of Power, Thievery Corp, St. Germaine, RJD2, Robert Johnson, Praxis, Public Enemy, Oscar Peterson, The Orb, B.I.G., N.W.A., O.D.B., Nightmares on Wax, Murs, Atmosphere, Aesop Rock, Morphine, Mobb Deep, old LTJ Bukem, Medeski, The Meters, Larry Young, Kool Keith, Bill Frisell, The Bar-Kays, Baaba Maal..... I have also had the fortune to know and be inspired by my amazingly talented musician friends Preston M, Aaron G, Ennis G, Bob N, Matt K, Travis V, Tim S, Will J, Ryan L, Andy McF, Nate T, Mike S, Chris K, Chaps K, Jon H, Darnell W, Alvin B, Reed T, Dan Mc, Rob J, Rob P, Chris D, Matt B, Nich D, and my brothers Charles, George, and Nate....

Sounds Like:

downtempo melancholy jazz harmonies, complex sweeping synths, heavy bass, emotional strings, layered drums and percussion, fat rhodes, ringing guitar tones, complex FX chains used sparingly...

Label Type:

None