I am in the process of re-recording and organizing 15 years of melodic ideas. What's next?
Influences
Dicky Neely has been my "Blues Mentor". Michael O'Connor and J.B. Braden generously gave me 7 years training and experience in the art of playing on stage in all styles of popular music. My influences in chronological order (as I became aware of them): Classical and then the Beatles. Then Mike Bloomfield, James Taylor, Leo Kotke, Joni Mitchell, The Sons of the Pioneers, Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, Grant Green, Albert King, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Most recently Corey Harris. His friendship and musical encouragement has given me the confidence to not worry and to just let it flow through my fingers... The circumstance of breaking my left hand in 2002 influenced me too. It made me realize that there are not an infinite number of notes in life. Now each note is more precious! Now I know that if I am going to play something, I should do it with love, focus and abandon! For the love of the music...tickling air molecules...
Sounds Like
I have been told my melodies sound like Paul McCartney. I guess I have always liked melodic pop, I'm a product of my times and that stuff just comes out. My finger style (don't blame me--my fingers made me play it!) has been compared to Missisippi John Hurt and Taj Mahal. My electric blues always goes back to somewhere between T-Bone Walker and Albert King, not fast enough to mimic Mike Bloomfield. My jazz compositions are like bluesy Horace Silver or Duke Ellington, sometimes sweeter (that's a nice place "to go"). And sometimes I sound like 60's TV commercials. Again, a product of my times and it just comes out. And once in a while I crank it up and Rock Out!
I am a Yankee in South Texas. I grew up in Connecticut and traveled a lot. I settled in South Texas in 1988. Been here ever since...
I've been playing music since I was 9--about the same time I started racing sailboats. When I was 18 I made a choice. Sailing or music, music or sailing...I wondered which path to follow. My answer was to do the athletic endeavor (sailing/windsurfing) while I was young. I figured that like most athletes my body would hold up at a top level until I was about 35-40. I figured by that time I would have won, lost, seen the world; and I would have something to write about, a base of experiences that I could harvest for creative inspiration. So I sailed the seas, saw the world, savored my freedom.
On schedule, my body started to wear out at 35. That was when my Father passed, leaving my his guitar. I missed him so I used the guitar as an "inter-dimensional musical communication device". I played and I played and I said "Thank You" to my father and to the universe for this life I have been given.
That was 19 years ago. Throughout these years I have worked on my musical craft, fulfilling a musical obsession. My goal: to write melodies and songs that a listener can't forget.
Living in South Texas has been great for this pursuit. I have met great musicians who have helped me learn how to play in any musical setting.
But my favorite musical pastime is sailing at sunset while playing my ukulele!
Happy Thanksgiving to y'all. I just got home with my turkey and all the trimmings and now I am settling in to watch some football, all day and all night!
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