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PERSONNEL on the CD:
voice: jay matsueda
backing vocals: quincy coleman, tamar kaprelian (mardirossian)
flute: katisse buckingham
saxophone: elliott levin, katisse buckingham
bassoon: ben wendel
trumpet: stewart cole, mike mcguffey
flugelhorn: mike mcguffey
acoustic guitar: jay matsueda
electric guitar: joel shearer, tony do rosario
sitar: paul livingstone
ukulele: stewart cole
violin: eric hosler
cello: john walz, peter jacobson
accordion: jean-paul monsche
harmonica: chris smith
organ: otmaro ruiz, michael bluestein
piano: otmaro ruiz
keyboard: katisse buckingham
marimba: billy hulting
marimba: nick mancini
vibraphone: nick mancini
orchestra bells: nick mancini
melodica: nick mancini
bass: larry steen, ric fierabracci, robertino pagliari, doug shreeve, rufus philpot, jerry watts, kirkwood coakley, joe karnes, dan lutz
drums: chris wabich, matt johnson, greg paxton, joel taylor
supplemental cymbals: greg paxton, tony shepperd
rain stick: greg paxton
can lid: greg paxton
castinets: dayna richards
Main Production Credits:
produced by: jay matsueda
mixed by: rich breen
mastered by: david collins
primary engineering by: greg paxton
And a little about me personally:
- European & Asian decent
- Taurus/Gemini cusp
- Politically liberal most of the time
- Environmentalist (help market CFL light bulbs)
- Photojournalist for musicians (radical3over2.com)
- Singer/Songerwriter (eatyoursad.com)
- Favorite Movies: An Inconvenient Truth, A Crude Awakening (The Oil Crash)
The "eat your sad" album is influenced by rock, jazz, world and folk music. The tunes use what are essentially rock arrangements, but the vast majority are executed with unconventional instrumentation across many layers that includes jazz improv. The result is a kind of hybrid rock and jazz sound that is eclectic and somewhat intellectual - but the rhythm sections are so solid that the songs still groove hard. For lack of a better genre description, I would call it "Alternative Adult Contemporary," although I have never seen that label above a store CD rack before...
The one cover song on the record is "Seven Days" by Sting, so he is obviously an influence, and I am a big fan. The "eat your sad" record is also necessarily influenced by all the people (see list above) who lent their particular flair to the recordings in the same way they have for major acts they have toured with or recorded for in the past - Acts like Damien Rice, Chick Corea, Jeff Buckley, Alanis Morrissette, Andy Summers, Sting, Yanni, John Cale, Beck, The Yellowjackets, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney, the L.A. Opera and many more.
Sounds Like
Sounds like something new. But I have been told by various people of differing backgrounds and ages that the vocal sounds like Cat Stevens or Tim Buckley or even like a male Tracy Chapman.
Instrumental to the production of "eat your sad" has been my extensive photography background...
The vast majority of the players on my CD are friends, acquaintances and colleagues for whom I have shot live performance photos or designed CD covers or both. Without that to offer in exchange for everyone's time and participation, this record would not have been possible.
"Jay Matsueda has shot a number of high profile live events for us across the past few years. We've always had great results, and he's pleasant and professional to work with. In fact, there's really no substitute for him. He definitely possesses the unique skill of capturing a very rare, wonderful moment with his camera." - Coko Johnson, Director of Marketing, Musicians Institute, Hollywood, CA
"For the last year and a half, Jay Matsueda has proven to be an asset to THE ROCKIT Newspaper in many capacities. Of greatest importance were his numerous CD & DVD reviews with informed musical commentary as well as articles about live music events, which often included interviews. Jay also added value beyond writing with great photography which helped set our paper apart from others." - Rory Rogers, Publisher, THE ROCKIT, Los Angeles, CA
"Matsueda pulled through for us as our in-house photographer during this year's (2007) New Music Awards. He not only captured the essence of the red carpet, but also surprised us with the live performance photography he took and the candids in the after-award party." - Paul Loggins, New Music Awards Executive Producer
"[Matsueda is] so disgustingly talented that it makes me fucking want to puke." - Jay Skowronek, douchebag shill for KFC and former drummer for the band formerly known as Maxeen
Hey Jay, thanks for the friendship. your photography is so inspiring!!! and your music also.. although just heard of your music lately... after your photograpy.. but both things are beautiful!! cheers, -jupe
Yo Jay~ nice to meet you, looking forward to Saturday! Nice to see you are a coin collector~ us nerds can always hang and compare Flying Eagles :) See you soon~
