JJ Biener's first memories involve music. His earliest memory is being two years old, sitting in the big chair in the living room, and spending hours listening to records on the family stereo. If there was music playing in the house, chances are JJ was there.
When JJ was 11 his parents bought a used upright piano. It was like a door had opened. With an old piano instruction book in hand, he taught himself the basics. While he had lessons off and on for a few years, he remains mostly self-taught. By age 13, he was improvising melodies. At age 14 he began writing instrumental pieces. At age 15 he started his first band and began writing songs. JJ continued performing and writing throughout high school and college.
After college, the demands of job and family led JJ to give up performing, but he continued to play, compose, and improvise. In 1997, the lure of performing again became too strong to resist, and JJ set off in search of new opportunities. After playing with a variety of musicians, he and a friend put together a Blues/R&B band called Just Water. The band played the clubs in and around St. Louis throughout the late 90's and early 2000's. JJ contributed his usual keyboard work as well as several original songs to the project.
In 2001, JJ followed his heart and left the Midwest for sunny Florida. Here he set up a project studio and began recording some of his original compositions. He established a relationship with a couple of music publishers and wrote music for several commercial and television projects. In 2005, he wrote and recorded the score for a documentary on the life of ballet dancer/choreographer Fernando Bujones. During this time, JJ also played keyboard in the Pink Floyd tribute band Earthbound Misfits.
In 2005, JJ's love of music took him in another direction as well. He began writing CD reviews and articles on music software for the web site Muse's Muse (www.musesmuse.com). JJ's CD reviews focus on Jazz and Blues artists as well as on those whose music defies easy categorization. His articles are aimed at musicians with more talent and ambition than financial resources. He writes about music software that is available either free or at very low cost.
JJ Biener is continuing to write, compose and record. Stay tuned to this page (or send a friend request) for the latest from this artist.
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