I joined my first band in 8th grade, The Marauders. We played surf music, Ventures, Astronauts, etc. My best friend asked me to join even though I didn't know how to play guitar. Every day after school I went over to his house and he showed me chords and song progressions. After one week of practice I played my first gig. I've been hooked ever since.
I’ve been in several bands since then, some of them pretty successful, others not. Most of them played at least some original music, most of which I wrote or co-wrote. For the most part, I played rock and blues up until the late ‘80s. I stumbled across an ethnic festival at a shopping mall and struck up a conversation with the guitar/bouzouki/whistle player in a Welsh band. Next thing you know I was playing bass in a traditional Welsh folk band. Of course, an electric bass is not a very traditional folk instrument. Pretty soon I was writing arrangements with harmonies, counter-melodies and modulations as well as new pseudo-Celtic music for the band.
I wrote all the songs on Give Away. I’m not sure what pigeon hole they go in. I guess you might call it neo-folk jazz pop. I’ve not seen a bin with that label in any music store. I think it’s great that internet distribution allows some of us to create our own genre. The instruments are mostly acoustic 6 and 12 string guitar, bouzouki and simple percussion. But there’s some fretless bass and electric guitar in a few tunes.
I often use jazz chords and sometimes mix different time signatures in the same tune. This is not very typical for folk music; in fact, it’s just not very typical at all. But if you desire to hear something different, something you’re not likely to hear on the radio, there’s a good chance you will enjoy these songs.
Go ahead and buy a CD, it’ll give you something to listen to when you’re bored with everything else because it all seems to sound the same. Hey, while you’re at it, buy one for a friend; I’m sure you know someone who would like some musical variety in their life.
**Temporarily, this CD is part of the 3 for $5 each offer**
Read more...