Album Notes

In our story the Romantic befriends the Machine, finding himself in an harmonious and symbiotic relationship with the computer. Rubenstein, who is both musician and Computer Scientist combines his intimate knowledge and love of both to create beautiful, haunting, improvised - yet electronic - music, which he names "dark-ambient-groove."

Jason Rubenstein began his relationship with music at a very young age. At the age of nine he played clarinet, by the age of 11 he'd already composed a Mozart-like duet. By the age of 18 he was firmly committed to the piano and all manner of music instruments and machines with keyboards. Add to this his formative experiences with a liberal family, gifted musically and intellectually, and it is little wonder why Rubenstein pursued studies in both music and computer science at college.
Soon after college he founded a computer animation company. When the company folded Rubenstein's depression was so great that he decided to give up even his music. Of course, this denial of what comes most naturally, couldn't hold him very long. On a visit to Los Angeles he ended up at an improv bar one night. When his name was drawn from a hat he took the stage. He simply "let loose on the piano" and everyone in the room was captivated and astounded by his passion and talent! Rubenstein didn't need any more prompting. The wild applause of every single patron at the improv club that night was enough to jolt him back to his calling: music and composition incorporating his adept knowledge of computers and computer generated music.

He quickly wrote, recorded and put out his first album Image - a post-club, electronic album filled with improvisational piano and ambient moods. Rubenstein's second release Cathedral is currently in release and already he is well into working on his third album (slated for late 1999). Cathedral is a work which calls to mind surreal landscapes and moods: a post-clubbing drive home through the canyon at dawn, deserted downtown streets, ancient fog shrouded ruins. There is hope and melancholy, but the feeling is also dark, heavy - there is heat and intensity. The music is about ambiance and heavy grooves.

The style is improvisational, almost jazzy at times. This touch fleshes out the electronica with human elements - because music is human, made by human touch. This is an idea that is very important to Rubenstein. It is a central theme in his compositions. Of his music he notes "my style is almost a throw-back to the Romantic-era pianists of the last century. Moody people using the piano to vent emotional feelings for which society allows no other outlet!"