Composer | Orchestrator | Arranger
In terms of the musical community, the Coronavirus has really shed some interesting, and also troubling light on many aspects of how musicians make a living. My original training was as a performer (originally trumpet and now piano), and only much later in my life did I veer towards musical composition. I never abandoned my …
Ha! It’s been over three years since my last blog post! Life happens! Since my last post I’ve moved full time to southern California (Pasadena) and little by little have begun to be more of a part of the music scene in Los Angeles. I’ve had the opportunity to work on lots of really cool …
I finally got around to watching the movie Whiplash last night. I had been putting it off since I’d heard from several fellow jazz musicians that it was not based on any kind of reality. But, hey, it’s Hollywood, so what else is new?? Unfortunately I ended up agreeing with the assessments of my fellow musicians regarding …
Whether one is a composer, writer, artist or anyone else whose creative output depends on inspiration, there are probably as many creative methods as there are those that fit into those categories. I personally find deadlines to be the most idea inspiring catalysts. Conversely, if I’m composing music without an urgent agenda I often find …
It’s very easy, as an artist, to head in directions that have brought success and creative comfort. That’s why I’m in a mode of experimentation these days. I have some score projects coming up in which I want to try to create music that is at the very least a departure from my usual sonic …
I recently posted something on Facebook about the proliferation of film and TV music cues that were written in D minor. Not long ago I got to sit in on a film music recording session in LA (not going to mention the film or the composer!) in which for the entire afternoon every cue I …
I’ve often felt that blogs have often been a way for people to be more self absorbed. I never thought anyone would be much interested in what I have to say. Maybe that is and always will be the case. But, here I am! I’ll start by just saying, “I’m going to blog once a …