Welcome to BuzzMusic! How has 2019 been for you so far?
My 2019 has been fabulous. I’ve written & put out some super cool song art, like “Real Love” with Funk LeBlanc, which you covered a few months ago. I’ve met & worked with beautiful folks, and have seen a bunch of great concerts like Karen O & Danger Mouse, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Ariana Grande, Ty Segall, local jazz, and more.
Now I get to put out a clear vinyl 45rpm single of “We Could Still (Get It On)” with Burlacticus Recording Company, so life is good.
For those who don't know, how would you describe your sound and approach to creating music?
There seems to be a through-line of general bop-i-ness via catchy melodies & poetic lyrical moments in my work. I’ve heard people say that there’s a deep longing to my writing, and that may be true, but it is usually styled up in a very fun and well-decorated musical outfit.
I enjoy writing lyrics and melodies on stylized tracks & arrangements. Cool tones and chord changes inspire me to respond with a lyric & melody that is a good match that makes the result synergistically special.
I like for my music & self to be dressed in a little something unique & fun. My musical and personal presentation changes from day to day. Sometimes I’m 70’s, sometimes 80’s, sometimes grunge/punk, sometimes 40’s even, but most always playful.
I’m planning solo performances in addition to these bigger band expressions. There are many branches on this tree!
How does the songwriting and recording process compare to live performance for you?
I like to write alone & spend hours tinkering, demo-ing, dancing, crying, & laughing as the ideas come together. I generally fall in love with the demos. It’s so amazing to make new things! Once they exist, they can be accessed and expanded upon forever!
Recording is a collaborative process and it’s exciting to nurture the demos into the final sound recordings. The live musicians often add interesting decorations as they play down the demo-ed ideas. I love when that happens. Recordings are meant to last forever – delivering the same emotional doses to listeners over & over, so I strive to make them as perfect and bumpin’ as possible. I generally agree with the philosophy that “all that matters is what comes out the speakers.” I’m not sure where I heard that – an ex-band mate, maybe? From Tupac?.
With live performance, I get to create an environment within which the audience, players, and I get to experience the work in real time! I like to choose venues where folks can have a great time, and make the audio / visual presentation a bit fantastic.
How have you honed your vocal style over time, and did it take a while to find your vibe, or did it come naturally?
Some of it is intrinsic & I foresee it evolving forever.
"We Could Still (Get It On)" is a great song! What can you tell us about it?
Thanks so much. I’m really happy with it.
“We Could Still (Get It On)” has a soul / R&B musical composition & arrangement by Clark Dark. It sounds all lush like Al Green or Marvin Gaye. I wrote a cutie pie song on top, which is basically a sweet perspective on ghosting, and that’s how the demo was born. The recording, facilitated by Robert Carranza and Burlacticus Recording Co., is a perfect incarnation of what we were looking to achieve with that piece. I love the horns, background vocals (which I also wrote, arranged & performed), keyboards, percussion, guitars – all of it! I hope that lots of people get to hear it, too.
Not only is the single available digitally, but Burlacticus Recording Co. has immortalized the music by pressing this gorgeous clear vinyl 45rpm version. I recommend that as the best possible listening experience and there are only 1000 copies available. The 45 comes with a download card, so you get everything when going that route. You can snatch yours up here: www.theconnextion.com/burlacticusrecordingcompany
What can your fans expect from your show Thursday, Sept. 26 at The Mayfair Hotel?
People can expect a truly fun night. It’s a party! I’ve got a full band + horn section on deck to bring the music to life in full. This set will be primarily soul, disco, & R&B. We’ll have the clear vinyl 45s available, and my long-time friend going back to kindergarten, Dean Mucetti, is bringing his funk & jazz band, Rhythm Real, to play after us. Fick Stigure will be DJing, too. If you’re looking for dancing & smiles in a comfy & arty environment, please join us at The Mayfair Hotel! They're doing really great art & culture curation these days. They have a cool art gallery in the lobby balcony, too. You should follow them in general!
Check out Holland Greco's new single "We Could Still (Get It On)" here!
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