Discography:

1st Album; Gothicathedra

Created in 1997.

Music Titles:

1. Iron Horse

2. To the One That I Love

3. Your time to Shine

4. For His Mercy Endureth Forever

5. The Old Hous

6. The Intermission

7. Country Morning II

8. Midnight Rhythm

9. Experimental 101

10. The Discovery EPOC I

11. Dance Mantra

12. Scarborough Fair

13. Horn/Piano Concerto

14. The Discovery EPOC II

15. Prelude to Horn Concerto

16. Mariner's Song

17. Guitar Concerto

18. Moon's Twilight

19. Winter in Kiev

20. A Prayer for you

21. Stream of Thoughts

22. Caribbean Dream

 

A little bit about my musical background.

My mom and dad brought a piano home one-day when I was about 7 or 8.. And it really enhanced our lives from that purchase. I would hear my mom play since she could read music with it. Also of course us kids would get a chance to play around on it too. I started creating simple little songs on it and still remember those simple little songs! I basically place the age of 9 when I first created my first song, but actually I was much younger when I first started hitting the keys!  One day mom asked me if I would like to take piano lessons. I said sure! And that’s was when I began to learn the notes on the piano and how they relate to the notes on the sheet music. Unfortunately I hated piano lessons, I also would never practice as I should, but I trudged through till about 5-6 months into it I finally quite. I simply was not having fun with the lessons so after I quite I figured that was it, why play any more. So as the days would go by, my mom noticed that I wasn’t playing the piano, (or accurately goofing around on it) anymore. My mom said that I didn’t have to stop playing the piano just because I quite piano lessons! It was an epiphany for me, I thought I had to stop playing around on the piano. I thought I was a failure since I couldn’t hack piano lessons, and now I know that I can keep playing! And that how it was started. I started writing more songs around elementary school time period, 1974-75 time frame. Ironically some of my much older pieces are on the 3rd album, and not on the 1st album. The reason was that I realized that I lost a lot of recordings during those early days, and I happen to remember about 3-4 songs from that time and I felt that I needed to get them down before they are lost to time. My second song that I have ever written is in fact on that 3rd album “Rain Shadows” called “Solder’s Last March”. It’s not the exact original but I kept the main motif of the song.

 

Technical recording:

The instrument I use is a digital piano called a Technics SX-PX205, with 88 full sized weighted keys, where each key has around 20-30 digital samplings per key. It’s a fairly nice digital piano. Piggy backing on top of that via midi connection is a Concert Mate 76 key keyboard that includes multiple sounds. In the connection configuration I had, you can produce up to 3 instruments being played as you press each note on the piano. Then in live performance directly play the Concertmate to get one additional instrument that plays the role of “solo”, for example, “Horn Concerto”. It was a very fun and interesting setup. Such a shame that I somehow blew out the midi circuits in both instruments and have never been able to produce this particular sound again after the 1st album.

I used a Pentium 200 MHz Windows 95 and 98 desktop computer with a 1/8” jack stereo cable from the piano to the computer’s sound card that had software that can record sound to .wav format for this particular album. The later albums were with a Pentium 1.2 Ghz desktop and laptop computer. Basically, it’s pretty much is the same configuration (with a few exceptions) throughout all three albums.

 

1. ‘Iron Horse.’ 1996. This song was the first song I wrote on my at the time bran new digital piano. As you can tell, it has a little bit of a ‘Charlie Brown’ motif in it. I rarely rarely play it these days (2010), and when and if I do, I have to relearn it every time. I literally wrote the song in one sitting with the then new piano. At was really fresh and exciting to play on this new instrument and trying out different pianos is like trying out different instruments for me. As with all my songs, the title to me is always the hardest. But for this particular song, it actually was quite easy to picture in my mind an old steam train barreling down track near full speed.

 

2. ‘To the One that I Love.’ This piece was written back in the 1988-89 era. I can’t quite remember what inspired me to write this piece except I wanted something to sound like a very romantic melodramatic story/play. I now think of this piece like a farewell song. Like, “Ok everyone, this is goodbye, for now, I hope you enjoyed the show.” As I play with the fantasy of performing a concert for a benefit or something to that effect. Very nice piece, I still play it today. Also played it at a talent show in front of hundreds of people on a Carnival Cruise to the Caribbean! That was a lot of fun! I have the video tape somewhere of this performance! The title originally meant the One who is God. So this song is and was dedicated to Him. I knew once I had a wife I would dedicate the song also to her, which of course I did!  :)

 

3. ‘Your Time to Shine’ Was written just before Layna was married. Layna is my younger sister. So this places it around 1990-91 time frame. This is a piece that I wrote for Layna and Eric for their wedding. Kind of like a wedding present and dedication to them. The title Your Time to Shine was a statement how it was their turn to shine to everyone their love and their souls. The shine is, of course, Christ in them. Both being very strong good Christians, the title and song were very fitting. Layna and Eric loved the piece and have even used it as a song background for one of their personal websites! I do not play it that much anymore, but I remember it very well, I usually do not have to tinker too much to get the song down and perform it.

 

4. ‘For His Mercy Endureth Forever’. Originally recorded onto a Cassette tape and transferred to .wav. You can tell by the background hiss in the recording. (Update: I have been able to get rid of the hiss as best I can by using Audiodacity!) Whoohoo!! LOL This piece was considered my first serious piece that personally sounded to me very sophisticated and almost par for the classical genre. This is, of course, a Christian piece. The song was inspired from Rodrigo’s Concerto Aranjuez. It is a Spanish classical guitar piece that to me is absolutely beautiful! There is a very small tiny motif in the song that is only played once of only four notes that just for some reason took me to the edge and back. (Don’t ask my why). But you can easily discover the motif I’m talking about because that is the first 4 notes of this song! As you listen you can definitely hear the influence Rodrigo’s piece had on me. I asked for God’s help during the construction of this composition since I knew it to be a major jump for me artistically and technically as well. I let Greg Spinks hear this piece to see what he thought of it. So from that this piece was written in 1988. I have performed this piece many times since then. One time for Howard Payne University where I received a standing ovation! The title is from one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible, Psalms 136 from the King James Version. Each verse ends with ‘For His Mercy Endureth Forever…’ Very powerful for me, very very emotional when I discovered this chapter.

 

5. ‘The Old House.’ Was written around about the same time Iron Horse was written. 1996. This piece was written really really fast and immediately recorded right afterward. So, unfortunately, I do not remember how to play this song. I know that if I really needed to, I could study the recording and relearn the song. The title was used because the song just sounded like someone coming up to an old mysterious house, that is vacant, and yet just seems to ooze histories and stories with the saying, “If these walls could talk.” I think the title of the song is very fitting.

 

6. ‘The Intermission’. Written around 1996. A break out from my usual genre; I wanted to try to compose a ragtime piece. This piece if extremely short and thus that is why it is called, ‘The Intermission’. Later on the 2nd album, I expanded this piece to an over 2-minute full song, called Old Jalopy Jumble. You can almost see the Key Stone Cops running around as they try to catch the thieves in their Model T cars! I lot of fun to play and listen to as well!

 

7. ‘Country Morning II’,. 1992-93. Is basically a sequel to an earlier song that was recorded a long long time ago and unfortunately is now lost. I still remember the song and could play it with some tinkering if I tried. That old old piece really needs to be recorded. It will probably end up on my 4th album that I have yet to start.

 

8. ‘Midnight Rhythm’. 1988-96. This piece has three sections to it that were written at different times and were considered three separate sketches that were intended to be three different song projects. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it; I was stumped on what to do with them, basically writer’s block. They sat on the back burner for quite a while and just stayed there in my memory and I would occasionally bring them out and play them, and tinker with them to no avail. Part of the issue back then, and still is today was my limitation as a pianist. I had a certain amount of technical skill at the piano and each song reveals the strength and the lack of what you hear the weaknesses. Anyhow, through the evolution of tinkering with these three pieces, I stitched them together. By listening carefully, you can pick out the three songs. This piece is almost like a medley of sorts. Also on this album are one or two of the sketches that created this piece Midnight Rhythm. I’ll make sure to mention the pieces in this writing.

 

9. “Experimental 101” was ‘Experimentinertia’, 1988-89. Considered an experimental piece hence the name. I had a rough idea how this song was going to go. This was recorded at Howard Payne University at their music hall. Jennings Hall? I have to look it up. Anyhow, I sometimes go there to play their concert grand piano. I’m sure at the time, the music professors would cringe every time I played there. This time Scott Anderson was helping a fellow student record her singing. And had an extra tape to record me at the piano. In fact on this 1st album is about three to four recordings from this session on here. This particular piece took a life of its own during the recording. In what people call improvisation, although the framework for the song was there, it was still full of holes, and the improve filled in the rest. It is, unfortunately, one of those pieces where I would have to really study it for a long time to try to reproduce as recorded. I can play the piece, but it is not as textured and filled as this one. A good friend of mine Beth Militello told me that hearing this piece that it was the best song that I have ever written.

 

10. ‘The Discovery, EPOC I’ 1996-97. This is one of the sketch songs that was eventually used in Midnight Rhythm. I really need to listen and study this recording and do my best to emulate it since I think personally it is played and executed better than how I play it now. Very beautiful sketch piece which I wouldn’t mind developing further to flesh out Midnight Rhythm. The EPOC was something I think I heard of before, kind of like what classical pieces use for Movement. EPOC is an Epic, but use EPOC because it sounds like a longer more drawn out sequence of events. Since it takes such a long time to crank out new sketches and songs, it seemed fitting.

 

11. “Dance Mantra” was ‘C Major Aria’ 1996-97. This was another experimental piece that unfortunately I forgot how to play. It was created on the spot and recorded on the spot in one sitting. Very rare for me really. I usually play on the black keys of the piano and wanted to break away from that and just do all white keys. That is that song. It’s a nice piece, almost considered a sketch.

 

12. ‘Scarborough Fair’ ~1997. Of course not my original composition. It was a song interpretation from Simon and Garfunkel. I wanted to demonstrate the capability of playing someone else’s work. I also included a guitar sound and used and extra keyboard that has hundreds of sound textures built in it. I used the MIDI capability of both instruments so both keyboards are electronically combined. I can create a nice effect when needed.

 

13. ‘Horn Concerto’ 1997-1998. I’m not really happy with this title, it doesn’t give it a true name I feel. I have always wanted to create a piece with a good horn/horn section. This song really brings out the horns very nicely with the two combo keyboards hooked together. I rarely use the extra keyboard now, since there are things put on top of the piano, there is just no room, so now, unfortunately, I do not use it. Cathy my wife feels that this song is like Armageddon, or the Second Coming and it spooks her when I use in the trumpet in this piece. It has an interesting ending, you feel you are in an arena with a sword and a red cape having the last battle with fate at the end. Very very nice.

 

14. “The Discovery EPOC II”, was ‘Epiphanicity EPOC II’ 1997-98. This also another song sketch that was used/patched into Midnight Rhythm. Again, listen to this piece and then check out Midnight Rhythm, you’ll easily pick it out.

 

15. ‘Piano Prelude’ 1996-98. Is another sketch that was brought into the beginning of Horn and Piano Concerto. A little sad sounding, but as with a lot of my songs, a slew of them are pondering like but not necessarily depressing.

 

16. ‘Mariner’s Song’ 1996-1998. I do not consider this to be an original composition, just something I heard a long time ago, and not sure where to place it. I had laying around in my head for years and decided to put my own interpretation on it. I really do love the guitar harmony with this since it doesn’t have a set pattern to the harmony; you are just not sure where the harmony will go next. Very nice piece.

 

17. ‘Guitar Concerto’ 1995-96. Again another piece where I would really like a new title for. This piece was written while I was in the Air Force, This piece really reminds me of some very much outdoors place, like Colorado, Grand Tetons in Wyoming and National Glacier Park in Montana! Don’t ask me why it just does! I had the opportunity to go to those places while I was in the Air Force for vacation. So it really influenced me, that trip was almost life changing! Very fun to play and still play it on occasion today.

 

 

18. “Moon's Twilight” was ‘Darkened Sun’ 1994-1996. This song’s title was actually changed at one point, and then, unfortunately, reverted back to this title. I will have to do some research to find that newer title. This piece was also written while I was in the military. There just happen to be a spinet piano at the MWRS (Moral Welfare and Recreation) building. I would go there after school, and let off some steam on that poor spinet. LOL! There were a few downers while in the military that I would transfer to the piano. It was really good therapy. This particular piece introduced a little bit of counter point which I feel I had only used in this piece. Also, an interesting note was the opposite happened where instead of combining sketch pieces to create a song, I took a piece from this song and was inspired to write another one from it. It’s almost like a sequel or prequel to this piece. I’ll let you know about it when I get there!

 

19. “Winter in Kiev” was ‘Soft Piercing Calls’ 1996-1998. Considered a full song piece, but a piece of this song was later used in Missing You that is on another album. Would like to study this song and use more of it in the Missing You piece. As if you haven’t noticed, Spanish classical music has had a lasting impression on me. I find the genre very passionate and moving.

 

20. ‘A Prayer for You’ 1998. A somewhat sad song that is someone praying for a friend who is miserable and is not a Christian. Very heartbreaking to witness this person go through life so alone and almost on the verge of hopelessness. So as you can tell the song is very sad sounding, and it was intended that way. Ironically this same song was taken and did a permutation on it to where it sounded like a song to dance to! In fact, that song is called Za dance! I found it very interesting that a song that was so destitute and sad was turned around to sound like a dance tune! Give both a listen, I think you can hear and tell that they are almost essentially the same song! It’s quite possible there was a subconscious intention at work in wanting this person to come to Christ and be reborn and the new dance tune song is the rebirth.

 

21. ‘Stream of Thoughts’ 1998. A fairly simple piece that relied heavily on improvisation. This is another one of those pieces that I could not play again unless I really studied the piece in depth. A nice little pondering piece.

 

22. ‘Caribbean Dream’ 1998. This is considered my first work where I used a beat track that was on the Casio Keyboard. As you remember me mentioning above how the digital piano and keyboard are patched together, I also patched the sound as well through the piano, so the beat could be captured and recorded. It was a little challenging to record this piece since I only practiced it a couple of times before I hit the record button, but overall, it turned out very nicely. To this day I have yet been able to really reproduce the timing at the end like I did with this recording. I was very lucky to capture it! A fun piece to play still can play it today but without the beat track.