WELCOME TO MY MUSIC PAGE!
Presenting a variety of recordings I've done - mostly original compositions, in the mindfulness songs, contemporary jazz, Latin jazz, straight-ahead jazz, and solo piano categories. Sample extended previews and click the "add to cart" buttons to purchase audio downloads - all in high-quality, AAC 320kbps format.
Now, 14 jazz songs available as an album, "Some of My Favorite Grooves"! CD-quality download (cover art included).
Physical CDs now available, too!
Jump to individual track genres:
STREAMING
Stream my album, "Some of My Favorite Grooves" and my new single, "Kruisin' Ka`a`a`wa", on all the streaming services.
Click the "follow" button on my Spotify artist page to get notified early about new releases and other happenings. Links:
CD: $14.99 + shipping
Download: $9.99
Mindfulness Songs
A collection of vocal numbers about the practice of mindfulness - coming back to pure awareness of this moment, again and again. Designed to take advantage of that "song stuck in my head" phenomenon, to help us remember to... come back!
An extended song about the value of having a vow as a reminder to constantly come back to this moment. Has a swing feel, and features a lot of piano soloing and some scat singing.
Preview:
$1.29
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A Tower of Power-ish funk groove, and lyrics about the issues of life, like not living fully, looking for the big answers, conflicts between humans, the earth, and each other...and how mindfulness can help improve all this!
$1.29
Contemporary Jazz
Tunes with contemporary grooves like hiphop, R&B, funk, and reggae. Featuring lots of synthesizer solos with pitch bend, like a guitar, electric piano, and acoustic piano, too...
An uptempo tune with a jazzy, semi-New Agey / contemp. jazz vibe, featuring acoustic piano, accompanied by fretless bass and a rather rockin’ drum kit.
Photo by Matteo Panara
Preview:
$1.29
Hip hop style instrumental inspired by a visit to Baltimore. Loved the harbor, historic neighborhoods and downtown, and the Eubie Blake Museum!
Photo from Evolve Vacation Rental
Preview:
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"For Miles"...for Miles Davis? Or "I can see for miles"? Maybe both! A hiphop groove, reminiscent of Miles' later albums like "Amandla". Enjoy!
Preview:
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An R&B - influenced contemporary / smooth jazz feel based on a retro drum machine - style loop, with additional drums, synth bass, a smooth synth lead, and electric and acoustic piano accompaniment. Jazzy head inspired by Jeff Lorber, and solos on synth and acoustic piano.
Photo: Dan Del Negro
Preview:
$1.29
A smooth / contemporary jazz tune with a funky R&B groove that “keeps on keepin’ on”, while an electric piano head, a wailing synth solo, an electric piano solo, and a reprise of the electric piano head evolve through the track.
Photo: Dan Del Negro
Preview:
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A New-Agey rock instrumental with a feel evocative of sailing, featuring lots of acoustic piano.
Preview:
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Oh my, indeed! Lots of synth lead improvising over a rhythmic R&B ballad loop...
Preview:
$1.29
Born in Calumet City, IL., and growing up playing music in the surrounding South Side of Chicago, I got to work with a lot of blues, R&B, rock, and jazz musicians who often liked to play funky and “down and dirty”. When they wanted to hear more of that funky, soulful feel, they’d say, “Put some grease on it!”. Thus, the name of this funky tune, also influenced by New Orleans sounds, e.g., the Meters.
Photos:
Piano - Morgan Von Gunten
Oil can: Xintan Tiger
Frying pan - Jordane Mathieu
Pan with food - Ashwini Chaudhary
Preview:
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Dedicated to the beautiful West Side of the Hawaiian island of O`ahu, the local culture, and the local Jawaiian reggae music. Has that feel, plus a brass head reminiscent of the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, and Rhodes and synth solos.
Preview:
$1.29
Latin Jazz
Jazz with Latin grooves like salsa, samba, and bossa nova...and some vocals, too!
A samba, featuring a tiki-ish chordal piano head, synth and piano solos, and piano-synth trades...
Photo by Shahril KHMD
Preview:
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A medium cha cha with Latin percussion, a mellow synth head, a flutey synth solo, and a salsa-ish solo on acoustic piano.
Photo by Alexander Kunze
Preview:
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Inspired by the beautiful island of Cozumel, Mexico. The energy goes from relaxing on the beach (feeling that breeze!) to boogie-ing in a nightclub...
Photo by Fallon Michael
Preview:
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A salsa version of the Gershwin tune, with vocal head, piano solo, and some scat singing! According to composer George (referring to he and his brother, lyricist Ira), "...the title covered part of the first bar only, and there was many a hot argument between us as to where the accents should fall in the rest of the words."
(source)
Preview:
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A Spanish-style jazz tune with piano, synth, guitar, bass, and drums; inspired by 2 days I got to explore the beautiful city of Malaga while playing a cruise up and down Spain’s Costa del Sol.
The old cathedral; hill climb to Spanish and Moorish forts; the town square; street musicians; and paella with sangria!
Preview:
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Excerpts of George Gershwin's instrumental "salsa-fied", using a rockin' drum kit rather than a percussion ensemble. Piano montuno, bass tumbao, and electric piano on the head and solos
Preview:
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Another song from my song-a-week writing/recording/video-ing project during the Covid lockdown - refined for release recently.
Heard Sergio Mendes and Brazil 2020 live, and was impressed by the hard-driving bossa nova grooves. Tried to capture that here with bass and drums, with an original head and some soloing on acoustic piano.
Preview:
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Straight-ahead Jazz
Swing, ballads, and bluesy shuffles, featuring acoustic piano, jazz organ, and electric piano.
A swingin' cover of an old song by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva, and Vincent Rose, featuring the jazz organ. Named after the town of Avalon, on the island of Catalina in Southern California.
Photo by Emma Svalstad
Preview:
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An original bebop tune, with a Bird-style head and piano soloing with some Monk influence.
Photo by Dan Del Negro
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A piano/bass/drums swing tune, named after the wine region in France.
Photo by Michael Clarke
(added title)
Preview:
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Photo by Dan Del Negro
A mellow trio ballad, featuring the Rhodes electric piano, that goes into swing during the solos.
Preview:
$1.29
Decided to write a ballad, and ended up featuring some 9th +11 chords. That reminded me of one of my favorite Billy Strayhorn tunes, "Chelsea Bridge", so I gave it the Hawaiian angle and named it "Hanalei Bridge" (from the beautiful island of Kaua`i).
Misterioso jazz with acoustic piano, bass, drums...
Photo courtesy KauaiTravelBlog.com
Preview:
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A piano / fretless bass / drums trio, with a pretty mellow, loose swing feel. After recording it, it reminded me of cruising in my car here in Hawai`i. Decided to name it after a beautiful coastal country town on the island of O`ahu's Windward Side. Pronounced "kah-ah-AH-vah".
Photo by Dan Del Negro
Dan pic by Myra Brandt
Preview:
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A jazz waltz inspired by and dedicated to one of my first big jazz piano influences, Bill Evans, who did some amazing jazz waltzes (e.g., "Someday My Prince Will Come" and his own "Waltz for Debby"). Acoustic piano with upright bass and drums with brushes.
Photo by Brian McMillen
Preview:
$1.29
Solo Piano
Solo piano more into the contemporary classical genre, although there is an improvised solo, too. Got into an Impressionist vibe on this one, so named it after the great Impressionist composer, Maurice Ravel
Painting by Claude Monet
Preview:
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"M&H Free-form Piano":
I bought a beautiful Mason & Hamlin Model A piano in 2017, and its sound (so much tone!), coupled with a very live, high-ceilinged living room and some nice mics, inspired me to record some free-form, improvised piano pieces, some of which are featured here. They tend to start and end with rubato sections, with improvisations on jazzy feels (swing, jazz waltz, R&B, etc.) in the middle.
An extended (c. 26 min.) free-form piano piece that starts out rubato, goes into an improv with walking bass, and ends with more rubato, featuring lush chords...
Preview:
$4.99
A c. 15 min. piece with a clarity of tone that reminds me of a glassy-calm lake, or maybe even a frozen one. Starts off with glassy rubato chords and melody, then goes into a jazz waltz, then more rubato, into a 4/4 improv with walking bass. Ends rubato.
Photo by Ken Cheung
Preview:
$2.49
