Writing about music . . .

. . . is like dancing about architecture. . . (Martin Mull)

If I may interject. . . 
 I’ve listened to the compositions here: http://rayjozwiak.com/music.html
Before I even listened to Ray’s music, I had to deal with his website.
Unhappily, it’s a clunky old thing and you’ll find yourself bemused with how even the simplest things can be complicated! I recommend setting up a WordPress site, Ray. It’s dead easy and it will look a million times better and work flawlessly, thus making it possible for your potential fans to check your music out without missing a beat (pun intended).
. . . quite possibly. . . 

And now to the real issue at hand. The music.
The samples provided are mainly solo piano pieces in a light jazz style. Most have a lot of potential, actually, and all feel like a welcome breath of fresh air in this mechanized-music world. But… there are issues here.

While Ray’s picture shows him playing a real piano, I couldn’t help but feel that many of these recordings were done on a piano synth/keyboard and then quantized with a sequencer. . . the piano in the photo was in fact NOT REAL, but an embryonic digital grand manufactured by Yamaha (off to a bad start). . . I don't know what quantization is. . . I could be dead wrong on that front, but that’s how some of this comes across. There’s a sense of rigidity which is so characteristic of quantization, so if this has been actually played . . .'fraid it's BEEN ACTUALLY PLAYED. . . should you just stop here?. . .  and NOT quantized… Ray! You’ve got to loosen up!. . . I'm sooo tight. . .  But if, indeed, it has been quantized – Ray, please stop that! . . . kinda damned if I did and damned if I didn't. . . A breath of 'quantized with a sequencer' fresh air huh?. . .

And so we come to my primary, and perhaps the only . . . why did you go on to mention six more and throw in a seventh in the GOOD part then?. . . really meaningful complaint. There are groove and tightness issues on these recordings which simply have to be addressed before this music sees a wider audience. This is particularly evident in the few multi-instrumental tracks within the above demo.

You’ve got to have a really loose feel when playing jazz, granted, but here we’re dealing with two forces pulling in opposite directions. On the one hand, many of the pieces feel rigid to the point of almost quantized, and on the other hand, some of the piano pieces seem to be doing their own thing while the background . . . background??? on the SOLO pieces. . . .come again please. . . is stubbornly refusing to get in synch!

Yeah I know. I’m a nitpicker from hell. . . . NO, YOU!!!???. . . But as a piano player myself and a part-time aficionado of good jazz, I wouldn’t be doing Ray any favors if I didn’t point these issues out. . . . you're TOO kind. . .

And then there is another side here. Ray clearly has the chops and a good technique – a good little . . . all 5'10" of me. . .  piano player for sure. But there’s also this thing known as a “take” . . . thank you very much. . . in the modern recording world! If you play it once and it ain’t quite perfect, . . . "Perfect". . . thought you said you KNEW jazz. . .  hit the record button again and do another one! And another. And you can even seamlessly combine takes using your sequencer . . . I don't have a sequencer. . . so that the final product is just perfect enough to be magical and just imperfect enough to be human.

In my view, then, the final production (i.e. attention to detail of the performance, not just the way the whole thing sounds) needs another serious look.

Since even the multi-instrumental pieces sound like it’s all done by one person with a sequencer, . . . I repeat. . . I don't have a sequencer. . . I would advise a different layering strategy than what might be a typical pop example. Rather than starting with sequencing a beat and then playing to it, start with pure piano performances (done on an acoustic piano, ideally) and then play LIVE along with the recording, when layering your drums, bass and whatever else you like. Avoid quantization like the plague except to correct minor errors.
And now for the good news. . . . there's GOOD news???. . .

As a composer, Ray is clearly in his element. He’s got some terrific ideas there and an unusual approach to rhythm and song structure. These are fantastic assets and more than one of his songs could find tons of fans who appreciate music which isn’t the same ol’ same ol’ all the time.
While I would question some of the dissonant notes here . . . what a surprise!!!. . . and there, none of that took away from the pleasure of immersing myself in the melodic, chordal and rhythmic patterns which are definitely not run of the mill. I miss this kind of music in today’s mad world. . . . maybe you could have LINGERED on some of this huh?. . .

In summary then, this needs to be meticulously “produced.” Just keep recording and fine-tuning each track until it completely rules. But make sure that it swings and is tight like a flea’s arse . . . sounds like you just might know something about THAT. . .  – while at the same time feeling loose and free. One of those paradoxical mysteries which make jazz so compelling.

FOISFOIS
from AMBIENCE & WINE
©2011 Raymond M. Jozwiak


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I'd like to say. . .

. . . that for me, the process of writing songs is an easy, breezy, joy of an experience where wonderfully clever lyrics flow effortless out from my brain accompanied by lilting, melodic symphonies both pleasing to the ear and timeless in their universal appeal.

I'd LIKE to say that. The truth is that, for me, songwriting is usually (or should I say- unusually) hard work. Very rarely does a song simply occur to me, fully formed and (in my opinion) wonderful. As a matter of fact, a simple 'hook' fully formed itself occurs periodically at best. I usually have to have either a melody, a concept, a rhythm, or even a 'groove' from another song in my mind before I can even start beginning to start to commence constructing a song at all. The best place for me to begin is with a concept (a lost love, a social injustice, or a stupid human foible, for examples) AND a rhythm or style (three/four jazz, slow rocker, New Orleans funk, for examples) to really get the ball rolling.

But when it's all over, and I like what I've produced, and it tells a story or makes a point, that's one of the most exhilarating sensations in existence. And sometimes, even when the song is okay, not 'Billboard top five with a bullet' wonderful yet not really quite bad, I still feel a certain satisfaction resulting from my efforts, I've flexed my creative 'muscle' and I have practiced my craft to the extent that I am ready to move along and create more. That's how I know that this is what I should be doing. Billy Joel once said, when asked which of his original songs he thought was best, that all of the songs that he created are his children. He doesn't really love one more than another because they're ALL his very own.



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