The "Phenomenation" album represents a journey through a world of unexpected changes. Sometimes good, sometimes challenging, and occasionally outright terrifying, but always with underlying purpose. This CD contains elements of every major influence that has affected my interpretation of music over the last XX years. The object was to stretch the imagination and avoid the pitfalls associated with purely commercial endeavors, yet remain accessible to a wide audience.
My wife Bonita's role as executive producer was to monitor the commerciality of the project. I lost way more arguments than I won, and was often forced to try new methods and arrangements that ultimately made for a better record.
A common criticism of modern music, from the old-school (I'm an "old-school" drop-out myself) is that technology has made music "push-button predictable", and producers tend to over-produce, using digital tools to polish the life out of music. I would agree in many cases, but tend to look more at the possibilities that would otherwise not exist, but for the creative use of new technology. All the while being fully aware of the intricacies of expression that lie only in the hands of a master musician.
I feel blessed to have had several master musicians to be part of this project. Much of the music is challenging to perform, and I was continually surprised at the superb contributions made by everyone involved.
People often ask "who are your influences", and honestly, that is a very long list that continues to grow daily. I envy artists that are solidly planted in a genre and can easily identify their roots. Part of the motivation behind this project was to explore the roots of my influence and reach toward the future, in an attempt to create something that is truly unique.
The following story is a mostly true documentation of the path that led me here.
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