Archive for Blog

The truth is out there . . . also.

// June 9th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Personal Stories, Photos

OK – let me tell you about “The Integratron”, a bit of science fiction come to life.  Built starting in the  late 40’s by George Van Tassel, an aviation scientist with stints at Hughes and Lockheed, the building/device  took 18 years to complete, and he passed away on the day it was to be tested.

Sitting on a mysterious geomagnetic vortex and originally designed as a healing device, it functions now as an incredible acoustic chamber where the sisters who now own it perform ‘sound baths’ for individuals and groups using crystal bowls to caress the purest tones I’ve ever heard outside of a synthesizer generated sine wave.   Located in Landers, CA., just north of the city of Joshua Tree in the high desert, the Integratron sits like a resting spacecraft from another civilization.    As it turns out, Van Tassel was a major UFO enthusiast.  He told of experiencing contact with aliens who inspired his work.  What I find undeniable is the beauty and intrigue of the Integratron itself and the hallucinatory experience of a sound bath.  Highly Recommended!

ASCAP Expo Rocks

// May 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Music, Personal Stories, Uncategorized

Four days of full immersion into the world of music, from concert music and jazz, to hip hop and country.  There was a tremendous tribal feeling among all participants, and the chance to hear from legends like Quincy Jones and Bill Withers was an honor and a treat.

I came away fulling buzzed and inspired.  I promptly wrote two songs and ordered a traveling guitar.  It literally folds in half, and when full erect (sorry) it sounds pretty amazing.

Ojai – friendly and beautiful

// March 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Music, Photos

The Spring rains made the creeks revive with rushing water and singing frogs while the blossoms were full and vivid.  These pictures give but the merest hint of the quiet presence that pervaded these gardens.  I wonder if the absence of other people had something to do with it.

Scroll down for lots of pictures and another musical interlude.

“I Will Always Love You” composed by William Belote

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Radio Willstar Music ASCAP
copyright 2009 all rights reserved
From a “still on the shelf” film score.  Classical guitar by Scott Tennant

Ojai gardens

two bright flowers

Ojai Lizard

Big hungry bee

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“Open Mexican Beach” from the same film
Radio Willstar Music ASCAP
copyright 2009 all rights reserved

Ojai back light

Pond reflections 2, Ojai, CA

pond image, Ojai, CA

pond image

Ojai creek

Lost in the trees

Why Einstein?

// March 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Einstein, Personal Stories, Photos, Politics

If one were to choose a single person who advanced the evolution of the species, can you do much better than Albert Einstein?  He was intellectually advanced, obviously, but he was also a political progressive with strong pacifist tendencies, and a deeply philosophical and spiritually practical man.  “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”  In 1954, a year before his death, he spoke of wishing to “experience the universe as a single cosmic whole”.  The work of physicist David Bohm and his followers has been to illuminate the science behind this beautiful thought which echos from ages past in the ancient texts of the sages.

What impresses me perhaps most of all is the creativity with which he pursued his scientific quest.   His powers of visualization and intuition were the envy of any artist who ever lived.  He said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”, and “Logic will get you from A to B, imagination will take you everywhere”.   He would ‘see’ a new level of reality in the multi-dimensional space of his mind, and then work very hard to describe the new reality in the language of mathematics.  Experimental proof would often take decades to manifest, but when it did, an unsurprised Einstein had already moved onto new challenges.

As revolutionary as his breakthroughs in science, his courageous humanitarian political stance points the way to a future without war, if we can only learn.  He was strongly considered a leading candidate to be Israel’s first President, though it was probably a romantic notion on the part of Israel’s new leaders.  It took the rise of Nazism to convince him that the world wasn’t yet ready for the pure form of nonviolent philosophy he cherished.

At home in the library.  I like the sweater!

At home in the library. I like the sweater!

The story behind “Wonder”

// March 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Einstein, Music, Podcasts

 
 Standard Podcast [4:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Lights in the sky

Commentary for the first song from “Portraits of Albert E.”

Radio waves carry Einstein

// January 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Einstein, Music, News, science


By the end of this January 2010, music directors at radio stations around the country will have “Portraits of Albert E.” in their music libraries. If your favorite station would play some of the songs from this album, feel free to contact them and/or me to play musical matchmaker.

Hey Einstein – What is The Olympia Academy?

// January 20th, 2010 // No Comments » // Blog, Music, Podcasts, science

Yes indeed! Inquiring minds want to know what is the Olympia Academy, who belongs to this rarefied bastion of thought, and can I join? No you can’t join, but listen to the podcast and learn something new about the young Einstein.

 
 The Olympia Academy [3:26m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Attention fellow Gearheads

// December 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Blog, Music

The truth is that music making toys hold a powerful Scientistallure over many of us musicians. While I have managed to relax my addictive state of mind some over the years, I remain fascinated with noise making devices, the software, and audio hardware that are the paint, canvas, and brushes of my work.

The computer is the heart of most studios these days. Here is my current setup:

Computers:
Apple Power Mac Quad G5 and Powerbook with dual Intel processors.

Main software:

Logic 8, Reason 4, Melodyne, Sibelius, Metasynth, UAD plugins,

Arturia virtual synths (Moog Modular, Arp 2600, Roland Jupiter 8).

Guitars:  Gibson and Breedlove acoustic, Fender Stratocaster and Schecter electrics.

George played the electrics through a Mesa Boogie amp and numerous magic boxes.

I don’t have specific info on the exact violin, cello, saxaphones, and clarinets,

used by my talented colleague’s.

Hardware synths:
Oberheim Matrix 12, Yamaha FS1R, Korg Z1, Roland XV-88

Outboard equipment:

api 3124 mic-pre/mixer

Avalon VT-747SP Stereo compressor/eq

Eventide Orville

Lexicon PCM 80

Most of the vocals and overdubs were recorded at Emily’s Basement, the studio of my co-producer George Landress.  the recording path was generally a Soundelux U195 microphone into a Neve mic-pre into a dbx 160 compressor.

The Einstein album is released!

// November 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Blog, Einstein, Music, News, Updates, science

cover image


This album represents years of work and I am proud to share it with everyone.   It is my first vocal work and is filled with pianos, guitars, synthesizers, strings, and musical portraits of one of the most brilliant and influential figures in history.

Above Skyline

// September 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // Music, Photos


Quantcast

Words and music by yours truly, the beautiful cityscape pictures are not from my camera.

New York at night

New York at night

Another morning rush in the cage of steel
I keep my coffee close as I hold the wheel
My longtime friend is the radio
I like a love song scenario
I dream of driving a real freeway
Where changing lanes isn’t work but play

Today’s the day I start to climb
I’ll find my way above skyline

SanFranciscoSkyline

I found the girl I love without trying
All the signs were green and inviting
The message flew from your eyes to me
The feelings grew with intensity
The streets where we learned to hold within
We can now escape from the scene – fade in

Today’s the day we start to climb
We’ll find our way above skyline

losangelescityscape

Trapped in ruts like traffic
Smothers out the magic
Talking, laughing, touching, teasing
Healing, growing, sussing, pleasing

Today’s the day we start to climb
We’ll find our way above skyline
The strength we feel when we combine
The warmth received from the sunshine
When we find our way above skyline

©2009

ChicagoNightscape

hongkongcityscape

newyorkskyscrapers

sanfrancisco

losangelesskyline

hongkongharbour

chicagoskyline