Check out my pandora radio station if you get a chance. It features my music as well as similar artists.
http://www.pandora.com/station/play/765544785333319908
]]>I had the special priviliege of paying the personal Steinway of Vladimir Horowitz, renowned concert pianist, at Sherman Clay in Roseville, CA on February 2.
It was an unbelievable honor to play that magnificent piano. The resonance was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. The touch was lighter than I had imagined. I had the most incredible experience playing that piano whcih I will never forget.
A really cool thing is that I got to sign my name on the bottom of the piano.
Too cool!
]]>Journey of Soul by John Paris
Filed under: Featured Music — Leave a comment
April 30, 2013
CD: Journey of Soul
Artist: John Paris
Contact: http://www.johnparismusic.com/
I’m sure there are many recording artists who have put a lot of time and energy into a project, only to listen to it at a later time after its been released and think, “I wish I’d done this, or I’m not crazy about a particular aspect of how this sounds.” And I’d imagine that a number of them would chalk it up to experience, leave well enough alone, and move on. Although pianist John Paris recorded and released his debut solo piano album Journey of Soul close to10 years ago some things about it just never felt right to him. So now, nearly a decade later, he wanted to rectify that, so he went back and re-mastered and re-released the album. During those intervening years he recorded two other solo piano CD’s, Reflections and Inner Voyage, both of which have been featured in Music and Media Focus. Since I detailed much of John’s background and musical history in the Reflections article, I’ll refer readers who might be interested to that. However, as a brief introduction, I’ll draw a quote from it: “From performing with the Minneapolis Symphony, to sharing the stage with the Moody Blues and other headlining acts, as well as appearing on the Merv Griffin Show and Jerry Lewis Telethons, John Paris has had a rich and varied career that spans four decades. While he has formal musical training from Concordia College and the University of Nevada, he was also “schooled” by a number of well-respected music teachers, including Dennis Sandoli who taught jazz greats John Coltrane and the Brecker Brothers.”
Speaking about the creation of Journey of Soul, John relates: “This was my first foray into solo piano compositions after playing in groups all my life. I wanted it to be spiritually uplifting and combine my Jazz ideas with melodic lines. It was my sticking my toe into the solo piano waters.” But like many first efforts, looking back at it over time, certain imperfections become obvious to him. Something was missing. For John, the sound of the piano never quite lived up to his expectations and was one of the motivating factors for the do-over. But there was something else, a bit more intangible, yet just as important. John always felt that on some level, the music lacked what he calls “heart.” In his words: “I can’t stand creating music without heart. This was the real reason for the re-master – to put the heart into the music. The nuances were buried. This bothered me for years. I knew I had to redo the Journey of Soul album so the music would be out for all to hear.” Following the album’s “heart transplant,” the music is alive and well and is now meeting John’s high professional standards.
The album opens with the title track, which has an interesting back-story. John wrote the piece to be played at a major spiritual seminar in front of five thousand attendees. He put a group together for the performance, which included Fred Lipsius, the Grammy-winning arranger and alto saxophonist for Blood Sweat and Tears. Fred had this to say about the composer: “John has written some beautiful melodies. His music, thoughtful and soothing, comes from a place of love. It draws you back for another listen.” And I would certainly agree with Fred’s assessment. It is obvious to me that this music is the work of a composer with a rich background in a variety of genres. Elements of neo-classical, jazz, pop, and more reveal themselves in John’s lush elegant arrangements. Listeners who enjoy the solo piano artistry of Keith Jarrett, Liz Story, or Jim Brickman will find similar resonance in the music of John Paris.
On a track called “Soul Searchin’” the steady rhythm of John’s left hand ostinato symbolizes the Soul’s relentless quest for divine love, while also nicely balanced by moments of quiet reflection. John has a wonderful sense of dynamic and can explore diverse musical terrain within the borders of a single composition. Another good example of this talent is a piece entitled “Mist of Time.” In contrast to some of the mellower music that preceded it, this one takes off as an up-tempo jaunt that is punctuated by more introspective passages. I always find it interesting to hear about the imagery that a piece reflects to the composer. On this one, for John, the rhythm felt like the scene in Doctor Zhivago where they are on a sled racing across a snowy path. In fact, the original title was “Siberian Winter,” but was later changed to “Mist of Time.” Drawing from a completely different inspiration is a track called “Simple Ways,” that is John’s “ode to the 50’s.” With its’ 12/8 triplet feel, it echoes a sound often played behind 50’s rock and pop ballads. Another track that relates to a particular time period (and artist) is “Find The Way,” which was inspired by cool and unusual chord structures used by Stevie Wonder in his “Sunshine Of My Life” period in the early 70’s. While Stevie has received ultimate accolades for his danceable grooves and inspired lyrics, it takes an astute musician like John Paris to tune into these intricate chordal voicings, and emulate them while adding his own musical persona. Very impressive!
One thing you will find in the music of John Paris is diversity. Although it is all performed on solo piano, there is a tremendous stylistic range in his composition and playing. While some artists who attempt this multiplicity of motifs wind up with a mish mash of melodies, in John’s case it all works together, flowing effortlessly and harmoniously, and giving the impression of a body of work. I’m glad that he felt inspired to breathe new life into this music and upgrade its sound quality to the level that it deserves. I appreciate the piano artisty of John Paris – past, present, and future. I say “future” because I’m looking forward to an album that John has hinted about which draws on his extensive jazz background. Good things are on the horizon for this talented musician.
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I will be at Sherman Clay pianos in Roseville, CA from 3-5-pm this Saturday, September 15 performing my own New Age Jazz compositions as well as Spain by Chick Corea. I’ll be giving away three free CDs.
Stop by if you’re in the area.
Check out my website for audio samples of my work and more info about the concert: wwwjohnparismusic.com
]]>John Paris
2011 / John Paris
60’20”
Reflections is the second album of original piano solos by John Paris, an artist whose career as a professional musician has spanned more than four decades. Trained in both classical and jazz piano, Paris was a member of the house band at Harrah’s Casino in Reno and played alongside many of the casino’s headliners. Calling his original music “New Age Jazz Fusion,” the fourteen pieces on Reflections are varied in mood and expression, taking the listener on a bit of a spiritual journey. The music was written to be “uplifting, healing, relaxing, and rejuvenating,” and Paris adds, “These pieces came to me spontaneously in a flash of inspiration. I simply open my heart to the Divine Sound Current and let my fingers express what comes through. The music combines New Age melodic sensibility with Jazz harmonies and rhythms to create a new sound.” Despite its complexities, the music is effortless and very easy to listen to both actively and in the background. Mastered at Piano Haven Studio near Seattle, WA, Joe Bongiorno’s engineering genius makes every note clear, clean, and warm.
Reflections begins with the title track, a beautifully pensive piece that creates a peaceful mood. The graceful, effortless melody can take the listener’s thoughts to a place of comfort and contentment while soothing away the tensions of the day. “Lonely Raindrop” is slow and uncomplicated, expressing wistful and bittersweet feelings of solitude - a favorite! “Cold Winter Night” picks up the tempo a bit and has a slightly mysterious edge. The middle section becomes playful and almost teasing, adding a bit of humor to the piece, and then returns to the original theme to the end. I really like this one, too! “Lady Moon” is a gorgeous ballad that could have been composed late at night by candlelight. Gentle musings convey a variety of thoughts and emotions coming from the heart and speaking the truth. “Early Morning” is light and optimistic with an infectious, carefree rhythm. “Swan Lake Serenade” evokes images of elegant white birds gliding on the surface of the water, graceful and at peace. “The Journey” is a fascinating piece that conveys many different emotions and experiences - a journey of the soul. “Lullaby of the Eternal Dreamer” closes this impressive album with blissful contentment. The gentle melody and flowing rhythm would soothe any dreamer to sleep!
John Paris promises at least one new album in 2012, and I’ll be looking forward to that event! Reflections is available from www.johnparismusic.com, Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby. Check it out!
Kathy Parsons
12/26/11
]]>Filed under: Featured Music
December 7, 2011
CD: Reflections
Artist: John Paris
Contact: www.johnparismusic.com
From performing with the Minneapolis Symphony, to sharing the stage with the Moody Blues and other headlining acts, as well as appearing on the Merv Griffin Show and Jerry Lewis Telethons, John Paris has had a rich and varied career that spans four decades. During that time he was leader, composer and arranger for the Las Vegas show-band Atlantis who played at the world famous Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas as well as touring major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and more. His resume and credentials are extensive and impressive, but suffice it to say that he is a highly regarded professional who brings a wealth of real world experience to his music. While he has formal musical training from Concordia College and the University of Nevada, he was also “schooled” by a number of well-respected music teachers, including Dennis Sandoli who taught jazz greats John Coltrane and the Brecker Brothers.
While jazz is certainly a part of John’s musical DNA, it combines with flowing new age music on these exquisite solo piano excursions. His sound is a fusion of these elements and was “written and performed to be spiritually uplifting, healing, relaxing and rejuvenating.” He goes on to explain: “These pieces came to me spontaneously in a flash of inspiration. I simply open my heart to the Divine Sound Current and let my fingers express what comes through. Music has always been a very special part of my life. It has been my healer, mentor, doorway to spiritual evolution and comforter. As an artist, I venture to bring you to a warm familiar place… like the feeling before a long awaited homecoming.”
This last sentence is an extraordinarily good description of the feeling I got from listening to the first piece on the album, the title track. Beginning with tinkling arpeggios that evolve into a heart-warming and cinematic chord progression, I had a mental picture of coming in out of the rain to a cozy living room with a fire burning and a pot of tea on the stove. There is an eloquent emotional expression in John’s playing that draws you in and makes you feel right at home. He has both incredible technique and feel that is dazzling, yet always in service of the music and never showy or ostentatious for it’s own sake. On “Cold Winter Night,” John displays his range and flair for improvisation as he starts out with an ornate motif for about the first third of the song before evolving into a bluesy interlude that make use of space as well as sound as it progresses into jazzier territory in the second half. This is another quality I found admirable in his music – the use of diversity and the ability to combine unlikely elements in ways that makes it feel like they were meant for each other.
The haunting strains of Lady Moon” seem to tell a story that is open to interpretation by the listener. For me, it conjured an image of seeing the moon on a partly cloudy night where glimpses of its pale luminous presence appear sporadically in the dark sky. By contrast, “Joyful Heart” has a more airy feel and a lightness that is perfectly expressed in its’ title. I particularly liked “Early Morning” with its unexpected twists and turns that bespoke of a day filled with a multitude of possibilities. This spirit of optimism is also captured in a song called “Rollin’” with its upbeat air and feeling of forward motion. A perfect traveling companion for this song is track 11, entitled “In The Country” which has a kinetic quality and conveys a sense of expectation at what surprise may wait just around the next bend in the road.
The CD, which features 14 songs and extends over an hour, is tucked in for a peaceful conclusion with “Lullaby Of The Eternal Dreamer.” This piece, perhaps the most sensitive on the album, displays a simplicity and sense of comfort befitting a lullaby and further illustrates the range of John’s playing and the variation in the emotional palate he composes from. This is a wonderful collection of compositions that could serve equally as a relaxing background or provide a more attentive listening experience. “Reflections” is an excellent follow up to John’s previous “Journey Of Soul” release, and leaves me looking forward to hearing the recording he has planned for next year.
Review by Michael Diamond - Music and Media focus
http://michaeldiamondmusic.com/2011/12/07/reflections-by-john-paris/
]]>This music will put you into a contemplative state of consciousness above the chaos of this physical world where one can experience true inner peace.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy listening to this music as much as I have enjoyed the creative flow that brought this music into fruition.
Please feel free to contact me so that we may have conversations about the music.
With love and gratitude,
John
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