While on lockdown … my good friend (and MJ451 keyboardist) Ryan Burns wrote and recorded a new album which is available now in digital, CD or vinyl formats!
I had the pleasure of performing on three tracks (I also mixed one track). All the music, except one track, was recorded at home. For the track Shoreline we went to Jack Straw Studios and did a socially-distant session.
Thrilled to have again composed music for KCTS9 Seattle … this time the project was to revamp their station identity theme based on their new visual branding. The new package of music began airing in September 2020.
Late in 2019 I worked with my good friend Jeff McSpadden on the score for Generation Lockdown. As the film began the festival circuit I had a chance to go to Los Angeles and see it at the Rock The Shorts festival along with our director Sirad Balducci. That weekend in March was memorable for two reasons, one … the film won Best of Festival, and two … it was the last weekend before we began quarantine in Seattle.
Since then, the film is out on the film festival circuit now having been shown at NYC Independent Film Festival, Arizona Film Festival, Stonybrook Film Festival and more.
Update: Fun patio concert … click the “Watch Now” button below to watch an archive of the show.
The MOTOTREK crew has slowed started up production and two new episodes premiered this month. I had a chance to write a couple of cool opening tracks:
KNKX 88.5fm captured this performance with the Lage Lund Trio at the 2019 Ballard Jazz Festival.
A couple weeks ago I authored The Origin Records Guide to Online Streaming and Best Practices. It has now been picked up as an article on All About Jazz.com.
With the Coronavirus upending our lives over the last couple months, finding ways to replace lost income has become vital to many of us—not to mention connection to community and just the act of MAKING MUSIC.
With Seattle being an original hot spot for the virus, our community had to move fast in finding ways to stay connected. As a Seattle drummer and record label partner, the need to create concepts and protocols seemed urgent, so I put together a basic tutorial to present a live stream concert.
From the most simplistic set-up, to multi-camera shoots with studio quality sound, musicians are moving quickly to find their voice in this situation. For all of those and others looking to get started, this tutorial provides some basic tips and strategies that can get you started or act as a reminder for some easily overlooked basics.
Excited to announce that KUOW’s new daily podcast, Seattle Now, is now available on all major podcasting platforms … I wrote the theme music as well as the outro music and stingers.
Seattle Now is a daily rundown of what’s happening in the Northwest in about 15 minutes. It is available every weekday at 6:00am.
Download Seattle Now:
Hello all … just a few updates on recent activities.
December 2019 was a jam-packed month of composing. I delivered another music package to KCTS9 in Seattle for all of their Holiday promos. It was a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.
I wrapped the score for a short film entitled Remembering Max (directed by Jason McRuer) which is starting the film festival submission world this month.
Wore multiple hats on the film Generation Lockdown (directed by Sirad Balducci). Working with my longtime friend and composer Jeff McSpadden, I did the orchestrations, handled the recording of live strings in Seattle and did a bit of additional composing. Again, this film is in the mix for up-coming film festivals so more info to come.
Composed music for corporate film for South Puget Sound 911 which was directed by my good friend Tim Tyler … and speaking of Tim Tyler, his MOTOTREK show continues to roll along (pun intended) with over 70 episodes and more scheduled for this year. Always a pleasure to score it … and it has now been viewed over 10 million times which blows my mind.
This month I was able to spend a few days in Los Angeles taking a couple meetings, enjoying the sunshine, and spending a day at NAMM … one day was enough for me!
Coming up in 2020 … have a couple jazz gigs as a bandleader coming up. Continuing to score a couple of short documentary projects, new music KCTS9 and just completed some music for a, as of now, yet-to-be-announced radio show.
Stay tuned for announcements in the coming weeks!
Cheers,
MJ
Had my first chance to record at the *new* Studio X this week. I did some orchestrations and conducted some cues for an upcoming short film working with my longtime friend Jeff McSpadden. First time working with David Sabee and his team from Seattle Music … and always great to work with Reed Ruddy and Andrew Ching from Studio X!
Had a fun time working on the score with the team from Lorayne Girard Cinematics for their film “Masterpiece” which was part of the Seattle 48 Hour Horror Film project.
The film screened at the SIFF Cinema Uptown on October 28th and again for the finals on November 6.
I had the pleasure of screening a few scenes from the film in July and I’m looking forward to watching all the episodes beginning September 15th!
In July I was able to attend a screening of excerpts from Ken Burns’ new documentary Country Music which will air in September.
I again had the opportunity to work with KCTS9 to compose music for some of the promotional spots and local short-stories which will air in the Seattle-area in conjunction with the broadcast of Country Music. Look for them to start airing in the next few weeks on KCTS9.
Really inspiring night watching the film surrounded by people committed to Public Television.
I had the pleasure of working with director Silas Lindenstein on his film G.A. which was part of Seattle’s 2019 48 Hour Film Project. The film recently screened at the SIFF Uptown theater.
When the film is released for a wider audience I’ll post it here.
Dropped off my kid at school this morning then turned on NPR’s Morning Edition and heard one of my tunes from the Tattooed By Passion album.
Morning Edition has been incredibly supportive of my music over the years and I’m always honored when use it … not to mention surprised when I actually hear it live!
Worked with director Boone Sommerfeld on this fun commercial for Seattle’s Goodwill Earth Day 2019 campaign. This track was recorded at my studio with Jon Hamar on bass and Hans Teuber on flute.
Very proud to have worked with the team at Sparkworks Media on this project.
In December 2018 I was commissioned to write some new themes for Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.
They are making their way onto the air … you can view one here:
All of KCTS’ existing themes were ‘upbeat.’ The task for this theme was to create a theme to bookend ’emotional’ or ‘delicate’ subject matter.
The entire package of music included five versions of the KCTS9 theme which will start airing throughout 2019.
Earlier this month Strawberry Theatre Workshop’s production of How I Learned To Drive wrapped.
My role on this show was more sound design and editing source music … but I did get an opportunity to write a few cues.
One of the few comedic reliefs was the juxtaposition of subject matter with the theme of a 1950s-1960s PSA Instructional Video and the Drivers Manual. So I created a theme called “Safety First: You and Driver Education” which was used at a couple spots during the play.
A Spotify playlist of some of my original compositions:
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