Chapter 10: What I’m Learning from Tom Jackson

Posted by admin on March 23rd, 2010 | 1 Comment »

Tom Jackson separates the reason that we (musicians and music lovers) do music into 4 “M’s.”

The Music       The Message       The Money       The Me

I’m going to talk about the “Me” because I’ve always had an issue with the “me.” A part of me has always felt like it’s self indulgent to be a musician or an artist. Like “who am I to think that I can/should/deserve to do this?” Anybody else ever feel like that?

Well, what Tom said is that the “me” could either one of two things. The first “me” is the “ME…” the look at “ME.” The “ME is performing so clap for ME.” We all hate this “me,” and this is not the “me” that he speaks about. The “me” that he speaks about is the “me” that has always known, that has always felt that I am here to do this…that my love for music is so deep it must be my calling and in order to honor the gifts that I was given by the Universe, or God if you don’t have a problem with that word, then I have to DO SOMETHING about it!

I used to think that I was selfish for thinking that I could be a world-renowned musician because I thought that everybody’s dream was to be some kind of performer if they really could choose anything. Wrong.

When lived in Colorado, I met a guy who told me his dream in life was to climb the 7 highest peaks in the world, and that he had already tackled 4 of them, K2 included. I thought about the fact that this dream was the apotheosis of what he thought was dream worthy…his ultimate goal in life, to climb all 7 peaks.

Now, I would never want to do that. I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in mountain climbing. Skiing down a mountain, yes please. Climbing up a mountain. No fucking way.

My point is obvious: not everyone dreams about the same thing so maybe there’s a reason for why we have certain dreams, desires or callings in life: because that’s what we are supposed to do! We dream about it, yearn for it, desire it because we are supposed to have it!  Me! Me me me me me is supposed to be doing this because that’s what fulfills my hear the most!  And the truth is is that if I didn’t do my hearts calling, I would be cheating God so to speak, or cheating my life; turning my back on that which gives me the most fire and most fulfillment.

So thank you Tom Jackson for reminding me of “Me.”

More coming…

Chapter 6: A New Bio

Posted by admin on March 9th, 2010 | 1 Comment »

I’ve never been good at writing bio’s for myself.  I always feel slightly ridiculous doing them and never really know what to say or what’s relevent.  As part of this “real-time story” I am telling, my PR company had a pro bio writer come in and do a 45 min interview with me.  This is the bio that he drafted.  Thoughts anybody?

“Like the rest of life, music shouldn’t make you feel like you’re just punching the clock or spinning your wheels. It should be a journey. One in which the artist weaves together his or her experiences into impeccably performed songs that not only appeal to the ear with strong hooks and addictive melodies, but also resonate deeply on an emotional level. Tunes that have the power to directly move the listener to their very core, and perhaps even serve as reassuring beacons during difficult times. Such a skill is, of course, a rare gift for any artist, and one that takes most of them decades to attain, if at all. And yet it’s a skill that Zach Maxwell, still only in his mid twenties, already has—in abundance.

“I write songs to tell stories, about life, about humans and how interesting and unique they are,” says Zach, whose powerful, soul-infused, near four-octave voice and virtuosic guitar playing make his narratives impossible to ignore. “What moves people, and has always moved people, are good songs and good stories.”

Eight of those exceptionally moving story-songs make up Silent Bear, Zach’s newest release. There’s the fragile, acoustic “Unknown Roads,” a motivational reminder of the fleeting impermanence of life, and “All Over This Land,” an uplifting—but non-religious—gospel-toned celebration. And then there’s “Big Bear,” a playful, image-rich romp that the songwriter created as a humorous but sincere expression of pure, unbounded joy. His sophomore effort, the collection is a striking distillation of Zach’s mature and exquisitely crafted style, a sound that sets his woody, resonant baritone against a warm relief of modern folk guitar and contemporary pop rock.

“I started playing piano when I was three, but I didn’t become a professional singer until I was twenty-one,” says Zach, who was born and raised in New York City and began playing guitar in high school. The son of a Broadway producer, he grew up in a Fellini-esque setting of flamboyant theater folk, privileged Upper East Side well-to-dos, and colorful East Village alternative types—personalities that would do much to shape his own. He got a taste of the world beyond Gotham, however, when he attended Vermont’s Middlebury College, where he majored in composition, penning a piece that was performed by the prestigious Meridian Arts Ensemble, and performing for President Bill Clinton at his graduation. While at college, he began singing in an a capella group mentored by Grammy winner Francois Clemmons.

Zach made his first CD, On The Day I Leave The Battlefield, with acclaimed drummer Steven Wolf (Annie Lennox, Rufus Wainwright), appeared with a gospel choir on NBC’s “The Today Show,” toured Canada and played on Canadian TV, put together a kickin’ live band, and was even elected into the esteemed New York Songwriters Circle. But somehow things still weren’t quite right.

And so in the fall of 2008 he split for Colorado, where he lived the life of a ski bum, enjoying nature, gathering his thoughts, and going deep into soul-searching self-examination. When he returned to New York the following year, he was fully energized, hitting the city’s bars and clubs with a vengeance as a solo acoustic act and releasing Silent Bear to glowing accolades. What might’ve been career suicide for many artists for Zach was an enriching detour in his ever-unfolding creative quest.

“My music is a real-time story,” Zach says. “I want to give people a spiritual experience, one of cleansing awe. Writing great songs is my personal challenge to myself.” A challenge lovers of profound, heartfelt music and great, emotive singing will enjoy taking again and again.”

Stay tuned…