Stepwise addition album liner notes

Stepwise is a story.  Each song symbolizes a different part of my life, the thoughts and feelings I was having at the time.   Each song goes chronologically through the story like a musical:   My childhood, questioning life, confused love, the run in with the devil, remembering my parents, remembering what I have been taught, and what’s next. 

This album attempts to showcase many different styles and influences.   Because I love listening to Rock & Funk, I wanted to keep the rock band set up.  I can say with certainty, there are a lot of jazz chords and jazz influence as well.   Jazz chords make me go crazy!  Although I love rock, funk, jazz and whatnot, I think European Classical music is some of the most amazing music ever written.   One of the things that I think some popular American music lacks that classical has is the ability to change and mold a song into an intelligent piece of art.  Classical composers were and are able to write such complex and intricate songs.  I wanted to try and make the songs grow and develop.  I think it showed.

The last big influence on the album was the improvisation.   The rule of the album was if it sounds improvised it probably was.   I gave the dudes some chords, tempos, and some riffs but for the most part they were making most of it up.   On all of the songs, we would go in one night and record a song or two.   Most of the time, we played through the song 3 or 4 times and then record it.   Not 3 months of rehearsal, 3 times through the song.   Most of the tracks were recorded live.   Considering that this is my first time writing songs, singing, writing vocals, and considering how fast the dudes put it together, I think it was a success. 

First, thank you to the dudes.  Thank you Brody for all your hard work.  It paid off!   Thank you to Audio Vision Productions.   Special thanks to Elicia Kniffin for the graphic art and cover design.   Thank you to the Wichita State University faculty, and especially Catherine Consiglio and Jacqueline Dillion.   Thank you to all my past teachers, my family, and friends.   And last but not least, thank you to my parents for their support, patience, and unconditional love.