MP3 John Jay Critoria - From Out the Window

An eclectic blend of cultures and styles, this album features masterful employment of musical imagery.

16 MP3 Songs
ELECTRONIC: Virtual Orchestra, EASY LISTENING: Mood Music

Show all album songs: From Out the Window Songs


Details:
Iâd already been writing poems when a friend of a friend sold me a 12 string guitar heâd bought in Tijuana, for $30. He showed me some chords from the popular songs and some time later I was writing my own songs. My father had a hamburger stand, on the beach in Santa Monica CA. From most locations on the beach, within about 100 yards, people could see the small light yellow buildingâs large white sign with black letters that read âHonest Johns Standâ. I always thought it was kind of poetic. When business was slow Iâd sit at the side of the building and play the guitar practicing the popular songs and my songs. A woman who came to the beach heard me. Her husband was the orchestra conductor for a popular TV personality. Soon her husband was my manager. I recorded some demos at Gold Star Studios on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. He was going to shop them around. He found out he had cancer. It had been undetected, for quite a while. Soon he passed away. Bummer !

Then, a few pop artistâs released albums they recorded in studios using multi-tracks, playing all the instruments, and singing all the parts. I thought Iâd like to try to do that. I saved the money, practiced, and did it. It turned out ok. Even though I didnât have any contacts in the music business, I still wanted to do it more than, that, one time.

I got married, and moved to northern California. I ended up employed with an electric utility, working rotating shift work. While working there I enrolled in some Recording Arts courses at Los Medanos College. For about 2 years I was busy with school, school work and work. One day my wife told me, our youngest daughter said : â I like daddy, but I really donât know him.â I stopped the music, and became more involved with my family.

In the last few years, with the advances in computer technology, especially in music production work stations, itâs become easier to create and produce music. I had an Ensoniq ESQ1, when I was attending LMC. It froze up one day, about 2 ½ years ago, when one of the cats in our house jumped up on it, and stepped on multiple buttons causing it to attempt to do more operations than it could safely do. Bye, bye, ESQ1. After that happened, I read and article about Andrew Lloyd Weber having a similar problem. His cat once climbed into some device he had and destroyed a rock opera he was working on. Ever since then I almost feel as though we are related. People can relate through adversity.

Fortunately Iâd recorded most of my songs and ideas for songs to cassette tapes. ( kind of a low-tech backup file.) Now I have a Yamaha MOTIF ES 8 music production work station. Once I got through the learning curve I started recreating some songs after listening to the cassettes.
For the most part the songs on this album, â from out the window â, are from the cassettes. No vocals for now, just music.

I want to thank Disc Makers, and give them recognition. I canât help it. They make it possible for people, who are not affiliated with large music corporations, and who do not have contacts to the music industry, to get their music out there and heard.

Thanks John Jay Critoria