About Me
Photo by Patricia LoRe
It all started when…
… I was 4 or 5, lip-syncing to ‘She Loves You’ in front of the living room mirror with my Beatles wig and plastic guitar…and here we are, how many years later?
I started piano lessons at an early age, and was a serious student through to my early 20s, when I began a lifetime of self-study, research, and teaching. I started writing music in my early teens, and haven’t stopped since.
My musical influences start with the Beatles and other British Invasion groups like the Kinks and Zombies and continue through the 60s and into the early 70s with the explosion of rock music creativity that will likely never be matched (Jimi Hendrix, Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, The Who, Tull, etc.).
In the mid 70s I loved the Glam Rock bands like Mott the Hoople and Queen and then found my heaven in Progressive Rock (Genesis, Yes, Crimson, Strawbs, Renaissance, etc.) and Jazz Fusion (Chick Corea, Larry Coryell, et al.).
After all that great music, and as I got older, I started to gain a keen appreciation for the Singer-Songwriters and a variety of Folk music, including English and Celtic traditions. Some of my favorites are Phil Ochs, Sandy Denny, James Taylor, Fairport Convention, Simon and Garfunkel, Bert Jansch, Keith Christmas, Mary Black, and many, many more.
There’s an interesting cross-section of my work in the Music section of this site. I also stream and sell music on many platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, Band Camp, and others.
I play a variety of instruments including piano, keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums which allows me to build a song from the ground up.
I teach music (piano, guitar, songwriting) and have been doing so for most of my adult life. It gives me great joy and a deep sense of purpose to bring music to people of all ages.
As a solo artist and as a band leader I've released a number of albums, some are listed below. You can listen to these and other projects in the Music section of this site:
Songs for the Seven Stars - Brand new album launching September 4, 2022. Listen in advance on the Music section.
In the Grand Dream - Volume 1 - the 2012 nine-composition solo piano collection.
In the Grand Dream - Volume 2 - the 2020 thirteen-composition solo piano collection.
Decade 2001-2011 - Introspective collection of tunes in the singer-songwriter / art-rock style.
Foreverywhere - The 2001 album that charted locally (No. 8) with the song ‘Draw the Line’ and includes the trippy cover of Lennon's ‘Dear Prudence’.
One Life - 1994 debut solo album.
I've had the privilege to play with a variety of gifted artists, some internationally known: The Del Vikings, Louis Lymon (Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers), Jimmy Moschello (The Elegants), Brad Delp (Boston), Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal (Guns 'n Roses), Evoken, Joe Holaday (The Fools); and others local: Sympatico, Mindzeye, Sluggo, Paladins, Jodee Frawlee (Starr Faithfull), Wilder Road, The Hat, Desolate Highway, Home Brew and others.
Many of the photos on my site were taken by my wife, Patty, a gifted photographer. A link to Patty's photography website is provided here> Patty LoRe
I hope that you enjoy the music; styles range from instrumental piano to introspective singer-songwriter ballads to art-rock and other variations.
Feel free to get in touch with any questions, comments, or suggestions. I'd also love to hear about your work, interests, and passions.
// Neil