JAMES FERNANDO – THE LONELY SAILOR - FEBRUARY 8, 2018

"Jazz is a music that I have come to love since I started playing it as a sixth grader, but as I have grown older I have come to understand it’s limitations. One example of these limitations is how jazz pianists usually play chord changes in the left hand and melodies in the right hand, ignoring many of the instrument’s possibilities. Through the study of many of Chopin’s solo piano works—which use the full instrument in extraordinary ways—I created The Lonely Sailor by blending classical textures with jazz vocabulary, thus expanding the concept of jazz."
-James Fernando
 
James Fernando’s musical journey began when he started playing classical piano at the age of five. He was first exposed to jazz in middle school and quickly fell in love with the genre, working relentlessly to develop his skills. While in high school, James received awards from both Downbeat Magazineand the National Young Arts Foundation and was nominated for the Jazz Fellowship Awards of the American Pianists Association. He was also selected for the prestigious Jazz Band of America, as well as the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop, placing him firmly among the elite musicians of his age group. James attended Berklee College of Music on scholarship, where he graduated summa cum laude after only three years of study.

Shortly after graduating, James went on tour with legendary saxophonist Chris Cheek (Paul Motion, Charlie Haden, Steve Swallow, Bill Frisell). Highlights from that tour include performances at the Regattabar in Boston and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center in New York City. After returning from that tour, he attended the historic Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music. It was at this workshop he met Toronto-based vocalist and composer Mingjia Chen, with whom he recorded and released his debut album Extended Layover. James is set to release his first solo album, entitled The Lonely Sailor, in February of 2019.

Along with performing and composing, James is a passionate teacher. He strives to challenge all of his students by using their favorite music as a tool for education.
Central to my artistry is the concept of expansion. Jazz is a music that I have come to love since I started playing it as a sixth grader, but as I have grown older I have come to understand it’s limitations. One example of these limitations is how jazz pianists usually play chord changes in the left hand and melodies in the right hand, ignoring many of the instrument’s possibilities. Through the study of many of Chopin’s solo piano works—which use the full instrument in extraordinary ways—I created The Lonely Sailor by blending classical textures with jazz vocabulary, thus expanding the concept of jazz.

I also expanded the sound of the piano itself by using what I call the electronically augmented piano. To accomplish this, I placed contact microphones on the piano and ran the sound through my computer while controlling the software with a foot pedal. The effect is that the acoustic piano is always audible, but there are electronic elements that enter and exit throughout the course of the album.

All of this expansion occurs while telling the story of personal growth. The album is about a man sailing through the sea. As he progresses through his journey, the soundscape changes from purely acoustic to almost entirely electronic, reflecting the development in his voyage. Similarly to my musical concept, the protagonist is looking into unknown territory, searching for a better place.
 

TRACKS AND TIMES:
1. The Lonely Sailor 5:35
2. Untold 6:46
3. The Journey Within 8:03
4. Ancient Lullaby 4:48
5. Troubled Waters 3:36
6. The Other Side of the Storm 4:45
7. The Last Sunset at Sea 3:46
8. Where the Grass is Greener 4:41

PLAYERS & INSTRUMENT:
James Fernando - piano

**All compositions by James Fernando
Artist: James Fernando
CD Title: The Lonely Sailor
Label: Self-Released
Street Date: February 8, 2019