Reviews:

Stripped (2011)

Bio:

“A classically trained and award winning pianist, Peckyno has been described as a hybrid between Rick Wakeman and George Winston with music ranging from driving progressive electronic rock to contemplative piano solos...”

Hello and thanks for listening! I could start with something like the above, but let's face it, bio's are strange and pretty well all sound fake. So, rather than spouting out the commercial, the best I will do is tell how I got here... it's a pretty interesting story - at least it was on this side...!I’ll leave the bio writing to those far more qualified!

I started playing the piano at age 4 and was singing and dancing ethnic folk across the US long before I was driving... During the late 80's, I played with technopunk outfit Eargasm and new wave rockers Page 19 before heading to Nashville to get my B.S. degree from MTSU's school of music business. Amongst several Nashville jobs, I worked as an agent's assistant for Joe Harris (then at Buddy Lee Attractions) for artists such as Garth Brooks and Tricia Yearwood. Ironically, I didn't know a thing about country music... (and even tried to kick Clint Black out of one of his own shows for not having a pass!)

Later, while working at Integrated Copyright Group, Inc., I began a collaboration with experimental guitarist Chad Corley (the Sleep-Ins, kingsizedmidget) that resulted in the formation of Longhouse Records to support our 1995 collaboration (as Bathsheva) Mine Field Dream. The CD was well received and several tracks hit the new age charts on MP3.com. While in Texas with Longhouse Records, I recorded and released rsvp and Assignments before moving to Los Angeles to open a west coast office and work as a dragon slayer.

While in Hollywood, I recorded Suncatcher and Counting Out Time and spent a brief stint working as a PA for film soundtrack legend William Goldstein. By now, I had worked professionally in nearly every aspect of the music business and, while exciting and all, I wasn’t getting out of it the satisfaction I had hoped for...So, I quit and started a new life.

Over the next 9 years, I earned two graduate degrees and spent a summer working as a NASA scientist - which doesn't exactly leave a whole lot of free time. The keyboards hid under the bed for the most part, but here and there I kept recording tracks as time permitted... In 2004, I compiled the best of those tracks together for Exiled from Outer Space which I never really even expected to release. Four years later, with no expectations, I picked up a piano and began to practice again as time allowed. Honestly, it was simply 3 minute chunks of therapy...For fun, I began outputting it to the computer and recording takes.I was playing around with the old Page 19 material and lots of positive feedback started to trickle in, so I decided to compile those tunes into MIDI’d piano CD of the best bits entitled Quarter Page which was released in 2009. Who knew people would like it...?Like the pebble that started an avalanche, the door started to open and before long, I was back in the music business!

Which brings us to now. I have just finished recording the next CD - Stripped - which is also compilation of solo piano interpretations of previously released electronic works. However, rather than highly produced tracking, or computer aided composition, this time each song on this CD was recorded in a single live take on a single instrument.I tried not to 'overplan' each of these tracks and nearly half of this CD was improvised during the recording. All I can say is, “Why haven’t I done this before?” It's easily the best CD musically I've done. (Some samples have hit the website) I am also supporting the release with a series of outdoor gigs in the Pacific Northwest with a solar/battery powered piano.

Oh, I guess I'm supposed to say something about the music... hmm. It's been called progressive, piano rock, new age, dreamy, psychedelic, electronic, ambient, emotive, crap, and Fred. I guess it depends on what day it is, but I'm going with Fred...

Give it a listen, you might find something you like! b-