i'm a griff bear.
i started to play the violin
when i was just a fat little 10
years old but i liked it.
by high school i spent three periods a day playing classical & pops music or practicing ... which sometimes was serious, and sometimes just flirtatious ... and i really liked it.
college: small state U in ohio, four years to bachelor of music performance .. playing about a billion symphonic, chamber, musical, opera, and wedding gigs along the way. starting flirting with jazz. started learning about computer music & synthesizers, working with MIDI (1986!), and acoustics. practiced and practiced and practiced!
grad school: "mr. jefferson's university" - studied about relationships between linguistic and musical theory & criticism, MIDI & computer composition, some jazz improv, more theory, composition, and music history (especially jazz). also "existentialism from hegel to sartre." practiced violin for at least a billion hours. designed and taught some music theory classes. did master's recital - half classical/half jazz (quintet). finished all degree requirements - except foreign language proficiency test & 3-5 page paper. had to go ... never finished.
also ... started playing bluegrass & old time -
WOO HOO!!
a year in michigan (A2) - playing folk rock sort of stuff & some fusion here & there.
moved to oregon for law school. learned to play guitar, mandolin, and played tons of piano. start writing songs like crazy ... it's hard to keep your head on straight when you're in law school. joined an irish band (FALL IN LOVE IRISH FIDDLE!). occasional orchestra gigs, gypsy band, and BAHTTSI. bahttsi is just its own deal. joined another irish band. tons of bar ("pub") gigs, weddings, outdoor summer concerts.
finished law school. worked with homeless youth. managed shelters.
built a home studio. relearned MIDI!
SEPTEMBER 2007 - JAMUARY 2008
- recorded over 30 demo songs, coupled them with previously recorded but remixed & updated songs, and sent 60 song collection for copyright registration. many styles & vibes.
i can write, arrange, play various instruments, record/engineer, read, run MIDI, and perform.
i can play the shit out of the fiddle.
my singing, i'd say, runs in the C to B+ range with occasional flashes of "right on."
i'm half bear. i'm not that hot as a human, but i'm a knockout as a bear.
i've never worked with film, but i'm dying to, so that's my next priority to learn about. (i sure would like to learn "on the job" - and i'm sure i can.)
i'd like to sell some songs. i'd like to have a well paid band & studio time to make a kick-ass but careful record (or six ... or forty). i'd like to find a gig writing "compositions" more than "songs," but i still love songs!
i'm also starting to work on some children's books, including "the troubled talkative cow," and "the over-competent kangaroo."
Family
Jenica Rose
Laura & Jenica
Laura Liz
"Bear with cub" (griff & Buck)
Papa
Grandma Sally with Jenica
Aunt Terri with Buck
