The music on Fruits Of The Midi was conceived during some very dark and tumultuous times, both in my personal life and in the world. With lockdowns and BLM protests on the one hand, and a romantic relationship filled with lessons to learn on the other, it was virtually impossible for my music to remain unaffected. What do we do with all this despair? Is there room for hope? Am I a victim of circumstances or a cause in the matter of my own happiness? Perhaps both? Perhaps we’re all both? What does it mean to be me? What does it mean to be an American? These are some of the themes that jump out as I reflect back on this music and the creative process behind it. Needless to say - having my best friend from age 12, producer and composer - Yan Perchuk - as my partner in crime on this album, proved indispensable in a multitude of ways. From the intersection of personal and universal, I hope to offer a perspective on this challenging and educational chapter of our lives through my music. A chapter far from over. Both for me personally, and collectively for us all.
A Lifetime Away is a more personal and melodic record than anything I’d done before. I wasn’t chasing complexity — I was chasing clarity, and the kind of melody that carries emotional weight without needing to be explained. The album leans into that — moments of space, subtlety, and restraint. I had the chance to work with some of my favorite musicians on this project — Stanley Clarke, Gary Novak, Peter Erskine, Bob Mintzer, John Patitucci — and their contributions really shaped the record. I think I might make another album in this vain in the future. There’s something really special about unearthing melodies I can really stand behind and sign off on. It’s truly fulfilling and feels like carrying out a sacred duty in the world. I’m always half ashamed of the soapy melodies I hear, but I come by them honestly. My slavic culture clearly played a role in shaping my sense of melody as well as my favorite composers. This was an ambitious effort with orchestra and all (lol) and I’m really glad I got the change to make an album like this.
This is the very first album I made. With the gentle encouragement of my heroes and friends, all of whom wanted to help, I gathered my musical universe into a collection of pieces with only myself as the common denominator. Perhaps the most revealing of my true musical nature, this album is the intersection of multiple roads, many musical genres and styles. All over the place. Not a typical approach to record making but hey — this is where I was at the time. Singing what can sound like a Walt Disney song on one track and playing a piano duet with Chick Corea on the next one. Definitely a young album. I’m not sure that I’ve found a clearer musical direction since then, but I’m beginning to suspect that I just might like it this way!