Stephen Gislason, a Personal Music History

In 2006, I embarked on another musical journey of review and of discovery.  For several years, I was busy with other projects, but  planned to arrange, play and record music that was meaningful to me in the past. My work in psychology and philosophy was always interesting and challenging but led to the conclusion that there would be no end to human conflict.

Singing, dancing and playing music of all  kinds are clearly the best expressions of humans. Creating and hearing good music brought me the most pleasure and the most peace. This is not to suggest that all sounds presented as music are really music, since noise appears to be replacing real music in many if not most popular formats. Real music is intelligent and pleasing. Real music is rhythmic, not always with drums. Musical drumming should be interesting, sometimes exciting, but never noisy or oppressive.

My review of popular music starting in the 1940's brings me great pleasure and renews my music skills. I am inspired to proceed with new compositions of my own. I am especially attracted to beautiful ballads, music with jazz influence  and music with great lyrical melodies. See Persona Recordings of Popular Songs

I started to play the piano at age 5 and was fortunate to attend subscription symphony concerts at Massey Hall in Toronto until I finished high school. You could say that as a child, I was immersed in classical music. I then became involved in band and popular music as a trumpet player. I continue to play the trumpet and flugelhorn on the keyboard. Recording technology evolved quickly during those years with the appearance of monophonic hi-fi, high quality FM radio and long playing records. Tape recorders were magic and since 12 years of age, I have had one or more tape recorders that I used to edit and assemble music to my own liking.

Today, I use sophisticated digital recording equipment that allows me to proceed from an idea to a finished CD or DVD on my own. For years, I listened to music everyday and sometimes all day. My karma was to practice medicine and not play music for a living. I learned electronics, built synthesizers and experimented with psychoacoustics. 

See Notes music arranged and performed by Stephen and the Trinity P2500 Band.