This tune came out of a wonderful convergence (happy accident); my collaboration with @devin-locke on "Theme and Variations" and a renewed interest in the painting of Bob Ross. One of the variations I became so taken with, I wanted to develop it into a full track using the original steel string voice of the collaboration then adding nylon string to enlarge the melody line.  "Happy Accidents" was a favorite saying of Bob Ross as he would go about his painting on Public Television.  I saw how it applied to me in how I have composed guitar music over the years;  the unexpected note or chord I first thought a mistake became a turning point for a phrase or melody line.  Some would call it "serendipity", for Bob Ross it was a "happy accident".  If you listen closely toward the beginning, you can hear my granddaughter Lily in the background, a bit of a cameo and very much a happy accident:)

Happy Accidents (For Bob Ross)

I am a finger-style guitarist living on the Texas high plains.  At the core of my music is melody that is inspired and informed by my Christian faith, family, friends, and countless influences through the years from the great composers, to jazz, folk, rock, Latin, Celtic, and the many fine musicians I have come to love on the Cloud, some I have been privileged to collaborate with.  Thanks for stopping by to have a listen. Comments are always welcome. Feel free to click on the picture of any track to learn more about it.

Songs from the edge of somewhere.
You don’t know if you’re walking into a protest, a party, or a funeral.
Bluesy, soulful rock’n’roll.
Haunted, deep and raw. 
The kind of raw you can’t fake.

“You don’t sound like anyone else,” said Danny Thompson - legendary bassist for Nick Drake and Joe Strummer - about English producer Conil.

Tchad Blake, sonic architect for Tom Waits and Elvis Costello, agreed: “Strange Part of the Country is an amazing album. I still listen to it.”

Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green was also a fan, making a rare visit to Conil’s studio to record a mellow take on “Woke Up Around Midnight,” his smoky tribute to the jazz greats.

Conil’s distinct sound has drawn praise from Marc Ribot, Davey Graham, Pino Palladino, and John Leckie - artists and producers known for recognising the real thing when they hear it.

Upon release, Strange Part of the Country made quiet but lasting waves. Q Magazine gave it four stars and a Q Recommends stamp. Blues Matters Magazine put Conil on the cover, calling him “one of the most original artists out there.” In the U.S., “Years Between” climbed to number three on the Alternative Radio Chart.

Raised in England on the Rolling Stones, the Velvet Underground, and Tom Waits, Conil later lived in some of the world’s most musically charged cities - New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Austin and Berlin - chasing sound wherever he went.

That began early. He travelled far, met the Dalai Lama, climbed Kilimanjaro, and crossed the Himalayas - experiences that shaped his perspective and his music.

He is now finishing his long-awaited second album - recorded in New Orleans, Chicago, London and Greece - with Danny Thompson, Tchad Blake and more.

Music is an international language and it's such fun to learn new perspectives on that way... Thank you all for listening and taking part in all these moments 🙏🎶♥️

Demos and sketches of songs, mostly recorded in my home studio.
Part of the Netta&McGill duo.
Thanks for having a listen.

There's no doubt about it, Music animates my Soul, and as an enthusiastic student of Life as well as a passionate Improvisational Pianist &  Composer, as far as I'm concerned, our lives would be impoverished without it ! :)  Composing is all about 'Sharing the Joy, Passion and Angst' we experience in Life, as well as connecting with Musicians and 'Creatives' worldwide. This makes it even more wonderful!  That willingness to engage in whatever way makes SC an ever-expanding Movable Feast that nourishes and inspires on so many levels. 

Music Communicates the Emotional and Informational Content and Context of Heart, Mind, Spirit, and Soul. And 'Letting it Flow' is 'Where Its At' as I hear it!  

Over the past few years since becoming part of the SoundCloud Family, my 'Joy in and Passion for' Creative Musical Expression has increased exponentially as has my appreciation of all the wonderfully passionate Musicians and Creatives worldwide who have devoted themselves to Letting It Take Form! 

Here's a bit of a bio, if anyone is interested.  

Somehow, my MUSE got my attention at a tender age. About the time I was completing my Royal Conservatory training. 

My memory being poorer than most, I began improvising in the passages I had forgotten. And while the audience seemed unaware, my teacher chastised me indulgently, saying, "it appears I have a budding composer on my hands"!  And thus began my Odyssey into the wonderful Vibrational world of Sound!:-) In-deed, I have been an ardent, attentive and appreciative acolyte of my Muse ever since. 

During the early 1970s I had the pleasure and honour of a three year friendship and Master Class with the then Octogenarian Composer Manoah Leide-Tedesco , one of Tone Poem giant Richard Strauss` favorite pupils and friend of Maurice Ravel and other 20th century composers such as Stravinsky (whose music he helped popularize). Since then, whether Improvising, listening, studying composition or devoting myself wholly to the visual arts for years at a time, I have been deeply aware that sharing my musical insights , teaching, and or mentoring young aficionados came with the territory!   I love it, although I am afraid that as my consciousness expands...that I know less and less each year! :-)  

The Tonal Oasis called SoundCloud is a fine and wondrous place in oh so many ways.  And with your support and appreciation, I de-Light to share my music with an ever widening audience. I call what i upload ' Sound-Seeds'.  Most of these 'bed tracks' call out to be fleshed out by passionate soloists who somehow Resonate with my Soundz and Ideas.  So please drop me a line, as i am most interested in letting them bear more fruit through collaboration, interpretation, re-mixing or use in other media.    

And on a personal Note, a Huge Thank-You to each and all who listen, inJoy, and Re-Post onwards what finds it's way thru me! :) Bless y'all.  It's my Joy to simply 'Let' the Creative Spirit find expression through this instrument of Body, Mind, and Heart!  I hope you will find some peace, joy, and rest, in at least some of my improvisations, compositions, or soundz. 

Insofar as playing, and composing  ... as you continue on in Your journey into  the infinite 'Cave of Wonders' we call Music, I wish you all the very best in all Your creative endeavours. 

So Be Kind to yourSelves and one another. Be Audacious, Ready to Play, and above all, share the Joy of being able to express whatever you're feeling. 

In-deed, may The Muse continue to 'Sing on and Play on' through each of us !   For this is one way this 'ol world is lifted up, and Changed for the better - note by note, and smile by smile .  

 Yes, may we simply Let our Creativity flow forth without concern for results.
                                   Peace

                                    Gary *+*

Banner Pic- BLUE SKIES ON PLUTO
                       Pluto's atmosphere as seen recently by Horizon Spacecraft

Counter Silence is Southend based composer/producer Colin Ventura.
Check out my Bandcamp here:
https://countersilence.bandcamp.com/

I'm glad you found my music.
I've always wanted to express the music deep in my heart.
My music is music that overflows from the album jacket.
My music will light up a projector of your memories.
It's like finding your old album!
And above all, I hope I can make you all happy.

Composer of Quirky Lyrics and Squiggly Melodies.
Author of "The BumbleBeatle Battle" Novel.

And a Part of this Grand Orchestra.
The One And OliBoli.

“Gina, the new album is amazing. You are such a wonderful, wonderful artist. You and Mark really compliment each other - it sounds like you just lie down in his soundscapes. Your lyrics are fantastic. Wow!” - Ben Fogarty (fan)

Hello, thankyou for stopping by! If you had a listen and liked what you heard, the best way to help us forward in the great sea of music would be to follow us on Bandcamp if you possibly can.... really depends on whether you have a Bandcamp account. If you can't then we still very much appreciate a show of love here in the form of likes, comments and re-posts... thank you very much for these :) <3 
Watchglass are a duo who like exploring 
musical directions and having fun making songs and albums. We have been working as a partnership since 2017, or most of the time since then. Gina is the singer and lyricist. Mark is the guitarist and everything else and makes the songs and is the one who Gina will forever hold responsible for showing her she could not only sing well enough to front a band but also write passable, and sometimes even excellent songs.... Happily we found each other again after a longish split. 

Our 4 albums since reuniting in June 2022 are:

Every Conversation in June 
“The album plays out like one long, slightly spooky fairy tale…A magic spell drifting in from lands unknown, Every Conversation in June is a quiet marvel.” - JE Keyes, Chief Editor Bandcamp Daily

Only Watching Clouds. 

Beautiful Dust-
“delightfully enigmatic pop songs built from enchanting melodies and eternal optimism.” - Ben Salmon (Bandcamp Daily)
“as hushed and evocative as a ghost story whispered around a campfire.”- JE Keyes, Chief Editor Bandcamp Daily

Raw Colours 
“It’s another irresistible album from a band that gets better with each go-round.”- JE Keyes, Chief Editor Bandcamp Daily

All available on Bandcamp.

Happy Accidents (For Bob Ross)

David Dunham