I recorded this in the summer of 2020 for a humorous true-crime podcast called "True Crime?"  The premise of the show was that one of the two podcasters (or perhaps a guest) would tell a crime story, and have the other guess whether it was a crime that had actually occurred, or a made-up story.  Sadly, though a few episodes were recorded, unforeseen circumstances have made it unlikely that podcast will see the light of day.  So, I'm posting the theme here so that it, at least, can see a little daylight.

"True Crime?" Theme

This is one of several versions to come of the theme song for "The Department of Death," an upcoming web series created by the very talented Lena Cigleris.  It is likely that each episode will end with a different version of the theme.  

Department of Death Theme (One Foot in the Grave)

This is part of a suite ("Integrated Pathways") that I composed as accompaniment to a 2001 video art exhibit installation titled "God is a DJ," (predating the Pink song of the same name by several years), by artist/scientist Jeff Wyckoff.  The suite expresses the genetic code of various proteins (in this case, the Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein, or "WASP")as music, representing each base as a tone, and each combination of bases as a chord.  Each number in the suite effects a controlled randomness:  I created various harmonic frameworks in which the genetic code could express itself.  This piece is my favorite from the suite.

Wasp - Presto

This is an all-acoustic recording of "We Three Kings" that I made in 2004, when I was contemplating recording a Christmas album.  The recording consists of about 24 tracks.  My wife played the mandolin solo in the second verse; otherwise, it's all me.

We Three Kings

Back in the Aughts, I was asked to provide music for an upcoming flash video game based on the Flying Ferret web comic.  Unfortunately, the game never saw the light of day, but the loops I recorded for it still exist.  This is one of my favorites.  It was meant to accompany the "Sewer" level of the game, based on an issue of the comic in which a sewer-dwelling cult worships a Cthulhu-type of beast called "Whuthufu."  This track includes a number of synthesized sounds, but also a lot of acoustic instruments, including didgeridoo, Mexican clay flutes, and African talking drum.  If you are familiar with the Flying Ferret theme from my track list, you will recognize the theme here, played on xylophone, around the 50-second mark.

Flying Ferret Video Game: Sewer

Another loop for the Flying Ferret Video Game that never was.  (That's the game developer's fault, not mine!)  This music was to accompany the "Lab" level of the game, based on the laboratory of "The Weaponsmith," from the web comic.  Here it repeats once, just to show how it loops.

Flying Ferret Video Game: Lab

This is a new scratch demo of a song I wrote a few years ago.  I wanted a nice, crunchy, folk-rock guitar solo for this song, but since I play all the instruments in this recording and don't have the guitar skills to play the kind of solo I want, I improvised an E-piano solo as a placeholder.

You Wear the Sun

This is the version of the Department of Death theme that I recorded to end the second episode of the first season.  (Not all versions will feature steel guitar!)

Department of Death Theme - Version 2: Ballad

This year's Christmas recording: my own instrumental adaptation of the 12th-century Aquitanian versus "Natus Est Rex" ("The King Is Born").  The accompanying photo depicts the instruments I used for this recording (not including 13 tracks of my own voice, for the vocal drone): lap harp, wind chimes, salaw, brass bell, bowed Appalachian dulcimer, and finger cymbals.

Natus Est Rex

This is the second movement of the two-movement "Color Wheels," music composed for the exhibit "The Artist Shelf," featuring still-life and landscape paintings by Irish artist Richard Hearns.  Whereas the first movement, "Acceleration," represents the inspiration and execution of art, the second represents the viewing of and absorption in the finished product -- becoming enchanted with or "lost in" it.

Color Wheels - Secondary: Drift

A blues interpretation of Mykola Leontovych's "Carol of the Bells."

Carol of the Blues

A track I recorded long ago for a piece of never-finished animation whose working title was "Odd West" -- basically a Western short with no spoken dialogue, set in an alien world.  This music was for a saloon scene, with an alien piano player with one eye and three arms.

"Odd West" Saloon Piano

A remix/remaster of a track I recorded 20 years ago, in 2004.  There are about 22 tracks here, all acoustic instruments and voice.  Mandolin solo in the second verse played by Vera Des Marais

We Three Kings 2024 Remaster

A Medley of French carols – Pat-a-Pan, Joseph est bien marié, Touro-Louro-Louro, and Noël Nouvelet –  played and sung in various styles.  All the instruments are acoustic.  I did all the playing and singing.  This is an uncompressed, rough mixdown, but I think that suits the character of the recording, which I wanted to evoke the rough-and-tumble spirit of a raucous Christmas Party with free-flowing libations and homemade music.

Chantons Noël - French Carol Medley

A hurriedly banged-out, just-for-the-hell-of-it, holiday greeting for friends and family, December 2019.

Winter Wonderland

Loop for the "Roof" level of the scrubbed "Flying Ferret" video game.  The brown and gold of his costume inspired a '70s retro feel for a couple of the loops I recorded.

Flying Ferret Video Game: Roof

Another old music loop for the Flying Ferret video game that almost was, but then wasn't.  This was for the "Alley" level of the game.

Flying Ferret Video Game - Alley

Yet another old loop from the game that wasn't.  This was for the "Cave" level.  I played my bamboo walking-stick flute for this one.

Flying Ferret Video Game - Cave

I am a classically trained professional singer who enjoys composing and songwriting.  

John Des Marais

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