"Möbius Trip" is a crazy experiment dating from the late 90s. The MIDI file is long lost, so I can only go by memory, which tells me this was constructed out of more than a dozen tracks in different time signatures. Each track consisted of a phrase that I copied and pasted to fill up the duration of the piece. The composition was done by subtraction - muting various tracks at various times to present different combinations of layers.

Composed and recorded by Jon Davis (BMI).
Yamaha MU-50 sound module
Ensoniq Mirage

Möbius Trip (1999)

Spontaneous(ish) composition from 4 Feb 2024

Jon Davis: Stick, guzheng, sheng, percussion, programming

Improv 20240204

Demo of a song from the late 80s. I had totally forgotten about this one until I revisited one of my old 4-track cassettes and found it. 

Words & music Jon Davis (BMI)
Bass, guitar, programming, vocals: Jon Davis
Guitar, vocals: Pete Chadwick
Lead vocals: Sherri Roman

Remixed and remastered 2024

Archives Vol. 4: Surreal Estate

Surreal Estate - Everywhere I Go (1988)*

A demo from the late 80s. 

Words (maybe) and music (definitely) by Jon Davis (BMI)
Jon Davis: Drum program, keyboard bass, guitar
Sherri Roman: Vocals

Remixed and remastered 2024

I Work for the President (Demo 1989)*

This is a demo from 1988 or so. I believe it was supposed to have words and other parts, but those never got recorded - maybe I have a lyric sheet somewhere in a box...

It's all me on drum programming, bass, and guitar.

Music by Jon Davis (BMI)

The Ugly Head

Demo from about 1988. Me on drum machine programming, bass, guitar. This is another 4 track demo that never got the vocal part added, or maybe that track was lost somehow. After all these years, I have no idea what the words were.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)

It Can't Be Heaven (Demo 1988)*

Another unfinished demo from around 1988. This one has me on drum programming, bass, and one of the guitar parts (rhythm most likely). Pete Chadwick played the other guitar part (lead). This one has lyrics that I have access to - they exist on an earlier demo. I'll try to match pitch and speed on the vocal track, but not sure if it will work.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)

She Wears Black (Demo 1988)*

A demo from 1988-89. In a dark mood, or imitating one. Me programming drums, playing bass, guitar, and vocals. Plus sound effects, apparently.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)

The Death of Innocence (Demo 1989)*

And old demo of a ridiculously fast song. Definitely me on the drum programming, keyboard bass, Mirage piano, and at least one of the guitar parts. Maybe Pete Chadwick on the other guitar. Multiple vocal parts by me.

Words and music Jon Davis (BMI), interpolating a little from The Letter by Wayne Carson.

Remixed and remastered 2024.

Surreal Estate - Take a Jet (1989)*

I'd been listening to a lot of World Party, so this had to be from 1990. Probably me on all instruments and vocals.

Words and music Jon Davis (BMI)

Remixed and remastered 2024

Surreal Estate - Party of One (1990)*

Demo of a song from the late 80s. I believe there's supposed to be a rhythm guitar part, currently AWOL.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)
Jon Davis - Drum programming, keyboard bass, synth, guitar solo
Sherri Roman - Vocals

Remixed and remastered 2024.

Surreal Estate - The Space Between (1988)*

This is a little snip of music that came to me in a dream. It's the intro to what was going to be a pop metal song in the 80s tradition, but I don't know what would have happened next.

Music by Jon Davis (BMI)
Jon Davis - Programming, Stick

Pop Metal Dream

Demo from around 1988.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)
Jon Davis: Bass, guitar, programming, vocals
Pete Chadwick: Guitar

Surreal Estate - How She Dance (Demo 1988)*

Demo of a track from about 1988. The backing tracks are from one session, and the vocals were from an earlier demo, maybe from 1986. It was at a different speed, so had to be modified pretty heavily. Pitch is off between the two versions.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)
Jon Davis: Bass, guitar, programming, vocals
Pete Chadwick: Guitar

Surreal Estate - She Wears Black (Demo 1988)*

This is a demo of a song from about 1988. I had pretty much forgotten about this one, and it surprised me how high the vocal line goes - not normally what I think of as being in my range.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)
Jon Davis: Vocals, acoustic guitar, bass, programming
Pete Chadwick: Electric guitar

Surreal Estate - Look at the Moon (Demo 1988)*

Last in a suite I recorded at home in 1988 on mostly borrowed equipment. I've got sequences going on the Mirage and Pro-One, and playing guitar live along with them. Two passes recorded in stereo to a four-track cassette. Very loosely "composed" with lots of randomness and improvisation.

The Entity - Synthesesia 6: The Simplicity of Virtue

Another sort of improvisation. I threw the drum program together with as much randomness as possible when you're clicking a mouse. I improvised a loop on the Mirage (strings and piano), building up from simple to hyperactive. Then I improvised a bass part on the Stick, and after that a treble part on the Stick. "Cambrian Romance" part 3. Composed and performed by Jon Davis.

Zhongyu - Anomalocaris Mating Behavior (Artist's Conception) (Improv)

This is a sketch for what will be a longer piece - just working out one section. Programmed percussion and marimba (Mirage), plus three guzheng parts. Composed, arranged and performed on 21 April 2012 by Jon Davis.

Zhongyu - 西施沉鱼 (Xi Shi Sinks Fish) (Sketch)

Demo theme / title music for tea documentary. Written, performed, and recorded by Jon Davis.

(c) 2018, Jon Davis. BMI

Dong Ding Soundtrack

Floating Leaves Theme (Demo)

Proposed theme music at a slower tempo. To be redone with real violin and cello.

Floating Leaves Theme (Slower Demo)

Music written for "Fire for the Tea" trailer video.

Written by Jon Davis.
Flute by Jim DeJoie.
All other instruments and programming by Jon Davis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szle7QygPPM

Fire for the Tea - Trailer #2

MIDI demo of cello solo playing variations of the Floating Leaves theme

Floating Leaves

Floating Leaves Cello Variations

The music to the first Floating Leaves trailer, Dance of the Tea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhESAFbvwxs

Music, performance, and recording by Jon Davis, based in part on 西施沉鱼 (Xi Shi Sinks Fish) - https://soundcloud.com/zhongyu/zhongyu-xi-shi-sinks-fish

Guzheng, hardware & software synths

Dance of the Tea

Dance of the Tea - Trailer #1

Music put together for another promotional film, this one an 8:30 mini-documentary.

Words and music by Jon Davis (BMI)

Performed and recorded by Jon Davis with some flute by Jim DeJoie.

Floating Leaves Mini-Doc #1

Music for the second Floating Leaves Mini-Documentary. Music and lyrics by Jon Davis (BMI). All instruments by Jon Davis except flute by James DeJoie.

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbj-MQ8ULgs

Floating Leaves Mini-Doc #2

A funky live improv from 2018-10-18 with some samples added for enhanced flavor.

Super Z Attack Team:
Randy Doak - Drums
Jim DeJoie - Bari sax, effects
Jon Davis - Stick, keyboards, samples

Super Z Attack Team - Woven Therapsid Fur (2018-10-18 Improv)

Zhongyu (终于) is Chinese for "finally" (as in "what took so long?"), and is the name for the current musical project of Jon Davis, who currently lives in Seattle, and formerly lived in Beijing. Before that he lived in Seattle. A long time ago he was in a band called Wild Debbies. Some things from that bygone age will get posted here as well as new stuff.

For newer music, Zhongyu attempts to creatively combine progressive rock with adventurous jazz, electronics and various sounds from around the world. Currently that mostly includes East Asia, but most anything is possible.

Zhongyu 终于

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