Jay Durfey

Jay Durfey is a 36 year old multi-instrumentalist living in "The City of Music" Guelph, Ontario.

All of the sounds you hear in Jay's music (with the exception of drums) are played on his guitar.

Having a background with several local bands and playing gigs, Jay felt that his musical ideas could really only be pushed to their limit by branching out on his own. This led him to start writing and recording all of the different instrument parts himself. This newfound freedom has birthed many tracks in just about any genre imaginable. Open to collaboration with just about any style or artist, this gives Jay a broad range in which to dip into for material.

Using a custom built one-of-a-kind guitar and tech setup, Jay is able to emulate any instrument live on his guitar, many of his songs require him to play a few of these "virtual instruments" simultaneously with no prerecorded or "looping on the fly" scenarios that many bands do today. This frees up the limitations of not being able to play in the moment or go with the crowd, as it is all being played live, from his electric guitar and electric violin.

The most common thing commented on about Jay's playing style and music itself is how original it is. He is a wildly creative person who naturally thinks outside of the box, and his works easily portray that quality. With that being said, it is also apparent where some of his influences come from as you can certainly pick out the Pink Floyd, U2 and Crystal Method vibes in some of his work.

"Jay Durfey seeks to convey a feeling of intimacy through intricacy. Exploring the creative freedom of composing and recording with his guitars and a vast array of virtual instruments, Jay strives to strike a balance between organic and electronic musical elements. The result in this is an eclectic mix of guitar-infused electronica which evokes vast and verdant soundscapes of the imagination. From the brightly illuminated to the dark and brooding, from the lightly ethereal to the bold and intense, each sound, each melody and ambient effect is united to create a panorama of sounds in seasons, of flowing waters and aquatic life, and of the ever-present contrast between the dynamics of nature and those of the world of technology. The music is powerful, thought provoking, and ultimately comforting as it brings these diverse elements together into a deep and enriching listening experience."

To my mind, imaginative guitar expression reached a peak with Pat Metheney's "As Falls Witchita..." that has not been equaled or surpassed-- 'til now.

Strangeland lights up new territory that is a profoundly rich sonic landscape and puts Jay Durfey at the forefront of electronica-guitar fusion.

Scott "Dark Ryders" Graves, CREEM Magazine contributing writer, 1976-78.