SOTIW

The start of a new music era- the warm melting tone of Native American flute taken where it has never gone before; with elements of New Age, Eclectic, World, and fusion jazz, It’s music for the world we don’t see- music which comes from a spiritual place; a musical manifestation based around “Sketches of the Inner World,” presented by two talented musicians who write together instinctually in their new project release, SOTIW (So too) - Sketches in Time; A depth of creativity stemming from 20 years of working together with unique fluidity and equal virtuosity. Strong solidarity with set melodies and improvisational guitar chops a project strength which attracted Brian Lucey, recorded The California Guitar Trio, to perform professional mixing and mastering on this project- further maximizing artistic vision.

Michael Joseph, known for tapping into a diverse sound and culture, implemented in past release “O-Glepi” (2005) was strongly affected by the exploration of his Blackfoot ancestral roots and traditional Native American music- especially the flute. Further influenced by Pan American roots and the songs of his grandfathers, Joseph’s musical compositions are said to offer a “tranquil homage to the past” (RJ Lannan, NAR) with flute that is “….hauntingly beautiful and sad at the same time” (Unsigned Magazine, 2005); an emotional feel brought to this new project especially on the opening track “The River Runs Deep.”

Derek Mortland, whose life was changed dramatically due to a paralyzing semi-pro motorcycle accident in 1997; relearned guitar and broke through new musical barriers, as explained in an article from the “The Columbus Dispatch,” March 2001, “I sustained a spinal cord injury and head injury,” he explained. “I had to totally re-learn how to do many things we generally take for granted.” Since has performed in festivals around the world through the Artists with Disabilities Network, and grown in ways which seldom occur without the ability to look at life from a different perspective. In 2002, he released his debut album, “Medicine Wheel,” dedicated to those who had helped him along the way, and to the accident that eventually directed him toward meditation and greater spiritual awareness. As a guitarist, Derek presents musical challenges; with odd time signatures (not as prevalent on SOTIW) and key changes, the jazz fusion based guitar lends a strong melody to this project.

Michael Joseph and Derek Mortland were brought together musically through the under-promoted talented bands of their metal music past, kept together by both spiritual and musical trials. The flute contribution on “Sketches in Time” is played with the “soft, crooning melody” as introduced in “O-Glepi’s” Traditional Flute track, a piece said to represents Joseph’s best effort on the work; However, Sketches in Time utilizes more of a melancholy flute effort; The combination of Acoustic guitar with this flute allows Mortland to continually broaden his playing with compositions created with contrast elements such as tempo, key and intensity; Partially due to the key of the flute being locked in, Derek works within modulation of major and minor keys, he furthermore tunes his 12-string to harmony’s instead of notes- leading to more of a jazz feel with richer chord placement on many of the tracks. The end result is a true continuation of former releases with that “feeling of spiritual calm ….evoking a sense of peace, grace and beauty”( Gina Morris, EOM) that Michael Joseph brought to “O-Glepi,” and the “intense, full-sounding and fast-moving exotic touches and dissonance” (Joe Blundo, The Columbus Dispatch) displayed in Mortland’s “Medicine Wheel.” Together these artists work to bridge the conscious realm with the unconscious and ethereal -to explore a musical world with no boundaries “leading listeners along a path of reflection, introspection, and heartfelt discovery” (Shari Veleba, Author of “It’s Okay to Cry”).