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An Interview With James Dean Claitor

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Q: What made you decide to title your new album Pseudonyms?

A: It seems to me that each melody in a tune is played by several different instruments, like the clarinet or saxophone for example, and as such are pseudonyms for that tune.

Q: What instruments do you play, and when did you decide to become a musician?

A: I began learning bass at age 13 and later guitar and piano. I played bass in a band called Tempest in Baton Rouge when I was 16. We played regional celebration gigs, such as Mardi Gras balls, college parties, and dances.

Q: You've written over 130 songs. How did you become so prolific, and how many of those have you actually released?

A: I began writing and recording songs when I was 16 and was, and am, fascinated by the recording process, which is a magical thing to me. Most all of the songs are on iTunes and Spotify now.

Q: How did you put together the rest of the musicians who appear on the album?

A: I've met most of the musicians I work with through SoundCloud. It's a great way to collaborate!

Q: You're a screenwriter as well. Which do you enjoy more - creating music or writing scripts?

A: I like writing and recordings songs more because it can be done alone or with a band. Writing scripts is fine, but making a movie takes a lot of people, time, and money.

Q: How do you feel you have creatively evolved over the years?

A: When I began writing songs, it was all about the emotion, story and chorus within the compact structure of a melody hook. These days I'm less concerned with commercial music and more interested in creative elements that are simply beautiful, mesmerizing and unique. Jazz is the ground for those elements to grow into whatever they want to become as music.

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