
Says Rex, “This new music was recorded in my personal studio, much of it with other musicians in duets, and at various times throughout the last few years. The past several years have delivered to me a greater understanding of the fleeting nature of this lifetime, so I decided to release much of what I had accumulated, in part to satisfy my own need to communicate musically with the world outside of my little sphere of existence, but also I wanted to honor the musicians who played this music with me. It is these musical and personal relationships that are at the heart of creating music, whether composed or improvised, and for the people who listen to it I hope it also creates a connection between us. Much peace and music to all people, everywhere.”
Having been described as “Robin Trower meets Miles Davis”, Shepherd's music spans from full on instrumental jazz rock tunes to traditional jazz compositions with a good dose of free improvisation and sound experimentation using “prepared” and effected guitar sounds and instruments such as the “oceanharp” and the Theremin.
Shepherd's band, sometimes going under the name No End of Now, employs a revolving cast of the most creative players he can find who are willing to take part in a project that is often arranged while playing and with no limitations on the players' expression of the music. The compositions are also a blend of influences, from Wayne Shorter to John Cage, and most often are directly inspired by people, literature and other art forms, and experiences that hold significant meaning in Shepherd's life.
Says Rex, “I feel really lucky to get to play with some great musicians and always look forward to meeting new people to create sounds with...it's amazing how the same music can sound so different with the personalities of other players in any given moment. Playing with a group is a very fluid thing when everyone is listening, then responding...it becomes intuitive and ethereal, the closest thing to telecommunication I've ever experienced. When I play solo it’s similar in a way, in that I am responding to inner voices and emotional impulses in a meditative sort of way. I'm not a technical player, I rarely practice technique unless I discover a particular thing I want to use to express my ideas. With whatever technique I have, I hope that I can bring out the best of my musical ideas. One of my main influences, Jim Hall, is a master lyricist and I could only hope for a fraction of the melody under that guy's fingers. I play what I want to play and I don’t want to copy anyone, but I do a pretty good impression of myself most of the time.”
The releases:
Ohio
With the exception of “Desire”, a ballad Rex wrote several years ago, the music on this recording is all improvised. The songs consist of duet recordings captured in his studio after he had returned home to Ohio for a short time. “The musicians joining me on this recording are not only thoughtful and skillful players but are also beautiful people, and I am grateful to them for their music and their friendship during my stay on the 'North Coast'”.
Sonority

Duets

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