Michael Moore was previously featured in an Artist Spotlight  and now he's back with a new EP called Winter Solstice, which is going to be released on December 6th. “Winter Solstice” captures both the quiet beauty and the electric energy of winter’s longest night, weaving together a tapestry of sound that reflects the essence of the season. The delicate yet expressive piano compositions serve as a guiding force, inviting listeners to traverse vast snowy landscapes. From the serene stillness of a frozen dawn to the exhilarating anticipation felt as a winter storm approaches, each note echoes the diverse experiences winter has to offer. Some pieces stir the soul with the intense imagery of snow whipping through dark skies, while others settle gently, evoking the soothing, tranquil glow of candlelight at twilight. Every track is meticulously crafted to highlight a different facet of winter, striking a harmonious balance between melancholy and hope. In doing so, it encourages lis...

Musical trends have long been a defining aspect of artistic expression, shaping the soundscapes of various eras. Today, platforms like Billboard and social media provide an almost instantaneous pulse on what’s en vogue in the music industry. However, this phenomenon is not new; it has existed throughout history, as evidenced by the vibrant music scene of the 1600s. At this time, J.S. Bach found himself at a crossroads, as the public's passion lay predominantly with Italian opera. In a period dominated by this trend, Bach chose to carve his own path, creating intricate compositions that emphasized counterpoint, the interplay of melodic lines. His refusal to conform ultimately paved the way for future luminaries like Mozart and Beethoven, allowing them to explore richer, more expressive musical territories. Similarly, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart encountered the constraints of trending norms in his time, particularly regarding opera. While the prevailing fashion dictated that operatic rep...

The other day I came up with the concept of ‘Third Stream Music,’ to describe what I was doing compositionally. By this I meant the stream of so-called ‘classical music’ combining with ‘pop’ or ‘jazz’ music.  One cannot ignore the cultures behind these; one might be called ‘refined or civilized,’ and one might be referred to as ‘more primitive or freer.’ I really started thinking about these concepts when I heard a radio interview with the great Russian composer Igor Stravinsky who said something to the effect that he admired American jazz and was working to incorporate this ‘primitivism’ into his own musical compositions. And I thought, well yes, hasn’t this been the conflict all along? Both sides have their negative and positive aspects and each side is guilty of magnifying the negative aspects of the other; you can be ‘civilized’ into a slave state and ‘primitive’ just means they don’t know any better. Or does it? I decided to Google ‘Third Stream Music’ because I felt that some...

Dizzy O'Brian's "Rhapsody in Black" Earns Rave Review from The Sounds Won't Stop For alternative rock music fans, a glowing review is like striking gold. And that's exactly what happened to Dizzy O'Brian, whose track "Rhapsody in Black" just received a stellar write-up from the esteemed music blog, The Sounds Won't Stop. The Sounds Won't Stop, known for their insightful and discerning ear for unique sounds, offered a detailed and appreciative analysis of "Rhapsody in Black," highlighting the track's distinctive elements and overall impact. The review, which can be found at https://www.thesoundswontstop.com/dizzy-obrian , delves into the sonic tapestry woven by Dizzy O'Brian. While we won't spoil all the surprises, the review points to the song's [insert specific elements mentioned in the review if available - e.g., innovative use of unconventional instruments, something happening in every section and a great exam...

Dizzy O'Brian: Raking Record Labels Over the Coals and Sharing Artists' Untold Stories Dizzy O'Brian, a name synonymous with a raw and honest perspective on the music industry, is making waves again, this time on “The Artist First Radio Network." The music station recently featured O'Brian, delving into his formative years and the experiences that fueled his passion for music and his critical eye towards the traditional record label system. The interview, found at   https://media.artistfirst.com/ArtistFirst_Music_Special_2024-07-15_Dizzy_OBrian.mp3 , pulls no punches. O'Brian, known for his outspoken nature, doesn't shy away from criticizing major record labels and their often-predatory practices. But this isn't just empty rhetoric; it's fueled by years of experience and firsthand accounts. What makes O'Brian's perspective so compelling is his history of running an internet radio station. This platform allowed him direct access to artists, g...

Who was Electra? Upon getting it into my head to write a suite of music called ‘The Elektra Suite’ or ‘The Electra Suite,’ I decided to read up on Elektra so I could better organize the different movements of this suite. After all, rather than just write six movements, I thought it would be more interesting to kind of thematically link the movements by giving them specific titles and have each movement more or less match the mood of its title. First, I discovered that there were three main Greek plays concerning this character. It was obviously one story but told in three slightly different ways. Electra is the story of a woman who is the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra. Agamemnon goes off to war and Clytemnestra kills him when he returns. Electra gets mad and kills Clytemnestra with help from her brother Orestes. Simple right? Oh no. Agamemnon had sacrificed Elektra’s other sister to have good sailing when he went off to war. Elektra is apparently not upset by this. Electra spe...

Michael Evan Moore is an artist born and raised in the Los Angeles Area. He has had an interest in music and film since his early childhood. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in music composition, he received further education from UCLA in Film Scoring.  Having developed a strong familiarity with orchestration and audio engineering, he has composed professionally for directors and produced for other artists throughout his career. Some of his most notable orchestrations were recorded at renowned studios in Los Angeles such as East West and The Village. His debut single, “The Unknown” released in 2018, captures the essence of life’s unknown nature, being unpredictable, and absolutely subject to change. His most popular single, “Memories” released in 2021 is a journey through the past, present, and future. This song is dedicated to his late grandmother who left a lasting impact on his life and family.  “Waves”, released in 2022, depicts the high and low tides of life. In ...

My Experiences in the Beautiful and Mysterious Appalachians In a previous post , I wrote about how I came to love music and especially Beethoven, who was a kindred spirit in that he loved nature and hiked quite a bit, so I was intrigued when Dave, seemingly out of the blue, asked if I wanted to spend the week of our spring break hiking the Appalachian Trail. I said alright, not really knowing what I was getting myself into. Dave had it all mapped out; the plan was to get a friend to drive us out to the trail-head in Maryland and then hitchhike back into Baltimore after a week of hiking. We made our preparations, which were on the crude side and didn’t take into account any really rough weather, after all it was spring. We arrived at the trail-head and started south. That first night, when it started getting cold, my morale dropped and I was wondering what the hell I was doing out there. Dave started to gather up wood and enjoined me to do the same. “Sure, gather up wood,” I thought, “...

  Unpopular Opinions; Communication Breakdown If you’re having a communication breakdown, any opinion is unpopular, and we’ve been in a communication breakdown for a very long time. What are some of the ways that one achieves a communication breakdown? Trust me, a communication breakdown is not something that occurs naturally; it is most definitely planned, worked on and achieved. One way, of course, is to put communication on autopilot and substitute identifying gestures and appearance for actual communication. Back in the day, it was a peace sign, a tie dyed shirt or a joint. “Are you cool? Are you hip?” ‘Nuff said! Given the correct outward trappings and social tricks, opinions and attitudes are assumed. One need not be burdened with the effort of actually communicating. In more contemporary times an extremely complex handshake will serve to bypass any need to communicate. And if you want to avoid any serious discussion about religion, just carry around a bible or wear a cross. ...