Jeff Oster
11th Annual New Age Album Nominee
11th Annual New Age Song Nominee
7th Annual New Age Song Winner
5th Annual New Age Song Winner
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Vote Now For This Artist At The Vox Pop:
New Age Album
New Age Song
Record Label: Retso Records
www.jeffoster.com
Home Base: San Francisco Bay Area
Genre: Lounge, Jazz, Downtempo/Chill, New Age
Categories Entered: New Age
Work Submitted: SURRENDER Album (2011) and “BEAUTIFUL SILENCE” (track from SURRENDER)
Artists Featured: Jeff Oster, Bryan Carrigan, Diane Arkenstone
Label: Retso Records
URLs: http://music.jeffoster.com http://www.cdbaby.com/jeffoster http://www.jeffoster.com
Who are your influences? Miles Davis, Pink Floyd, Yes, Steely Dan, Bill Chase
Describe your nominated work. “The lights are low. Candles…champagne…a warm fire. The air is filled with the silky, sultry sound of a trumpet, the pulse of a drum that matches your heartbeat, and a sweet, sexy voice. You are lost in the music…and it is the sound of…SURRENDER”
Did you use any unusual effects or instruments in this recording? SURRENDER was co written and co produced by me and master sound designer and composer Bryan Carrigan. Featuring my trumpet and flugelhorn, the sultry voice of Diane Arkenstone and dreamy, surreal sound design, programming and mixing by Bryan Carrigan, SURRENDER combines the warmth of acoustic horn and sultry vocals with nicely chilled and deftly programmed beats, synths and looping.
Were there any happy accidents while in the studio, or did everything go as planned? Much of the horn playing on SURRENDER was created live in the studio, many times on the first or second take. There is magic captured in these moments, and they are surrounded and blend perfectly with the elegant tracks created by Bryan and me.
How did you raise the funds for this project? Funding for SURRENDER came from my family. I am proud to have created such beautiful music with the freedom of independent artistry.
How long do you expect it will take to recoup your out-of-pocket recording expenses? The faster this music finds its way into a major motion picture or television show, the faster my out of pocket expenses will be repaid…are any music supervisors listening out there???
Why did you choose to submit this work to The 11th IMAs? As a previous two-time winner of the IMAs (Best New Age Song – 2006 and 2008), I am well aware of the benefits of participating in these awards. The quality of music submitted is second to none, and I felt that my new work deserved to be heard along side the best in the world.
What’s your definition of success and how will you know when you’ve achieved it? Success in music is a note from a fan telling you how your music positively affected their life, or how proud I am when I hear my music and know I captured the best I possibly could…that I gave it my all. I think I’ve achieved success already, and can only hope to continue to add my music to this world.
How will you leverage your IMA honors to achieve your career goals? Any time your work is recognized, especially by the judges and fans here at the IMAs, it can only help others who haven’t heard the music to take notice. In today’s crowded digital music landscape, its SO difficult (and important) to stand out. Being honored by the IMAs is a great way to do that.
Who’s sitting in your audience and what makes your fans unique? My fans range from shoegazing twenty-somethings to retirees relaxing on a beach in Mexico! My music, especially played live, asks the listener to close their eyes and go on a journey. No two performances are ever alike, and my fans come along for a sweet ride.
What is your guilty pleasure on the road? Discovering the joy in wherever I find myself, whether that’s found in the local food, music heard in a small bar tucked away in an alley, or the natural beauty of the environment. That, and sleeping late!
Any close calls or mishaps while on tour? Never! Everything runs like clockwork…and if you believe that, I’ve got a used flugelhorn to sell ya…
Who are your musical heroes & influences? Miles Davis, Will Ackerman, Herb Alpert, Bill Chase, Chet Baker, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. These greats all created music on their terms, in their own unique ways. I can only strive to find and share my own voice, and these artists have shown me that it is possible to follow your own path to greatness.
Are there any songs you wish you wrote and why? “Aja”…because it’s a masterpiece of lyric and sound…”Stairway to Heaven”, because its “Stairway to Heaven”!…and maybe “Never Gonna Give You Up,” because it would be cool to hear people say that they’d been “Jeff-rolled” (know your memes, people, know your memes!!!)
What artists are you listening to that would surprise your fans? Linkin Park and Foster the People, classic Pink Floyd and Yes, along with Eminem and The XX. I’ve also been known to listen to a fair amount of Jeff Oster…hey, you gotta eat your own cookin!!!
How do you discover new music? I love to hear the music on a lot of the internet radio stations – particularly SOMA-FM’s Groove Salad channel. Pandora is also a cool way to hear new music that I might not hear otherwise.
Do you buy music or are you content with streaming? I’ll do a combination of both, depending upon where I want to find the music I’m looking for, and what I want to do with it after I find it.
How will musicians make a living if fans continue to expect music to be free? If you get into the music business to make a lot of money, maybe you should choose investment banking instead. Musicians make music because they have to, because they have no choice.
I believe that the minute you stop making music solely to get paid, that you free up a whole other path…one that indeed can lead to wealth. That being said, without pay there is no way for an artist to be able to take the time and have access to the necessary resources to keep on creating. C’mon folks, buy a CD or three as a souvenir, and maybe a t-shirt or two. Know that your money will allow an artist to have the time to create the music you love.
What don’t fans/audiences understand about the music industry today? I think that the real question to ask is what doesn’t the music industry understand about the fans and audiences!
The fans and audiences understand the music they like completely – they know how to get it, and on their own terms. It is the major record labels, Top-40 radio and old school distribution that is caught in the changing of the tide…they cant move fast enough to let go of the ways that worked 10 yrs ago, and to wildly innovate into tomorrow.
Are digital singles/EPs vs. full albums the future? My goal is to create every song on a full album that would be perfect one track at a time, and even better together.
Finish this sentence: The music industry is…wide open, the Wild, Wild West, and the new frontier. Enjoy the ride!
What do you have in the works for the upcoming year? More live performances, beginning work on my next album, and hopefully finding place on my wall for a freshly framed IMA or two!