Take Five With Blip Fool

Meet Blip Fool: Blip Fool utilizes analog and digital synthesizers, guitars and effects to create jazz-influenced progressive electronic music.

Instrument(s): synthesizers, electronics, guitars and effects.

Teachers and/or influences? Brian Eno, Herbie Hancock, Jeff Beck & Jan Hammer, The Album Leaf, Porcupine Tree, Rush, M(S)MW, Particle, Beck, Tunnels, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Jean-Luc Ponty, Thomas Dolby, Saga, Billy Cobham, Bill Bruford, Underworld, The Verve and many many more.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when... I hit the first note on that Korg Poly 61 back in the winter of 1984—thanks Chris!

Your sound and approach to music: Our tunes find themselves influenced by jazz and progressive music. The jazz influence rears itself mostly in the arrangements and solos and the occasionally enhanced harmonic structure throughout a tune. We've always liked the head-solo-head-solo-head sort of arrangement (thank you, Berklee!) The progressive influence appears in many of the lead lines and the melodies in the heads.

Your teaching approach: Who would want to learn what we know?

Your dream band: As far as a live band, I think the perfect setup is guitar/bass/drums/keys where keys equals a Moog, Rhodes/Wurlitzer and maybe some crazy analog stuff and a bunch of Moogerfoogers and effects pedals.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why? The Blip Fool EP, because it's our first major release.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically? I have searched for the type of music we make far and wide. There are a few bands out there playing this style but not enough—so here we are.

Did you know... Blip Fool is neither a blip nor a fool. The name actually came out of the air. When I write a tune I usually name it "on the fly"—the tune Blip Fool was named as such. I liked the name so such that it became the name of the band.

How do you use the internet to help your career? We post CD release information, samples, make our music available to podcasters, etc. We also sell music on the internet via CDBaby. We used the internet to manufacture our first CD with Discmakers. We also use it to get the names and addresses of radio stations and reviewers to send CDs to in hopes of gaining even more exposure.

CDs you are listening to now: The Album Leaf, Into The Blue Again'; Hiromi, Hiromi's Sonic Bloom'; Herbie Hancock, Secrets'; MSMW, Out Louder'; Rick Frank, Brookline, Summer.

Desert Island picks: So hard...

Brian Eno, Discreet Music'; Jean Luc-Ponty, Individual Choice'; Jeff Beck/Jan Hammer, anything; Pete Townshend, All The Best Cowboys... '; Richard Ashcroft, Alone With Everybody.

How would you describe the state of jazz today? Like a weed that grows through solid concrete—new musicians are constantly pushing the boundaries of jazz. It's a wonderful time for music and especially all music influenced by jazz. I am always discovering new and old jazz that I never really listened to before and am constantly amazed by the timelessness and power of the style.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing? Any music that comes from within with soul and feel need not worry about staying alive—jazz is such music.

What is in the near future? We have already begun work on tunes for a second EP...

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