Homemade music on homemade instruments. I took pains during the recording of my tunes with lyrics to make sure the words came out on top-----as I'm still trying to figure out what some of my favorite artists are saying in songs that were produced 25 to 30 years ago!

Although a lot of my music is instrumental don't let this stop you from trying them out because, after-all, the purpose of music, and art, is to convey aesthetic emotion and I think you'll find a great variety of them-----from joy, love and lofty wonder, to sorrow, pathos, hope and old fashioned melancholy. Aesthetic emotions are colors on an artist's palette.

In 1970, when age 20, I bought a 4-string dulcimer. Over the years I added strings, pick-up systems, a scalloped chromatic fret-board, digital reverb and an array of effect pedals all going through stereo Fender amps. As it surely wasn't a dulcimer anymore, and not knowing what else to call it, I dubbed it the "fire-harp". There's an acoustic/electric version and a solid-body version. (see photos)

Since age 16 I've been thumping away on a one-string galvanized washtub bass. Over the years I experimented with every string imaginable and finally settled for a custom-made Celtic-harp bass-string. Instead of using a metal gut-bucket, I use a 22" bass-drum; instead of using a broomstick for a neck, I use a custom-made, ergonomically correct one with an ebony nut. The resulting volume, punch, fat-bottomed tone, accuracy and sustain is beyond words. I call it the "street-bass", especially because it is ideal for busking in the streets, as it cuts through traffic sounds, requires no amplification and can't be ruined by rain.

My percussion kit is unique too. I call it the "minute-drums" because it sets up and breaks down in a matter of minutes. It's also able to embellish and support a large number of musical styles. And, last but not least, I play the silver flute, ocarina and  penny-whistles.

 The photos of my original 3-D paintings are simply on display------most of them are privately owned. My blessing & curse is that I do both music & art. There are 3 themes involved; Mystery, Beauty & Fun. I've been doing art since age of 5. As an artist and musician I'm completely self-taught. For my bread & butter I do murals and faux painting. Check out my website: CustomPaintedMurals.com.

Do I find work with my group? Almost never. I've been called a Renaissance Man. The only problem is that we are not having a Renaissance. Our national interest lies in war & sports. Where's America's soul? Does it smoulder within our starving writers, dancers, artists & musicians?

As you can see and hear, you can download my tunes. At this point in my life I don't care who borrows, buys or steals them. If I achieve some kind of back-door infamy then so be it. I slaved and obsessed over my original music for over 35 years. It's time to let go in a big way.

Although I've gotten rave reviews on my art & music, I've no agent, no label, no following, no fame, no gigs, no money and no hope to get any of these now or ever. I have "followed my bliss" as they say, but it led to no-where and nothing except for the songs and artworks themselves. Yeah right, "do what you love, and the money will follow". (Sure, Mickey Mouse is God, and the check is in the mail too.)

I only ask that, if any of my music is to used in a film, or that any of my artworks are used on a CD cover etc., that you please get in touch with me. Most likely I'll give you permission. Naturally I don't want to get ripped off or have someone else claim to have created and my tunes or painted my pictures. However, I really do want my music and images to travel around the world. They all came from deep within me and I want them to creep and seep deeply within you. Bon voyage!

     And now, the songs unleashed & revealed,.........................

 Shoppin' Mall.........is about a teen (that never grew up?) and about not fitting in with our modern materialistic cultureless culture. I've actually felt like this at times. Thanks goes to my sister Donna for singing harmony. And listeners have said that my flute-playing here sounds like Jethro Tull.

 Blue States, Red States.........is, sadly, about the polarization in our dear ol' USA. Hip-hop and rap can be good. (But I was in a bad mood when I wrote this song.) In January of '05 everything seemed so damn dreary. The Yardbirds somehow influenced this one. One of the strangest beats that ever happened to me.

 Gather Your Friends........is a good idea. Not taking things too seriously is a way of coping with the surrounding madness. Slick sliding fire-harp stands out.

 Smart Bombs..........Testosterone takes a beating in this song. However, it's not the hormone that's the culprit so much as it is our collective negative yang and how we get carried away with it much too often. One should turn it up loud toward the end and scream along with me,.... "there's no such thing as a smart bomb!!!!" (This is addressed to the Bush administration.) Once again there's a Yardbird influence here as they specialized in creating musical climaxes.

 We Won't Forget.......is a trance-like reggae/Indonesian flavored love song dedicated to my wife Mieko. My ol' friend, Gary Ianuzzi, lays down a "Grateful Dead-ish" bass-track and my sis is great once again. My flute playing reminds me of Indonesia for some reason.

 Final Day.........is my way of trying to recover from having to go to Catholic school. You could call these lyrics Pagan. (By the way, Pagan means "country dweller".

 Samba Fru-Fru.......has a Brazilian beerin-bow underlying this tune. The street-bass, minute drums, silver flute & penny-whistle dance on top. Arabic samba?

 Romantic Hero.......has some scorching Santana-like fire-harp riffs happening. Guys do try to be all they can be etc.-------but I don't think it's possible------hence the tongue-in-cheeks lyrics; a strange marriage of sincerity and sarcasm.

 Tropical Blues........was fun sliding around with on the fire-harp. Folks can get depressed in paradise too. Still, it's a good place to be, or at least to dream about. The one-string street-bass & minute drums underscore this one nicely, if I do say so myself.

 Catacomb......truly expresses the soulful potential of the fire-harp. This one oozes with mystery and beauty. The fire-harp's all alone with no overdubs. Sagovia, eat your heart out.

 Just Her Touch......gives me goose-bumps. Turn it up! Let yourself go. This is how I felt when I fell in love with my wife five years ago.

 April's Rain........bounces between joy, peace, and melancholy----all the rollercoaster emotions present in early Spring. The street-bass swings in this one and the bass-flute is spooky and playful.

 Dark Eyes......has my dad playin' fiddle. It's an old Russian tune, very tragic/romantic. The street-bass, percussion and spacey keyboard were added 14 years after my dad left the planet. I felt like Natali Cole recording with her dad, Nat King Cole, in the studio posthumously.

 Farewell in E-Flat........is very hard to define. I'm saying goodbye to someone who was very dear to me. We can let go with dignity if we so choose. Once again, this is the fire-harp on it's own with no overdubs.

 Deep Water Waltz........was recorded as I was recovering from bronchitis. But it's more than just another run-of-the-mill, coping-with-the-down-side-of-life-song. If there's such a thing as swamp-pop, this could be it. I de-tuned a fiddle and played bar-chords on it from the hip position.

 Water Women..........are what ancient seafarers encountered. Here's a quote from Leonard Cohen: "I'm waiting for the women to take over." So am I. Someone in one of my past audiences said it reminded her of mermaids, or some kind of underwater music. We have de-evolved, politically & spiritually from matriarchal cultures. I'm perpetually angry about this fact.

 Jah-World.......is a crusty reggae-like tune with flamboyant riffs.

 Polishing the Diamond.......is what happens after faithfully performing upon the fire-harp for 35 years. I simply couldn't play this tune any better, even if I recorded it a thousand additional times.

 Lament........is dedicated to my son; 1972-----1976. He drowned in a sluggish river in Northern California. We searched for his body for 24 hours. This tune took a long time to construct and release. Under anger often lies sadness. Losing a child kills ones future. Living with hope is a necessity. We need to purge and then forget, though in this case it's impossible.

 You'll Always Be With Me.........My friend, Ken Leger does a cool Mike Bloomfield-like guitar solo after the 2nd verse. This is, no doubt, existential blues as never expressed before. John Mayall has been a lifelong musical influence.

 Flora........is Italian for the "Goddess of Flowers". A pretty, hypnotic, jazzy piece.

 Gathering Place.......combines folk, Scottish spice, Eastern angst, bluesy ya- yas, temple steam and goof-bird rhythms.

 Garden Steps......is an impressionist piece. It's a summer afternoon. A hidden stone staircase leads to a beautiful garden. (The fire-harp can be bowed like a fiddle or a cello too.) 

 Two Boats......unifies a Gregorian-type melody with some kind of jazziness. You tell me. Dedicated to Tom & Ginny. Dear friends that are married to each other and to watercolors. They smile a lot, go painting in Jamaica every winter and operate the  Two Boats Gallery in the Boston area.

 Awaiting Grace.......was created in anticipation of my daughter's birth in 1996. Another solo fire-harp piece.

 Rollin' & Tumblin' .......is a very traditional blues song recorded thousands of times by hundreds of artists. I'm doing my own unique version here with an original 2nd verse added. I'm using a juice-harp, a strange fiddle called the nyckelharpa, a couple of funky drums with a wrist-rattle, real hand-clapping and my one-string street-bass.

 My Name Is Sinned....(Dennis spelled backward). I guess "once a Catholic, always a Catholic". But I only go to church for funerals. I'm playin' a 1938 Richenbacher lap-steel slide guitar on this one. A good friend, Paul Luria, overdubbed acoustic guitar and an ol' banjo. Sister Donna is doin' a 3rd-part harmony. I'm also on one-string bass, and snare-drum w/brushes.

No Greater Gift.....goes out to my darlin' wifey. Not all of the words are true to my life but most of it is. Paul Luria overdubbed acoustic guitar, banjo and mandolin. I'm doing all the rest of the instruments and singin'.