Jordan Ferrin

Taking a Stand for Meaning in Life

As Musician, Composer, Educator

My Interview With VoyageLA is Here

December 12, 2022  /  Jordan Ferrin

Movin’ on up with my message to the world!

I’m grateful for being thought of by VoyageLA to be featured in their Shoutout series. My life has been nothing short of unique, and beyond anything I could have imagined as a young human. I really get into the details behind my growth as a human, a musician, a teacher—basically, everything I am today boils down to experiences I will cherish across my lifetime. Why keep those experiences to myself when I can give them back to the world by doing what I love to do?

Photo by Dario Griffin

Heres to Life, Love, and Music:

-Jordan

The Baked Potato, Thunderstorms, and a Baby

July 03, 2022  /  Jordan Ferrin

No; these aren’t a random combination building the plot for some quirky, dark new cartoon rated TV-MA. Yes; these have something in common. They defined the start of Summer.

My niece. MY NIECE. I have a niece…. How do you describe something beyond good? I have not known the essence of pure goodness like this for so long. Now, it’s there more profoundly than ever, because she’s so close. SO CLOSE. She’s Juniper. JUNIPER! JUNI! Aaaaaah, I seriously get all squealy and incomprehensible when I think about her. Even now! Perhaps, I always will. I kinda hope I always will. She, with two of my inspirations as parents, will also inspire me. I just know it. She’s doing it now—look at her!!! My heart is forever more joyful now that she’s in the world.

Juniper Elise Ferrin-Eoghan was born during a day of incredible clouds and thunderstorms. Just like her uncle. She was born on a day that rings in a new season. Just like her uncle.

Her uncle was taking in all of what this new Summer season was bringing. He was marvelling at clouds and lightning bolts off in the distance as he traveled about Southern California to a rehearsal and coffee with a new friend. He had no idea Juniper was coming, throughout all of this.

And he was still on such the high from his debut show at the world-famous Baked Potato!

The day before the Solstice, the Jordan Ferrin Storyband brought live storytelling and jazz to the Baked Potato. We played beautifully, the audience really took to the idea, and overall I could not have had it any other way. That is, until I was woken up two days later by a thunderclap, and walked out to mountain-like clouds and streaks like a wild artist across the sky. That is, until my brother called me the very next day at 2pm and asked, “So…how do you like being an uncle?”

Given everything to celebrate in my life right now, I love it above everything else.

The Jordan Ferrin Storyband Is Recorded!

September 01, 2021  /  Jordan Ferrin

Well, we did it.  Several months of rehearsals, stretched out because of scheduling issues and the like, and we did it.  Hours and hours of music-making, and some of it is hard music, and we did it. 

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The level of professionalism from everyone, moment-to-moment, was mesmerizing and inspiring.  That feeling never faded for me, from the masterfully-efficient engineering and pacing of the session from Paul, to the solid preparation and performances of the band, to the limitless creative input and advice from our producer Vardan, to the stellar footage of the studio’s vibes from our videographer, Matt.  During those hours, I felt the energy of everyone uplifting each other in a cycle that could only go forward in the best way.  It was a level of invigoration and motivation I have seldom experienced. 

But best of all, we all had fun doing it! Many laughs and general debauchery were had, too. I love a great hang, and it’s so, SO fulfilling when the hang and the “business” meld into one.

Of course, I know this music because it is mine.  But all the fresh creativity—our producer Vardan had much to say, but everybody contributed ideas, too—evolved each composition into a grander version of itself.  Truly, these compositions flourished in collaboration, as all music does inevitably (and even solo-artists benefit from other ears). 

 

In the next couple of days, after the numbness of invigoration, motivation, and tiredness began to fade, a new feeling emerged.  It was a realization of the stupendous feat we’d all accomplished—this music is tough, believe me!  But beyond that near-dumbfounded-ness lies something bigger.  It is massive satisfaction in the knowledge that we all did something so significant and so successful. 

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So concludes the largest checkpoint on the journey. It is not over, though. In the coming months this music will be ready for the world.  It was born of this world, of travel, and I aim to give back to the world what it gave to me.  There’s more than the music, though.  There are liner notes and travel blogs that tell the story behind every composition.  The stories and the music are integrated.  They are part of the same experience.

 

This experience is for you.  I have wanted to give what I’ve experienced for years.  Soon I will be able to do that with the Jordan Ferrin Storyband, the project that combines music and travel into an experience which transcends itself, and therefore represents the best things in life.

My Thanks

To Zephyr Avalon, bass: Jared Sachs, guitar: Matthew Smith, drums: Ryan Pryor, piano, mixing and mastering: Edgar Sandoval, violin:

you all brought this music in my head to life. You put in that commitment to its creation and I’ll never be able to thank you enough for your time! Here’s to more music AND travel to come! I cannot thank you all enough, not just for putting in such effort, but for bringing such a fun, awesome, beautiful vibe to every rehearsal, this session, and future gigs to come ;)

To Matthew Purpura, video:

brother, you are a soul that matched mine right away. Combined with your exemplary video work, I know these compositions (of which a couple might be SINGLES???) are going to shine completely in the realm of vision. I’m so thankful you were able to lend your energy to this project!

To Vardan Ovsepian, producer:

yours is also a soul that matched mine. It only took a few minutes for me to realize “this is the person I need to guide us all.” Your authenticity and generosity, combined with your attachment to this music, is truly extraordinary. I am incredibly humbled to have had the help of your genius. You are invaluable, my friend! To work with you in the future is practically a given.

To Paul Tavenner, recording engineer:

man, we get along so well! Like all of us, you are someone who is astoundingly good at what he does and lets his personality shine, all at once. I’m still in awe, and probably will be indefinitely. We’ll certainly be talking about future projects!

To Andrea Sena, album and liner-note artist:

You are truly wonderful. What you’ve done with the album cover made my eyes widen and my mouth drop and I know it’ll do the same to everyone else who sees it. And what you’re doing with the liner notes? I. Can’t. Wait. (But others will have to wait for BOTH right now!)

To my crowdfunding backers, the people who made this possible:

Honestly, we could not have recorded without you. My gratitude knows no bounds. These are the people behind the recording of Tales of Transcendence, by the Jordan Ferrin Storyband:

Beth Pfeifer, Faith Gosden, Rose Murphy, Michael Johnson, Corey Beard, Jacob and Ivette Ferrin-Eoghan, Peter Chavez, Christine Baird, Derek Sena, Iris Athanassiadi, Loren Story, Briana, Laura, Bill, and Cody Blashford, Brian Clancy, Robert Castelli, Timothy Johnson, Russell Gates, Josh Wakeham, Jonathan Ward, Brian Hoang, Marie-Louise Elsener, Kristen Klehr, Jason Fabus, Rick Nguyen, Brandon Miller, Steve Horist, Liz Fohl, Núria Prats Illanas, Tatjana Sandhöfer, Heather Woodin, Bernadette Pfeifer, Irene Pfeifer, John Hallberg, Matt Crook, George Garford, Ali Fuller, Finn Santiago, Oliver Buckley-Mellor, Tom and Lita Pfeifer, Sam Ross, Jordan P. Ferrin (yes, there is ANOTHER), and Oriquidea Gonzalez.

An Album Release Date?

I know, I know. It’s been many weeks of talking about recording my album, so now you are thinking what about its release?!

There is no release date for Tales of Transcendence yet, and here’s why. The mixing and mastering will take a few weeks alone. But beyond that is a path that leads to many avenues of promotion and marketing. I could release one or two singles (from the album), to get my name out there before the album release (so at least you’ll be able to hear those!). Or I could focus only on the album release, even though releasing singles is one of the best ways to get known these days, via music-streaming playlists, podcasts, and other music media.

This will take lots and lots of research on my end, as well as help from friends in the industry…. Whatever happens in the coming weeks and months, you’ll be hearing about it, I promise you that!

For now, I am still basking in the glow of immense success and satisfaction, brought in no small part by each and every person who I mentioned. I am surrounded on all sides by love, and I am here because of that love. So once again…I cannot thank everyone enough.

Cheers, and I’ll be in touch about the new music sooner than later!

-Jordan

Post-Crowdfunding Campaign News

July 15, 2021  /  Jordan Ferrin

Good morning, everyone (and good evening to my friends in the UK and Europe).   I have a few things to write about regarding news and the near-future. The crowdfunding campaign may not have met its goal, but we still did very well.  So, without further ado:

 

Thank You

To all my backers: I'm infinitely grateful for you.  Seriously, I didn't think I would get so far in the first week.  But, I was confident in the rewards--music and travel are powerful things for everyone, after all--to the point where I thought I could reach out to influencers and potential new audiences.  Those results were not productive, unfortunately.  Still, the fact that I gained so much money in such a short amount of time left me floored, and I rode that optimism all the way to the end.  And at the end I also saw huge gains!  It was all so amazing.  Trust me: your generosity will yield something powerful, and profound, and which speaks to the greatest parts of our shared humanity.  I really believe that.  I'm glad you do, too!  

 

$2,405--and counting?

Actually, yes.  Believe it or not, I have had a few new "unofficial" backers support the project after the campaign ended officially!  Of course, there's nothing I can do about the funding goal through IndieGoGo anymore, but it was a nice gesture to have these people say they wanted to donate money (or additional money) "off the books."  

Be that as it may, I have just under $2,500 for the project.  This number, while not the goal needed, is going to be affected by the news I have for you.  

 

Recording Dates for Late August-Early September

The Storyband is continuing to rehearse, and I am continuing to schedule dates that work for everyone.  Right now, we're waiting on a confirmation by one of our people that will impact when we can record.  We're hoping to hear about that confirmation soon, and then we'll book the recording dates right away!  Details on all of that to come....

 

Gigs And Work Are Coming Back...And That's Good News For The Project

I have not had much work, of course.  Musically, or otherwise.  But since July I am starting to work more...musically and otherwise!  It is a blessing.  Honestly, even two months ago I did not know how much money I would be making....  So, with this work comes income, a portion of which I could set aside in the coming weeks.  This is income that, hopefully, will impact the project significantly.  So, as work picks up I'm hoping to get to that "minumum goal" of $3,000 I had set.  Remember: this goal will help make the album into a finished product!  PR and marketing will have to wait, though.  I cannot afford it for a while.  

That’s it for now! I’ll be in touch in the coming weeks. All the best,

-Jordan

Announcing: Around the World in Seven Weeks. A Weekly Showcase of Places and More

April 11, 2021  /  Jordan Ferrin

Greetings to all, and Happy Spring!

Last week I launched a travel showcase, via Instagram and Facebook, for several places in the world that have moved me the most. Each week will feature photos from a particular place, and short stories for them. And I’ll ask you, the viewer, about each picture. If you have anything to add to that photo, whether you've been to that place or not, then you are invited to be a part of the discussion! Each week I want us to work together to revere these places and the significance they have for us.

Now it’s time for me to tease you with featured pics of each place.

(Note: throughout the years I was basically an amateur photographer who learned about equipment as I went. Most of these pictures vary in quality in terms of pixels, exposure and ISO, sharpness, etc.)

To kick off the showcase, I started with Singapore

It’s this last photo, in the Supertree Grove, that represents the otherworldy feelings granted to me on a particular day in December, 2015. Have you walked among the Supertrees in Singapore, these fusions of Nature and City? Or perhaps walked the Skyway?


The Gardens by the Bay in Singapore are among the most incredible fusions of Nature and City I’ve ever encountered. More than that, Christmas was coming, too. There were great, three-story lattices of elaborate beauty encircling the Supertrees, framing walkways, and granting the beyond-unique scene a nearly infinite allure. Reality itself was amorphous.... I could have stayed staring for hours as Nature, City and Holiday blended seamlessly into an epitome of peace and calm which only the most imaginative fantasy writer could describe.

Stay tuned next weekend for a recap of the next installment here at jordanferrinmusic.com, but be sure to follow along throughout the week on Instagram and Facebook!