Jango Radio has featured Neil Tatar as its Center Stage artist of the month! To read the original article on Jango’s Radio Airplay Blog, click here.
Center Stage – Neil Tatar
Describe your sound in one ramble-on sentence.
A mixture of ambient music and soft jazz, with a light seasoning of rhythmic blues.
What inspires you to make music?
I am constantly inspired by my own life experiences, and my compositions often are a reflection of these experiences.
What aspect of making music excites you the most right now?
Writing new compositions, and working in the studio with other musicians to achieve a creative end result.
What are the biggest challenges you face as a musician?
Making sure my composing is unique, fresh and identifiable as “my” sound. I want the listener to be able to “catch” the emotion that I am trying to convey.
What’s one of your all-time favorite recordings?
Peace Piece, Bill Evans
Name three people who have influenced your music, and tell us why- Living or dead.
There are numerous influences that cover such a wide range of music, from Miles Davis to Carlos Santana. I would also have to single out my good friend cellist David Darling, who has been a mentor to me in so many ways, and collaborated with me on our latest album “Where Did The Time Go”.
Do you have any recent or upcoming projects you’d like to share with us?
I do have an exciting new album/CD in the works, currently being recorded and produced by legendary guitarist and producer Will Ackerman at Imaginary Road Studios.
www.imaginaryroadstudios.com
What is your ideal or target audience?
Any audience dedicated to listening and appreciating my music. This spans all age groups and covers a wide range of demographics.
Do you write/compose your own songs? Briefly describe your songwriting process.
I am solely dedicated to playing my own music at this stage of my career. The creative process starts with the discovery of “sketches”, or brief phrases that then develop into compositions. I may take an idea and put it aside for several months, only to have it come up at a later date in reference to something I am working on. Most of my compositions are written on either piano or guitar, and there is a distinct difference that is heard in the end result – where composing for guitar tends to be more rhythmic and a bit bluesy, and writing for piano becomes more melodic in structure.
What do you like the most about Radio Airplay?
I like the interaction with the listeners. It adds a human element for me, almost like I know the folks that become fans, send me comments, and appreciate my compositions.
