John Ferrara - A Lesson in Impermanence (2022)

This album is a mix of jazz, classical, rock, minimalism and folk and consists of 10 original solo bass compositions, with an 11th added for people who purchase through his bandcamp page. The additional track will give listeners a glimpse at his next album being released sometime later this year. “A Lesson in Impermanence” has a similar aesthetic to a solo piano album, the songs mostly employ two handed tapping, and although he’s gained a reputation for his technical prowess, he integrates emotion with technique seamlessly in this body of work. Here’s a word from John about his process:

“Each song tells a story and was born from a specific emotional state. I recorded this album at home and, with that freedom, I tried my best to never track a song at a time that wasn't aligned with the state it was initially created in. I used the same method during the writing process, I would write some of a song, get as far as I could, and then I would come back to it when a comparable mood was present and drew me back to the song naturally.”

Fans have been drawn to Ferrara’s unique use of tapping and this album presents the many diverse ways he applies it in his writing. “Zeros and Ones” showcases his usage of different polyrhythms, while “Perhaps Everything, Perhaps Nothing” starts with a technique Ferrara calls “drone tapping”. “Riches to the Conjurer” has a latin feel with a plucking, percussive bridge from the repressed drummer in Ferrara. The song “The Gnome and the Skeleton” uses tapped left hand notes mixed with quick right hand strums to generate a natural tremolo effect while “Say Charles” and “I’m Knocked Out” showcase a softer side with more chordal and melodic playing. These compositions are a journey of shifting moods, born from a very tumultuous time in his life, supported by advanced creative techniques that totally serve the emotions they aim to convey, not one note is frivolous, and the range of textures are sure to attract a variety of listeners.