Jeff Wheeler

Digital and Analog Synthesizers and Samplers, Electronics,
Djembe, Tibetan Bells, Rainsticks, Asst. Percussion, Vocals

The Artist: I’ve always been keenly aware of how music and sound affect the psyche of an individual. Taking piano lessons as a child I was often found altering the sound of the piano by placing items such as rubber erasers, bolts, screws and pieces of paper between the strings of the piano when I should have been practicing. At that age, I’d never heard of John Cage. I’d been exposed to electronic music when Switched-On Bach was released in the late 60’s and was completely fascinated with the new sounds that were created electronically. Then in college I was able to take several classes in Electronic Music using the huge synthesizers with patch cords. Later, after feeling I should get “serious” with my life, music became just a hobby that I participated in occasionally. However, the electronic music “seed” had been planted just waiting to be watered and cultivated. In the 80’s and 90’s I was exposed to the New Age music movement, as well as the more experimental music of Philip Glass, Sun Ra, Laurie Anderson, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp. It wasn’t until long-time friend, Rocket Kirchner convinced me to work with him on a recording together, that my music moved out of the home studio recordings that I made exclusively for family and friends to a much wider audience. That recording entitled SLEET was released in 2000. From then on, I realized that music was a much more important part of my life and that all the music ideas that had been festering in the depths of my psyche for my entire life had to be realized.

Along with occasional live performances with Rocket, I am also a member of The Convergence Conspiracy Collective Psychoto – Electro Arkestra. I record my projects in my home studio. I also host a radio program on KOPN 89.5fm entitled: Uncommon Light – Eclectic New Edge Music, Monday afternoons from 3-5pm.

The Program: I’ve always been fascinated with light and the idea of light representing Spirit. I think it was C.S. Lewis who commented on the property of light; that light spills into darkness, that darkness cannot spill into light. A very simple example of this concept is a room filled with light and another that is dark. If you open a door between the two, the light will spill into the dark room. From this simple idea comes The Lightspill Project: a series of live performances and studio recordings begun in the spring of 2004. Much of my music utilizes electronic looping technology that allows for what is called in some circles: accidental music - music that is largely improvisational. I ascribe to the idea that the studio and the electronics used in the process of making the music are instruments just as much as the keyboards and percussion instruments that I play.

Also visit my personal MySpace site: www.myspace.com/uncommonlight.