In the world of New Age music, Contemporary Instrumental music or whatever the current trendy phrase we are using now, the two instruments that are spotlighted the most are the piano and the guitar. Sure there are other instruments that receive some attention such as the cello, the flute and the saxophone to name a few but what about the Chapman Stick? Many of you may say “The what?” It is a very unique 8, 10 or 12 string bass that has a range of five octaves that integrates the sounds of a bass, guitar and almost a harpsichord. Making full use of the 10 string Chapman Stick, in this particular genre Jeff Pearce is peerless, who has managed to caress his very own unique ambient music that will immediately melt away your worries.

Jeff Pearce has several recordings to his name and has fully embraced the use of this very unique instrument to take us to the mystical but reassuring and peaceful world of the ambient genre. In 2005, Pearce joined forces with Will Ackerman’s engineer Corbin Nelsen to record the critically successful Lingering Light that continued to embrace his magical workmanship where the melodies were never overstated but the music never uninspiring. This is fully captured courtesy of the elegant “Jasmine In Lingering Light”. If the title of the song sounds exotic well the music is in complete tandem with its title.

The gentle exotic factor continues on his latest full length recording Rainshadow Sky despite the fact that it is a live recording. The x factor is largely because the performances are directly recorded into the sound board or computer thus avoiding the distraction of the audience sounds yet capturing the improvised and vulnerable nature of a live performance. These are select recordings from house concerts from late 2007 through the summer of 2008 which features previously recorded pieces that took their own shape live. With the recordings completed by his wife Anastasia, the mixing and mastering of the final product was placed into the hands of Corbin Nelsen with Pearce assisting on the mixing.

Recorded in 2008, Rainshadow Sky is currently Pearce’s last full recording. Nevertheless he is currently busy with The Provision Series that is a yearlong music project from July 2011 to July 2012 in which the artist is releasing one mp3 single per month donating a portion of the profits to the matching charity of that particular month. Yes, Jeff Pearce’s unusual and out of the box vision is not just limited to his music but also to extends to the way he lives…different, commendable and inspiring.