Meet the Musicians
I want you to meet the musicians who each added their own unique voice to the album Things We Thought to Think. These musicians span the globe, with Argentina, North Macedonia, Russia, Israel, the USA and Denmark represented.
As I was writing the lyrics to “Energy of Stars” in our little house in Slovenský Grob, Slovakia, I realized the song was begging for a female vocalist. For years now, I’ve enjoyed working with musicians from around the world, and after a long search, I came across Julia Wood from California, USA. As I learned more about Julia, I found out she’s a cellist as well as vocalist, which immediately caught my attention because I’m a cellist myself. I’m thankful she lent her beautiful, warm vocals to the song, turning it into the duet I imagined.
It wasn’t long before the slow jazz song “Anton’s Daydream (In a Room Between Two Seas)” started coming together. When I heard the charming voice of Andrijana Janevska and asked if she’d be interested in singing, she gladly accepted. She captured the soulful heart of the song with ease, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it when you hear it. Andrijana is a full-time musician: singer, songwriter, arranger, lyricist, violinist and keyboard/piano player from Skopje, Macedonia. She’s been writing and performing music for the last 25 years as a performing artist, supporting artist and songwriter.
Nicolas Ojeda, a versatile double bass player from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is featured on multiple tracks. These include “Wind River,” “Someday Love” and “Energy of Stars.” Though he normally plays jazz, tango and classical music, he moved fluidly across genres and added such color to these songs. I’m forever thankful.
And speaking of Argentina, “Wind River” got a double dose of this wild and beautiful country. Pianist and accordionist Mauro Zeoli added his reed-driven melodic lines, giving this adventurous song even more texture and whimsy.
It’s also interesting to note that mastering engineer Andrés Mayo is from Argentina. He played a key role in the final stage of the album, adding a subtle layer of analog warmth while carefully refining the tracks’ sonic details. A Grammy nominee with over 30 years of experience, Andrés has become a respected figure in the industry.
If you remember the song “Ghost” from my album Kinora, you’ll also remember Maria Grigoryeva’s violin, weaving a fragile counterline throughout the arrangement—emerging, receding, and returning again in waves of soft reverb. Her violin returns once again on “Diamond Eyes,” moving around my classical guitar in gentle, dreamlike bow strokes. Originally from Russia, Maria is a Berklee College Alumni and the winner of international competitions.
Last but certainly not least: drums and percussion. For “Someday Love,” I was going for something slightly muted and vintage in character. That’s when I came across Mikas Emil Søndergaard, a drummer, composer and producer from Denmark. Mikas is a multi-instrumentalist who also plays piano, sings and writes songs, and working with him was a real pleasure. All three tracks he plays on, “Someday Love,” “What I Used to Think Then” and “Tears Fall Upwards,” presented some rhythmic challenges. Mikas quickly locked into the groove and brought beautifully nuanced drumming to these lilting, melancholic recordings.
And then there’s Yatziv Caspi. I’ve worked with Yatziv since 2017. You’ve heard him on “Vagabond Prayer.” He was born in Israel but has lived in Germany for many years now. I even had the chance to meet him in person in Berlin. Yatziv is a drummer, and beyond the traditional drum set, he specializes in world percussion, including tabla, congas, bongos, udu drum, handpan, cajón, dholak, darbuka, frame drums, Tibetan bowls, as well as various chimes, shakers and bells.
Stay tuned for the June 30 release on Bandcamp, with a release on other major platforms on July 17.
