All About Jazz Interview with Mark Sholtez
It's been more than a year now since Mark Sholtez's debut album Real Street (Verve, 2006) was released. Exciting things have happened since, mainly in his home country of Australia. Real Street celebrated ten weeks in a row at the number one position on the Jazz and Blues Album Charts, and was also nominated for the Aria Awards in the category of Best Jazz Album. To bring things somewhat full circle, Sholtez then proudly accepted the 2007 APRA Music Award for Most Performed Jazz Work.
Sholtez is more than happy to look back on an exhilarating period of his life, in which his career got a well- deserved turbo boost. Let's face it, not every aspiring artist out there is given the opportunity to sign with Verve Records and record with some of the finest jazz musicians available in less than a week. Because that's what it took for a tape with rough mixes to end up on chairman Tommy LiPuma's desk, resulting in a long distance phone call to Brisbane, Australia.
“Before signing a record deal and recording Real Street, I had always looked at that as the ultimate goal,” explains Sholtez. “When you're trying to make a living working the clubs and writing and recording in your spare time, to get it all to come together can seem like such an unlikely reality at times. For me, that's what made it hard to think too far beyond that.
“The biggest change for me, once Real Street was actually released, was the realization that I had, in fact, just arrived at the beginning of my music career. After more than ten years of working hard to get it together I was finally standing on the starting line.
“Now, as I get ready to go into the studio to record a new album, it's interesting to look back on the past year or so and think about all the cool things I've gotten to do. Like playing the Sydney Opera House opening for Diana Krall and touring with George Benson and Al Jarreau. And also, it was very cool meeting people that have made a genuine connection to the songs on Real Street. It's a treat when you're meeting people after a show and someone tells you that they recently got married and they used one of your songs as their bridal waltz; or they walked down the aisle to one of your songs or something like that. I had one guy tell me that he proposed to his girlfriend at one of my shows!
“I'm at the point now,” Sholtez concludes, “where I'm closing the book on Real Street and focusing on the new songs and the new recording. To know the first album has a life of its own now and will continue to play a part in someone's life somewhere is exciting. It motivates me to want to make more music.”
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Deeper
Mark Sholtez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I feel the touch of your hands
The constant beating of your heart
In time with mine
As you lay beside me
Cuddled up behind me
It feels so right
Deeper and deeper
I close my eyes at night
Surrender to sleep
Deeper and deeper
I still remember the taste
Our first kiss, the first day
And every hour since then
I′ve been sinking in
Now as I lay beside you
Cuddled up behind you
It feels so right
So real as we drift off to sleep
Deeper and deeper
I close my eyes at night
Surrender to sleep
Deeper and deeper
Cradled in a place where we can see what we feel
Taste what we hear
Love what we feel
It feels so right
So real as we drift off to sleep
Deeper and deeper
I close my eyes at night
Surrender to sleep
Deeper and deeper
It feels so right
So real as we drift off to sleep
Deeper and deeper
I close my eyes at night
Surrender to sleep
Deeper and deeper
The lyrics of Mark Sholtez's song Deeper describe the feeling of being deeply connected with your loved one, both physically and emotionally. The lyrics convey a sense of intimacy and comfort, as the singer describes feeling the breath and touch of their partner, and the beating of their heart in time with theirs. The song suggests a relationship that has grown over time, with memories of their initial connection still fresh in their minds. The singer savors the present moment, as they drift off to sleep cradled in the arms of their beloved.
The repetition of the phrase "Deeper and deeper" throughout the song reinforces the sense of sinking into the experience of being with the one you love. The lyrics describe a place where all the senses are intertwined, where you can "see what we feel, taste what we hear, love what we feel." This suggests a deepening of the connection between the lovers beyond just physical touch, and into a realm of emotional and spiritual connection. The song captures the simple yet profound feeling of being completely present with your partner, and savoring the quiet moments of intimacy that make a relationship truly special.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel your breath on my skin
I am aware of your presence and your closeness to me
I feel the touch of your hands
I am aware of your skin touching mine and I feel a sense of comfort and intimacy
The constant beating of your heart
I am aware of the sound of your heart beating and I feel a sense of connection and closeness
In time with mine
Our hearts beating in unison make me feel synced with you
As you lay beside me
The fact that you are physically close to me gives me a sense of comfort and contentment
Cuddled up behind me
Your physical touch makes me feel safe and protected
It feels so right
Our connection and closeness feels natural and comfortable
So real as we drift off to sleep
As we fall asleep together, I feel a sense of reality and contentment
Deeper and deeper
As we fall deeper into sleep, our closeness becomes more profound
I close my eyes at night
As I fall asleep, I become more relaxed and calm
Surrender to sleep
I allow myself to fall into a state of deep sleep and relaxation
I still remember the taste
I recall the memories of our physical moments together
Our first kiss, the first day
The beginning of our relationship and the moments that started it all
And every hour since then
Every moment we spend together is important and memorable to me
I've been sinking in
I have been falling deeper and deeper in love with you over time
Cradled in a place where we can see what we feel
Our relationship is a safe haven where we can be open and honest about our emotions
Taste what we hear
Our physical and emotional experiences blend together and intensify
Love what we feel
Our connection and love for each other continues to deepen and grow
Writer(s): Mark Allan Scholtes
Contributed by Lucas D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.