Rising Rose Bakery (2011) is a tripped out exploration of improvisational psychadelic composition. It organically incorporates popisms with a cubistic jazz essence never before so lucidly incarnated. Multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter joins a select group of original musicians who have recorded on Rising Rose Records. His collaboration is instantly karmic and ignites the ensemble engine of this fluidly structured recording.
Astral Prints (2010) and Uncovered ( 2009 ) , reflect the dissolving boundaries between jazz and other forms of music, Richard's soulful improvisations, mystical tunes and transformative psychedelic production create a poetic spellbinding musical symposium, summoning synesthetic spirits in these mellifluous inventive recordings.
Astral Prints reached number 10 on WNYU's 5/10/10 chart,as well as # 1 on CJSW , #6 on CHRW and #6 on the 6/22/10 CFRU Jazz chart. Uncovered charted at #4 on CFRU , # 15 on WNYU , # 9 on CJLY , # 22 on CFRE, # 5 KEUL and # 3 on CJSW
Downtown Music Gallery says in it's reviews of Uncovered (Rising Rose 2009) and Astral Prints (Rising Rose 2010) "Richard is in a class of his own.../ would be world famous in a better balanced universe".
Richard made his national television debut in 2008 appearing as the pianist on Paula's Party (episode IPO406) featuring Susan Lucci, Suzie Orman and Ru-Paul This episode was first broadcast during a Lunar Eclipse !-- He also appeared on Paula's Party episode IPO407) featuring Cameron Mathison , Leanne Morgan , Daisy Fuentes and her lovely sister Rosanna, improvising another ready-made sound track for The Food Network
His lyrics have been described as profound, cryptic, silly, perceptive and poetic.
and In 1989 Richard provided creative, structural and line by line editing as principle editor of Cynthia Kadohata's acclaimed first novel --The Floating World (Viking 1989) - a New York Times notable book of the year
Shredding Paper said in it’s review of Walk the Bike “ Bliwas walks the line between jazz and folkrock with confidence…producing a dialectic sound that compliments rather than conflicts.
Was Is ---an album that Jazz Improv Magazine says has the feeling of stretching time and space in an infinite universe of floating musical galaxies reaching the far corner's of Richard's imagination , morphing textures and articulated with dynamic clarity was released in May 2008 and played at many great radio stations like WFMU , WNYU and CMAT reached number 1 ( hooray !!! ) at CFRU reviewed by Never Ending Wonder radio , DMG newsletter and Jazz Improv Magazine
An encouraging suggestion from the great jazz artist Paul Bley, led Richard to record his first CD's -- Compose Yourself -- solo, duo and trio improvisations --which recording engineer David Baker called great musicians, recording and performance." and Cadence Magazine called "engrossing and creative, seamless music..." and the painterly production of songs and improvisations from another single afternoon stream of consciousness session, Walk the Bike which Downtown Music Gallery called timeless and exquisite, an album which could have been made in the late 60's if they didn't know better.
Walk the Bike which reached # 1 at CFRC an enlightened college station (Canada's oldest ) in June 2003, was played --- on dozens of other public and college stations including Stanford's KZSU, and praised in reviews from Music Dish, Shredding Paper, All About Jazz (Italy),The Big Takeover etc..
Ghost , released in Sept. 2004, called Richard's most ambitious work by All About Jazz, reunites his early 80's trio with Brazilian great Valtinho Anastacio. Within a few weeks of it's release it climbed on to a dozen or so college and public radio top 10's including # 4 at KTUH in Hawaii ,# 3 at WAIH Potsdam, NY 90.3 FM #5 at KEUL 10/23/04, and # 3 at WMHB Waterville, ME 89.7 FM
Ghost appeared on many playlists like WBRS Brandeis and Stanford's KZSU Zookeeper . It was also praised in reviews from Cadence Magazine , All About Jazz , and All About Jazz (Italy).
Yarrow Stalk Bridge, an introspective solo session was recorded in a single afternoon at Walter Sear's Sear Sound in 2005 and followed in Ghosts' footsteps , with reviews from All About Jazz Italy , Downtown Music Gallery among others , and more college radio play like WNCW and top ten on a growing number of insightful stations like CKXU.
DMJ (who listed Walk the Bike in their top recommendations for 2005) states in it's July 1st 2005 newsletter which reviews Yarrow Stalk Bridge . "Richard is a truly gifted piano player and songwriter who should not go unnoticed for very long. "
Richard's early 80's groups like AMS with David Budway and Ned Goold were infusing the influences of Miles Davis , Brian Eno , Syd Barrett and The Beatles , into intimate innovative recordings-- and performances at the Kool Jazz festival , smokey old Pittsburgh jazz clubs where Benson and Eckstine played a few generations earlier or rock/punk clubs like The Electric Banana. The music however, freely crossed genre lines, foreshadowing alternative and contemporary styles.
Julia
Richard Bliwas Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I say it just to reach you, Julia.
Julia, Julia, ocean child, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia
Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia.
In the sun
Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me
So I sing a song of love, Julia.
When I cannot sing my heart
I can only speak my mind, Julia.
Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me
So I sing a song of love, Julia.
Hum hum hum hum, calls me
So I sing a song of love, Julia, Julia, Julia.
"Julia" is a song about a man's love for a woman named Julia who he sees as the embodiment of nature. He expresses his desire to connect with her through his words and music, even when he feels like what he's saying is meaningless. He sings about her beauty through the imagery of the ocean, the sky, and the moon, and how her presence fills him with a sense of peace and wonder.
The main theme of the song is the power of love to connect people, even when words fail us. The singer acknowledges that he can't always express his feelings through his music, but he keeps trying because he wants to reach Julia. He sees her as a muse who inspires him to create, and his love for her is what drives him to keep singing.
The song's use of natural imagery to describe Julia is also significant. By comparing her to elements of the natural world, the singer is illustrating the idea that love is a force of nature that can't be tamed or controlled. Like the wind or the sea, love is powerful and unpredictable, but also beautiful in its rawness.
Overall, "Julia" is a romantic tribute to the power of love and the beauty of nature, and how the two are intertwined in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Half of what I say is meaningless
I know that not everything I say holds importance, however, I still say it just to communicate with you, Julia.
But I say it just to reach you, Julia.
The intention behind meaningless things I say to you is to send you a message of reaching out, Julia.
Julia, Julia, ocean child, calls me
You make me think of the ocean, Julia, with your carefree spirit and childlike soul. It draws me closer to you.
So I sing a song of love, Julia
This powerful draw I feel towards you is the reason why I sing a song of love, Julia.
Julia, seashell eyes, windy smile, calls me
Everything about you reminds me of the beach, Julia. The sound of waves rustles in your curly hair, and your eyes shimmer like seashells. All of this pulls me to you.
Her hair of floating sky is shimmering, glimmering
Your hair reminds me of the sky while being reflected in the water – it shimmers so beautifully and captivates me.
In the sun
Like the water reflecting the sky, your hair glistens in the sun, capturing my attention even more.
Julia, Julia, morning moon, touch me
Like the morning moon, I look upon you with admiration and desire, Julia.
So I sing a song of love, Julia.
Similar to the way the morning moon inspires me, I sing a song of love to you, Julia.
When I cannot sing my heart
When calling for words is out of my abilities,
I can only speak my mind, Julia.
my only option is to speak my truth to you, Julia.
Julia, sleeping sand, silent cloud, touch me
Just like how sand and clouds are quietly present, you too have a subtle, gentle presence that resonates with me, Julia.
So I sing a song of love, Julia.
It is because of your calming nature that I sing a song of love to you, Julia.
Hum hum hum hum, calls me
A tune so basic that it's meaningless catches my attention, making me think of you.
So I sing a song of love, Julia, Julia, Julia.
Your influence is so strong that it demands three repetitions – I sing a song of love to you, Julia, Julia, Julia.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind