Record Label Name:

Japoonoonie Records

Record Label Type:

Indie

Genre:

Nu-Jazz, Jazz, Lounge

Biography:

Who am I? What am I? Why do I exist? These questions have been a part of my thoughts for as long as I can remember. I have always made up songs in my head, but once I began to play instruments, I only wanted to do what I felt. It was hard work making me learn other songs. Now, releasing my second solo CD, “Purpose”, I am learning more about the who, what, and why I am the way I am. Each song on “Purpose” is straight from my “feel” zone. If I began to produce a song disconnected from that direct tap, I would stop. Sometimes the song would just be trashed if it strayed too far from what was deep in my inner-self. This direct “feel” I believe is the past visions and thoughts of my ancestors deeply stored in my genome. Each project is teaching me more and more about myself. I really hope those that listen can sometimes take that moment and go to their inner-most zone and bring to the surface some of those archived thoughts and visions. The instruments I use to transform what I feel to music are; six, five, and four string bass, four-string fretless bass, electric guitar, classical guitar, synths and keyboards, and the manipulation of percussion and drum samples. I love engineering and mixing, so I put this tool in the pool also. The ancestral voices once told me that man on this planet exists on external thought, or shall we say the thoughts and views that have been collectively approved as real or sane. I would like to journey further down the path to my true inner-self, to confirm for sure that Birth is not just the beginning and Death is not just The End. I began my latest project early in 2006. “Purpose” embraces the unique beliefs and directives of my existence. I believe that by doing my music in this way, I’m beginning to serve my purpose in this universe. Purpose: Composed, Arranged, Performed, Engineered, and Mixed by Dwight Sirls. "I have always had a connection with the past, and an ambition for a view of the future. From beyond our conceived reality, I'm guided in my musical visions. I hope that with each CD, the puzzle of my being will become clear. I am guided to share this, and I hope it will not only be enjoyable, but a conduit for relative visions." An engineer, composer, musician, and producer, Dwight makes a direct tap into his inner-most visions and translates this into his music. His record label, Japoonoonie Records, was founded in 1985. He works in his private project studio, The Noonie Room. Noonie is a word known only by Dwight's family. He invented this word as a child. It can mean extreme emotions from hate to love. Dwight has been motivated to stay in music by his desire to contribute to mankind in some way. He has had a life filled with hardship and controversy. This has given him a sharp view on humanity. It is his musical translations of his life that he feel can be an inspiration to others. Dwight Sirls: Six, five, and four string bass. Electric and classical guitars. Synthesizers and other keyboards. Electronic percussion. Drum sample manipulation.. Featuring Kyle Stroud playing sax on "La Vida" from "The Human Complexity" CD. Frowning from the bright Northeast Texas sunlight, Dwight walked around the area surrounding his flimsy, unpainted, tin-roofed home. He was searching for the handle to his battered "hoppy-horse". He did this everyday until he found the handle. Dwight had no clue at the time that this innate tenacity would be his life-blood. Dwight created soundtracks in his head while he played, long before he could play a single instrument. Following in his brother Lacy's footsteps, Dwight wanted to play trumpet in the 6th grade band. Lacy was an accomplished trumpet player. He played in a local band, The Majestics, circa 1970. The Majestic's single "Funky Chick" received good local radio play, and would become one of the top ten favorite goldie-oldie hits in England and Europe some 30 years later. Being too poor to buy a horn, Majestic member DeWayne Jackson let Dwight borrow an old Americana trumpet. With a bent horn that had a stuck mouth-piece, Dwight marched proudly to school with his horn in hand. It had no case. The next year Dwight's mom got a loan at a local music store and presented him with a shiny new trumpet. He was on his way, blowing taps every night for the whole neighborhood. Near the end of the 7th grade school year Dwight's horn was repossessed while he was learning to march outside by the band hall with the rest of his class. After the music store rep walked off with his horn, Dwight had to go back out on the field and practice with an imaginary horn. He had to do this for the remainder of the year, which thank goodness, wasn't long. Dwight told his mother he wasn't interested in band anymore just to keep her from struggling to get his horn back. No longer able to play trumpet, Dwight shifted his attention to guitars. The only way he could play guitars was to visit friends and relatives that had guitars. After hearing Larry Graham's debut album, Dwight focused on bass guitar. Getting his first job after college, Lacy bought Dwight his first bass in 1975 for his 16th birthday. Dwight played in a couple of local groups. His first group was based around ex-Majestic members around 1980 thru 1982. During the early 1980s Dwight began to show an interest in recording, purchasing a Teac/Tascam portastudio. He tinkered in engineering but not at a serious level at this time. In 1986 Dwight recorded his first singles "You're The One" and "Living For You" in the studio of engineer Gary Borens. The same studio future country music star Neal McCoy was recording in at the time. Dwight wrote the lyrics and music and featured vocalist Ron Daniels. The single was released on Dwight's new label, Japoonoonie Records. In 1992 Dwight became more serious about engineering and by 1995 he engineered, produced, and played on "The Art of Love" cassette featuring his wife Velyncia. Tracks from the CD version of this received some local radio play for months. The single "Where Do We Go " was re-released in 2003 by local artist Ray Crumley. In 1996 Dwight was recruited by local gospel artist Fenis Daniel to engineer his new CD. Dwight played a bass solo and a classical guitar solo on two songs.The cd "Life Is Like" was released in 1997. It received a lot of local airplay and some airplay in other states. From November 2002 to January 2004 Dwight engineered the new cd for the local vocal group First Kin. He also produced and played on at least two songs. The cd "Due Seasons" was released in 2004. After suspending his own cd at least three times over the years, he began working on "The Human Complexity" project in 2004. Dwight's comfort zone is in his project-studio, The Noonie Room. " I create my music from spontaneous vibes induced by rhythms and sounds," said Dwight. " I don't like to take away from what I feel initially', he stated. Dwight feels strongly about music being the primary conduit of expression. He describes his music as Conceptual Groove/Jazz. " I could really enjoy earning money doing music, but I still cherish it as an art form for the people. A way to translate life experiences to convey to others", said Dwight. " I feel I've done well when someone tells me they can "see" what my song is about", stated Dwight. He has accomplised his goal when the listener can read the title of the song and then say, yeah that sounds like what it is about. Discography: 1." You're The One" 1986 featuring Ron Daniels/Composer, Musician/Single 2." Living For You" 1986 featuring Ron Daniels/Composer, Musician/Single 3. Velyncia Sirls "The Art of Love" 1995/Engineer, Producer, Musician,Composer/Complete Cassette 4. Finn (Fenis Daniel) "Life is Like" 1997/Engineer, bass & classical guitar solos/Complete CD 5. First Kin "Due Seasons" 2004/Engineer, on two tracks, Producer, Musician/Complete CD 6. Dwight Sirls "The Human Complexity" 2005/Engineer, Producer, Composer, Musician/Complete CD 7. "Purpose" 2006/Artist/Engineer/Producer/Composer entire CD Visit me at www.MySpace.com/dwightsirls

Members:

Dwight Sirls

Influences:

Local: Majestics, Lacy Burton, Byron Canida, David Canida, Ricky Ross, Kyle Stroud, George Faber National/International: Larry Graham,Stanley Clarke, Bootsy, John Pattitucci,David Bowie,Gary Numan,Yanni.

Sounds Like:

Would love to sound like all of the above.

Artist's Website:

www.dwightsirls.com