Love Shines CD Stories

Working with Philip Janz

There are people in your life that you realize are huge gifts.  People that push you to fulfill your potential - not 60%, not 80% but drive you to your 110%. Philip has been that for me with this recording - pushing me, driving me, expecting the best that I can be and can give to this creative project. This is exciting and also at times exhausting. However, I am so grateful. There are not many people that I can count in my life that do this for me

and so again I become a student, a learner, and realize I have been given an opportunity to grow and develop.

Philip has huge musical talent. He is an amazing pianist, drummer, vocalist as well as being one who records, produces, mixes and engineers a complete project from A-Z.  As the producer, he must have the big picture in mind at all times as well as a zealous determination for the smallest detail. Philip is able to hold both of these aspects at the same time and brings his passion to both the overall vision and the miniscule detail.

However,  I think the greatest gift Philip brings is his ability to listen to the heart of the musician and honour the story they are bringing into their work. It would be easy to impose his own ideas, creativity, and plans into another persons work as he is so incredibly gifted and creative. And he DOES offer his ideas and suggestions and critique in a very open way. However, Philip offers this with kindness and with great respect for the love of creating the best in what the musician has offered.

I am very grateful for this recording process! The past 8 days have been intense vocal days and I'm heading into the last session tonight. They have been some of the best days of my life.

Philip - thank you.

(Photographs by Revival Arts www.rastudio.ca)

my brother, Randy Friesen, made this video of me and Philip working together this past Saturday - ENJOY!!