~ Where does your creativity come from?
Creativity might just be in my blood. Mom studied voice but animation put food on the table. She's been part of the creative team for several classic cartoons. It was always a blast bringing out-take cells to Show & Tell. She told me she had a transistor radio playing softly in the background at my first feedings because she wanted me to appreciate music from an early age. She always says "musicians are like brothers – even if they speak different languages – music is a universal language." (She still says this.)
 
Dad studied trumpet but photography paid the bills. When I was growing up he played a lot of different music  – Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Maynard Ferguson, Frank Sinatra, James Brown, Johnny Cash. I still remember the night he bought us a cool new stereo system. After he set it all up and fired up one of his albums he said "as far as I'm concerned, we could throw out the TV." He didn't toss the TV but the stereo saw a lot of action.
 
~ What led to you becoming a keyboard player?
A few things ultimately drew me to keyboards. I might have been 10 years old when I caught a band playing in the local park during one of my mother's art exhibits. The keyboard player was playing a dual-manual Farfisa from the early seventies – one with all those colorful switches. I thought "wow, that looks cool." Hearing "Where Have I Known You Before" from Return To Forever and "Brain Salad Surgery" from Emerson Lake and Palmer really put me over the top – I had to play keyboards. I asked my parents for piano lessons and they bought me a Fender Rhodes once I proved I was serious.
 
~ What type of music do you listen to?
It has to grab me – Prog, Punk, Fusion, Funk, Rock, Jazz – it's all good. I'm crazy for chops, a catchy hook and clever lyrics.
 
~ Who are your musical influences?
I’ve got a pretty long list: Mom & Dad; Chick Corea; Return To Forever; Keith Emerson; Emerson, Lake and Palmer; Genesis; Jeff Beck; Yes; Weather Report; Jan Hammer; Peter Gabriel; David Bowie; Jean-Luc Ponty; Santana; Stevie Wonder; Tears For Fears; The Fixx; U2; Tangerine Dream; King Crimson; Pink Floyd; Ultravox; Level 42; Trevor Horn; UK; Toto; Thomas Dolby; Hall & Oates; Herbie Hancock; The System; Faces; Rod Stewart; Sting; The Police; Todd Rundgren; Earth, Wind & Fire; The Rolling Stones. I could go on and on.
 
~ What about your musical education?
I started piano lessons at 13 – played flute for 4 years in high school – majored in music at college. My early piano lessons were great but I don't think I got the most out of my college experience. I think I learned more about music just by playing in bands and gigging. When I first got into studio recording... THATS WHEN MY MUSICAL EDUCATION KICKED INTO HIGH GEAR! I tried to soak up everything the engineers did because I wanted to learn as much as I could. The engineers knew how to tame a room full of gear. Most of the engineers I knew took on the role of "producer" just by virtue of suggesting and experimenting. They were unbiased contributors – they could tell you without prejudice if a performance worked or not.
 
~ Sounds like you learned more in real world musical situations.
Playing live and recording was the best way for me to learn. I was working on some tracks for a friend and, in an attempt to coax my best performance, he would say "you got it right, now make it special." A lesson I still carry with me today.
 
~ Tell us about recording “NO LIMIT”
Some of these tunes started out as spontaneous compositions for an electronic ensemble. The creative process just flowed as if the songs were writing themselves. I would guess that most musicians have similar stories to tell. I've heard songwriters say "that tune just came to me."
 
“Steps” was born out of a simple bass riff. I wanted some interplay between  the bass and a lead tone so I recorded that breathy synth melody. The song fit together like a puzzle. Sometimes a sound will point me in a direction and the ideas flow from there. "Morocco" is a great example of a sound leading to a song. The first notes I played – while experimenting with that brassy synth patch – became the melody. My hands just fell into the chords for "The Abyss" because of the synth patch. That sound was just so peaceful. "Parade" started from the groove then grew from there. I knew I wanted to move the song in a different direction so (after the piano solo) I introduced a synth koto played over a thick pad and a military style snare part. Most of "The Ride" was actually playing in my head as I was driving a winding country road with the roof opened and the windows down. I couldn't wait to get to the studio and start writing what I was hearing in my head.
 
Some of the tunes demanded more honing. I had a sketch in my head of “Theme 3 15” but finalizing the song was another story. I knew I wanted to start the song with a pastoral intro and then move onto something ballzy. During the writing process, I kept thinking “movie theme.” Most of the parts for "Once Again" were written years before I started recording this CD. I would put it away for a while then come back and try something else. Eventually the song came together. "Thoughts" was a collection of unrelated ideas until I finally found a way to bring them all together.
 
~ “NO LIMIT” is a true “solo” recording – you’re playing all the parts.
Not as unique as it once was. For "Innervisions, Stevie Wonder played real drums and orchestrated the tunes with keyboards. Todd Rundgren played all the instruments on 3 of the 4 sides of "Something/Anything." They're unbelievable!
 
~ The CD has a "live" vibe.
My goal was to create the illusion of a live band playing rather than a bunch of programmed machines.
 
~ The tracks have a wonderful “room” sound too.
Like I said, I picked up some tricks from those engineers.
 
~ Would you like to tell us about those tricks?
I could tell you but then... (LOL)
 
~ What's next?
Lunch! Stay tuned for more spontaneous compositions.
 
© 2008 Anthony DiLorenzo
“NO LIMIT” cover design by Tony DiLorenzo – based on an original photo supplied by www.freeimages.co.uk
Making No Limit
“Here are some questions I've been asked after playing NO LIMIT for friends and family.
Think of it as an assembled interview.”
 
Tony DiLorenzo