Brickman performs at
the Gilmore Festival, a
nine-day celebration of
keyboard music.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to The Jewish News

C omposer-musician Jim
Brickman thinks of the piano
as his personal voice.
When he records or
appears in concerts, Brickman performs
only pieces he has written, choosing to
connect with audiences through a style
that combines pop, lyrical and New Age
sounds.
Brickman's music, doing well in
record stores, comes to Michigan this
month at the Irving S. Gilmore
International Keyboard Festival in
Battle Creek.
"My music is the kind of thing that
really connects emotionally," said
Brickman, 36, who studied the classics,
succeeded as a commercial jingle writer
and transitioned into romantic
melodies. "I think my [albums] touch
people's hearts and souls, enhancing

4/17
1998

94

Going under the name Brickman
emotions whatever they happen to be. I
Arrangements,
he built a client list that
never work at a computer because all of
included
McDonald's
("Food, Folks and
my music is very organic and comes
Fun"),
Pontiac
("We
Are
Driving
really from me."
Excitement") and Revlon ("Revlon
Brickman, who grew up in
Eyes").
Cleveland, was the first solo instrumen-
"Eventually, I got bored doing jin-
tal recording artist ever to hit Billboard's
gles, and it became creatively limiting
Top 40 Pop Chart with the song
because I had to fake being trendy
"Rocket to the Moon," which is from
much of the time," he said. "I
his 1994 album No Words. His
realized I never sat down and
Picture
This
Jim
albums By Heart and
played
the piano except for
Brickman:
went gold.
work, and I wanted to make
Making an
When he was starting out,
music that was more personal
Brickman never thought he'd be a emotional
connection.
and more real."
solo performer. Rather, he envi-
Brickman followed his
sioned a life of composing and
instinct, booked studio time
playing at recording sessions.
and recorded a six-song demo of his
While taking business classes at Case
compositions. Those formed the basis
Western Reserve University as well as
of his first release, No Words.
classical composition and performance
"I don't do jingles anymore because I
courses at the Cleveland Institute of
do 200 or so concerts a year, record the
Music, he entered the world of profes-
albums and write songs for other peo-
sional music by writing and selling jin-
ple," he said. "That really doesn't allow
gles.

me a whole lot of time to do any jingle
work nor would I want to do it. I was
successful and had a lot of fun, but it's
in my past."
Actually, Brickman believes that
there's not a big difference between writ-
ing jingles and writing romantic music.
"Music is music whether you're sell-
ing kitty litter with it or writing a love
song," he said. "Music has a power to
make an emotional connection, and
that's why it's used in advertising. It's
just that [romantic] music has more af a
personal side to it, and it's much more
fulfilling for me personally than writing
songs about products."
Although Brickman has never per-
formed at the Gilmore Festival or in the
Greater Detroit area, he has done con-
certs throughout the state, including
stops at Grand Rapids and Traverse
City. As he plays his hits, he can point
to one that reflects his Jewish heritage;
"Generations," in a compilation album
Songs Without Words," recalls ethnic
melodies.
There's also a Christmas album —
The G.
"I've always enjoyed holiday music,
and some of the most beautiful
melodies that really touch people are
heard during the holidays," the com-
poser-pianist said. "The record compa-
ny [kept] saying we should really do a
holiday album.
"What I tried to convey was the
melodies of these songs as instrumental
music without the imprint of God or
Jesus or any of the inherent connection
with lyrics. By using melodies alone, the
[songs] created a spirit that said holi-
day, ,,

Although his albums are mostly
instrumental, there are at least a couple
of vocals on each. The lyrics are collabo-
rative projects for him.
Laura Creamer, a former Oak Parker
who traveled with the Bob Seger shows
for 10 years, has recorded with
Brickman and also appeared with him
on a March episode of "Melrose Place."
Martina McBride, who sings
"Valentine" on his album Picture This,
performed with him at the "Gala for
the President at Ford Theatre," which
aired last week.
"It certainly was an honor to be
included in that [event]," said
Brickman, who also has done benefits
for national Jewish organizations and
Jewish community centers.
"It is one of the experiences that I'm
most proud of, especially because it
[involved] a song that I'm really proud
of that [the Clintons] seemed to like
and wanted to have performed."