Wirtz's solo career represents a new chapter in his artistic evolution. Delving deeper into his original work, listeners of Jon Wirtz have become increasingly mesmerized by his unique sound, which incorporates acoustic piano with a tasteful use of ethereal effects and emotional crescendos. His compositions often blend simple melodies with tasteful improvisation, skillfully creating landscapes of sound that range from classical to avant-garde, familiar to experimental, and melodies that can be described as both cascading and contemplative. Drawing upon a vast repertoire of influences, Wirtz paints musical portraits with a sustained intensity; the result is not quite classical yet not quite jazz, though certainly unique. As he continues to forge his creative path, each performance invites listeners into a realm where tradition meets innovation, eroding stylistic boundaries.

After years of performing as both a sideman and band leader, his graceful transition into a solo artist has been illuminated by his work with Grammy-winning producers Malcolm Burn, Steve Berlin, John Macy, and musical mentor Art Lande. Wirtz's musical journey has seen him grace stages and share billing with an eclectic roster of artists including Justin Timberlake, Gregory Alan Isakov, Victor Wooten (Bela Fleck), Buddy Guy, and George Porter Jr. (The Meters), among many others. In 2024 he was recognized as a Most Distinguished Musician at the Second Prize level in the IBLA Grand Prize International Music Competition for the title track to his album Beautiful Illusion. Notably, Wirtz’s career has been punctuated by memorable appearances on shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, CBS Early Morning Show, Ellen, and Lopez Tonight (George Lopez). Each performance is a testament to his versatility across a wide spectrum of musical genres.

S P E A K M U S I C

Despite the irony of this blog being published on a website specifically designed to market myself, I have to say that I’m not a fan of the marketing and business side of music. As I grow older (and hopefully wiser), I have come to be interested only in the music itself. My concern is not with the fame of the artist, the number of “followers” on social media, how unique their stage persona, etc. All I want to experience is the Essence.

This led me to start a video series called SPEAK MUSIC.

It’s no secret that music is a language. In fact it’s probably a bit cliche to say at this point. And yet, this fact plays with my mind constantly given the career path I’ve chosen. Like a lot of musicians who have experienced the grind of “the hustle” for years, there have been moments where I question what it’s all for. Why would any logical person choose a career as a full-time musician? For fame? For money? Some would argue that you have better odds playing the lotto if that’s your end-game. So if rock-stardom is not the goal, then what? After years upon years of practicing, booking, performing, hoping, writing, doubting, recording, ups, downs, moments of bliss and despair, and everything in between, I finally figured out what it all meant (for me): Truth and Connection.

CONNECTION.

Every human on this planet has a basic need for love and connection with others. As artists—and in this case, as a musician—our duty is to connect with an audience on some level. There are as many different ways to do this as there are people on this Earth.

Scroll through social media or even just the internet, and you’ll find a lot of shit. Toxic, negative, mindless garbage being force-fed to distracted minds everywhere. SPEAK MUSIC is my attempt to counter this on some level.

TRUTH.

Everyone is seeking Truth.

Some have clearer vision, better ears, or sharper minds; some are doing it consciously, some unconsciously. But that seems to be the name of the game. Finding Truth. I don’t claim to be an expert on Truth, nor am I apt to explain it. What is it about a word, a thought, an action that can point us towards happiness, connection, staying in the flow? Can it even be defined? Probably not. But it is always recognizable when it presents itself. And it’s always there if you can sit still enough and pay attention.

What fascinates me on a daily basis is observing how different people approach this. Music, art, poetry, exercise, parenting, breathing, learning, nursing, comedy—there are countless angles of attack. This series will focus on music.

So I invite you to pause what you’re doing. Take a breath. Allow yourself just a few minutes. Listen. Watch. Feel. Be present. Don’t worry about whether you like or dislike what you’re seeing/hearing, just take it all in (you have plenty of time to judge later). Afterwards, if you feel inspired or better in any way at all—if it speaks to you on some level—pass that experience of connection forward.

I’m not naive. I realize that the deeper conflicts of the world aren’t going to be solved simply by playing some songs for people. But at my best, I try to play as if they will. So this is my attempt at creating something beautiful simply for the sake of creating something beautiful. I hope that these videos contain an element of “that thing,” that alchemy that allows Music to inform, influence, move and inspire us.

In the meantime, I present to you with the best of intentions . . . SPEAK MUSIC. 

EPISODE 3: WEIGHTLESS

Writing and arranging for strings has been an incredibly fun challenge for me. I rarely get to play with string players, so the opportunity to perform “live” in studio to record some original music was so much fun. Despite my stone-faced demeanor. I couldn’t have found a better quartet either—Adrienne Short on violin (of the Colorado Symphony, Nathaniel Rateliff), Eve Panning on violin (of Big Richard), Aniel Cabal on viola ((of the Colorado Symphony), and Joy Adams on cello (of Big Richard, Nathaniel Rateliff). Hearing this song brings me to a coffee shop somewhere in a small town in France, and playing it just floats me away.

EPISODE 2: O.G.A.I.

In case you don’t remember, 2020 was a weird year. I’m guessing you DO remember, so I won’t rehash old news. From a working musician’s standpoint, one thing I will always remember about that year was how different live performances felt. They were extremely rare, often in front of very few, sometimes literally ZERO people, and mostly live-streamed via social media. Since live performances have started again, my perspective and gratitude for a live audience changed drastically. That all said, this live performance took place in the fall of 2020 for about 15 socially distanced people, and a number of others via the internet. In other words, the dynamic was strange from the outset. What better time to try something different from a musical standpoint?

I decided to call on two musicians who have a very high “improvisational intelligence.” Drummer Brian Claxton and bassist Charles Parker Mertens both listen incredibly well, and have a great conversational ability in their playing that acknowledges the other players while enhancing the music. Both musicians are able to stay present in order to play what best serves the musical moment, as opposed to automatically going to a “bag of tricks.” With this particular song, I intentionally tried to keep it simple; the entire form is 4 measures long. When I introduced the song to them in our single rehearsal, I told them that the tune was intentionally uncomplicated in order for us to make it interesting. The result is what you will see and hear above, which includes a fantastic showcase moment for Charlie on the bass.

EPISODE 1C: DOLPHIN DANCE

“My hope is that the music will serve as a metaphor for the actions taken by the inhabitants of this wonderful planet as a call for world harmony on many levels.” - Herbie Hancock

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Undoubtedly one of the best pianists to ever leave his mark on modern music, Herbie Hancock is one of my favorite musicians of all-time. Sure he’s got chops for days, but so do a lot of cats. What makes him stand out is . . . well, what makes him stand out. He’s one of those special artists that always sounds like himself, regardless of who he’s playing with, or what genre (and he has covered a lot of ground in terms of genres). His creativity is always on the cutting edge—playful, risk-taking, and present in the moment, ready to roll with whatever Life and the Music presents.

With that in mind, I decided to play one of my favorite compositions of his, entitled Dolphin Dance. This tune didn’t strike me as one that called for a shredding solo, as there is so much beauty already built in to the structure of the song itself: a strong melody, supported by luscious harmony. So I treated it like a painting, using broad strokes during certain passages, while focusing on details and embellishments in others. Keeping time in one instant, while playing with and stretching it in another. Truth be told, I could probably play this song for hours, as it was composed with a fascinating cyclical structure that makes me want to just keep on going. But for the sake of this video, I kept it to a few minutes, which was captured and edited by the talented George Lacson.

EPISODE 1b: PLUSH

“And I feel, and I feel when the dogs begin to smell her
Will she smell alone?”

I'm a child of the 90s. Well, a teenager of the 90s actually. For better or worse, that is the decade when a huge part of my musical development occurred. I was a teenager witnessing the grunge movement as it presented itself to suburban kids everywhere--flanel shirts, power chords, and the end of the glam rock era. Oddly enough, I wasn't terribly into the grunge scene as it was unfolding, I was more of a classic rock kid. I definitely dug a lot the singles that were coming out of that scene at the time, but admittedIy I never dove headfirst into most of the bands' deeper catalogues, at least as a teenager. 

During that same time, I was just starting to figure out and tinker with my creative voice. While I was thankfully exposed to all sorts of music during those formative years, there are some 90s alternative gems that stood the test of time in my musical heart, even 20+ years later. When in it feels right--in other words, not for nostalgia's sake or to be hip or ironic--it's a lot of fun for me to take different styles of music that one wouldn't normally associate with solo piano, and arrange it for that exact purpose. "Plush," by Stone Temple Pilots, is one of those gems. As I'm not armed with a rhythm section or loud ass guitar, I obviously had to take a different approach with this song. Change the key, make the time a little more elastic, and add some improvisation throughout. While this was not my favorite take from a technical-execution standpoint, I kept it because I really felt the spirit behind it. Also, I love some of the moving shots/angles George Lacson captured with his camera work, not to mention his editing.

“When the dogs do find her
Got time, time, to wait for tomorrow
To find it, to find it, to find it . . . “

ePIsode 1a: CYCLES

“Leaves just hinting that these colors aren’t forever . . .”