Jerry York  

musician, songwriter, U.S.A.

When I became a Bahá’í in 1974 I found the possibilities endless for using music to share this wonderful message with others. I think Seals and Crofts were the absolute best at doing this. I was introduced to the Bahá´í Faith through their music and eventually became associated with them as a bass player for their opening act in 1977 for two tours.

Over the years jazz has crept into my style especially what is now called ´smooth jazz´. Earl Klugh, Bob James, The Rippingtons and Spyro Gyra have been the biggest influences. This has led to sharing messages of love and fellowship, world harmony and peace with music that moves and has feel and ´funk´ to it. People like to move to music and if you can add a positive message to it, you have got something even more moving.

I use a nylon string guitar exclusively, which comes from listening to my near complete collection of Earl Klugh albums. I like the Latin and rhythmic sound of the classical guitar. I guess this is due to an early exposure to flamenco great, Sabicas, and has had a great impact on my choosing the nylon string guitar.

Over the years jazz has crept into my style especially what is now called ´smooth jazz´. Earl Klugh, Bob James, The Rippingtons and Spyro Gyra have been the biggest influences. This has led to sharing messages of love and fellowship, world harmony and peace with music that moves and has feel and ´funk´ to it. People like to move to music and if you can add a positive message to it, you have got something even more moving. I use a nylon string guitar exclusively, which comes from listening to my near complete collection of Earl Klugh albums. I like the Latin and rhythmic sound of the classical guitar. I guess this is due to an early exposure to flamenco great, Sabicas, and has had a great impact on my choosing the nylon string guitar.

The style currently displayed on the CD Walking From Jerusalem to Mecca is inspired by many influences. Besides the wide variety of pop influences, there is the rhythmic Rhythm & Blues (R&B) feel that comes from my early years playing with R&B bands and also from listening to Quincy Jones, Earth Wind and Fire, George Duke and many others.

My first experiences at serious song writing came while collaborating with one great songwriter, Bob Gundry, in Southern California in 1976. He and I wrote several songs together, which were performed by Leslie & Kelly, Walter Heath, and England Dan & John Ford Coley. Dan and John performed Maybe Tonight as their encore number on tours in the late seventies.

My current partner in collaboration, Dirk Anderson, has been largely responsible for the lyrics of our music. Dirk has a great talent for taking our musical ideas and putting words to them that always seem to fit my musical ideas with very little changes...

He and I began to write songs at the summer schools and I eventually became a member of NAVA. That’s when we got really serious about writing together. Hear the Nightingale was written during that time, as well as Tabarsí -both songs are featured on Walking From Jerusalem to Mecca...

The biggest influence that encouraged us to write and record Walking from Jerusalem to Mecca was our involvement in a North Carolina singing group called Sounds of Oneness. Performing with this wonderfully diverse group was one of the highlights of my musical career. We performed many styles of music including gospel, jazz, pop, folk, and blues and we always got the crowd to their feet singing with us. The members of the group were so instrumental in our decision to get busy and record Walking that they are credited in the liner notes of the CD...

Dirk and I hope that those who hear our music sense our vision of world peace and brotherhood. Tabarsí tells of the great sacrifices made by many who gave their lives for these ideals. Hear The Nightingale sings of the unity of all religions...

I work as an airline pilot in my day job. Music and flying have always been my two major interests, and I have been very blessed to be able to pursue both of them. Flying enables me to have the time for music and also allows me the opportunity to travel and share the music around the world. I feel very blessed indeed.

Excerpts from Arts Dialogue, March 1999, Arts Dialogue. pages 11 - 12



The CD is available from Special Ideas (A US distributor of Bahá´í related material)
or the website: http://www.??? Email this url to bafa@bahai-library.com

Email Jerry York at: bluebonnet9@msn.com