Brian Frederick Music Artist Website for Musical Performances

Videos

May Lift Bridge Movie

Film taken of Lift Bridges in Chicago, Kansas City, Amsterdam, Racine, and more. Features the rock song "May Lift Bridge" from the 2014 album "Lift Bridge" by Brian Frederick.

Waves Boarding Movie

Film taken sailing on Beneteau 35 and Beneteau 38 sailboats on Lake Michigan, featuring "Waves Boarding" a classical composition by Brian Frederick

Mesa Trek Movie

Film taken from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, featuring "Mesa Trek", music by Brian Frederick

Open Country E Movie

Film of travels between Flagstaff and Valle, AZ, featuring the song "Open Country E", music by Brian Frederick

Change Parts Movie

Unreal footage from an unreal day at Olympic National Park Shi-Shi Trail and Beach, featuring "Change Parts", music by Brian Frederick

Canyonlands Sunrise Movie

Beautiful videos of the CANYONLANDS National Park featuring the soundtrack "Canyonlands Sunrise" by Brian Frederick

Paulista Movie

Stunning architecture from the 1960s in the Paulista district of Sao Paulo, Brazil, frozen in time, featuring the song "Paulista" by Brian Frederick.

Bike The Green Bay Trail and Wilmette, IL movie

Green Bay Trail, Wilmette Harbor, and the Baha'i House of Worship short video featuring "I-10 Country Roadie" by Brian Frederick

Pacific Coast Highway and "Jamcake" Movie

Driving north on the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles, featuring the song "Jamcake", formerly "Greengrow". Trip included Sequoia NF, and spots along the PCH.

Videos

Canal Ride Movie

Tour of several canals in Amsterdam Centrum district. One of the first things you should do when arriving at Amsterdam. The soundtrack features three of my original instrumental compositions -- "CANAL RIDE", from the BEST OF BRIAN FREDERICK album 2006 "RED STRIPES" from the OLD ROADS NEW WAYS album 2009, and "AIRPORT BAND" from the TRAIL RUN album 2008.

Snowboarding Breckenridge Terrain Park Movie

Film of my young nephew snowboarding at the trail park, and features the soundtrack "Lead Guitar 101" by Brian Frederick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach me at bfdanaher@gmail.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

Who produced the album art - so cool!

The album artist is my son Neil Danaher of DANAHER CREATIVE. Neil has provided creative input on many aspects of Brian Frederick Music and Vinyl Vibrations Podcast, including album cover art, website, logos, cards, and strategy for growth. Take a look at some of his creations here: https://www.danahercreative.com/

Another artist is TAVLOS. I have his art, and with permission, I used his 1996 acrylic-on-board painting as the cover on my BEST OF BRIAN FREDERICK album.

What instruments does the artist actually play?

Brian Frederick actually plays piano, synth, organ, acoustic and electric guitars, slide guitar, bass guitar, drums and percussion, whistle, harmonica, and concertina. Note, he is not a virtuoso on ANY instrument. He has done some performance work, like early combo band work and open-mic night, but is primarily a studio / session musician. He did take "formal" music education like music theory and some guitar lessons like chord progression and guitar tapping. For the most part, he has been learning through self-study.

His songs are the outcomes of heavy iterative effort - hundreds of recording sessions, thousands of takes, sometimes wiping and starting a work over, and then iterating each track until each one sounds right. It is miraculous to complete a single part, let alone an entire song in one session, but miracles do happen. Song titles EMPATHY IN G, OVER OCTOBER and BERLIN COWBOY are three examples of sub-hour compositions laid down on tracks.

Brian Frederick performs almost all of the parts. On some albums, he has invited other artists to improve a track, for example FLUTE and DRUMS.

Which instruments are played by other artists?

FLUTE and DRUMS. Two other artists appear on select albums.

Wendy Herbener Mehne plays the Brannen-Cooper flute on three albums, BEST OF (2006), OLD ROADS NEW WAYS (2008), and EMPATHY IN G (2011). Wendy is a faculty member in flute performance at Ithaca College of Music.

Steve Florian is a versatile drummer and appears on EMPATHY IN G (2011), and LIFT BRIDGE (2014). He is a self-employed drummer and Director of Operations at Corgenious. He studied Jazz Performance at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Does he fake performance by using AI?

He does not use AI to generate his music or to enhance his original work. His only use of AI has been to gain info on musical genre, time signature, and other tech-nerd info.

What are the different music genres featured on Brian Frederick Music?

There is a wide range of music genres, such as pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B, country, jazz, blues, classical, electronic, and fusions of those styles. His songs are not composed with a particular genre in mind. On some songs, it is difficult to figure the genre. Questions about "genre" have been posed to websites that claim to be able to detect the musical genre. Results are either wrong or provide multi-genre or fusion responses. And "AI" bots do not determine genre very well either, but that is bound to improve over time.

Where can I listen to Brian Frederick?

The artist can be heard on streaming platforms, such as Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube. His Official Artist Channel on YouTube is "Brian Frederick Music". His playlists, albums, and songs are available on many platforms, all accessed from links on this website.

Is Brian Frederick based in California or Illinois?

DISAMBIGUATION: There are two "Brian Frederick" artists.

1) Brian Frederick, the music artist, is based in Illinois. That is me!! I am a multi-instrumentalist and compose original instrumental music. I have published over 100 songs and do my own recording, mixing and mastering. I have operated studios named DANA SOUND (2000-2006) and BRIAN FREDERICK MUSIC (2006 to-date). Brian Frederick is my artist name, not my legal name.

2) The other Brian Frederick is in a similar business. He is a California-based audio engineer, music producer, and entrepreneur. He has also published 2-3 songs as "Brian Frederick". Brian Frederick is his legal name. He owns and operates Long Beach Mastering. https://longbeachmastering.com/ He and Miguel Vasquez co-own Stacks FX, a boutique effects pedal manufacturer.

Since 2018, the two "Brian Frederick" artist's music have been commingled on YouTube Music and on Apple Music platforms. Several service requests were logged with CD-Baby, YouTube and Apple Music to separate our works. When an artist submits their music and metadata to a publisher like CD-Baby, it is the publisher's responsibility to distribute the works and the artist credits correctly. Unfortunately, CD-Baby has had cost and service reductions, like the downsizing of their "human" customer service. Mistakes remain in place and there is no "warm body" to assist; today you get a "bot" that takes the artist on a ride with no solution. I gave up that battle and changed my publisher in 2026.

Is Vinyl Vibrations Podcast available on my favorite podcast site?

VINYL VIBRATIONS PODCAST is published on apractically all podcasting platforms, globally. The largest are Apple Podcast, Spotify, Android, and Amazon Fire. Search for "VINYL VIBRATIONS WITH BRIAN FREDERICK PODCAST".

Music Reviews

2003

SHORT STORIES ALBUM. Congrats! Your CD "Short Stories" showcases your incredible musical performances. It truly sounds great, highlighting your talents as a music artist and your journey in the music career as a multi-talented musician, writer, producer, and engineer...cool. --Anne Harris - American singer, songwriter, violinist, Chicago

2005

SHORT STORIES ALBUM. I love your guitar work as a music artist. The most striking aspect of your musical performances is their conversational quality. It truly feels as though the guitar is speaking and/or singing to me. I am fascinated by music that captures this characteristic and by performers who can convey it in such a meaningful way. Additionally, I notice that your music often progresses toward something predictable, only to unexpectedly veer off into the unexpected. In most music, anything beyond two or three repetitions with minor modifications becomes too predictable and static, but you never fall into that trap. You also set the listener up with certain harmonic patterns or melodic ideas, only to transition to chords or pieces of melodies that are surprising. Very nice, very interesting. Much of what you do is quite subtle, revealing more with each listen—be it an intriguing riff or an unusual tonal color. The three qualities I've mentioned are ones that are challenging for trained musicians to fully grasp and develop in their music careers.

–Wendy Herbener Mehne, Flutist, Ithaca College of Music

2005

REMASTERING PROJECT "My wife Mary and I want to express our deepest thanks for all the time you devoted to mixing and remixing an old amateur audio tape into a very professional sounding CD. This was a task I thought would have been impossible. It may please you to know that your work is being admired and spoken about not only in the USA but also in Canada, Scotland, and Italy, where the CD has been distributed in bulk to all our friends and relations. On our 50th Wedding Anniversary, it was a wonderful surprise to hear how professional the CD sounded, and we were amazed at what you as a music artist were able to accomplish. Your efforts truly enhanced our musical performances, and I can assure you it brought a little tear to many an eye. It still does!" --Gerry O'Neil, singer

2006

Ode To Paul - Musical Performance - Ithaca College. I truly enjoyed your music, though I wish I had delivered a better performance during the concert. Earlier that day, we had some really nice run-throughs, and I wish you could have joined us for that. I loved learning your piece; your solo is terrific and showcases your talent as a music artist. I've also enjoyed exploring the rest of the CD and hope to experience your musical performances live someday. P.S. I say lay off the amateur schpeel -- you're no amateur in your music career! --Nicholas Walker, Faculty, Bassist, Ithaca College of Music

2006

BEST OF BRIAN FREDERICK Having never heard of Brian Frederick (http://www.brianfrederickmusic.com) before, I was a little surprised to receive a "Best Of" compilation from this talented music artist. Isn't that something you'd expect from someone who is already well known in the industry? Well, as a career retrospective, this collection of instrumentals certainly has me longing for more. Frederick showcases his musical performances by playing every instrument, except for a guest flute from Wendy Herbener Mehne, as he juggles multiple styles. He experiments with soft and progressive rock, jazz, pop, and classical. The most memorable cuts seem to have emanated from his "Short Stories" album, although there is virtually something to commend from each sample here. "Let's Go!" and "Hot Potato" are about as catchy as wordless rock music gets. "Let's Go!" is aptly titled; Frederick's bluesy, ripping riffs make you want to leap from bed early in the morning and conquer the day. On "Rhode Reverence/Heavenly" and "Ode to Paul," both from "Lakeshore Nights," he takes a more atmospheric approach. The supple guitar playing on "Rhode Reverence/Heavenly" creates a scenic view, while "Ode to Paul" recalls Mark Knopfler's sonic storytelling. There's a wonderful variety in Frederick's music career, from the smooth jazz of "Canal Ride" to the shuffling beach beat of "Surfin' Turf." --–whisperin and hollerin -Adam Harrington

2008

“Instrumental guitar and easy listening are hallmarks of this music artist's work. With an eclectic style, their musical performances showcase a unique fusion of jazz, pop, rock and roll, and, at times, classical influences, contributing to a vibrant music career.” –Wendy Herbener Mehne, Flutist, Ithaca College of Music

2009

Old Roads New Ways - There seems to be no end to the great melodies; you can hear excellent melodic variety in each of your musical performances. I often worry that my melody structures are too similar, but not with your work—there's great variety. You must have a million melodies within you. Vampfire is very nice, kind of a Santana sound. Beautiful. Red Strips showcases nice Reggae vibes, and Roadway E has an amazing flute. I was just thinking that I couldn't recall hearing any piano in your music career, then this song surprised me with the piano. Cool. Riding Out features more lovely flute, and Underground is nice as well.

--Tom Benardo, Music Artist

2009

OLD ROADS NEW WAYS - VAMPFIRE - Style: Rock Instrumental. The opening guitar melody is strong, setting a solid foundation for your musical performances. Overall, I really enjoy the vibe you create with this track. Your transitions are very smooth, and musically it ties in well with your song title. Incorporating a contrasting section could heighten the tension in your track and offer an additional boost to the overall development of your music career.

--TAXI

2009

BEST OF BRIAN FREDERICK. Guitars - In my opinion, the sound of the guitars stands out as truly incomparable. I wouldn’t say that if it weren't true. The guitar sound in these musical performances is really, really exceptional. It’s a bit wet (with reverb/delay) on some tracks, but I actually enjoy it that way. The telecaster sounds brilliant. On several of the tracks, I would add some guitars that are a little drier alongside what you currently have. Those double stops are nice. Is that slide on Sad and True? Way cool! It clearly showcases the talent of this music artist and enhances his music career. -- Tom Benardo, Indie Artist

2011

The samples of Empathy In G showcase exceptional unique compositions; I truly appreciated the various techniques you explore in your musical performances and on the guitar. In “Song For Wes,” I loved the playing; it has excellent feel, a beautiful melody, an interesting arrangement, and a great guitar sound, making it a truly enjoyable piece for any music artist in their career to aspire to.

--Jeff Williams, Kari-On Productions LLC

2026

“DOWNWIND LEG (2025 Version)” is a compelling instrumental piece that showcases the musical performances of a talented music artist, blending melodic clarity with thoughtful arrangement and production. This track demonstrates artistic maturity and a unique voice, particularly in how it uses instrumental colors to convey mood and imagery. For fans of instrumental or genre-blending compositions, this rich listening experience is a rewarding addition to any music career, inviting repeated hearings.

2026

The title track of "LAKESHORE NIGHTS" not only showcases your skill as a music artist in crafting memorable melodies, but also highlights your sensitivity as a composer. This piece feels like a sonic journey — serene yet evocative — and leaves a lasting impression long after it ends. It’s a strong example of your musical performances, illustrating your ability to create immersive, emotionally resonant music that can significantly enhance your music career.