We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ethan Ice a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Ethan, appreciate you joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
It’s hard for me to narrow down the “most” meaningful experience, but I can I tell you a bit about something that certainly is memorable and very worthwhile to me. A few years ago, I was contacted by the film school department of a college to help out some students with their final exam– which was composing and adding music to their final project, a 15-20 min silent film. To level the playing field, I was asked to play music for everyone’s projects– which was only a handful of students– but allowed me to meet and pick the brains of each of the aspiring filmmakers’ ideas behind their films and try to develop accompanying music that fit the vibe.
I love movies and role of music in film, and I was raised by an old movie buff dad, so I was very familiar with how music can influence and change the feel and dynamic in old silent films like those starring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, and even the serious ones like Nosferatu and Greed. I also love instrumental music- jazz, classical, electronic, or whatever- and how it can communicate emotions powerfully without needing words to say anything. It think my appreciation of old cinema and instrumental music made me value the challenge of this project, but it also scared the hell out of me.
Once I got started, it was a joy to get inside the heads of different but still comparable artists and try to get a feel of what they wanted me to communicate for each of their short films. The cherry on top is when I got to perform the material live during an airing of the final movies, just like a piano player would do so in the theaters of the 1920’s. And I suppose what made it meaningful to me was not only being able to do this very cool, unique project all by lonesome with no other bandmates to hide behind, but I got to help out other artists with their artistic vision and help them create a piece of art that, for all I know, may be the final movie they every made. So whether anyone ever sees that movie or hears that music again, it was meaningful because it meant the world to them.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Ethan Ice, I’m a local musician and songwriter in the Denver, Colorado area. I play keyboards mostly–piano/organ/ clavinet/ accordion etc. and sing a little too. I mainly spend my time co-spearheading my own project, Ignatius Reilly, and supporting in the Eric Martinez Band, both of which mostly feature original rock/jam music. I’m also sometimes with bands Leon & the Revival (soul/R&B), Rented Tuxedo (old time/jazz), Reptiles & Samurai (Oingo Boingo tribute), and the occasional solo show. I also seem to be “on call” or second or third string for several annual music benefits, the occasional private gig, or lets-put-a-band -together-to-play -this-one -gig type scenarios, and I do a bit of studio recording as well for myself and others. Basically, I’m a music slut and I enjoy working with other musicians and playing different kinds of music quite a bit.
I’m also fortunate to have friends in the music scene that know a lot more than me and I’ve tried to learn what I can. I’ve had some great studio experiences with local studio producers Ben Waligoske, Chadzilla Johnson, Eric Martinez and Brad Smalling, just to name a few– from those experiences I’ve really started to get a handle on recording from my own home studio and laying down tracks for other artists hundreds of miles away. In Ignatius Reilly, our bassist Mark Brut runs his own booking company Rocky Mountain Artists, which is a great vehicle for smaller bands to get gigs around the country — and this has given me a constant window to seeing the local music business and the economics of entertainment industry which seem to be drastically changing all the time. I’ve been doing this music thing for over 20 years and while I know I have some experience under the belt, I’m always amazed at all the new things I learn when I play new music or play with new musicians (to me) that have had a completely different musical journey and upbringing than myself. I’d say one of my best traits is I know how to play with others, both on stage and off– the mileage I’ve put into this musical road has helped me with skills to easily find and feel out my spot and role with a new group, encouraged me to be open to new material and also to learn it quickly, and taught me how to work well with a lot of shifting, different (and crazy) musician personalities. Musicians are a weird bunch, myself included!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I think it comes down to having and being consiously aware of your intention when you’re pursuing the creative journey. It’s hard to put into words, but whenever I play, my intent is really to simply raise the energy and spirits of those around me through some sort of connection. This may be playing a good-time song that everyone likes, or maybe it’s a writing a song with specific lyrics that someone can particularly identify with, or just recording a good melody or groove that people can appreciate. There can be a something of an educational aspect to it as well- I know a bit about different kinds of music and really enjoy showing people new genres of music or introducing them to artists or songs that they can take with them after we part. I take the music seriously but try not to take myself too seriously- all I can do is put my best intention forward and see what happens. But if I connect with at least one person, it makes it all worth it, and having that genuine connection is often dependent on being true to yourself and what you play, as that honesty will come out in the music.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I’ve said this to myself and others before over the years, playing music has always been a way for me to make sense of the world– sometimes it’s the only thing that makes sense to me in this crazy world — and that’s what’s been most rewarding to me. When I write or play something, it feels a bit like a return to my true “purest” self, if there ever was a thing. I can be a quiet person usually, but music has helped me to stand out, feel different, and to realize “different” is a good thing to shoot for, at least for me. Especially lately, the world seems to move a bit too fast, and playing music slows everything down for me, brings it back home inside, and lets me say and express things I can’t put into words. I’m not a religious guy, but it’s probably the closest thing I could cite as to evidence of a higher power- I can’t explain it much more than that, but I know it’s good!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ignatiusreilly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ignatiusreillyband/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IgnatiusReillyBand/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ignatiusreillyband9977
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ignatius-reilly-13
Image Credits
Traci Lynn Markle
Morgan Elizabeth
Bill McAlaine