The Artistry of… Larry Goldings
There is a lot of the phrase “can be heard on” in any profile of Larry Goldings, and that brilliantly speaks volumes about his collaborative and connective spirit — but it does belie his artistry as composer, bandleader and singular music artist. Goldings’ music always sounds like he is taking the time and care to be sure of giving it charm and grace — elements like spices and seasonings that hold a listener’s attention. He plays as if assuming there will be unfettered focus on what he is so beautifully getting out of a keyboard. And there simply should be that focus. Piano, electric keyboard, or B3, Goldings finds and exploits the unique voices of each one and then finds the paths to express his voice uniquely with each one. Classical music set the foundation when he was young, as well as a collection of many styles of art music married to storytelling and drama. Exposure to people like Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans refocused his musical lens. Goldings lends another layer to the storytelling of film, and his body of work in soundtracks is testament to this with work in feature films including Space Cowboys and Funny People. His music that accompanies the stories of NPR’s This American Life enhances the already practically spellbinding glue that makes the series so often compelling. Larry Goldings does not just tell stories; he enhances and layers them, making them command your attention in every moment of his music.