Dear friends,

I posted a new recording on my myspace site today: "Of Stories Lost (for Adrian)," which is a tribute to my dearly missed brother who would have turned 33 today.

Eight years ago, Adrian succumbed to a long struggle with depression, and this piece is a personal reflection on the many great stories, musical and otherwise, that I won't hear him tell again. While life must have felt tremendously hard for him at times, I remember him as an incredibly cheerful and generous person. He was a talented artist: actor, photographer, and first and foremost, musician. Any musical tribute to Adrian has to – in my mind – feature the trumpet, his main instrument. Many of my fondest musical memories include our high school jazz quartet, with him on trumpet and myself on piano.

It took a while to write this tune, because I had to get it right, had to learn how to play it right, and then find the right musicians to play it. After a couple of years of playing it live, "Of Stories Lost" finally got the recording it deserved when I recorded my new album a few months ago. My friends Ingrid Jensen, Sean Conly, and Jeff Hirshfield all play their hearts out on this tune, as they always do.

The album is still awaiting release, but on the occasion of Adrian's birthday, I'm making this tune available for downloading. If you like it, take it with you. If you knew Adrian, maybe you will think of him, and if you didn't know him, maybe it will remind you of someone else.

Best wishes to all,

Johannes