Jim Phelps is a composer and guitarist in the Chicago area. He has traveled extensively, especially throughout China, and has absorbed various Asian cultural "sensitivities" into his own, Western music. He has performed his music throughout Asia, Europe, North America and the Caribbean and his music is represented on five recording labels. "Hide Wind", his second CD, follows the 2000 release, ATALLMIRROR, and is the first to represent a group of four artists, who have composed and performed together, albeit remotely - JULULU. Phelps is currently Professor of Music at Northern Illinois University and is Director of the experimental/computer-music ensemble, Annex Group.
Artist Statement: ""My own product has always been very diverse, as has been the case with the collective output of my students at Northern Illinois University. It follows, then, that I grew more and more weary of the 'sameness' and 'jumping on the bandwagon syndrome' I witnessed during a long period of time during which I was participating in many festivals and conferences in various venues and countries. I began to find an escape hatch through the JULULU concept which is not altogether different from Lennon's Plastic Ono Band. A powerful vehicle ... even propellent ... for this escape was found within my relationship with a Chinese singer and pianist, Ms. Luo Ting-yi, whom I met in November of 2000 in Chengdu, China. Within her I found an astonishing 'westermism' (she spoke English with an American accent at the age of 19!) interpreted through Chinese culture creating a unique amalgam of perspective. Listening to her music was viewing the familiar as if reflected back via funhouse mirrors. This fit perfectly. "
appears on: First Disguised as Last + Hello Future? annexgroup.org