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JEFF BUJAK - BUILDING: AN ARSENAL - The Healthy Hippie, The Healthy Hippie Magazine, Burlington, VT (05-15-08) www.healthyhippiemagazine.com

   I'm being transported to a place where there is no time, life is light though darkness is creeping closer. In Jeff Bujak's sophomore release, he brings out the intelligent dance party, and for you electronica heads, I'm not talking "IDM," it's something beyond that, something that maybe can't be labeled. He does that all by mixing an electronic backdrop with his excellent piano and Rhodes skills. Add to that his tasteful lyricism and it's the ingredients for a great sound. Although there are many times I find myself looking for him to drop that heavy drum and bass and really take me deeper, I'm ok with the unconventional twists and turns he takes me through. Rather than slipping into the often-predictable ways of the DJ/Electronica world, he's carrying the listener through on his own terms. Somewhere between the glitchy drum and bass and an acoustic jazz album, Bujak covers life as a late twenty-something going through love and life changes and standing up for one's beliefs. Such deep thinking and playing thrown against a backdrop of electronic music is not what your used to. DIdn't think this could be done? Well, Jeff Bujak does it and he does it well. Jeff has brought me through my day via a road I may not have otherwise traveled, and for that, I thank him. With that, I say open your mind to new music, instead of putting on that old Dead show... get this CD and thank me later.

JEFF BUJAK'S BUILDING AN ARSENAL - Bryan Rodgers, Home Grown Music Network, Mebane, NC (02-20-08) www.homegrownmusic.net

  Jeff Bujak is gradually and carefully creating his own musical world. It's clear from the first track of his new CD, Building: An Arsenal, that there are countless ideas just zinging around in this guy's head. Here I was thinking that his last opus - 2006's Peaces of Man and Machine - was about as ambitious a solo album as I'd heard. He's bested himself with this new album, a result of the apparent war going on between his inner human and machine.

  While he's heavily influenced by electronic gadgetry, the meticulous musical engineering hasn't washed away his profoundly human side, as his beat-heavy, shape-shifting creations are dotted with spacious vocals and heartfelt piano contributions. He also adds his personal touch in manipulating sounds - wringing emotional cries out of his Rhodes electric piano to create what sounds like a guitar solo on "Crowd," for instance. "Crowd" is a stellar example of Bujak's sublime construction methods, including jazzy vocal passages washed in soaring synths scrunched next to minimalist hi-hat and drum beats.

  One things is for certain - this album sounds exactly like the songwriter intended. A drum machine would never let him down or have trouble with the perplexing rhythms; such fallacies are human in nature. While it's a mechanical onslaught, Bujak's in tune with the machines in the way that a virtuoso guitarist or classical pianist is in tune with their instrument - the medium ceases to be seperate and becomes an extension of the person. It's hard to imagine him wrestling with the computers and keyboards as much as convening with them.

  For 76 minutes this album seamlessly moves from one song to the next interlude to the next song, and it has a svengali-like effect on the listener. The last 3 tracks blend so flawlessly as to be one 27-minute epic. Time's passing quicker than you thought. Must pay attention. Seems to me that Jeff Bujak's Arsenal is complete.

OUT OF SOMEBODY'S CLOSET - Gary Carra, Valley Advocate, Northampton, MA (02-07-08) www.valleyadvocate.com

Jeff Bujak may be best known for his stint laying down keys for nationally touring prog-jammers Somebody's Closet. A piano student from the age of six who claims to have penned more than 200 original compositions by 18, the Syracuse, N.Y. native-cum-current Noho resident appears far too prolific for any one musical entity to contain.

  Your friendly neighborhood Nightcrawler caught up with Bujak before his CD release party at The Elevens this Friday, Feb. 8 in celebration of his new solo offering, Building: An Arsenal. The following represent some of the wunderkind keyboardist's insights into his musical migration across the country, Arsenal's assembly, and his emergence from Somebody's Closet.

  Nightcrawler: At the risk of sounding like a psychoanalyst, I wanted to start at the beginning. How did a New York native end up in the Tempe, Arizona-based Somebody's Closet?

  Bujak: In high school, I actually played guitar in a few bands. But after college, I moved out to Arizona and joined them as a piano player. They were looking for a new bass player and maybe a keyboardist. I ended up taking on both jobs by playing left-hand piano-bass and playing piano organ with my other hand.

  Nightcrawler: What is the current status of "SoClo" and why did you feel the time was right to venture out of the Closet now?

  Bujak: My solo career has always been brewing, but from my lessons and trials with working with the band, I've learned how to sustain and grow as a touring solo musician. As for Somebody's Closet, the band has had more than 13 members since its inception in 1997. And none of us left are original members. I've had some of the best times of my life with them and would do it all again if I could. The band isn't as active as it once was, maybe playing out once a month. But we are all doing solo projects and other musical endeavors to find out who we really are.

  Nightcrawler: Did any of them collaborate with you on the disc, and will you bring other musicians to The Elevens Feb. 8 to fill things in live?

  Bujak: I perform alone on all my CDs. Every programmed beat, every piano-bass line... performed by myself. I didn't even let anyone hear any of the album until it was completed! When I play live, nobody joins me. Eventually I will form a small touring band to do select, special shows with percussion, guitar and cello, but for now, I want to keep this project to myself.

TUNED IN - Ken Maiuri, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, MA (02-07-08) www.dailyhampshiregazette.com

  Jeff Bujak is a Northampton-based keyboardist and songwriter whose progressive sound incorporates Bruce Hornsby piano, Radiohead melancholy, complex electronic beats, jazzy Rhodes electric piano, and whatever else he feels like blending in.

JEFF BUJAK'S BUILDING: AN ARSENAL - Mark Bialczak, Stars Magazine, Syracuse, NY (01-27-08) www.poststandard.com

  On "Jeff Bujak's Building: An Arsenal," the former Central New Yorker dives into the pool of progressive piano music.

  Keyboardist Bujak, known for his work with Somebody's Closet as well as his solo career that's centered in suburban Boston, unleashes his unconventional composing eye on an interesting array of a dozen songs.

  There's the long of it, including three songs that go over the 10 minute mark.

  "Vacuous" starts the long and winding journey off with an 11:11 sojourn into keys, loops and a bubbling world that fits in between.

  There's the short of it, including four pieces that time around a minute. Bujak gets his point across quickly in "Muses," fitting percussion and fuzzed-up lyrics that escalate into a techno scream of power.

  He just might have saved the best for last. "Slope" closes the CD with his keyboard touches worthy of a Charlie Brown special. Here's what his composition and playing skills put into my mind's eye. Picture the peanuts gang eyeing a big hill from the top, and Charlie's 100 percent certain that Lucy won't kick the skis out from under him this time.

BUILDING: AN ARSENAL - John Book, The Run-Off Groove, Washington State (01-29-08) therunoffgroove.blogspot.com

  The last I heard of Jeff Bujak, I had interpreted his music as jazz with electronic stylings. I really enjoyed it and looked forward to what he had to offer, and he now presents the world with a new effort called Building: An Arsenal (Lizardflag Recordings). For this one, the vibe here is electronic music with jazz stylings, not sure if he decided to switch his emphasis or I'm just hearing things differently, but what I like about this one is that he continues to explore with his music with a bit of minimalism involved, and trying to get through each song layer by layer, without worrying about reaching the end at a specific time.

  I say this because Bujak likes to explore things in-depth, meaning that while there are brief 44 second pieces on here ("Py" and "Vy" respectively), tracks like "Vacuous" are 11:11 in length, while "Sill" is 14:00 and "Crowd" is 12:16, while the album closes with three 9 minute songs in a row. Think of The ORB if they were into jazz, and some might read that and go "oh, so Bujak sounds like The Necks?" No, but instead you have a musician who is very sure of his playing style, and chooses to do so with electronic backdrops. "Muses" could easily find its way onto any new electronic album, some of the beats sound like something from the Future Sound Of London vaults with something that sounds like an electronic Melodica. Dare I say it, but as a whole this guy could easy give Moby a run for his money in terms of arrangements, musical depth, and concepts. He can create something with an abrasive edge, or as is the case with "Crowd" it sounds a bit like new age with a beat. Some of it sounds perfect for some kind of promotioal tourist package video, but then you sit down with the music a bit and start to hear his music in different ways. But away from the textures surrounding him, the focus is his piano playing, and Bujak is great to listen to. Not sure if he plans to tour for this one, but to be able to have a group of musicians who could duplicate this live would be a trip to listen and view. Job well done.

JEFF BUJAK | BUILDING: AN ARSENAL - Casey Hayman, The Local Buzz, Springfield, MA (01-31-08) blog.masslive.com/localbuzz

  File Jeff Bujak under "Things that make you go hmmm...". The man himself calls his music "Prog Piano Electronica." The best way I can think of to describe it is some sort of mutant hybrid of Bruce Hornsby and Nintendo. This sounds like something I would hate, but I don't.

  Certainly, there are sections that come off as a little self-indulgent, verging on stoner-noodling-on-new-synthesizer-in-his-bedroom territory. But even when he goes too far, the sheer intrepidness of Bujak's venture is impressive. Listening to Building's dreamy, meandering mixtures of live keys with electronic drums and synth sounds, I found myself struck by the originality and honesty of the compositions, as well as the way in which Bujak seems completely unafraid to follow his expressions in unexpected directions.

  At his best, on songs like "Majority" and "Crowd", Bujak evokes electro-rock pioneers like Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel without sounding derivative. Most of all, though, listening to Building made me want to see Bujak play live. The spontaneous feel of the songs on the album seem as though they would be perfectly suited to being performed one-man-band style. Certainly, in its originality of vision, Building: An Arsenal is an album worth a listen; however, something tells me that Bujak needs to be seen to be truly appreciated.

WE GOT BUJAK'D! - Mike McKinley, State of Mind Magazine, Burlington, VT (5-1-07) www.stateofmindmagazine.com

  On Peaces of Man and Machine, Jeff Bujak builds layers of electronic textures and percussion, and then comes flying in on top with his forte: piano playing. When it works, it really works - displaying moments of Hornsby-esqu sincerity and stretching out with pockets of lyrical thoughtfulness. Sometimes it's haunting and edgy; other times it embodies beauty. This album proves that he is a sharp-minded musician with focus and determination. Keep you ears open for him.

JEFF BUJAK - Nicole D'Angelo, State of Mind Magazine, Burlington, VT (5-1-07) www.stateofmindmagazine.com

  Jeff Bujak's music can take you to the highest of highs and lowest of lows. In each song on Peaces of Man and Machine, the intensity of his keys can propel you to cloud 9, and then hurl you back into the unknown depths of the ocean. Closing your eyes and listening, you begin to feel like his music is a fantastic ambient portrayal of real life - how at any moment, it can all change. Yet, there's still a fairy tale ending.

JEFF BUJAK - Josh Taylor, State of Mind Magazine, Burlington, VT (5-1-07) www.stateofmindmagazine.com

  Jeff Bujak's music cannot be categorized. It's an ethereal blend of many diverse colors and tonalities. His music conjures up images of grand piano sidemen of the past, yet looks into the future, harnessing technology to work for the music. Peaces of Man and Machine is a triumph on all accounts - well-planned, well-written and well-executed.

JEFF BUJAK - Dan Denicola, The Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, MA (2-22-07) www.dailyhampshiregazette.com

  When he's not playing with the Northampton-based jazz/funk/folk/rock outfit Somebody's Closet, classically trained keyboardist Jeff Bujak is a solo act, performing what he calls "progressive piano over polyrhythmic electronica."

  Bujak's recent concept album is a 78-minute epic whose title, "Peaces of Man and Machine," conveys what he's up to: the harmonious reconciliation between human and technological methods of producing music. Beginning with a theme stated on the piano - it may be jazz, classical, pop or rock - Bujak adds layer upon layer of digitally produced sounds that both respond to and drive the original theme in fugue-like ways, the goal being "to create flawlessly composed musical pieces and tell musical stories that explore life and define the soul." Bujak says he's careful, however, "not to play or record anything I cannot perform live on stage. I want my live shows to be just as full and intense as on the album."

PEACES OF MAN AND MACHINE - John Book, The Run-Off Groove, Washington State (12-11-06) www.musicforamerica.org

  The unexpected is what I like. The front cover of Jeff Bujak's Peaces Of Man And Machine (Lizardflag Recordings) is a simple photo of a robotic hand about to touch a rose. It immediately brings to mind thoughts of the natural with the electronic, the warmth with the unspoken. Yet by looking at the cover, and only knowing a rough idea of his assigned "genre", I didn't know what Jeff Bujak's music would sound like.

  When I popped the CD in and saw that it was 78:42 in length, I said "WHOA!" Let me repeat that for emphasis, I said "WHOA!" Okay, if you're going to do an album that long, then I best be entertained. Or in truth, I want to hear some good music that justifies me sitting down for that long to hear it in full. The simply titled "I" has Bujak (a classically trained pianist) introducing himself with a pretty melody, and it could go anywhere. It could be country, it could be blues, there are also some poppy sensibilities. A minute later, the voyage begins with "Cake" and his piano playing is surrounded by percussion and subtle electronic sounds. The man can play, and my immediate thought was Bruce Hornsby, due to the way they courageously play to create a mood and play towards a goal. This goes on for about ten minutes, where Bujak moves to the keyboards every now and then, only to return to the piano.

  Upon track three, I hear... oh damn, is this true? I hear... vinyl crackle. I'm smiling, and it's not just crackle layered over for texture, it's used rhythmically. One minute into the song and we hear his voice for the first time and another name comes to mind: Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode. Not only that, but the music suddenly moves from simplicity to exquisitely complex, with textured strings and the kind of overall production that sounds more like a finely tuned band than that of a one-man show. The song then segues immediately into "Puzzle" and for twelve minutes he goes deep into foreign territory, this time with funky beats and the kind of quirky sounds that will sound familiar to fans of Bjork.

  Five of the album's tracks are over nine minutes, and yet not once does it get boring or stale. The textures, and the durations he takes to paint his picture, reminds me of Jazzanova, Jaga Jazzist, or Japanese pianist Hajime Yoshizawa. Bujak is a brilliant musician who does not hold himself back from playing within different styles. He utilizes his talent to simply create music without boundaries, and one is perhaps able to hear a part of him in these songs. The songs where Bujak steps up to the mic to sing almost serve as links between each segment of the album, and by the time the listener reaches the end, one can turn around and see how far the journey has taken them. It is a journey worth taking, and his music is sure to be more adventurous as time goes on.

SONG BY SONG ANALYSIS OF JEFF BUJAK'S NEW ALBUM - Josh Taylor, freelance writer (11-13-06)

  Track 1 & 2: I > Cake

Wow...what a way to open what seems to be a bridge between the thematic and concept album format fused into the context of an instrumental odyssey. Cake is a perfect introduction into said concept, melding the best aspects of Man and Machine, working in concert with each other to create a harmonious musical balance. The song has many breaks and transitions between movements, and paints a vast musical picture of what is to come.

  Track 3: Channelise

 I like the way Jeff bridges his longer compositions with shorter 'narraratives'. This one has a slight vocal mix, almost an accentuation. The voice blends well, and does what it was meant to do, become another instrument in the mix.

  Track 4: Puzzle

 This song is a sweeping piano driven epic, that waxes and echoes Jazz, but quickly moves along to solid chord maximizing texture usage. Clocking in at 12:10, it delivers high energy sonic alchemy without boring the listener. The vocal mix style of Channelise is brought back, as if to somehow reprise and bring full circle the song.

  Track 5: Intrinsic

This track rocks. This is a nod to Bujak's love of Jamband music, funk, and the like. It packs a bombastic punch, and with the right band, could become a 15 minute jam scorcher...one compaint...at 2 and a half minutes it's two damn short.

  Track 6: Gemini

 A slight departure here, though not in a bad way. This song definitely has more of a (gasp!) pop feel too it. It harkens back to good 80's synthpop from europe, with updated pop hooks, and a more distinguishable vocal track. Really nice spiralling solo about halfway through.

  Tracks 7 & 8, Agitate > Veil

Agitate is a cool little teaser that really doesn't prepare you for the curveball is about to send you. Veil has much darker colors than the rest of the album. It echoes NIN and Depeche Mode, but still has an air of hope. Great hook into the chorus, layered vocals with a hint of Billy Corgan.

  Tracks 9 & 10, Persuaders > Bonfire

Ominous backbeats prevail in these two songs. The basslines are walking yet stationary, and seem to reverborate with a call to wake up. Towards the middle of "Bonfire" the listener sees the light at the end of the tunnel. Despair falls away to reveal a chance of hope and promise, and soothing comfort, crescendoing into a cacophonous bridge with engaging vocals and urgent piano work.

  Track 11: Cycle

This song is a great summation of the album as a whole. It has an almost call and response feel, with music and a robotic voice intermingling with each other. Truly an interaction and conversation between man and machine.

  The final track: Duodenary

Duodenary is a good continuation and finalization of the summation Cycle presented. It is full of rich tones and textures, and paints a good picture of the concept of "Peaces of Man and Machine". Once again, the blends of man and machine reign supreme.

  This record is really a triumph for Jeff Bujak. One can tell that this record was well planned, well written, and well executed in the recording studio. No one instrumentation overpowers another, but instead complement each other, a feat most musicians dream of attaining. All in all a strong effort from Jeff Bujak.

THE GHOST LIES IN BOTH: JEFF BUJAK AT PEACE - Dave Terpeny, KyndMusic, Washington, DC (11-13-06) www.kyndmusic.com

  Jeff Bujak should already be well-known in the jam world as keyboardist extraordinaire for the progressive jam outfit called Somebody’s Closet. His work on their latest album, Breeze of Transition, was described by a KyndMusic reviewer as “outrageously inventive.” So when word of Jeff’s solo album, Peaces of Man and Machine, came down, the first question we had was, how goes the Closet?

  “The current situation with Somebody’s Closet is great,” Jeff assured us. “We’ve slowed down the touring a little, but were playing and feeling great about it and it’s giving us time to write and record our own solo albums. Mine is just the first of 3 solo albums coming out of the Closet in the near future.

  Justin Eck is currently in the studio recording his second solo album and Christine is gearing up to record hers very soon. We feel that this will expand our individual talents and end up coming back to the band with a new energy and new songs.”

  And Peaces of Man and Machine is a truly a solo effort. Written on piano, performed entirely by Jeff and implementing loop technology, it has resulted in a multi-layered deep musical experience.

  “After listening to the piano composition,” he explained, “I write the rhythm sections and other arpeggios. The composing process for this album, though, was much different than how I’ve written in the past, whether for bands or solo projects, using loopers and samplers. While writing and recording the album, I made sure not to play or record anything I can not perform live on stage. I want my live show to be just as full and intense as on the album."

  "To loop a sample, I need to play the musical phrase a couple times to grab the good section to loop, so I needed to leave a few measures open to do this before the solo. I didn’t use any samplers on the recording of this album to increase the quality of sound, so I performed each repeated phrase separately. But, still keeping in mind that I will be looping the section live. It was a little confusing at times, but it all certainly came together in the end.”

  We’d have to agree. The album, an instrumental (with occasional vocals) epic clocking in at over 78 minutes, combines Jeff’s transitional and luminous playing in Somebody’s Closet with a much jazzier side. Shifting gears a bit from the progressive elements of SC, he moves into John Lewis (Modern Jazz Quartet) territory with performances in the fugue state.

  What that means is that each track on the album, and all the tracks together as the theme, begin with a theme stated by one of the instruments (usually the piano) playing alone. A second instrument then enters and plays the same theme, while the first instrument continues on with a contrapuntal accompaniment. The remaining instruments enter one by one, each beginning by stating the same theme. The remainder of the fugue develops the material further using all of the instruments and, usually, multiple statements of the theme. Like he said it’s confusing at first but it does all come together. And to add another layer to it, there is also a conceptual story behind the thematic music.

  “There is a reoccurring theme to the album,” Jeff confirmed. “I created the concept last year and worked very hard to compose and create songs to fit the storyline. The story behind the album can be interpreted in different ways, and I planned it that way. The real story will always be stored in my head, but others can make sense of their own meaning by incorporating their own lives.”

  Thankfully Jeff makes it easy to incorporate. Taking complex musical melodies and rhythms, he makes it all seem very simple with an honest and seemingly fathomless talent for composition and improvisation. This is an album that will remain a fixture of my music collection for years to come. And just to make sure that it will always keep me digging for more Jeff gave us the following answers to our repeated theme questions:

  KyndMusic: What is man?

  Jeff Bujak: Man is the first of the 2 characters in Peaces; the protagonist. Man has struggles and looks to resolve them with peace.

    KM: Then what is machine?

  JB: Machine is the other character; the antagonist. Machine has the solutions to Mans struggles, but they all come at a price.

  KM: So in which does the ghost lie?

   JB: By the end, the ghost lies in both.

PEACES OF MAN AND MACHINE - Mark Bialczak, Stars Magazine, Syracuse, NY (11-12-2006) www.syracuse.com/poststandard

  Pianist and composer Jeff Bujak has carefully constructed a 12-song collection that proves real music and technology indeed can peacefully co-exist.

  Syracuse native Bujak, who regularly tours with acoustic band Somebody's Closet as well as his solo show, uses his classical training on piano to drive his songs with great emotion. He also uses percussion loops that he's carefully written and sequenced with great care.

  Pieces such as "Cake," "Puzzle" and "Veil" show a big, grand sound that hints of emo rock one moment and new age flights the next. Call it progressive piano.

MAN AND MACHINE: A JOURNEY TO EXTREMES - Katy Devlin, Glass Magazine, New York, NY (11-09-2006) www.glassmagazine.net

  To listen to Jeff Bujak's Peaces of Man and Machine is to set out on a refreshingly unconventional musical journey.

  Through 12 interconnected tracks in a masterful mix of keyboards, bass, percussion and vocals, Bujak takes the listener on an experience defined by technical, musical and emotional extremes—an experience surely unparalleled by anything else in your CD collection.

  Bujak's exploration of extremes begins right in the name: Man and Machine. Throughout the album, Bujak displays impressive skill as he relies on electronic keyboards, computerized pre-sequenced percussion loops and vocal synthesizers to send a surprisingly humanistic and emotional message of song. In his own words, he uses technology to "explore life and define the soul."

  The keyboard melodies themselves pull from opposing ends of the musical spectrum—mixing Bujak's classical training with complex chords and riffs rooted in jazz tradition. Melodies take surprising twists through each track, occasionally flirting with the chaotic, but always driving through with familiar themes to reach resolution.

  The emotion of Man and Machine lies in its varying tones that cross a spectrum starting with haunting sounds of the album's first notes. Eerie tracks with underlying vocals penetrating through with lingering harmonies are juxtaposed against buoyant, upbeat melodies highlighted with rapid and intricate rhythms and keyboard runs.

  The flow of wide-ranging tones of each piece reflects "digital slices of life, each piece being inspired by an existing period of time," Bujak describes.

  The variance of each track, each connected with well-executed transitions, forces this music to the forefront. Follow Bujak's lead and engage in the music, rather than playing this album in the background. Allow yourself to honestly explore the extremes offered in Man and Machine. You haven't heard anything like it before, so take heart and enjoy.

PEACES OF MAN AND MACHINE - Dave Terpeny, Kynd Music, Washington, DC (10-09-2006) www.kyndmusic.com

  Jeff Bujak, Somebody’s Closet’s keyboardist extraordinaire, has announced that he is hard at work finalizing his latest solo release, Peaces of Man and Machine. It is due for a November release. From what Kynd has heard, it promises to be an amazing collection of songs. You can stream some “demo” tracks on Jeff’s MySpace page.

PEACES OF MAN AND MACHINE -Ty Marshal, Rarely Done Productions, Syracuse, NY (06-25-2006) www.myspace.com/tymarshal

  Jeff Bujak's Myspace release of "Peaces of Man and Machine" is a sonic fury of passion. On the myspace versions of "Bonfire 1 and 2" and "Cake 1 and 2," the listener gets a fair chunk of contemporary rhythms, upbeat melodies and thoughtful progressions, but this chunk only satisfies for so long before you are left wanting more (with a little extra frosting perhaps). There is confidence that the birthday boy will share some of the rose (the best part) when he cuts the rest of this sugary goodness up. Jeff Bujak is a natural musician/composer in every sense of the word. Part genius, part spiritualist - he takes the listener by the ears and sets off on a sonic peregrination of soul, rock, jazz, classical and contemporary flavors. Check him out today!