ABOUT

The Last Minute is the First Minute is the debut release by Bellaceo, an electro-instrumental duo consisting of Jean Gay (Alya Ensemble) and Jay Reynolds (Asleep At The Wheel, Bootsy Collins). Conceived while they were finishing Jean’s solo cello album Circle Myth, this project was literally a series of last minute recording sessions intended to document as many performances as possible before a relocation saw Jean and Jay living in different cities. Ten improvisations for synthesizer and cello were captured within a handful of days and later revised into more concise arrangements, or in some cases not.

Guest artists were invited on several songs, including Chris Madine (Polo G, Masego) on guitar, Zach Mechlem (Mohenjo Daro, Mack West) on percussion, Nick Fryer (Algernon, Ed and George Schuller) on steel guitar, and Edward Denton (4Track All-Stars, Freekbass) on bass. Switching roles from synthesis to reel player, Jay added woodwinds to a number of tracks as well. Despite all the editing and overdubs, all the cello heard on the record is from Jean’s original, in-the-moment takes from those ten initial improvisations. The end result is a group of songs that are of two minds, some pieces refined into concise moments while others retain their original sense of exploration: looking for something that’s already been found, finding out that the sky is really water.

The Last Minute Is the First Minute visits a series of worlds and invites the listener to watch as each unfolds, from the oceanic depths of “Which Way Is Down” to the atmospheric journey of “We Have a Secret,” from the warmth and closeness of “Table For Two” to the vistas of “Steps For One (And Zero)”.

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Jean Gay is a sound and visual artist exploring realms of transformation, wholeness, discovery, and healing in her work. With education rooted in the classical music tradition she embraces the language and perspective developed within that lineage, opening up into new avenues of expression through live performance (with both acoustic and amplified cello), improvisation, and more formalized composition. Her upcoming album, “The First Minute is the Last Minute” will be released on March 15, 2024. This album was made in collaboration with Jay Reynolds, who she also worked with to create her first full-length solo album, Circle Myth in 2023.

Her most recent collaborative work has taken her into realms of sound healing, such as monthly sound baths with sound bowl artist Shawntae Clark as well as working with many yoga practitioners, pairing sound with healing movement within supportive community. In addition she was glad to join new music ensemble Bent Frequency for their “Underscore” program in March, and looks forward to sharing her upcoming solo program SPARK throughout April & May.

Jean’s formal education is as follows: B. M. in Cello Performance, 2009 at Georgia State University with Martha Gerschefski and Pamela Devenport; M.M. Cello Performance, 2011 CCPA Roosevelt University with Wendy Warner; A.D. Cello Performance, 2013 at Georgia State University with Christopher Rex.

Jay Reynolds has been playing music since he was ten years old. Initially a student of the piano, Jay switched to flute at age 11 and then sax at age 13. A graduate in saxophone studies from both the Interlochen Arts Academy and The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of music, he has been touring and recording for over 25 years. From playing as a session musician alongside artists like Bootsy Collins, to touring with bands like 10-time Grammy Award winners Asleep At The Wheel, Jay has played either sax, flute, or clarinet in literally every style of music. 

Jay also carries 20+ years of music production experience, having personally engineered or produced dozens of albums at either Cincinnati’s own New Fidelity Studios, Bismeaux Productions in Austin, Texas, or at his own home-based recording facility. An avid electronic music producer, Jay has been making everything from hip-hop to acid jazz to ambient, often incorporating instruments such as cello, saxophone, or sounds found in nature. Jay has a considerable arsenal of analog electronics at his disposal, including a Moog Model D, a Roland TR 606, and collection of modular synthesizers. 

In 2022, Jay partnered with his neighbor and good friend Jean Gay to produce her solo effort, Circle Myth. Both of them loved working on that project so much they decided to quickly record their second album as a duo called Bellaceo, named after their two dogs. That recording, The Last Minute Is the First Minute, is due out on March 15th 2024.

SUPPORT

We welcome support via your purchase of the album, especially from Bandcamp, linked here.