Songwriting Worktapes

I am a contributing vocalist and songwriter to the Douglas Ray Jaffe Project, an ongoing musical series rooted in Jaffe’s striking, typewritten poetry. My role centers on interpreting his written words through original melodies, vocal performance, and instrumental arrangement.

Each piece begins with Douglas’s text: vivid, thoughtful, and already full of rhythm. From there, I craft melodies and musical settings that seek to elevate the emotion within the language, translating the page into sound. While I am not the lyricist or producer, I help shape the musical identity of the songs through voice and melody.

It’s a rare opportunity to bring someone else’s poetry to life in this way, and it’s been a rewarding process to be part of building this evolving body of work alongside other musicians and creators.