Aaron Bleiweiss Spoils Artistry Behind His ‘Twists and Turns’ Album

An industry polymath — guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter — Aaron Bleiweiss, entices listeners by channelling reflections and adventures into a dynamic fusion of funk, pop, and rock melodies. Through the vibrant energy of the city’s bustling streets during his stint in The Big Apple, Aaron fuses an eclectic blend of vintage ’70s funk grooves and modern electronic exploration.

Influenced by Seattle’s grunge and alternative rock scene roots, Aaron blends guitar-heavy funk rock with soulful pop and blues, creating a classic yet modern sound for his highly anticipated album Twists and Turns. With an album set to land in our ears in September, Aaron takes listeners through life’s unpredictable paths while effortlessly lifting spirits. Featuring a range of talented collaborators, the preceding album promises broad appeal, making it your favourite feel-good playlist.

Teasing listeners with his latest single, “Speed of Light,” the first from his 11-track album, Aaron gleefully joined us to uncover the story behind the making of Twists and Turns.

How would you describe your creative process?

Aaron Bleiweiss: “For this album, my time spent living in New York is what brought and inspired much of the creative process. Exploring the city, experiencing everything it has to offer: the music, the food, the people, the culture, the diversity, and even the modes of transportation. It all sparked a creative journey and turned into what you see and hear today, Twists and Turns.”

Who are your biggest influences?

“Guitar-wise, I’ve always loved Grant Green and Melvin Sparks, Trey Anastasio, John Mayer, John Frusciante, Eric Clapton, and, of course, Jimi Hendrix.

“Music-wise, I’d say these are some of the top ones: Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, Talking Heads, Chili Peppers, and Pearl Jam.”

What is the story behind the name of the new record?

“I wrote the album while living in Brooklyn, New York. It highlights and captures my experiences of life, love, loss, and adventure during my years in the city… The journey I was on and all the twists and turns that I encountered along the way.”

Tell us more about Twists and Turns. What was your experience of making it? What went on behind the scenes? Any notable moments that stand out?

“It was a true labour of love that took me five years to complete. I played in touring bands for quite a few years but never really wrote any of the music. I had a few instrumental tracks and wrote many of the guitar parts for the tunes but that’s about it. One day, while living in New York, I started wondering if I could write a song. I vividly remember sitting down in the basement at a friend’s place in the Catskills by myself, and I just started playing a progression and writing down lyrics.

“Long story short, it turned out ok and even better than I thought. But that really kicked things off and soon after, one song became two, became three, became 20+. Within a year or two, I had a pretty large catalogue of tunes. It was at that point I decided to actually do an album.

“Fast forward six months, and in January 2020, we had our first recording session in San Diego, California. The second one was planned for the end of March 2020. A week out, COVID hit, and everything shut down. We weren’t able to get back into the studio for probably 18 months or so. Long story short, my family then decided to move back to San Diego, we welcomed our baby girl Amaya into the world, bought a house, and with a blink of an eye we hit year five!

“As far as making the album, I decided I wanted to try recording it analog and on a two-inch tape. The sound you get is incredible but it definitely has its challenges. I was fortunate to be able to work with some incredible musicians on the album and most of the tunes didn’t take more than a couple takes to track.”

What’s next for you?

“I’m starting work on the next album as we speak. I’ve got about ten tunes that are about 80 percent complete. But this time, it won’t take me five years to finish it.”

Cover Art for ‘Twists and Turn’ by Aaron Bleiweiss

Twists and Turns is about to be released on September 6th. Now that it is almost complete, how do you feel about it, and what has been the response so far?

“I feel incredible. I went into this just wanting to see if I could actually put out my own album. It’s been a passion project from day one. I’m fortunate that I wasn’t rushed and didn’t have to cut corners. Sure, it took longer than I would have liked, but I was able to spend time processing the music and the journey, and I think that shows in the final product.

“I’m honestly blown away by how it turned out. It started with an acoustic guitar in my living room, next thing you know I’ve got a full horn section, background singers, and a fiddle player. I feel truly blessed that I had the opportunity to work with some incredible musicians who brought their own style, vibe, and ideas to the record.

“So far, the response has been really positive. I mean, look, I’m just starting out on my solo journey, so I don’t have a well-established base, and I haven’t been out playing shows like I used to. It’s slowly building up, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Along those same lines, do you take advantage of technology and email riffs and parts back and forth? Or do you get together in a room in a more traditional sense and write together?

“For me, nothing compares to being in person. Watching another person listen and take in what you just played and seeing the creative process start to unfold. Some of the best ideas can come from them just starting to play through something. Then you hear it, and you’re like, ‘Yes, what was that? Let’s jam on that for a few and see where this goes.’”

What do you think of the current state of the genre you play in?

“If you sit down and listen to the entire album, start to finish, you will have been on a journey through many different styles and genres. It’s a pretty eclectic mix of funk, pop, rock, and even has a little bluegrass-style tune on it. I think that’s one of the things I love most about it.”

What are some of the newer bands that you are listening to or enjoy?

“I wouldn’t say these are all new, but lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Trevor Hall, Tom Misch, Michael Franti, Nick Mulvey, Hollow Coves, Bombargo, and War on Drugs.”

What has been the most memorable moment of your career so far?

“Finishing this album has to be number one. My producer and good friend, Anthony Smith, came over to the house when the vinyl test pressings arrived, and we sat down together to listen to the full record. I remember having a wave of emotions. It was such a journey to get here, and it’s still a bit surreal. But I couldn’t stop smiling, and it just felt so good.”

When recording this album, did anything strange, wonderful, or terrible occur?

“I lost a dear friend to cancer as I was working on the album. He was my best friend growing up. We were inseparable as kids and played together every day after school and on the weekends. We slowly drifted apart after college as our lives went in different directions. But we reconnected later on as he fell ill and started his multi-year battle.

“When things got really bad, I flew up to Washington to spend some time with him before he passed. One of those days, I brought my guitar out to play. He couldn’t speak at this point, but he was listening, and it was our way of connecting. As I sat there and played, a song started to take form and soon after that turned into ‘Breathe.’ It’s by far the most personal and emotional track on the album. But every time it plays, I think of Brian. All the laughs we shared, and memories we created together over the years. That will last a lifetime.”