The JD video for NewsWorks

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https://vimeo.com/56098099

Germantown musician works to create the ‘soundtrack of my thoughts’

For the last two and a half years Germantown resident, John Deininger (a.k.a The JD), has been composing, recording, and mixing music in his second-floor studio on Morris Street. When pressed for a label, Deininger defines his music as “eclectic instrumental,” but likes to think of his work as the “soundtrack for my thoughts.” As a self-defined introvert, he sees what he does as transforming his emotions, moods, and intellectual musings into sound.

Deininger has played musical instruments including the guitar and bass since childhood, and performed with various bands when he was in college, but drifted away from creating music after college. After quitting drinking in January 2010, Deininger sought to find an all consuming endeavor to fill his time and rediscovered his musical creativity.

His most recent album, Jimmy Mexico Family Jr., is available on the website bandcamp. This album is particularly special to Deininger because of the arrival of his son in the middle of recording the album. “That was actually recorded half before and half after my son Eamonn was born,” he says. “It’s nine songs and I was literally halfway through the fifth song when we found out about Eamonn, who is adopted. We literally got a phone call saying there is a child for you.” Deininger says he thinks that a listener can tell which songs were recorded before and after Eamonn’s arrival.

In the future, Deininger would like to compose scores for films or television programs. He does not see himself as an expert composer, instrumentalist, or sound engineer, but really enjoys the learning process and the limitlessness of how much there is to learn in producing music.

To hear more of The JD’s work, visit thejd1.bandcamp.com.

This is a video I produced for NewsWorks.org, hyper-local news website run by local NPR and PBS affiliate WHYY.