When describing an “artist,” few individuals embody the term as fully as Jay Goldstein. As a uniquely authentic musician, writer, painter, and multimedia personality, Jay has spent his creative journey connecting with audiences, whether on stage, in front of the camera, or through his diverse artistic roles and expressions.
Jay’s organic music offers a combination of timeless retro content delivered in his unique Contemporary Classic style.
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Born and raised on the scenic south shore of Long Island, in Rockville Centre, NY, not far from musical inspiration Billy Joel’s Levittown family home, Goldstein was attracted to the world of music at an early age. His mother was an accomplished musician, regularly playing the family piano in their living room. His aunt and musical influence, Anita Leonard Nye, was an award-winning songwriter penning the famous standard song, “Sunday Kind of Love.”
Jay began his musical journey by performing in his Junior high school orchestra. After attending the storied Avon Old Farms prep school, while studying at the University of Arizona, Goldstein taught himself to play guitar and keyboards. Turning his attention to writing original songs, Jay’s fondness for the rhythm and emotion of Motown music, blended with the melodies and harmonies of The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Bob Dylan were and remain a strong influence.
Jay’s creative growth continued during time spent in the entertainment capitals of Los Angeles and New York leading to marketing and promotion roles in radio and television. Goldstein’s life path then took him to Kentucky, home to Ricky Skaggs, Chris Stapleton, Dwight Yoakum, Sturgill Simpson and Don Everly (Everly Brothers), adding Country and Americana elements to his songs and sound.
Once in the musical South, Goldstein refined his performance persona and vocal signature by collaborating with regional musicians to share the concert stage with a variety of major artists. During this time Jay’s painting passions surfaced generating original works of art in his commercial studio.
Today, Jay is embarking on a new chapter of his recording and song-writing career in Nashville. His organic music style offers a combination of timeless retro content delivered by this Contemporary Classic artist.
"Broken Wheel"
"Ball And Chain"
"Walk Out"
"Guilty"
"Ain't No Love Song"
While always a creative soul, Jay only began painting seriously later in his multi-media career.
His work has been heavily influenced by his cousin, artist Peter Nye, a prominent contemporary painter living in San Francisco. More than just mere straight forward paintings of snapshots, his art is a study of how objects and buildings, along with light and space help us gain a better visual understanding of the world we inhabit.
Goldstein stumbled across a wealth of subject matter to paint in his mother-in-law’s attic during a family holiday.. hundreds of old color Kodak slides snapped in the late 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s by his mother-in-law.
“I found hundreds of them stacked in taped boxes, and immediately realized that they’d be something I would enjoy painting, but I felt confident they would also have a universal appeal.
“Using the camera as a sketchbook, I like to paint pictures of people from old Kodak photographs in their natural surroundings, doing the thing that made them comfortable and happy at that moment in time; whether it was sitting on a large stuffed chair in their living room, mingling at a cocktail party, or a family sitting on a sun porch in a resort in the Catskill Mountains.
“To me, it’s fascinating to paint a canvas knowing that the subjects in the photo would never have dreamed a picture taken of them doing routine activities would end up years later as a piece of artwork hanging in a private home. I like to think my paintings help suggest a story that exists outside the actual painting.”
