Jim Balabuszko-Reay (aka “Jim B-Reay”. “JimB”, or “JimmyB”) has been writing and performing music since the mid 1980s when he had his first encounter with a Moog Prodigy synthesizer. In pursuing a Music Composition degree at Macalester college, he contributed original soundtracks to many films and plays, and had original works performed by the symphonic orchestra. It was said his dorm room was better equipped than the synthesizer lab on campus.
After graduation, he participated in dozens of music ventures, including composing backing tracks for karaoke machines, had several short-lived bands, scores for choreographers and filmmakers, and orchestrated a full musical.
He moved to commercial work in the mid 1990s, composing library music for Thomas Dolby’s Silicon Valley startup Beatnik , scoring a feature length film (“Go to Hell” - , and doing various shorter musical works for commercial ventures.
Taking a break to raise children in the mid 2000s, he re-engaged with music recently as a keyboardist and drummer with several bands. In 2020, Jim connected with an old collaborator made the most of the quarantine by writing original music as The Wandering Now, with two albums and over 30 original songs released.
Jim is a prolific composer, and his original works across mediums number over six hundred. His influences include bands like Japan, Devo, and Depeche Mode, composers David Van Tieghem, Ryuchi Sakamoto, and Hans Zimmer, solo artists Trentemøller and Imogen Heap, and contemporary bands Chvrches and Purity Ring. He brings a crisp electronic sound with organic textures woven in and favors fully composed scores rather than generative / improvised works.
His experience with theater, choreography, and songwriting makes him a fast collaborator on any project.
Education:
BA Music Composition, Macalester College, St Paul MN. 1990
Major Instrument: Percussion
Music for Choreography
1989: “Approaching Calm” and “To a 55 Year Old Postman” – David Wick (Macalester)
1991: Quarantine – 3 movements – Heidi Geier (University of MN)
1993: The Gospel According To…. 7 movements – Heidi Geier (U of Wisconsin, Madison)
1993: Music for various short programs: Patrick’s Cabaret Minneapolis
Music for Theater:
1988: Interstitial music for several plays at Macalester College
1989: Soundtrack for dramatization of “Popul Vuh”: Percussion Ensemble
1993: “In a Room Somewhere” – Original songs and soundtrack for musical for University of Wisconsin master’s project
1994: Various soundtracks for Theater Mu – St Paul MN
Film/Video Soundtracks:
1992-3: Various soundtracks for Twin Cities Film Collective shorts
1995: “Hip Clips Music” – 40 commercial library tracks for Thomas Dolby’s Beatnik
1997: Various commercial product demos
1997: “Go to Hell” movie – full soundtrack
1999: “Rune” main orchestral themes for video game – Human Head Studios
2002: Various soundtracks for game trailers – GT Interactive
2006: “Prey” main theme for video game – Epic Games
2007-2008: Soundtracks for BrainReady brain training podcast/website series.
Musical Projects / Bands
1984-1986: PG13 Keyboardist and Songwriter
1987-1988: The Great Divide Keyboardist, Programming, Songwriter.
1987-1990: Timpani / Percussion, Macalester Symphony Orchestra
1989-1992: Various electronic projects: Keyboards, Programming, Songwriter
1992-1994: MidiMusic Inc: Arranger for backing tracks (over 80 songs)
2015-2017: Buzzirque: Keyboards
2017-Present: The Teardowns: Drums
2020-Present: The Wandering Now: Keyboards and Programming, songwriter.
2020-Present: Other2: Keyboards and Programming, songwriter
Released Albums:
1986: “You Just Don’t Get It” – Album by PG13
2020: “Singles” and “Sense of November” – 3 EPs and Album by the Wandering now
2020: “Altered State” - EP by Other2
2021: “Dream Radio” – Album by The Wandering Now