Jared in the studio conducting a recording session for the album. Photo courtesy of Vincent Dixon
Love Is an Obstacle tackles heartbreak through impeccably crafted ballads.
“Sometimes people need to cry it out,” says Jared Feinman. “This album gives us all permission to do so.”
A native of Newtown Square, Feinman was just 6 years old when he began his classical training on piano. He’s now a full-fledged recording artist thanks to the just-released Love Is an Obstacle. Arranged and produced by Feinman, its 12 songs seamlessly fuse jazz and pop. “My background in jazz informs the way I approach music and the natural decisions I make,” says the Hill School alum. “It reminds my grandmother and her friends of the ’40s. People my age think more of Sam Smith, Billy Joel or Elton John.”
For this surprisingly accomplished debut, Feinman drew on the songwriting and performing skills he honed at Boston’s esteemed Berklee College of Music. “Each song has a certain resonance, which will vary depending on who’s listening,” he says.
The album’s centerpiece, “(Let’s Sing for) Love and Be Free,” features a gospel choir and is the inspiration for his Love and Be Free Foundation. He launched the nonprofit last year to aid Philly Music Fest’s micro-grant initiative. “Carefully and emotionally sequenced, this album requires an active listener,” Feinman says.
Related Article: Q&A: Newtown Square Jazz Musician Jared Feinman
