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#78 - Mythos
1996-Present, Ages 12 and Up
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a music lawyer and a classical guitarist by day, New-age duo by night.
(5/2/25)
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
1996-Present, Ages 12 and Up
Gather round and I’ll tell you the tale of a music lawyer and a classical guitarist by day, New-age duo by night.
(5/2/25)
The following recording is edited from its original 15-minute version due to copyright restrictions. To hear the full version, tune in or stream at the scheduled times on ktwh.org, or download on AudioPort.
We’ve all heard stories of our favorite celebrities and artists working ordinary day jobs before achieving or to finance their creative fame. I myself have worn several occupation hats in between writing over the years: fast-food worker, ticket-taker, candy-seller, TV production assistant, among others. Yet, as I was researching this music project, I was amazed to learn just how many in that one industry specifically studied law! These include but are in no way limited to: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, creator of the much-performed ballets, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker; Francis Scott Key, composer of “The Star-Spangled Banner;” Columbia Records producer Clive Davis; and Paul Simon of the folk-rock duo, Simon & Garfunkel. Now, I’ll readily admit that I know as much about law as I do the meaning of life, but few professions could interest me less. Yet such an apparent juxtaposition just goes to show how employees and artists are not mutually exclusive, as is the case of half of this musical duo.
Born September 24th, 1964, in British Hong Kong, Bob D’Eith grew up training as a classical and jazz pianist in West Vancouver, British Columbia, playing in several semi-professional bands until finishing high school. He later earned degrees in History and Law from the University of Victoria. Joining Alternative Rock group Rymes with Orange as keyboardist in 1991, he toured Canada many times before stepping back to be a co-managing non-touring member of the band, during which it received a Juno Award nomination for Best New Artist and he himself was honored with a Best keyboardist nomination at Canadian Music Week. During all this, he started his own private practice in real estate and entertainment law, having worked as counsel for various law firms throughout the 1990’s. He also served as a member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Maple Ridge-Mission from May 2017 to September 2024, and as Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film from December 2022 to November 2024. As of writing, he practices solely as a music lawyer and is both Executive Director of the British Columbia music association Music BC and President of the music label and consulting company, Adagio Music.
It was after D’Eith’s time with Rymes with Orange and several years of urging from his father that he teamed up with his brother’s best friend from high school, classically-trained guitarist Paul Schmidt. The idea behind what would eventually become Mythos was to create music better suited for film and TV rather than for commercial radio, as well as showcase the duo’s composing ability. Ironically, it was around this time that instrumental songs—New-age and otherwise—were beginning to make their way onto radio. The duo decided to try their luck and send in one of their early EP’s, “November,” which immediately became a hit. Their first two studio albums, Introspection (1996) and Iridescence (1997), were released under D’Eith’s Spark Records label with next to no publicity outside of Canada. But after Mythos was picked up by Higher Octave Music, said albums were reworked and combined into the project’s eponymous album in 1998, earning D’Eith and Schmidt greater exposure and acclaim, including a #18 spot on the Billboard Top New-age Album list the following year. Incidentally, like several of my favorite New-age artists, my own exposure to Mythos was via the New-age compilation CD series, Pure Moods, “November” being their contributed track.
Though D’Eith and Schmidt are the musical heart and soul of Mythos, and though their name is literally the Greek word for myth, the duo brings the “world” into their world music. Rather than recruit long-time members like a traditional band, they instead bring in several renowned guests for their myriad albums, from musicians like Jazz singer Jennifer Scott, who’s performed at Jazz festivals all over Canada and the U.S, and virtuoso bass-player Rene Worst, who’s worked with big names like David Bowie and Aerosmith, to technical artists like engineer and mixer Mark Hensley, who won a 2018 Emmy for his sound design on the Netflix series, Genius.
Speaking of the world, I can no longer see Mythos’s cover art and not think about the two weeks I spent in Italy back in high school. As of 2025, the artwork of every album was done by visionary painter and sculpture, Gil Bruvel. Inspired by the likes of Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and Georgio de Chirico, his work to me is like Hieronymus Bosch if he was inspired by Cirque du Soleil. Each cover features the face and/or body of a woman as the centerpiece, wearing an ornate costume ball-like mask or outfit, sometimes surrounded by what I interpret as Italian puppet/jester iconography: vibrant and spirited but also mysterious and sensual. Many such minute details hide both in front and inside the booklets that you could spend hours scrutinizing the imagery and find something new each time.
For Mythos’ later albums, staring with their fifth, Journey, Bruvel began a shift away from the elaborate background details while making the female centerpiece more geometric and abstract with more subdued color palates. While I do miss the old European romance of the former, I see the experimental vibe of the latter as an evolution rather than a downgrade.
Even if one listens to Mythos without knowing D’Eith and Schmidt’s names or history, one can still get a clear sense of their comradery. That’s not to say they don’t each excel as soloists, though there are very few such pieces in their entire roster. D’Eith’s piano-playing has a purity to it: as bold and powerful as a youth in his prime, or as sincere and meditative as an old man reflecting on his life.
Schmidt’s acoustic guitar reminds me a lot of flamenco, as quick and passionate as a Spanish dancer, yet it can also be as gentle and romantic as a waiting lover.
(A quick side note for anime fans: Am I mistaken, or is that a snippet of Schmidt’s song “La Cathedral” which plays about nineteen minutes into episode 10 of Hellsing?)
But it’s the duets that truly make Mythos shine. Through their masterful skills at their respective instruments, the two men together offer many unique combinations of moods and tones, making their songs all the richer and more dynamic.
As mentioned earlier, though primarily instrumental, Mythos does include some vocalization. You know how most vocal songs in general place the singer in the forefront while the instrumentation backs them up? Well, Mythos does the opposite: the singers do the backing up here, to the point of becoming their own instrument alongside the strings, synth, and percussion. While not so quiet they can’t be heard at all, they are often soft enough to blend right in while the piano and guitar retain center stage.
For better or worse, the same goes for the very rare few songs which do feature actual lyrics, whether due to the piano and guitar being the main attraction or just the sheer vocal volume or lack thereof. If you compare, for example “Turn to Grey” and “Dreams of Jade,” I think the latter song is stronger because of Jennifer Scott’s deeper and more commanding voice while Christine Duncan’s higher and more delicate one is so faint it almost feels distracting. Almost.
Activities like practicing music law or traveling to Europe can seem commonplace on the surface, yet in the right context they can lead to memorable experiences. Music from a single source that could feel equally at home in a modern cafe or a retro Sonic the Hedgehog game is equally memorable, especially when it comes from a place of friendship and creativity. This is the specialty of Mythos, two talented friends combining ordinary piano and guitar and various World styles and music professionals to produce an extraordinary array of timeless, nostalgic, and imaginative auditory art.
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
Born September 24th, 1964, in British Hong Kong, Bob D’Eith grew up training as a classical and jazz pianist in West Vancouver, British Columbia, playing in several semi-professional bands until finishing high school. He later earned degrees in History and Law from the University of Victoria. Joining Alternative Rock group Rymes with Orange as keyboardist in 1991, he toured Canada many times before stepping back to be a co-managing non-touring member of the band, during which it received a Juno Award nomination for Best New Artist and he himself was honored with a Best keyboardist nomination at Canadian Music Week. During all this, he started his own private practice in real estate and entertainment law, having worked as counsel for various law firms throughout the 1990’s. He also served as a member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Maple Ridge-Mission from May 2017 to September 2024, and as Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film from December 2022 to November 2024. As of writing, he practices solely as a music lawyer and is both Executive Director of the British Columbia music association Music BC and President of the music label and consulting company, Adagio Music.
It was after D’Eith’s time with Rymes with Orange and several years of urging from his father that he teamed up with his brother’s best friend from high school, classically-trained guitarist Paul Schmidt. The idea behind what would eventually become Mythos was to create music better suited for film and TV rather than for commercial radio, as well as showcase the duo’s composing ability. Ironically, it was around this time that instrumental songs—New-age and otherwise—were beginning to make their way onto radio. The duo decided to try their luck and send in one of their early EP’s, “November,” which immediately became a hit. Their first two studio albums, Introspection (1996) and Iridescence (1997), were released under D’Eith’s Spark Records label with next to no publicity outside of Canada. But after Mythos was picked up by Higher Octave Music, said albums were reworked and combined into the project’s eponymous album in 1998, earning D’Eith and Schmidt greater exposure and acclaim, including a #18 spot on the Billboard Top New-age Album list the following year. Incidentally, like several of my favorite New-age artists, my own exposure to Mythos was via the New-age compilation CD series, Pure Moods, “November” being their contributed track.
Though D’Eith and Schmidt are the musical heart and soul of Mythos, and though their name is literally the Greek word for myth, the duo brings the “world” into their world music. Rather than recruit long-time members like a traditional band, they instead bring in several renowned guests for their myriad albums, from musicians like Jazz singer Jennifer Scott, who’s performed at Jazz festivals all over Canada and the U.S, and virtuoso bass-player Rene Worst, who’s worked with big names like David Bowie and Aerosmith, to technical artists like engineer and mixer Mark Hensley, who won a 2018 Emmy for his sound design on the Netflix series, Genius.
Speaking of the world, I can no longer see Mythos’s cover art and not think about the two weeks I spent in Italy back in high school. As of 2025, the artwork of every album was done by visionary painter and sculpture, Gil Bruvel. Inspired by the likes of Salvador Dali, Max Ernst, and Georgio de Chirico, his work to me is like Hieronymus Bosch if he was inspired by Cirque du Soleil. Each cover features the face and/or body of a woman as the centerpiece, wearing an ornate costume ball-like mask or outfit, sometimes surrounded by what I interpret as Italian puppet/jester iconography: vibrant and spirited but also mysterious and sensual. Many such minute details hide both in front and inside the booklets that you could spend hours scrutinizing the imagery and find something new each time.
For Mythos’ later albums, staring with their fifth, Journey, Bruvel began a shift away from the elaborate background details while making the female centerpiece more geometric and abstract with more subdued color palates. While I do miss the old European romance of the former, I see the experimental vibe of the latter as an evolution rather than a downgrade.
Even if one listens to Mythos without knowing D’Eith and Schmidt’s names or history, one can still get a clear sense of their comradery. That’s not to say they don’t each excel as soloists, though there are very few such pieces in their entire roster. D’Eith’s piano-playing has a purity to it: as bold and powerful as a youth in his prime, or as sincere and meditative as an old man reflecting on his life.
Schmidt’s acoustic guitar reminds me a lot of flamenco, as quick and passionate as a Spanish dancer, yet it can also be as gentle and romantic as a waiting lover.
(A quick side note for anime fans: Am I mistaken, or is that a snippet of Schmidt’s song “La Cathedral” which plays about nineteen minutes into episode 10 of Hellsing?)
But it’s the duets that truly make Mythos shine. Through their masterful skills at their respective instruments, the two men together offer many unique combinations of moods and tones, making their songs all the richer and more dynamic.
As mentioned earlier, though primarily instrumental, Mythos does include some vocalization. You know how most vocal songs in general place the singer in the forefront while the instrumentation backs them up? Well, Mythos does the opposite: the singers do the backing up here, to the point of becoming their own instrument alongside the strings, synth, and percussion. While not so quiet they can’t be heard at all, they are often soft enough to blend right in while the piano and guitar retain center stage.
For better or worse, the same goes for the very rare few songs which do feature actual lyrics, whether due to the piano and guitar being the main attraction or just the sheer vocal volume or lack thereof. If you compare, for example “Turn to Grey” and “Dreams of Jade,” I think the latter song is stronger because of Jennifer Scott’s deeper and more commanding voice while Christine Duncan’s higher and more delicate one is so faint it almost feels distracting. Almost.
Activities like practicing music law or traveling to Europe can seem commonplace on the surface, yet in the right context they can lead to memorable experiences. Music from a single source that could feel equally at home in a modern cafe or a retro Sonic the Hedgehog game is equally memorable, especially when it comes from a place of friendship and creativity. This is the specialty of Mythos, two talented friends combining ordinary piano and guitar and various World styles and music professionals to produce an extraordinary array of timeless, nostalgic, and imaginative auditory art.
CREDITS:
Special thanks to KTWH 99.5 Two Harbors Community Radio. All images, audio, and links belong to their respective owners; no copyright infringement is intended.
MAIN THEME:
“The Call” - Briand Morrison and Roxann Berglund
https://www.briandmorrison.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BriandMorrisonGuitar/
https://www.youtube.com/user/briandmorrison
All other songs are by Mythos:
“Brazil” (from Mythos [1998])
“November” (from Mythos [1998])
“Destiny” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“Venice” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“Legacy (Featuring Cam Blake)” (from XXV [2021])
“Motif” (from Mythos [1998])
“Introspection” (from Mythos [1998])
“Leyenda” (from Eternity [2002])
“Reveries” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“La Cathedral” (from Mythos [1998])
“Alchemy” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“Surrender” (from Purity [2006])
“Duet” (from Journey [2013])
“Ascent” (from Eternity [2002])
“Adagio” (from Purity [2006])
“Turn to Grey” (from Eternity [2002])
“Dreams of Jade” (from Eternity [2002])
“Paradox” (from Mythos [1998])
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Mythos on Wikipedia
Mythos’s Official Website
Mythos's Facebook Page
Mythos’s Official YouTube Channel
Scott Haskin's 2022 Interview with Bob D'Eith and Paul Schmidt
Mythos on Spotify
Mythos on Apple Music
Mythos on Discogs
Mythos on Amazon
Mythos on eBay
^^ Back to Music, Bands, and Other Creations of Sound
“Brazil” (from Mythos [1998])
“November” (from Mythos [1998])
“Destiny” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“Venice” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“Legacy (Featuring Cam Blake)” (from XXV [2021])
“Motif” (from Mythos [1998])
“Introspection” (from Mythos [1998])
“Leyenda” (from Eternity [2002])
“Reveries” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“La Cathedral” (from Mythos [1998])
“Alchemy” (from The Reality of a Dreamer [2000])
“Surrender” (from Purity [2006])
“Duet” (from Journey [2013])
“Ascent” (from Eternity [2002])
“Adagio” (from Purity [2006])
“Turn to Grey” (from Eternity [2002])
“Dreams of Jade” (from Eternity [2002])
“Paradox” (from Mythos [1998])
Download the full 15-minute episode here!
Mythos on Wikipedia
Mythos’s Official Website
Mythos's Facebook Page
Mythos’s Official YouTube Channel
Scott Haskin's 2022 Interview with Bob D'Eith and Paul Schmidt
Mythos on Spotify
Mythos on Apple Music
Mythos on Discogs
Mythos on Amazon
Mythos on eBay
^^ Back to Music, Bands, and Other Creations of Sound
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