Who is the Ahab known to millions of readers? Didn’t a young Ahab fall in love, and inhale the beauty of life? What happened to him? What indescribable loss pierced him? How, when, and why did he become Captain Ahab?

Given Ahab’s age and the date of the sinking, the backstory to Melville’s Moby Dick, a work entitled “Ahab, a Love Story,” comes from a timeline that is real. In this story, Ahab did live; he did love, and he did inhale the beauty of life. The history is actual. The ships’ names, manifests, and schedules are authentic. The astrological events, geographies, cultures, places, embedded stories, imprisonments, structures, battles … all occurred as documented in this story. While doing the research, I became eerily intrigued by the way in which everything lined up. You will too!

Superimposed upon this backdrop of actual history and true-to-life events, we meet young Ahab, a fictional character. Yet, by story’s end, one will wonder ... Did young Ahab exist? For me, he & Abbie are real, as indeed you will discover in this, and the sequel to Melville’s Moby Dick, "Death to Moby Dick, a Love Story."

Enjoy & Godspeed! Stephen Melillo, Composer

AHAB, a LOVE STORY EXCERPT on VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/278571412

Before studying at the Boston Conservatory of Music, I sat in the back of Corpus Christi Church in Port Chester, New York.  At age 19, and in one long sitting, I penciled, “Only for Now.”


Only for Now is a young adult novel dedicated to the premise and message that "growing up" need not mean "giving in."

Seventeen-year-old Stephen Rinaldi is a highly skilled practitioner of Chinese Gung fu. In his first year in college, he faces the loss of his first love while confronting an established martial art instructor engaged in illegal activity. All of his beliefs are put to a severe test as he becomes a teacher himself. Seven-year-old Jennifer teaches Stephen to stand against Goliath-like forces and never surrender Hope.

Nogard & Dragon downloads to your desktop as an interactive PDF. The Music tracks are embedded within the PDF.

Dragon must find Nogard, the Keeper of the Book of Truefire. In his/her (Dragon's gender is avoided) quest, Dragon must guard against the Darkseekers and their leader, Mulicarmeisher. Dragon finds Nogard and together, they release the secrets of the Book.

Like Peter & the Wolf, this illustrated story is narrated to a 21-minute piece of Music, which is divided into 4 parts or Journals.

The suite, “STORMQuest,” from the STORMWORKS, is a Musical portrayal of this story, composed and orchestrated for young band and/or strings.

Enjoy & Godspeed!
Stephen Melillo Composer

PS: Be sure to "allow" Acrobat to access all of the embedded Music track files.

If you would like to burn your own DVD, you can download this .ISO file. Enjoy & Godspeed! S

Learn about this milestone project and resource at Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/COLD-NIGHT-Study-Music-Film/dp/B08DSS4KX4/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=A+Cold+Night+Melillo&qid=1605532245&s=movies-tv&sr=1-1

A COLD NIGHT, a Study of Music on Film Film by Jonathan Heap, Produced by Corey Kaup Music(s) by © Stephen Melillo, IGNA 1984-2020, ASCAP

In 1984, we had the idea of first writing a song and then making a Film to that song.

In the second half of the experiment, we would strip the song from the Film.  

Pretending that the song never existed, we would treat the Film as the original inspiration for a Dramatic Score.

One film with two completely different Musical approaches and resulting psychologies would then be shown back to back to demonstrate the effects of Music on Film.

With a newly digitized film from 1984, newly recorded 2020 “quarantine-style” Heavy Metal Rock and Orchestral Tracks, and a formal release of 13 August 2020, the birthday of Alfred Hitchcock, this Music Film, entitled “A COLD NIGHT, a Study of Music on Film,” is a discussion of the processes spanning 36 years, and then a presentation of the same film with two different outcomes.

“This has to be one of the greatest creative concepts ever.”
Andrew F., Carmel, Indiana

A Note from Jonathan Heap, Director

“A Cold Night  is the brainchild of Stephen Melillo and Jonathan Heap.  But their collaboration began way before that in high school. Steve and Jonathan have had a music/film partnership starting in the 70s.  It has continued as the format grew from Super 8 to 16 to 35 and on into High-def digital. Their shared visions have included comedy, drama, suspense and long and short works including 1201 P.M. which was nominated for an Oscar. Jonathan’s focus grew to feature films and short comedy and even as recently as 2018, Melillo and Heap delivered the horror thriller The Unwilling.  They continue working together even as Steve created an enormous body of compositions that have garnered accolades domestically and internationally.”

Follow the link and choose any amount to make the Gift of Story & Music to loved ones. Choose from the more than 41 Albums on TRACKS, or order the books or special DVDs. Enjoy & Godspeed! S

Here is the Gift Card Link: https://squareup.com/gift/7ZD20215ZYJXE/order

No need to hit the Cart Button, just click here: https://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Melillo/e/B004KCDDLC?ref_=dbs_p_pbk_r00_abau_000000

Follow Stephen Melillo at Amazon. Please use this link to discover more books, read updates and more. If you have a specific question that you would like answered in Steve's Amazon Author Blog, please send an email using the Inquires form on the "Mels" page.

Enjoy & Godspeed! S

Kakehashi: That We Might Live: Then. Now.  Always. A Documentary in Music on DVD 

Dear Student of History, Sacrifice and the Prices of Freedom,

There is no way around it. There is much to this. The story of the POWs is a library unto itself, and the making of this work is an extended part of that history. Please remember to go to stormworld.com. Under “Resources,” you will find “Digital Libretti,” where you can download your important companion Notes in PDF. https://stormworld.com/digital-libretti.

I dedicated this work in it’s “Visually-Scored” form at the 2007 ADBC (American Defenders of Bataan & Corregidor) gathering. It was strongly received. Guys in wheelchairs stood with tears in their eyes. I gave all of them a copy. Their immediate family members too. In fact, I had given 350 copies from the Time of the recording until the last of our local Heroes passed on.

Kakehashi: That We Might Live is a Documentary in Music honoring those who served in WWII, and those who served in Korea and Vietnam and who continue to serve now all across the world. The work is specific to and inspired by the Valiant Souls of Bataan and Corregidor. This historically accurate Musical work is made complete by incorporating authentic radio and musical clips from WWII; excerpts and lyrics pertinent to the events of Bataan and Corregidor during the 3 years, 8 months and 25 days where 31,095 Souls were sacrificed.   The Struggle and Sacrifice, surrendered, survived and not-survived, inspired this Music. The STORMWORKS Chapter 5:8- Writings on the Wall is rendered by the JAPANESE Military. To be precise, 143 World Class Japanese Military Musicians were taken from each of their service bands across Japan and re-formed into a new ensemble for the purposes of the FIRST-ever-to-be-released recording offered outside of Japan. They were joined by 300 Chorus from Shenandoah and Old Dominion Universities, Virginia.

The Music on the Kakehashi: That We Might Live DVD was recorded first by The Central Band of Japan Air Self Defense Force and then later by multi-national ensembles around the world committed to the same purpose of tribute.

In 2007-2008, Kakehashi: That We Might Live evolved into its current “visually scored” form. When a traditional documentary is created, film and pictures are compiled, edited and produced to tell a story. Narration is written, recorded and placed into the film, and Music is scored to accompany the film.

Kakehashi: That We Might Live embarks on a new artistic approach called VisaREEL™; film and pictures researched, compiled and scored to the Music, conveying visually the context and significance of what the listener experiences Musically.     When viewing this Documentary In Music, there is no narration or sound emanating from the film clips. All silent film and picture is placed to the Music, serving the purpose of transporting the listener/viewer back to a place and Time, that as a Nation, we must never forget. As a small example, when you watch the Temple Bell being struck, what we “hear” is the striking of a piece of I-beam from the Trade Center of 11 September 2001.

Enjoy. Remember. Thank You and Godspeed! Stephen Melillo

These are Program Notes from the AUDIO Recording made in 2005:

143 World Class Japanese Military Musicians. 300 Chorus from Shenandoah & Old Dominion Universities. Program Notes by the Central Band of the Japan Air Self Defense Force Sixty Years ago during the very month of this recording, a terrible war was fought which even unto this day still leaves its many scars. During this World War II, the United States and Japan fought each other on and under the Pacific Ocean, on the islands of the Pacific, and in Southeast Asia. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese and American soldiers and civilians were sacrificed to this war.

Alive today because of the sacrifices of so many, we have an obligation to overcome the past. Never allowing it to be forgotten, we must, together, rise above it and build a glorious future for the sake of those who came before us... and for those who will come after. Past to future, nation to nation, culture to culture, and with mutual respect for each other’s homeland, a new bridge will be built to the future. This is Kakehashi... the Bridge to the Future.

There is no limit in time or terrain. That bridge is within each of us. It will be built when we raise our courage, even beyond courage itself and learn to see the Brotherhood in all of us. KAKEHASHI: That We Might Live, is based on the relationship between American and Japanese who fought in great adversity during WWII. Both fought for their nation, for the completion of their mission, and for the people they loved... at Home.

Now, those same two countries cooperate in Brotherhood across the vast Pacific Ocean. The past is overcome with the Hope of the Future. These two countries now become a timely and much needed model for forgiveness and friendship. KAKEHASHI: That We Might Live is rendered as a Documentary in Music. It effectively incorporates the actual radio broadcasts and music that aired during WWII. In fact, 70 copyrights were purchased in order to make this work truly authentic. At the end of this epic work, there are two songs. They symbolize the Home that we LOVE and that we must understand in each other. God Bless America with its “Home sweet Home” is identical to Furusato which represents Home in Japanese. To put these tunes at the end of this large-scale work reflects the idea that we love our Home and that we have the feeling of longing for Home even if differing in country or race or religion or ideology.

KAKEHASHI: That We Might Live... This epic Documentary is rendered by a specially organized wind ensemble and huge choral section. To this dramatic work, the remarkable effects of additional prerecorded original music, radio programs, military songs and actual Morse code transmissions from WWII in the Pacific are adjoined. The prerecorded tracks are on a CD that comes with the score. We are honored to be the message-bearers... to bring this music to you, and to work for an eternal peace.

“Remember the Future for Truth is Timeless . . .” 
A Personal Message from the Chapter 5:8 Liner Notes by Stephen Melillo

It takes a photon 38 million years to escape the forcible, unforgiving gravity of the sun and blast its way to the surface where eight minutes later it bathes the earth in the Light by which you find yourself reading this libretto. In the Timestorm of that 38 million years and eight minutes, give or take a few hundred years... a mere and tiny moment of imperceptible dancing on the cosmic stage... the Human drama has seen unthinkable violence, pain, hurt, self-inflicted suffering... emptiness and longing.

And with it? Untold Love, Sacrifice, Giving and Heroism.

Without Warning we are cast into the epic adventure. In the hollow of the heart, sense must be made of the constantly swirling storm, the unraveling of the mysterious. Free will. Choice? Fate? The seemingly endless succession of useless, inevitable, somehow destined to be traversed catastrophes as Man brutalizes his Brother... and then... steps forward to rise above such folly.

In your hands is a recording, the meaning of which escapes the moment of your listening. It leaps across Time... past, future, possible future and present. Rising above our mutual and many sins of the past, the Vision of Brotherhood is not merely written about... but finally, in a way only Human History could have produced... demonstrated. We are a part of the convergent Moment. History is made.

Read more by visiting STORMWORKS Digital Libretti where you can find Chapter 5:8 Writings on the Wall. http://stephenmelillo.com/digital_libretti/

Godspeed! S

Stephen Melillo Composer

More links if you ever want to go deeper into the Story of the Story…

Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE
http://stephenmelillo.com/chapters_5_8:writings_on_the_wall/kakehashi:that_we_might_live/ STORMWORKS Digital Libretti where you can find Chapter 5:8 Writings on the Wall
http://stephenmelillo.com/digital_libretti/

“The History of History.” (200 pages of emails that went back and forth between Colonel Eguchi and I, and through a Translator.) https://www.dropbox.com/s/vfoc9156lipxcek/HISTORY_of_HISTORY_lr.pdf?dl=0

Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE (on the STORMSite: Photos and more…) http://stephenmelillo.com/chapters_5_8:writings_on_the_wall/kakehashi:that_we_might_live/

Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE (Excerpt at Vimeo) https://vimeo.com/124332343

Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE (DVD available on CD Baby) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/stephenmelillo2

Kakehashi: THAT WE MIGHT LIVE (DVD available on Amazon) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004IK8WZ8/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Excerpt from Kakehashi” That We Might Live (from Kakehashi: That We Might Live) https://vimeo.com/124332343

GOD BLESS AMERICA (from Kakehashi: That We Might Live) https://youtu.be/teGePaJlwUU

LAST WORLD STANDING (The Sequel to Kakehashi: That We Might Live) (Uses VisaREEL™ & PHOTO®hythm) http://stephenmelillo.com.hostbaby.com/chapter_13:_whispers_on_the_wind/last_world_standing/ YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/pYAn5136l7U

VisaREEL™ & PHOTO®hythm https://youtu.be/MQJ-irP5IAY

HYMN to MARINES on Youtube https://youtu.be/gUM0IqWerXQ

ETERNAL FATHER (youtube) https://youtu.be/SIt1IB4j8Jo

FOREVER STRONG EXPLORE (A Tribute to the USS Indianapolis) http://stephenmelillo.com.hostbaby.com/chapter_55:_way_of_the_wanderer/forever_strong_explore/

FOREVER STRONG (6:53 Demo from the film) https://vimeo.com/133759682