Showing posts with label Solo Album. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Solo Album. Show all posts

Friday, March 22, 2024

Keyboard Virtuoso Oliver Wakeman To Release New Album “Anam Cara” on May 17, 2024

Spirit of Unicorn Music are delighted to announce the release of “Anam Cara”, the eleventh studio album from piano and keyboard virtuoso, OLIVER WAKEMAN.

Award-winning Oliver, eldest son of the legendary Rick Wakeman, is one of progressive rock’s hardest working musicians. He has appeared on over 60 albums and has performed in just about every corner of the globe! He was a member of prog rock veterans YES and has also toured and recorded with The Strawbs, as well as being responsible for a number of well-received collaborations with the likes of Steve Howe, Gordon Giltrap and Clive Nolan - to name but a few.

2023 saw Wakeman return to the studio to write and record “Anam Cara”, a project which actually began life prior to his joining Yes. However, the pressures of touring and recording meant that the song ideas and snippets had to be set aside for the right moment. Finally, last year Oliver was able to carve out time to develop the project and bring it to fruition.

Wakeman says “‘Anam Cara’ refers to the Celtic concept of having a Soul Friend.” Indeed, the album boasts an intriguing mix of Celtic rock and progressive tendencies. The collection of ten tracks spans beautiful, lamenting ballads, atmospheric rock songs along with epic tracks.

Wakeman is known for his love of creative diversity, making every album he writes differ from the last. He continues “The songs I’ve written for this album are all short stories. They have allowed my imagination to run riot. It was also the perfect excuse to call upon some of the finest musicians around who have helped me make this record exceed my expectations.”

The album features a stellar collection of musicians who contribute to a multitude of musical styles, bringing each vignette to life. Amongst these are Hayley Griffiths (Riverdance), Troy Donockley (Nightwish), Oliver Day (Fragile) and Scott Higham (Pendragon).

The album has been mixed by Karl Groom (Threshold) and recorded by John Mitchell (It Bites, Frost*, Lonely Robot). Album artwork is by world renowned artist Anne Sudworth.

Wakeman concludes, “The idea of a Soul Friend - a guide, companion, teacher, compassionate presence - seemed to fit so perfectly with the songs I have written.  As for the incredible musicians who have helped me to record this album, they have all truly become Soul Friends.”

Watch the promotional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rBz3tsuJVE

Anam Cara” will be released on May 17th and will be available on CD or via streaming services. It is released on Spirit of Unicorn Music and can be obtained via Cherry Red Records.

Musicians Featured on the album are:
Oliver Wakeman : keyboards, piano, guitars
Hayley Griffiths : vocals
Troy Donockley : pipes, whistle
Oliver Day : acoustic guitars, lute, mandolin
Scott Higham : drums and percussion
David Mark Pearce : electric guitar
Robert McClung : violin
Steve Amadeo : bass guitar
Mick Allport : saxophone, clarinet

Anam Cara” - Track Listing:
1. The View From Here
2. The Queen’s Lament
3. Here In My Heart
4. 1000 Autumns
5. Marble Arch
6. In The Moonlight
7. Miss You Now
8. Instead Of My Fear
9. Lonely
10. Golden Sun In Grey

Pre-Orders can be placed here:
https://burningshed.com/store/oliverwakeman
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/oliver-wakeman-anam-cara-cd

ABOUT OLIVER WAKEMAN
Eldest son of Rick Wakeman, Oliver filled the keyboard role, once held by his father, with YES from 2008 to 2011. His work with YES includes the triple live album “In The Present - Live From Lyon”, “Fly From Here” and the “From A Page” box set. During his tenure with YES, Wakeman also toured and recorded as a member of The Strawbs. Wakeman’s debut album “Heaven’s Isle” (1997) was inspired by the island of Lundy. He has since released a number of solo and Oliver Wakeman Band albums. Oliver has released a number of collaborations with several renowned musicians, including Clive Nolan, guitar legend Gordon Giltrap and Steve Howe, bandmate to both Oliver and his father in YES.

For further information contact:
Sarah Ewing at TASK Agency: sarah@taskagency.co.uk/ 07947 400 510

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Keyboardist Larry Kutcher To Release Second Album “Vertical Realms” Inspired by Lifelong Odyssey on the Spiritual Path

Featuring a mix of Symphonic Prog, Electronic Prog, lyrical acoustic guitar, solo piano, Jazz/World Music, and an ambient soundscape meditation.

Larry Kutcher is a pianist, keyboardist, and composer. From New York originally, he now resides in Los Angeles. He began his musical odyssey with the study of classical violin at the age of six. He moved on from there to the drums and guitar, eventually settling on the piano, with which he could more fully realize and express all the music flowing through him.

Influenced by Surrealism, The Beat Poets, The Firesign Theatre, and Frank Zappa, in particular. Larry also developed theatrical and comedic skills. This led him to recording and performing with Zappa alumni, guitarist Steve Vai. You can hear Larry’s stream of consciousness performance art piece “Little Pieces Of Seaweed”, on Steve Vai’s CD “Flex-Able Leftovers”.

An aficionado of Prog Rock as well, Larry helped co-write “The Emperor’s Clothes” with Alan and Neal Morse of Spock’s Beard, for their 2010 CD release of Spock’s Beard X.

Larry’s extensive musical explorations throughout the years have helped him become very well versed in a variety of genres including classical, jazz, progressive rock, ambient soundscapes, musical theater, and film scores. He is best known for his powerful and intensely personal solo piano work, balancing technical virtuosity with raw emotional expression.

In March of 2023, Larry released his long-awaited debut album for solo piano entitled “Kindred Souls”. His follow up album entitled “Vertical Realms” was released in March of 2024.

Says Larry, “The album title, ‘Vertical Realms,’ and the music created for it, was inspired by my lifelong odyssey on the Spiritual path and how the fruit of these experiences have so beautifully informed matters of the heart, mind, and soul for me. My Spiritual walk is the most important thing to me in this life and music is the gift I was given to express it!”

Unlike his first album “Kindred Souls,” which was a work for solo piano, this time out stylistically there is a mix of Symphonic Prog, Electronic Prog, lyrical acoustic guitar, solo piano, Jazz/World Music, and an ambient soundscape meditation.

Each piece represents and expresses a particular spiritual exploration and its effect on me internally, whether it be Native American Shamanism, Zen Buddhism in its various forms, Hinduism particularly represented by the writings of Paramahansa Yogananda, and ultimately Larry’s chosen path of Christianity.

Larry explains, “One example would be my piece ‘The Shaman’s Path.’ It was directly inspired by my apprenticeship with a Native American Indian Shaman in the California desert. I was a young man at the time and honored that this 80-year-old Medicine Man would want to teach me his ways. Another example is my piece ‘The Narrow Way.’ It was inspired by the Grace and teachings of Jesus Christ, of whom I am a follower. Especially in the areas of loss and forgiveness.”

Larry wrote, played, recorded, mastered, and produced this album in his recently upgraded home studio.

“My best work happens when I get out of the way of the Creative force, if you will, and allow the music to flow through me instantaneously,” says Larry. “Most of the tracks were written in this way, some almost completely realized at the outset.”

Album Tracks:
1. Once We Loved
2. The Sleeper Awakens
3. Synth Wind
4. Contemplation
5. Dawn Beckons
6. The Shaman's Path
7. The Lotus Garden
8. The Harvest
9. The Heart Of Winter
10. The Narrow Way
11. The Last Embrace

Larry Kutcher’s “Vertical Realms” is set to be released first on Bandcamp February 23rd. It will then be released on all the major streaming platforms like Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Pandora, YouTube, etc. on March 1st.

Purchasing links:
Bandcamp: larrykutcher.bandcamp.com
Apple Music/iTunes: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/larry-kutcher/1675694188
Amazon Music: https://www.amazon.com/music/player/artists/B00434W2FK/larry-kutcher

Social Media Links:
Website: https://larrykutcher.com/
Bandcamp: https://larrykutcher.bandcamp.com/
Facebook Music Page: https://www.facebook.com/LarryKutcherMusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/larrykutchermusic/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LarryKutcher
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LarryKutcher
Spotify Artist Page: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mPk6d6l3Wd0xXvM48ZSWf

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

British Prog Keyboardist Benjamin Croft To Release New Single “Wrestling With Plato” From Forthcoming Album “We Are Here To Help”

New Album Featuring Simon Phillips, Marco Minnemann, Billy Sheehan, Stu Hamm, Jeff Scott Soto, Greg Howe, Mike Stern and Frank Gambale!

Benjamin Croft is a British Prog keyboardist, music producer and songwriter. He will be releasing his new single “Wrestling With Plato” on February 2nd. The song features Lynsey Ward (Exploring Birdsong) on vocals and virtuoso drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats).

“Wrestling with Plato” is a tragic love story told over the lifetime of two people. A song about elaborate excuses; in the case of our protagonists, these are far reaching…

From a very young age, Benjamin developed a strong interest for music. At the age of 7, Benjamin began piano and trumpet lessons. “Around age 17, my life was forever changed after hearing the album ‘Close to the Edge’ by the band Yes. I quickly developed a love for progressive rock. Keyboard players such as Rick Wakeman and Keith Emerson inspired me to practice for up to 8 hours a day,” says Croft.

At 19, he won a scholarship at Leeds College of Music. After graduating, he completed several contracts on international cruise lines, travelling and performing. He lived and played in the US, and toured the world twice, working with artists as diverse as Belinda Carlisle, Leslie Garrett, The Temptations and The Platters. “One night I was playing country, the next musical theatre and then jazz or rock.”

Benjamin relocated to London in 2012 and quickly began to make a name for himself. In 2018, he recorded for Beautiful South founder Dave Hemingway’s latest project ‘Sunbirds,’ and worked as a session musician, composer and arranger. He recently joined the progressive rock band The Gift.

While keeping up with a busy schedule performing and recording, Benjamin started composing his own music and released his first album “10 Reasons To...” on 33Jazz Records in March 2019. 12 original compositions blending jazz fusion, classical and progressive rock.

His second album, “Far and Distant Things,” was recorded throughout 2020 and released in the summer of 2021 on Ubuntu Music. It features some prestigious guest musicians such as Randy Brecker, Allen Vizzutti, Frank Gambale, Barry Finnerty, Mike Miller, and Chad Wackerman.

Both albums have been critically acclaimed in the UK, US and Europe.

Benjamin spent the last 2 years making his latest album, “We Are Here To Help,”. “It has been a great honour to record with legendary musicians including Simon Phillips, Marco Minnemann, Billy Sheehan, Stu Hamm, Jeff Scott Soto, Greg Howe, Mike Stern and Frank Gambale.”

“We Are Here To Help “ is an epic project with a heavier blend of progressive rock and metal, pushing further the boundaries of creativity, musical mastery and sonic excellence. The album also marks the launch of his record label "Galactic Receiver". It is due for release in 2024.

Benjamin Croft is a force to be reckoned with, and I can’t wait to hear what he comes up with next.” – Sea of Tranquility

Wrestling With Plato”
Produced, written and arranged by Benjamin Croft
Lyrics by Marsha Swanson
Lynsey Ward - Vocals
Benjamin Croft - Keyboards
Per Nilsson - Guitar
Dave Marks - Bass Guitar, Additional Guitars and Percussion
Marco Minnemann - Drums
Recorded at:
Sleeper Sounds
Engineer - Marcus Locock
Greystoke Studio
Engineer - Andy Whitmore
Mixed by Stephen W Tayler at Millside, Real World Studios
Mastered by Barry Grint At AIR Studios, London
Art Direction, illustration and design by Hugh Syme
Music video directed by Sam Chegini
A selection of analog keyboards have been used on this track including Yamaha CS-80, Roland Jupiter 8, Sequential Circuits Prophet 5, Oberheim ob-xa, Mellotron M4000, Hammond Organ and Steinway.

To pre-order: https://orcd.co/wrestlingwithplato

For more information:
Website: https://www.benjamincroftmusic.com/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/BenjaminCroftMusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BenjaminCroftMusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/benjamincroftmusic?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@benjamincroftmusic8126?si=vPQwYyHhEPJOAoNY
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeVaKVED/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, December 18, 2023

Bill Nelson’s “Starlight Stories” Now Available!

Bill Nelson’s “Starlight Stories” is an album comprising a mixture of song based and instrumental material issued on the Sonoluxe label in a limited edition of 1000 copies, and available digitally.

Despite being recorded during the same 2022 recording sessions that produced the “All The Fun Of The Fair” album, “Starlight Stories” has a wholly different atmosphere and intent.

Wistful and melancholic, the album contains dreamy meditations fed through the filter of Bill Nelson's contemporary musical sensibility.

The inspiration for many of the songs came from my memories of a set of children’s story books, published in the 1920s, that my Mother had owned when she was a child in the early 1930s. She had kept these books and would read to me from them when I was an infant in the early 1950s. They were thick, heavy bound books with embossed covers and had titles such as ‘The Golden Wonder Book For Children’. They were brilliantly illustrated by artists who displayed a combination of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. The books contained stories by famous authors such as HG Wells, Miguel De Cervantes, Homer, William Blake and others, plus poems by various poets, both classical and contemporary to those times. I was entranced by the wonderful stories and illustrations they contained. They had an aura of magic and mystery about them, with fairy tales and evocatively British poetry, filled with seasonal and rustic imagery. A treasure trove of fantasy and adventure, which I loved.

‘Starlight Stories’ doesn’t attempt to directly portray those old books but it does try to capture some of their atmosphere and manifest my nostalgia for them. Consequently, the songs on this album have a softer, melancholic quality about them, albeit with some distressed, patina-like textures that evoke the scent and feel of those old books. They are dreamy meditations, wistful reveries fed through the filter of my contemporary musical sensibility. I hope they will, in some small way, connect you with your own lost story books, as well as with mine.” - Bill Nelson 2023.

TRACKS:
01) A Wide Open Window (With A View Of The Stars)
02) Sailing Through Skies Of Blue
03) Antoria
04) My Signal Light
05) Goodbye Golden Sands
06) Everything Is Ancient Now
07) Standing In A Starlit Room
08) Slow, Slow, Slow
09) Meanwhile, Elsewhere
10) Ghosts Of Ancient Houses
11) Celestrum
12) Starlight Stories
13) The Land Of Lost Dreams
14) The Doctor Was An Alchemist
15) Ian’s Radio Is On

To order:
Starlight Stories” is available for purchase at the Dreamsville Store: https://www.billnelson.com/starlight-stories
and Burning Shed: https://burningshed.com/store/billnelson/bill-nelson_starlight-stories_cd

Also available, Bill Nelson “All The Fun Of The Fair”: https://www.billnelson.com/fun-of-the-fair

Available as both physical CD (from Burning Shed) or as a digital download (from Bandcamp).

For more information: www.billnelson.com


Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Progressive Rock Artist Dave Kerzner’s New Album “Heart Land Mines Vol. 1” To Be Released October 18th!

Featuring members from Sound of Contact, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, Jellyfish, Kansas and others!

Progressive Rock artist Dave Kerzner, known for co-founding the band Sound of Contact with Phil Collins’ son Simon and as the keyboardist of the band Arc of Life with members of Yes is releasing a new solo album entitled “Heart Land Mines Vol. 1”. It’s an autobiographical concept album about leaving Los Angeles in the 90s after a breakup and driving cross country with a guitar to think, reflect and write songs.

The album is Kerzner’s fourth solo effort following up on his previous release “The Traveler”. It features an ensemble cast of musicians including Fernando Perdomo (Echo in the Canyon), Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact), Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd), Elliott Randall (Steely Dan), Lyle Workman (Jellyfish, Beck), Joe Deninzon (Kansas) and more.

“This album was many years in the making,” says Kerzner. “I’ve worked on it on and off since the mid-90s. The stories in the songs are based on true events in my life when I was in my 20’s. Now, 25 years, I’m thrilled to finally present the first volume to be heard publicly!”

Dave Kerzner’s “Heart Land Mines Vol. 1” will be released on CD and digital download on his Bandcamp page and other popular album download sites on October 18th. A 6 song EP from the album called “Heart Land Mines: The Eye” is currently streaming on all major platforms.

Various versions of the album including a deluxe edition that include a surround sound Blu-Ray can be ordered here: http://sonicelements.bandcamp.com/merch

For more information visit http://www.davekerzner.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Experimental Musician Billy Yfantis Presents a Sonic Odyssey: “Cosmic Sleep” Album Alongside Two Electrifying Side Projects

Athens, Greece - Experimental music artist Billy Yfantis is set to release his latest album, “Cosmic Sleep,” an innovative and immersive exploration of the intersection between sleep and the vast expanse of outer space. The album promises to transport listeners on a mesmerizing sonic odyssey unlike anything they've ever experienced. “Cosmic Sleep” is a groundbreaking musical project that delves deep into the mysteries of the human mind's connection with the cosmos. Composed with an intricate blend of electronic elements, the album combines ethereal soundscapes, dreamlike melodies, and pulsating rhythms to create an otherworldly listening experience.

Drawing inspiration from the celestial realm and the enigmatic depths of sleep, Billy Yfantis invites listeners to embark on a unique voyage of the mind. Each track on the album is meticulously crafted to mirror the phases of sleep, from the initial moments of relaxation to the vivid dreams that occur during REM sleep, and ultimately to the awakening and return to reality.

Cosmic Sleep” Track list
1. Rest in Space
2. Sleeping
3. The Sleeping Beauty
4. Eternal rest
5. Rapid Eye Movement
6. Sleepwalking in Space
7. The sleep cycle of Space
8. Bedtime Space stories
9. Cosmic sleep and other digital stories
10. Goodbye Earth
11. Phos
12. Symbols of Life in Space

Listen to the new album here:
Napster:  https://web.napster.com/album/Alb.5581690934272960
Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/album/3c59KSfqxUPtrkKYOQMkax?si=OiO4PFP0StKvn36jYfM7Xg
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kZP4nG_QC_atanhHUE0w1Bi7NrnstDrz4
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/cosmic-sleep/1700596182
Bandcamp:  https://billyyfantis.bandcamp.com/album/cosmic-sleep

Billy Yfantis Expands His Musical Universe with Two Exciting Side Projects Albums

Vasileios Yfantis – “Cinematic Works, Vol. III”
Genre: Atmospheric Instrumental Piano Music
In “Cinematic Works, Vol. III,” Billy Yfantis, under his alter ego Vasileios Yfantis, delves into the world of atmospheric instrumental piano music. This album is a devotion to his profound love for Classical Music, as he creates romantic compositions that are rich in emotion and imagery. Each composition tells a unique story, painting vivid cinematic landscapes in the minds of listeners. The album is a continuation of his successful “Cinematic Works” series, known for its ability to transport audiences to ethereal realms through the power of music.

Listen to the new album here:
YouTubeMusic: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lw15Y0Pvwg9lapmuMFUNfVfOSbXASH1Xg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/cinematic-works-vol-iii/1701935166
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/00PQNC58TKwVTQLrW38Y2w?si=4Zv01zbNShey6ma4h3fWBg

Tricks For Freaks - Metal and Indie Rock Anthems Vol. I”
Genre: Industrial Metal and Indie Rock
For those craving a more intense and adrenaline-fueled musical experience, Billy Yfantis presents “Metal and Indie Rock Anthems Vol. I” under the alias “Tricks For Freaks.” Inspired by the dynamic world of video games, this album combines the raw energy of industrial metal with the melodic sensibilities of indie rock. The result is an explosive fusion of genres that pushes the boundaries of sonic experimentation. Prepare to be immersed in a sonic universe that resonates with the edginess and innovation of modern gaming culture.

Listen to the new album here:
YouTubeMusic:  https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_m3NizmJYB_54yM9auAfkMld6LbAXj8Ilg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/metal-and-indie-rock-anthems-vol-i/1704246497
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2gwamzLaclJNAQWca4N0CE?si=bTVd0XWRRtW_-4ICSoXr0A

About Billy Yfantis
Vasileios (Billy) Yfantis holds 2 Master Degrees in Information Technology and is a Ph.D. candidate in the University of West Attica by conducting research on e-government. Billy has been working on music since the late 1990s by experimenting with tape mixing and sound design. Billy is playing digital keyboards, but prefers to express his artistic dream through the electronic sounds that come from unusual machines. He has experimented with the recording of vacuum cleaners, electric blenders and other strange sounds that have resulted in musical releases. Moreover, Billy has authored books on music, business and science while from time to time he speaks about the electronic governance at scientific conferences all over Europe.

Find other music by Billy Yfantis here: https://billyyfantis.bandcamp.com
Find Books by Billy Yfantis here: https://www.amazon.com/Vasileios-Yfantis/e/B00JNNL306

Contact details:
E-mail: Byfantis@yahoo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billy.yfantis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/billyyfantis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billyyfantis

Press Inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, June 26, 2023

Twink of Pink Fairies, Pretty Things and Tomorrow Fame Announces the Release of his New Solo Album, Think Pink V, the Follow-Up to His Iconic Think Pink Album. OUT NOW!

This new studio album from psychedelic rock icon Twink, best known as a member of Tomorrow, The Pink Fairies and The Pretty Things is a follow up to his seminal 1970 solo album Think Pink which is held in high regard as one of the founding albums of the psychedelic genre.

Think Pink V, the next instalment of this epic journey, was recorded in 2022 and mixed in early 2023.

Twink was playing tour dates around the world, even in countries such as China, before lockdown and he’s now looking forward to returning to the live scene armed with this album of new material.

Twink said of the release: "The time of Five has arrived. I am wondering what you will make of it? That’s the same question I had when the original Think Pink was finished in 1969 and released in the US in 1970 & in the UK in 1971. It has been fabulous working with Ed Sykes & Dionne Corona again. We did have fun putting it together…"

The album is OUT NOW and available from:
Amazon CD: https://geni.us/ThinkPinkVcd
Apple Music: https://geni.us/ThinkPinkVam
Spotify: https://geni.us/ThinkPinkVsp

All orders of Think Pink V via the Cherry Red website will receive (while stocks last) a free hand-signed postcard: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product-tag/twink/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Thursday, June 8, 2023

Composer, Pianist Leah Waybright To Release New Album “Dreamed” Featuring Members of Happy The Man, Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Steely Dan

LEAH WAYBRIGHT is a life-long Composer, Pianist, Recording Artist, Teacher, Floral Artist, Wildflower Preservationist, and Dreamer. The common thread that connects these many professions is her role as a Storyteller. Hundreds of lectures and the wide variety of special floral programs she has presented for Garden Clubs and Civic Groups are the most obvious examples of her Storytelling.

However, her ability to tell a compelling story is not limited to words. Despite the instrumental nature of her music, her unique approach to composition and instrumentation means that each vignette reveals an unfolding and ever-evolving story rich with meaning. As a steward of the Earth, Leah’s creativity and mindset benefitted from the pauses in older projects, and the development of new projects, but throughout she consistently creates new music through improvisation and then hones it with a nurturing process similar to the way she cultivates her beloved plants and wildflowers.

Her newest CD, “Dreamed” will be released by Invasion Merch on July 17, 2023 and is the culmination of years of compositional crafting. In some ways it picks up the floral storytelling narrative where “Beauty Gone Wild” left off, and is a compositional masterpiece. Leah’s musical DNA is immediately noticeable in the melodies and the rhythms, but are even more elegant, captivating, and mysterious. What consistently leaps out of the speakers is the luscious sound of the grand piano, as there is more of a focus on her piano with “Dreamed.” Leah commands this fine instrument and presents each composition with confidence and verve.
Somehow without using a single word, she pulls the listener into her private world where a story for each dreamy piece unfolds like a new plant in spring.

Leah has always been an active dreamer, both in a literal sense as well as in a more figurative sense. Her dreams have a huge influence on her, and she sees power and wisdom in exploring dreams. After experiencing a vivid dream she often incorporates elements of that dream into a piece of music.

Says Leah, “My DREAMED collection is gathered from a wide arc of experience and time travelled. This ‘new’ music is captured from the first song I ever crafted, to pieces invoked by powerful moments and turning points in my life. There are vintage songs from the past as well as imaginings through to my most recent compositions. Each piece emerges for me as special and meaningful.”

The innovative orchestrations on “Dreamed” reveal numerous, subtle aspects of the melodies. The skillful contributions of the other players support the harmonic and rhythmic content when needed, but at other times they shine via tasty solos. In particular, the guitar work of “Happy the Man” alum Stan Whitaker is stunningly effective, especially on the track “Dreamprints.” As with “Beauty Gone Wild,” Gary Blu, who has worked with Boz Scaggs, Donald Fagen and Steely Dan was the only choice for saxes, flutes, piccolo and clarinet. His flute and piccolo work on “Candlewink” is breathtaking.

Mark Wood, master violinist and Trans-Siberian Orchestra co-founder uses violins of his own design to add bold and exciting swaths of sound. A fierce player, his Paganini-like virtuosity never overwhelms Ms. Waybright’s brilliant compositions. His playing on the somewhat classical-leaning “Sunwise” emphasizes complex interplay between violin, piano, and flute. Leah’s complex, shifting piano work in the piece is slightly evocative of both Erik Satie and Claude Bolling. Similarly, “Happy the Man” bassist Rick Kennell manages to both underpin and accent Leah’s every twist and turn. Rick deftly provides movement and support that reveals the glorious details of Leah’s sonic landscape. Rick also handled the production chores.

This is one of those rare albums that rewards the attentive listener with insights and delights. Play these tracks on your stereo or on your best headphones and let Leah’s dreams unfold around you. When you do, this master Storyteller will transport you to a wild world where anything can happen.

Featuring:
Leah Waybright: Compositions, piano, keyboards and vocal musings
Gary Blu: Saxophones, flutes, clarinet, piccolo
Rick Kennell: Bass, drums, percussion, orchestration
Stanley Whitaker: Guitars on tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 8
Mark Wood: Violin on “Sunwise”

Here’s what’s been said about Leah Waybright:

Waybright’s compositions are intensely melodic and brilliantly orchestrated, each with its own spirited vision and expressive purpose; even though this is a concept album, any of these pieces could easily stand on its own: zero filler… nothing short of superb, and there is plenty here within to satisfy the tastes of even the most discriminating progressive rock listener. Highly recommended.” – Expose

Smoothly woven orchestral tapestry of melodic and rhythmic cross-currents, though heavier moments reflect hints of old Happy the Man.” – Progression Magazine

A classically trained keyboardist, Waybright is first and foremost a floral artist, and with this album, combines both her passions successfully. The music is reminiscent of Happy the Man; new agey, serene, yet always with a solid, bouncy feel to propel the music along.” – Gnosis

Leah Waybright has a very smooth sounding recording here. The songs are thoroughly addicting. Leah has a wonderful talent to make her keys sing. She is a very creative composer, who can really get to your heart. I'm impressed as this is a work of art and it is a must for any modern jazz, modern age, or easy listening music lover.” – Electronic Musician Magazine

To purchase: https://ffm.to/leahwaybright-dreamed

For more information: www.leahwaybright.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, May 22, 2023

Automatic Man Legend Todd Cochran Releases “From The Vault: Notes For The Future”

A Narrative Exploration and Foray Into Cochran’s Jazz, Classical, and Electronic Music Palettes Available June 23 via Blue Buddha Productions

Notes for the future are the “imagined sometime in the past” tropes of a storyteller. Freed from every day “isms” of convention and released from the symbolic containment of the vault, the music is an allegorical exploration in futurism. The stream running throughout the musical narrative is a speculative commentary about our human search for meaning, and we’re reminded that as a version of our ancestors’ vision, this quest never ends.

“From The Vault” is structured around a sequence of recurring themes and develops as an unfolding tour of references, hints, and clues. Moving from one perspective to another, we connect with how our planet is perpetually in a state of seeking solutions. Within the soundscape, without words, an underlying language is speaking. Nature evolves for the sum of us, not the few. We are in a continual state of becoming. We are connected. Love is passed along, as is happiness. Nevertheless, expressly for the listener, an implied sense of reasoning encourages us to feel free and let go of all things familiar. And then, “over there” in the distance, we get a passing glimpse of the sacred structure.

Todd Cochran is an American pianist, composer, keyboardist, electronic musician, and conceptual artist. Early in his career he was also professionally known as Bayeté. Cochran started his career as a teenager with saxophonist John Handy. Two years later he joined vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson’s Quartet, and made his jazz recording debut composing and performing on a benchmark album for Hutcherson, “Head On” (Blue Note Records). Cochran’s first solo project “Worlds Around the Sun” became a #1 jazz album. From the mid-1970s forward Todd has experimented with and incorporated synthesizers, electronic and mixed-media concepts in his creative projects while collaborating with a wide range of artists in the genres of jazz, art rock, pop, R&B, and twenty-first-century classical.

Todd released two albums on Prestige Records in 1972 and 1973. He was keyboardist, principal composer and lead singer of Automatic Man from 1976–1978 which also featured drummer Michael Shrieve and guitarist Pat Thrall. He was also a member of Fuse One, a coalition of jazz musicians who released two albums on CTI Records in 1980 and 1981. The shortlist of his collaborations include Peter Gabriel, Joan Armatrading, Maya Angelou and Stewart Copeland.

Track list:

1. PAINTED BY THE SUN
Mountain peaks, sea cliffs, oceans, opaque forests, desert savannas – and human faces colorized by the paintbrush of nature. The entirety of our planet is inhabited by intuitive human beings – all sun worshippers – collectively marking time in communal practices of decoding the mysteries of our existence.

2. IN YOU I SEE ENDLESS MEMORIES
An imagined conversation between the sky and the wind.

3. ISMS PRISMS
Not one thing, but all things… spontaneous change shuttles us through the cycles of life.

4. TRANSPARENCIES
Being transparent is naturally imperfect and intensely human.

5. WE MAKE TWO, TWO MAKE WE
Music is a language of interacting tones and colors through which one is able to experience the other; the abstract and the personal. The notion of two streams of thought merging into a unified idea makes for a wellspring of originality. At once distinctly different, yet in combination, resonating wildly.

6. EYE DREAMING
“Within you, my love, I see endless mystery.”

7. MOON GLOW
This duet of a middle-sized plucked string instrument and Balinese gong expresses energies I’ve experienced in Indonesia, where the nighttime sky sometimes seems so vast there appears to be an aura around the moon.

8. HYMN FOR THE HIDDEN PEOPLE
This is a tonal essay – an homage to the poor, the rebuked, scorned, unseen, and unheard. The music challenges our lack of compassion and moves us to feel the many who toil and struggle in silence, yet stay in the light, with hope and determination.

9. THE SPINNING CIRCLE
There are no simple explanations or a single equation that defines a circle. A circle has no beginning or end, there’s no start, finishing point, or conclusion. Only infinite revolutions rhythmically intertwined.

10. INSEPARABLE
Balance in our lives and the spaces we occupy is a dance of opposites. “Om” and “Amen” are the same thing.

Blue Buddha Productions | Release Date: June 23, 2023

To pre-order: Bandcamp: https://bluebuddha.bandcamp.com/

For more information on Todd Cochran, please visit:
toddcochran.com | Instagram

For more information on Blue Buddha Productions, please email: bluebuddhaproductions@gmail.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Friday, March 3, 2023

Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine’s Legacy Enhanced With the Re-Release of “Jazzloops” and “The Stolen Hour”, Featuring his Soft Machine Bandmates – OUT NOW!

Hugh Hopper was a key member of Soft Machine and an accomplished solo artist but passed away in 2009. His legacy is now being celebrated with the re-release of two of his solo albums which had been hard to find until now.

Both “Jazzloops” and “The Stolen Hour” feature his Soft Machine bandmates guesting throughout including: Robert Wyatt, Elton Dean and John Marshall.  Other guests include Gong alumni Didier Malherbe and French guitarist Patrice Meyer.

This double disc re-mastered set includes “The Stolen Hour’s” comic, created by Matt Howarth, in the booklet and has been endorsed by Christine Janet Hopper, Hugh Hopper’s wife, who also plays trumpet on some of the recordings.

Peter Pardo of Sea of Tranquility reviewed the original releases of these albums by saying, “Hearing Hugh Hopper, Elton Dean, Robert Wyatt and John Marshall, all former Soft Machine members, jamming together again is another reason to celebrate…”

The albums are OUT NOW and available from:
Amazon 2 CD Set: https://geni.us/HH2CD
Jazzloops Spotify: https://geni.us/HHjazzloopsSP
Jazzloops Apple Music: https://geni.us/HHjazzloopsAM
The Stolen Hour Spotify: https://geni.us/HHstolenhourSP
The Stolen Hour Apple Music: https://geni.us/HHstolenhourAM

This double disc set is also available directly from Cherry Red: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/hugh-hopper-jazzloops-the-stolen-hour/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Drummer Mark Murdock To Release 3rd Solo Album “False Readings” Featuring Prog Legends Nektar

“False Readings” is drummer Mark Murdock’s third solo prog-rock release which features Fernando Perdomo, whom Mark performed with in the ‘Out to Sea Band’ on the 2022 Cruise to the Edge. Also contributing on selected songs are recurring guest artists from the band ‘Nektar’ with Ron Howden, Derek ‘Mo’ Moore and Nektar newcomers, Ryche Chlanda and Kendall Scott.

Mark says, “‘False Readings’ comes after the release of two experimental in my Cymbalic Encounters catalog; ‘Overexposure’ and ‘Cerulean Cathedral.’ There may be traces of these works on some elements of the music, as some of the material was composed near the same time frame, while offering some new dimensions to my works.

False Readings” (Track List)

1. Distant Sirens
2. Volatility Swaying
3. Remain in Darkness
4. Until I Reach the End
5. Pure as the Driven Snow
6. False Readings
7. Symposium of the Greatest Failures
8. Singularities
9. The Extremities of My Dreams
10. Ending World Overture

Mark Murdock/drums, keyboards, synthesizers & percussion
Tim Pepper/vocals
Fernando Perdomo/guitar on songs 2, 4 & 8
Ron Howden/drums on songs 3 & 5 *Courtesy of Nektar
Derek ‘Mo’ Moore/bass on song 2 *Courtesy of Nektar
Ryche Chlanda/guitar song 2 *Courtesy of Nektar
Kendall Scott/synth solo on song 6 *Courtesy of Nektar
Ken Hall/guitar on songs 1, 6 & 7
Katsumi Yoneda/electric guitar on song 5
Dave Juteau/guitar on song 3 & 7
Daniel Kubota/12 string guitar on song 5/electric guitar on songs 9 & 10
David Rambeau/ending lead guitar on song 3

All compositions, lyrics and music by Mark Murdock
Produced by Mark Murdock
Mixed and Mastered by Mark Murdock
Cover photo by Satomi taken in Kagoshima, Japan
Copyright 2022

Digital audio available on Bandcamp and all digital platforms:
https://cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/false-readings

False Readings” YouTube videos:

Distant Sirens
https://youtu.be/9jFIBIQN7X4

Volatility Swaying
https://youtu.be/QZmZfvCkVIU

Remain in Darkness
https://youtu.be/56DtxO-id5U

Until I Reach the End
https://youtu.be/j2UfGUuDz4I

Pure as the Winter Snow
https://youtu.be/Eew7sd4N_NU

False Readings
https://youtu.be/g7G0pPNdAb4

Symposium of the Greatest Failures
https://youtu.be/_8WKGOoVvI4

Singularities
https://youtu.be/lK9yQQuZdVc

The Extremities of My Dreams
https://youtu.be/lK9yQQuZdVc

Ending World Overture
https://youtu.be/2etG0ozrYLE

Also available from Mark Murdock:

Visitors from Another Planet
https://cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/visitors-from-another-planet

The Phoenix has Risen
https://cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/the-phoenix-has-risen

Era-2 (The New York Recordings/Eyes Down)
https://cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/era-2-eyes-down-the-n-y-c-recordings

Era-2 (Phoenix Recordings/Seacloud)
https://cymbalicencounters.bandcamp.com/album/era-2-the-phoenix-recordings

Correspondence:
markmurdockmusic@gmail.com
Cymbalic Encounters: cymbalicencounters@gmail.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Prog Music Artist Leon Alvarado To Release New Album “Charging The Electric Dream” Featuring Music Spanning Several Decades

Prog music artist Leon Alvarado will be releasing his new album “Charging The Electric Dream” on December 15th! According to Leon, “‘Charging The Electric Dream’ is a very personal record without any collaborators or guest musicians. If I were to describe it, I would say that it is an album of what I like to call headphone music, because it plays out more like a soundtrack that stimulates the listener’s imagination. Like many of my other records, you can hear my inspirations throughout the album. There are definitely nods to Brian Eno, Wendy Carlos, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis and Jean Michel Jarre. It is not a Prog album per se, but definitely something that Prog fans can appreciate.”

Says Leon, “‘Charging The Electric Dream’ refers to revitalizing material I recorded in response to the electronic music that influenced me throughout the years.  I am giving it a new life by releasing it for the very first time.”

The music on the album was recorded periodically over a span of several decades. To reflect this, the artwork shows a collage of Leon’s face constructed of passport photos taken over many years. A video for the title track will be released concurrently. A short film titled “Outside The Dream” will follow the release.

Primarily known for his record label and music promotion artwork, in 2008 Leon Alvarado released his first album, “Plays Genesis and Other Original Stuff” as an ode to one of his favorite bands. Since then, he has released several records and worked alongside an impressive list of well-known musicians such as Rick Wakeman, Bill Bruford, Billy Sherwood, Jon Davison (Yes), John Goodsall (Brand X), Trey Gunn (King Crimson), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, KC), Jerry Marotta, (Peter Gabriel), John Helliwell (Supertramp), Tony Franklin (The Firm), Johnny Bruhns, (Circa), Edoardo Scordo, Damian Darlington (Brit Floyd), Ty Tabor (King’s X) to name a few.

Leon’s musical output can be categorized as a blend of Prog Rock with Ambient, some Classical and a measure of Fusion. Each piece, as well as his library as a whole, is a constantly evolving musical landscape that can simultaneously embrace the listener in familiarity, while embarking on exciting and experimental journeys of sound.

Release date: December 15, 2022
Personnel:
Leon Alvarado all instruments
Engineered by Leon Alvarado
Engineering Assistance by John Douglass
Mastering by Maor Appelbaum
Label: Melodic Revolution Records

To purchase: https://leonalvarado.bandcamp.com/album/chasing-the-electric-dream

For more information:
leonalvarado.bandcamp.com/
mrrmusic.com/leon-alvarado

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, November 7, 2022

Claire Hamill Releases Her New Solo Album, “A Pocket Full of Love Songs”, Which She Wrote and Recorded in and Around Lockdown – OUT NOW!

Claire Hamill is celebrating over 50 years in the music industry and she’s best known for her hit “Baseball Blues”, her work with Wishbone Ash and for writing Eva Cassidy’s hit “You Take My Breath Away”.

Claire Hamill released her much-loved debut album “One House Left Standing” on Chris Blackwell’s Island label in 1971 and worked with John Martyn, Steve Howe from Yes and a host of others as she developed her folk roots into new age music and beyond.

“A Pocketful of Love Songs” was written during lockdown and features songs from the heart on all aspects of love and life.

Claire Hamill said of the release: “There’s never been a better time to fall in love than now. I’m exploring the boundaries of my imagination and bringing together my thoughts and feelings in song form, to make sense of my life and my decisions. Maybe they’ll reflect some of yours too.”

The album is available from all good retailers and via the below links:
Amazon CD: https://geni.us/arch013cd
Apple Music: https://geni.us/arch013am
Spotify: https://geni.us/arch013sp

Also available directly from Cherry Red: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/claire-hamill-a-pocket-full-of-love-songs/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Progressive Rock Guitarist Dallas Perkins Releases New Album “Experimental Truth”

Los Angeles, CA – On Dallas Perkins’ latest release “Experimental Truth” his stellar technical proficiency and dexterity are on full display. We are now hearing six-string wisdom come to full fruition. Showcasing a guitarist that is clearly steeped in melody, the music allows us to join the conversation with breathing room, suspense, and brilliantly placed pauses in these layered compositions. Perkins is not just a guitarist with attention grabbing technique, he is a composer reflecting influences spanning centuries of music history absorbed and personalized over decades finally distilled into a singular artistic statement.

Dallas said of “Experimental Truth”: “With this album, I really wanted to grab the listener’s attention with harmonic complexity and melodic simplicity. My hope is that it will satisfy fans of my previous work. But beyond that, my goal was to create a cohesive theme connecting each composition as in the spirit of the concept album. With the absence of lyrical content, I wanted the music to stand on its own and perhaps evoke a visual dimension. In short, I hope to inspire each listener’s imagination to create their own interpretation and imagery.”

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Dallas cites his original six-string inspirations as Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, Steve Howe and Ritchie Blackmore, among other heavyweights from the era. After paying his dues in clubs and festivals, lending his chops to various cover bands and original acts, he headed West.

In Los Angeles, Dallas became a respected member of the emerging wave of technically proficient players as well as an in-demand instructor at famed Hollywood music school Musician’s Institute and National Guitar Summer Workshop.

Taking on a few hired gun gigs, he eventually found himself relocated to the Tampa Bay area of Florida. During that time, he began releasing a series of critically acclaimed instrumental material. His debut release, “Looking Glass,” was hailed by critics in both Guitar World and Guitar for the Practicing Musician magazines. He was quickly recruited into Virgin recording artists Roxx Gang, both in the studio and on the road.

Dallas’ style has continued to evolve and broaden since the release of his self-produced, acclaimed solo CDs, including the breakout smash “Emergent Behavior” and the follow up “Unbecoming.”

Dallas currently performs live with his own solo band throughout Southern California. He is also a staple in the Los Angeles music scene, a sought after touring and session musician and a regular on Hollywood’s promo buzz show, Ultimate Jam Night.

Track List:
1. Beck Street
2. Deus XM
3. Dynamic Equilibrium
4. Mexican Puppets
5. Monolith
6. Intermeshing Spectra
7. Azul
8. In Via Domum
9. Jagwired

Produced by Dallas Perkins
D Mania Records

Listen to the entire album here: https://etpromo.dallasperkins.com/

To purchase:
Amazon Music: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6QHMG8Y/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/experimental-truth/1635385722
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4k7tY53Crcp0cToAoGD1NI
Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/dallas-perkins/ARcPh5PjVtt9knm
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCLL1dnwQNmn4YVd-hOmiuYA

For more information:
www.DallasPerkins.com
https://www.facebook.com/dalchemy
https://www.instagram.com/dallasdperkins
https://twitter.com/dallasperkins
https://www.youtube.com/dalchemy

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, September 12, 2022

YES Keyboard Legend Tony Kaye Celebrates the Anniversary of His First Solo Album 'End Of Innocence'

Twelve months on from the release of this hauntingly beautiful album, another event is changing our world.

The music is poignant for another host of reasons, showing that Kaye, writing from the heart, speaks for us all when words just cannot express the emotions we all feel when tragedy strikes.

An album 20 years in the making, the first solo work from former YES member Tony Kaye.

Conceived to commemorate the events and the journey that followed the world changing moments of 9/11, End Of Innocence is designed to be listened to in its entirety and to take us on a journey.

Featuring Dani Torchia who Kaye met in the wake of 9/11 has written and performed on the album. Tony Kaye retired from Yes in 1996, and came out of retirement the week following the events of 9/11 and began to write this album, the power of music helped Tony to process the day that became the End Of Innocence.

The album takes you on a journey from the peace of the night before, to the emerging hopeful looking to the future. This album has been interwoven with the growth of their relationship. Today the album throws light and solace following the death of Queen Elizabeth, which changes the landscape of the world for every person whose lives she touched in her 70 year Reign.

The artwork is painted by Roger Dean, the artist best known for his work with YES and Asia. It was created after Roger had heard the music and the images reflect the journey the music takes.

On the 21st Anniversary of 911, a reminder to our leaders to stay vigilant. NEVER FORGET!” - Tony Kaye

End Of Innocence Track Listing:
1. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star/Twilight Time
2. 911 Overture
3. NYC Blues
4. Battle Cry
5. 285 Fulton Street
6. Let’s Roll
7. Tug of War
8. Flight 11
9. Towers Fall
10. Sweetest Dreams
11. Aftermath
12. Heroes
13. The Battle
14. Hope and Triumph
15. Homecoming
16. Ground Zero

Produced by Tony Kaye

All tracks composed by Tony Kaye except “Sweetest Dreams” by Dani Torchia.

Tony Kaye, Spirit of Unicorn Music and Cherry Red Records are donating 10% of all profits from End of Innocence to https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/ The charity supports veterans, defenders and first responders in times of hardship.

About Tony Kaye
Tony Kaye is best known as the original keyboard player with prog legends YES, his Hammond organ giving their groundbreaking The YES Album its most distinctive sound within the YES catalogue. Following his departure from YES in 1971 Kaye was involved with a number of other bands including David Bowie, Badger, Flash and Badfinger before returning to YES for their greatest commercial success 90125 in 1983. Kaye remained with YES for several albums and tours before retiring from the music business in 1996. Following the re-awakening of his musical inspiration in 2001, Kaye accepted an invitation from current YES bassist Billy Sherwood to work on projects which led to the formation of CIRCA, in 2007, and has yielded four albums to date.

Order Tony Kaye End of Innocence here:
https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/tony-kaye-end-of-innocence/
www.yesworld.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, August 1, 2022

Original Crack The Sky Bassist Joe Macre To Release Second Solo Album “The Dream Is Free”

Hot on the heels of his critically acclaimed first solo album. Bassist Joe Macre will be releasing his second album “The Dream Is Free” on August 1st on Cuppa Joe Records. Joe is known as the original bassist for the progressive rock band Crack The Sky best known for achieving “debut album of the year” in Rolling Stone Magazine and still included in the top 50 albums of all time. Joe was a member of Crack The Sky from 1975–1980 and 2004-2009. Joe has also worked with The B. E. Taylor Group, Wild Cherry, King Friday, Jim Croce, David Sanborn, The Brecker Brothers, Marie Osmond, Keith Green, Clint Brown, and others.

In 2018 Joe began work on Joe Mac’s American Garage with the debut album, “Bullet Train” released in 2021 with a cast of musicians and superstars including Grammy Award Artists Oliver Wakeman (Yes), and Andy Timmons (Danger Danger), Robert Schindler (Johnny Nash), Madukwu Chinwah (Erikah Badu), Chris Elliot and Jerry Oxendyne (86 Bullets), Pete Hewllett (Billy Joel), John Palumbo, Rick Witkowski, Bobby Hird and Joey D'Amico (Crack The Sky).

Joe’s latest effort, “The Dream Is Free” was written immediately after the “Bullet Train” release and features him on all instruments and voices, with guest appearances by Crack The Sky’s Rick Witkowski and Al Macre (keys) and solos by Chris Elliott. It’s a collection of 10 songs with Bonus tracks. The first single is a light commercial song entitled “I Need You.”

Says Joe, “‘The Dream Is Free’ album is a reflection on my life experiences as a musician. The Dream Is Free BUT the pain’s sold separately. It takes some talent to get in but there are consequences if you have no idea of the BUSINESS of music. So, I guess it’s a loosely concept album but also a collection that was written during the covid times. I write all the songs and play all the instruments and vocals with the exception of some solos by Chris Elliott, Rick Witkowski and Al Macre. Two incredible soloists and a classical keyboardist who played on a few songs. My former bandmate Rick Witkowski co-wrote two songs with me on this album. My musical inspirations are The Beatles, Yes, Genesis, King Crimson, Strawbs. I grew up playing Funk as a bassist. These early years were filled with Motown, James Brown and anything with a cool rhythm. The context for my songs is positive, giving the listener the chance to explore what I'm saying. Most are based on my musical experiences and years on the road.”

Joe Macre’s Award-winning Post Production mixing credits in films include Monster in Law, House of D and Fire Down Below. His “Cuppa Joe Music” Library and Sound Design are chosen for many national spots, including the award-winning Super Bowl Tabasco’s “Mosquito”, Corona’s “Ship in a Bottle”, Nickelodeon, Showtime, Ford, McDonald’s, Corona, Hyundai, and Oprah Winfrey.

Joe was inducted into the board of directors for SPARS (Society of Professional Audio Recording Services) with Leslie Ann Jones, Audio Director at Skywalker Sound, Kevin Mills at Larrabee West Studios, Tim Butler at Chicago Recording (CRC), Jeff Greenberg at The Village Recorder and Steve Davis at Crawford Communications Atlanta. Joe is an active member of AES and the American Federation of Musicians.

Track List:
The Dream Is Free
Tell Me
Ride Or Die
Drop Me Off At The Rainbow
Life In The Theater
These Cool Years
Not Looking Back Tonight
Tomorrow Is Today
Get Up, Crack Down
The Dark Sky Sea

Special thanks to Chris Elliott, Rick Witkowski and Al Macre for their input and contributions.

To purchase:
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/joe-macre/1554759535
https://joemacsamericangarage.bandcamp.com

For more information:
www.joemacre.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUnj3mE99udGF8QHZsDEPCQ
https://open.spotify.com/artist/671oRPBGK1PKkhvfwudawb
https://soundcloud.com/cuppajoemusic

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Monday, May 9, 2022

Bass Virtuoso Clint Bahr Releases New Solo Album “PUZZLEBOX” Feat. Members of King Crimson, YES, Van Der Graaf Generator, Sun Ra and Others!

Bass virtuoso Clint Bahr just released a new solo album “PUZZLEBOX” on Moonjune Records. The album features members of King Crimson, YES, Van Der Graaf Generator, Sun Ra and others!

Clint Bahr’s new band, also named PUZZLEBOX, is a multidimensional “Tabula Rasa” in both compositional and improvisational formats. PUZZLEBOX is a genre-defying global collaboration of artists, a cross-pollination of diverse instruments and talents.

Delightfully blurring both stylistic and structural approaches, the tight-knit unit Bahr has assembled proves as unpredictable as they are adept, articulate and gifted. “PUZZLEBOX” recalls prog in its heyday when albums as uninhibited and off script as King Crimson’s “Lizard” and Captain Beefheart’s “Trout Mask Replica” were celebrated, and the Canterbury renaissance was in full swing. It harkens back to the same “reaching beyond” mentality which defined his seminal NYC-based power trio, TriPod. Brilliantly arranged and produced, Clint Bahr has delivered a multi-faceted, timeless epic ... at such a time as this.

Says Bahr, “I decided to do a ‘solo’ album with friends from the UK and USA. They include former members of King Crimson, Anthony Braxton, Television, Van der Graaf Generator, Sun Ra, Flash, TriPod, Gloria Gaynor, YES, Andromeda, etc. The album is a 50/50 compilation of composed and improvisational pieces. More so, PUZZLEBOX is a recording & touring band with interchanging players from around the world with a core bass and drums section.”


Clint Bahr - Composer/Lyricist
(Vocals, 12/8/4 String Basses, Chapman Stick, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Piano, Harmonium, Mellotron, Theremin, Percussion, etc.)
Formerly of TriPod, Andromeda, Flash, 40 Familys, Menage a Trois, as well as the bass player for Eartha Kitt. He has toured nationally and internationally. Progressive Edge Magazine listed him in their “TOP BASS PLAYER of 2002” list. He has recorded for Columbia Records, MoonJune Records, and various independent labels, and was a recipient of the 2021 NYC Artists Corps Grant.

PUZZLEBOX” Track List
1. Tabula Rasa 1
2. New Design
3. Plate (Improv)
4. Shelter
5. As Tympani Melt In The Greek Heat (Improv)
6. Fall From Grace
7. Belt & Braces
8. Triangles, Circles & Squares (Improv)
9. Oslo
10. Kicking The Wasp’s Nest
11. Lifeguard In The Rain
12. Tabula Rasa 2

Featuring:
Clint Bahr - basses & vocals (TriPod)
Peter Banks - guitar (Yes)
Colin Carter - vocals (Flash)
Marilyn Crispell - piano (Anthony Braxton)
David Cross- violins (King Crimson)
Stephanie Feyne - dialogue (The Dotes)
Billy Ficca - drums (Television)
Dick Griffin - trombone (Sun Ra)
Mike Hough - drums (Flash)
David Jackson - woodwinds (Van der Graaf Generator)
Dan Parkington - sitar & violin (Andromeda)
Jeff Schiller - woodwinds (The Roots)

To purchase:
BANDCAMP: https://clint-bahr-moonjune.bandcamp.com/album/puzzlebox?fbclid
AND also from Website: https://www.puzzlebox.band/

For more information:
https://www.puzzlebox.band/
https://www.facebook.com/ClintBahrPuzzlebox

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Friday, February 11, 2022

Guitarist/Composer Alex Anthony Faide To Release Long Awaited Solo Album “Particles of the Infinite” Featuring King Crimson’s Pat Mastelotto On 7d Media March 18, 2022

AAF plays my guitar parts better than I do.”  - Robert Fripp

Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Guitarist/Composer Alex Anthony Faide has a decades-long international reputation for being the secret weapon in rock recordings, arrangements, and stage productions in Europe and Latin America. Now based in Seattle, WA, Faide will release his long-awaited solo record – “Particles of the Infinite” – a display of guitar pyrotechnics in nine parts, in March 2022 on Trey Gunn’s label 7d Media. Inspired by and developed from concepts found in songs such as King Crimson’s “Fracture” and “Lark’s Tongues in Aspic,” Faide takes the work beyond the stratosphere into the mirror dimension to find something completely his own. In the words of his mentor Robert Fripp, “AAF plays my guitar parts better than I do.”  

Faide spent 2017-19 touring, songwriting, and arranging, with Mexican hard rock heroes Molotov on their MTV Unplugged Show “El Desconecte” and as a sideman for Molotov front man Tito Fuentes’ acclaimed solo record “El Ocaso.” He is currently working on a new project with legendary German producer/songwriter Uwe Fahrenkrog-Petersen, founder and main composer for the band Nena.  

Faide is the co-founder of cherished 3rd wave surf rock band, Los Twang! Marvels, in addition to Los Gauchos Alemanes/Electric Gauchos. He has also worked with artists including Markus Reuter, Namgar, Willie Campins, Crystal Beth, TROOT, Kathy Moore, Tiny Orchestral Moments, Los Primitivos, and Lutz Petersen, among countless others.

Says Alex, “It is difficult to determine the true origin of this work, though it stands undeniably as a tribute to my guitar instructor, life mentor, and friend, Robert Fripp. Ideas and compositions started taking shape in April 2016 in response to a challenge set forth by long-time collaborator and life brother Steve Ball (League of Crafty Guitarists, Electric Gauchos, Prometheus) to come up with my own version of King Crimson’s ‘Fracture’ and ‘Lark’s Tongues in Aspic.’ Mr. Fripp’s writing and guitar work in these monumental pieces strike me as expertly unique blends of influences in contemporary electric guitar repertoire, which inspired me to dive deeply into my own voice and personal practice to accept the challenge issued.

“What sparked my interest the most was the notion of a fierce, heavy rock attitude and sound, executed with pristine precision in a contemporary classical music tradition on an electrified instrument. I am mesmerized by the section of “Fracture” known as “Perpetuum Mobile” and with the guitarist’s capacity to execute intricate parts in an effortless fashion with a triangular plectrum. The challenge to evoke such intricacy seems to me both impossibly fragile and risky.

“Once the embryonic emergence of ‘Particles of the Infinite Parts I through III’ began to take shape, it became clear this was going to be a full-length record and require a full nine parts to complete the body of work I set out to explore. ‘Particles of the Infinite’ sums up 30 years of personal development and research on the guitar, derived and gleaned from direct guitar instruction as part of Guitar Craft, and the live practice of experiencing life as an international touring musician in myriad genres and settings. I traveled almost monthly between Argentina, Mexico, and the US from 2017-2019, developing this work between shows and collaborations, in hotel rooms and airbnb’s, with recordings intermittently in Seattle when the moment allowed.”

The 9 frameworks that make up “Particles of the Infinite” are presented in triptych (Pt. I-III / Pt. IV-VI / Pt. VII – IX) each containing particular techniques (alternate and cross-picking, stamina, release and flow for the left hand, exploration of diminished /symmetric scale relationships, rhythmic displacement & vector harmonization) - and interpretations of various themes, motifs and passages. There are many convergences imprinted in the music, playing style and overall tone.

Says Alex, “Obviously part of the material stands as a tribute to Fripp, however I am always pushing towards my own musical horizon and following the demands of the Muse. I hear it as ‘gold panning’ in musical form. One could arguably call this record “just a fancy collection of chops”…and I would happily agree with that. But I regard these techniques and interpretations as a cross-pollinating and ever-evolving body of work that points to a larger idea in the ever-expanding continuum of the electric guitar. Above all, these techniques are simply a means to an end, the end being the ability to let music speak freely and continually in real time.

“It’s interesting to experience the evolving arc throughout the whole record start to finish, personally it represents a sort of a surprising navigation chart helping me (and hopefully the listener as well) to find a center of gravity amidst the storm. May the Higher Powers grant Us the Patience to endure and the Strength to persevere. As they say: Ad Astra per Aspera.”

photo by Karen Moskowitz

Particles of the Infinite” Track list:
Pt. I (04:06)
Pt. II (04:31)
Pt. III (05:50)
Pt. IV (04:37)
Pt. V (11:05)
Pt. VI (03:18)
Pt. VII (03:38)
Pt. VIII (06:28)
Pt. IX (06:11)

All tracks composed and performed by Alex Anthony Faide on electric guitar and bass.

Guest drummers:
Matt Chamberlain (Pt. I & VI)
Pat Mastelotto (Pt. II)
Alessandro Inolti (Pt.III, IV, V, VII & VIII)

Recorded at SoundVision Studios (Seattle)
Mixed by Jonathan Plum / London Bridge Studios (Seattle)
Mastered by Brian Lucey / Magic Garden Mastering (LA)

Release Date March 18, 2022

To purchase: https://alexanthonyfaide.bandcamp.com/album/particles-of-the-infinite

For more information:
Official website: www.alexanthonyfaide.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alex.a.faide
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instrofreak/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AlexAnthonyFaide

7DMedia: www.7dmedia.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

PFM/Aqua Fragile Vocal Legend Bernardo Lanzetti Releases Solo Album “Horizontal Rain”

Featuring Tony Levin, David Cross, David Jackson, Derek Sherinian, Tony Franklin, Jonathan Mover and others!

Conceived and recorded over a few years with outstanding musicians and special guests, Bernardo Lanzettiʼs new work is presented as a collection of musical episodes that sail from Progressive Rock to Vanguard, making port of call at Modern Opera, Art Rock, Rock & Soul and Classix 2 B.

Eight songs in English, two lyrics written by friend Peter Jack Marmot, wordsmith and coach manager between London and Marbella, plus an Italian text for the song “Ero un num Ero”, built on an elementary and random numerical progression as if to point out that the so-called “inspiration”, at times, can only be a fairy tale to deceive the unwary listener.

Without exaggerating or forcibly imposing his vocal range exceeding three octaves, the vocalist makes available the complete range of his voice, including the one processed by his Glovox device and those written for a choir that, in “Different”, move on articulated bars, always different in their division and imperceptibly delusional succession.

In the album, passion, detached nostalgia, fury and irony unfold track after track with a mix of sounds that are as unpredictable as they are effective: David Jackson’s baritone sax replacing the double bass in “Lanzhaiku” or Tony Levin’s unmistakable stick in “Heck Jack”. The pressing guitars of Marco Colombo in “Genial” where not even Andalusia is neglected or those of Andrea Cervetto, excitingly painful in the desperate appeal of “Walk Away”, which finds Tony Franklinʼs precise fretless bass and, in contrast, the hectic synth of Derek Sherinian and the poignant violin of David Cross. Alternating solid and frantic episodes, Jonathan Moverʼs drumming stands out on four strong selected tracks.

With more than 120 songs already published to his credit, Bernardo also celebrates his being an author/composer with this new album where almost everything, including the artwork, is due to his talent and attitude. Including the above mentioned special guests, in all 19 musicians and a choir of 7 from Italy, UK, USA and Spain, numerous sound engineers and the careful and patient work of the producer Dario Mazzoli, make this work precious and unique.

Watch the video forHeck Jack”: 

(*) Alesia Baltach, Cello on 7// Marco Brioschi, Trumpet on 2// Andrea Cervetto, Gtrs, Bass, Keys, Arranger for 2 and 4// Kim Chandler, Backing Vocals on 1 and 2// Marco Colombo, Gtrs on 5 and 8 // David Cross, Violin on 1// Tony Franklin,  Bass on 1// Pier Gonella, Gtrs on 6// Franco Grandoni, Choir conductor ** on 9 // David Jackson, all Saxophones and Flutes on 3//Bernardo Lanzetti: Lead and Backing Vocals, acoustic Gtr, Harmonica, pre production and programming // Tony Levin, Stick on 2// Dario Mazzoli, Bass on 5// Sara Wilma Milani: backing vocals on 3// Carlo Napolitano: Trombone on 2// Jonathan Mover, Drums on 1, 2, 5 and 8// Alex Polipo, Drums on 4// Giancarlo Porro, sax and horn section arrangements on 2// Derek Sherinian, Keys on 1// Pier Vigolini, Keys on 6. (**) Chorus on “Different”: Luisa Baiocco, Federica Bastianelli, Silvia Metelli, Michelle Rainone, Gabriele Santoni, Teo Tiburzi, Gabriele Serano.

Track List:
01-Walk Away
02-Heck Jack
03-Lanzhaiku
04-Time Is King
05-Genial!
06-Conventional
07-Ero un num Ero
08-Horizontal Rain
09-Different

All music and lyrics by B.Lanzetti except 02 and 05, lyrics by P.J.Marmot.

To purchase:
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/0CX7kn753qMkUt7oZDiYxI
iTunes Italy: https://music.apple.com/it/album/1565842423?app=itunes
iTunes USA: https://music.apple.com/com/album/1565842423?app=itunes
iTunes UK: https://music.apple.com/uk/album/1565842423?app=itunes
AMAZON CD & DIGITAL STREAMING & MP3: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09437RKHK/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp

For more information:
http://bernardolanzetti.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BernardoLanzetti

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com