Showing posts with label Ambient. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ambient. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Joe Satriani Bass Sideman & Mermen Co-founder Allen Whitman Releases 4th Ambient Soundtrack “The Eternal City”

ALLEN WHITMAN, former bassist with legendary virtuoso guitarist JOE SATRIANI and co-founder of the influential San Francisco-based instrumental surf-rock trio THE MERMEN, announces the digital-only release (through label SQUEAKEY STUDIOS) of his 4th soundtrack/ambient travel log album “THE ETERNAL CITY.”

The album, his 4th in a series, continues the artist’s predilection for incorporating acoustic guitar-driven sonic environments with samples and synths - and this time out forwarding the in-your-face pace of that Grande Dame of cities, Rome. The sounds, making use of field recordings made on his recent sojourn in Italy, are compelling, occasionally contemplative, and often propulsive.

ALLEN WHITMAN, a stalwart of the San Francisco music scene, credits past live performance and musical collaboration with, among many others, HELIOS CREED, TINY TIM, THE SANDALS, THE INK SPOTS, NELS CLINE, MIKE KENEALLY, CARMINE APPICE, DJ QUEST, SAMMY HAGAR, TONY MACALPINE, DWEEZIL ZAPPA, STEVE LUKATHER, STEVE VAI, STEVE MORSE and JOHN PETRUCCI.

Additionally, WHITMAN’s band, FIVE DAY MIRACLE TENT CRUSADE, explores deep ambient and dense vocal-heavy refusenik-pop reminiscent of Godley and Creme, John Cale and Holgar Czukay, recently collaborating with chanteuse DOROTHY MOSKOWITZ of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

WHITMAN has worked extensively in live music for theater, particularly with California-based Theatre of Yugen for live performance in a modern Noh style in San Francisco, New York City, Tokyo and Austin.

To purchase: https://squeakeystudios.bandcamp.com/album/the-eternal-city-an-ambient-travel-log-album

Previous ambient travel log albums:
https://squeakeystudios.bandcamp.com/album/m-hitotsu-no-f-kei-album
https://squeakeystudios.bandcamp.com/album/monogatari-no-f-kei-album
https://squeakeystudios.bandcamp.com/album/the-summer-solstice-sessions-album

Additional online resources:
https://www.instagram.com/squeaksmore/
https://audius.co/squeakeystudios
https://soundcloud.com/squeakey-studios

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

Monday, August 29, 2022

Bass Virtuosos Alberto Rigoni and Michael Manring To Release New Album “Grains of Sand” on Sept. 15, 2022

Bass virtuosos Alberto Rigoni (solo, BAD As, Kim Bingham, Vivaldi Metal Project etc.) and Michael Manring (solo, Alex Skolnic, Steve Morse etc,) are glad to announce the release of their new album “Grains of Sand” on September 15th.

The album, fully instrumental, spans from prog to fusion, jazz, ambient and features Mark Zonder (Fates Warning, A-Z) on drums. Also, on some tracks the duo invited some bassists as special guests such as Billy Sheehan, Stuart Hamm, Adam Nitti and more.

Alberto Rigoni says: “After the release of ‘Song for Souls’ in memory of my father I said I was going to retire (at least for a bit) but well… I could not resist making an album with one of the best bass players in the world like Michael. Hope you will enjoy it!”

Michael Manring says: “Alberto is a prolific artist with a deep love of the bass. His enthusiasm is inspiring and it’s always a pleasure to work with him.”

The duo have already released two videos that you can view at the following links:
https://youtu.be/GuXJxlNYcBY (“No Escape” feat. Adam Nitti)
https://youtu.be/G5SjE0vRU54 (“Grains of Sands” ft. Billy Sheehan)

“Grains of Sand” will be available in digital, Digipack CD and limited edition tape/cassette! You can pre-order “Grains of Sand” at http://albertorigoni.bandcamp.com

For more information:
https://linktr.ee/albertorigoni
http://www.manthing.com

Released by Manthing Music BMI (© 2022)

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

Thursday, February 25, 2021

Cleopatra Records Issues Deluxe Collector’s Edition Of HAWKWIND Co-Founder NIK TURNER’s 1978 Album XITINTODAY!

Produced by GONG’s Steve Hillage

Los Angeles, CA - From ‘60s legends the Grateful Dead to Grammy winning flautist Paul Horn, industrial band Killing Joke, and Hawkwind co-founder Nik Turner, Egypt’s Great Pyramids have been a powerful source of inspiration for many musical adventurers over the years. Some, like Turner, have even gone so far as to record their instruments inside the ancient wonders, capturing the unique resonance of these mystical spaces and blending them with modern techniques and sensibilities to create a truly innovative work of art. Shortly after his abrupt departure from Hawkwind in the late ‘70s, Turner recorded nearly a half an hour’s worth of improvised flute melodies within the Egyptian pyramids, which he then used as the basis for his incredible 1978 experimental ambient masterpiece Xitintoday. The album, which is officially credited to Nik Turner’s Sphynx, is an adventurous, groundbreaking collaboration with several alums from prog rock legends Gong including Steve Hillage (who produced the album), Miquette Giraudy, Harry Williamson, Mike Howlett, Tim Blake and more.

For Turner, the album has a more personal meaning as he explains, “Xitintoday was a very necessary source of catharsis and healing for me, not only from being fired by my former band but also from the death of my father.”

Now this superb project is being reissued in a deluxe collector’s edition on gorgeous picture disc vinyl housed in a gatefold jacket with 16-page booklet insert that meticulously recreates the distinctive artwork of graphic design icon Barney Bubbles. The package also includes the entire album on CD with a special bonus track of Turner's raw 30-minute flute recording from deep within the pyramid.

Order the album: https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/nik-turners-sphynx-xitintoday-limited-edition-picture-disc-vinyl-bonus-cd-booklet/

Track List:
VINYL
SIDE A
1. The Awakening (Life On Venus)
2. The Pyramid Spell
3. The Hall Of Double Truth
4. Anubis
5. Thoth

SIDE B
1. Horus
2. Isis And Nephthys
3. Osiris
4. God Rock (The Awakening)

CD
1. The Awakening (Life On Venus)
2. The Pyramid Spell
3. The Hall Of Double Truth
4. Anubis
5. Thoth
6. Horus
7. Isis And Nephthys
8. Osiris
9. God Rock (The Awakening)
BONUS TRACK
10. Pyramidflutenik

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


CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com

Follow PURPLE PYRAMID @
Facebook  | Instagram  | Twitter | Youtube | Purple Pyramid Store
Facebook @PurplePyramidRecords
https://www.facebook.com/PurplePyramidRecords/
Instagram @Purple.pyramid
https://www.instagram.com/purple.pyramid/
Twitter @PurplePyramid1
https://twitter.com/PurplePyramid1
Youtube @ Purple Pyramid
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwiCec6bS6mX3c7dpitfYRQ
Purple Pyramid Store @
https://cleorecs.com/store/product-category/record-label/purple-pyramid/

Monday, December 7, 2020

Keyboardist and Brian Eno Collaborator Peter Chilvers and Guitarist Jon Durant Create a Series of Stunningly Beautiful Aural Vistas

Peter Chilvers & Jon Durant Release “Always Golden Sands” & “Vista” - An ambient jazz album in two parts

English keyboardist and Brian Eno collaborator Peter Chilvers teamed up with American guitarist Jon Durant to create a series of stunningly beautiful aural vistas, which blend ECM inspired chamber jazz improvisation with ambient music. For both artists, this recording was an opportunity to explore their introspective sides as well as their textural tendencies. Gentle melodies weave their way through atmospheric clouds, at times reminiscent of Budd and Eno, but with a sense of interplay between the guitar and keys those ambient pioneers left out.  

The duo settled into a rhythm of working across distant time zones during the pandemic. Tracks often began with a morning keyboard improvisation from Chilvers, which would be embellished and transformed by Durant as daylight hit his side of the Atlantic. Having completed Vista, the momentum built up, and three further tracks emerged. These stood well on their own and will be released first as “Always Golden Sand” - a starter to Vista’s main course.

The EP features the exquisitely melancholic “Always Autumn”, the playful dialog of guitar and percolating synths on “Shifting Sands”, and the pensive “Golden”, a reworking of the more rhythmic “Age of Steam” from Vista. The album also includes the darker shades of “Embers” and the expansive “Sunset” - multiple piano loops slowly build around each other, augmented by Durant’s signature cloud guitars before giving way to a deep dusky atmosphere to close the album. Best enjoyed with a glass of whisky.

Chilvers commented, “As a teenager, I fell in love with the great ECM recordings of the 70s and 80s. Working with Jon has felt like travelling back to that period and finding an undiscovered star. It’s been a joyful and effortless recording, a live album somehow recorded despite lockdowns on opposite sides of the Atlantic. I wish I could beam it back to my teenage self.”

Durant noted, “My favorite aspect of this record is the level of interplay we managed to achieve, especially given the difficult circumstances in which we made this record. Peter’s lovely piano melodies were an inspiration for me to add not just beautiful textures but also play melodically with and around his piano and synths.”

Peter Chilvers: Remodelled Pianos, Synths, Generative processes, Fretless bass
Jon Durant: Cloud Guitar, Fretless Guitar, Mixing

Release dates:

December 11. 2020
The three song EP “Always Golden Sands” will be released digitally on Bandcamp and all streaming services.

January 15, 2021
The full length “Vista” will be released digitally on Bandcamp and all streaming services.

For more information:
https://www.jondurant.rocks
http://www.peterchilvers.com

To Purchase:
https://jondurant.bandcamp.com
https://peterchilvers.bandcamp.com

About the artists:

Peter Chilvers is a musician and software designer. Best known for creating the iOs applications Bloom, Trope, Scape and Reflection with Brian Eno, he has also toured with Karl Hyde (Underworld) and recorded numerous albums with vocalists Tim Bowness and Sandra O’Neill, as well as several solo instrumental albums. Many of these were released through Burning Shed, the online label he co-founded in 2001 with Tim Bowness and Pete Morgan.

Since 2006 he has worked as a musical and technical assistant to Brian Eno on projects including the soundtracks to “The Lovely Bones” and “Spore”, album collaborations with David Byrne and the Warp releases “Small Craft on a Milk Sea”, “Drums Between the Bells” and “Lux”. He worked as Assistant Producer on Eno’s 2016 release “The Ship”, for which he also helped develop a multi-speaker installation which has been shown in many countries.

As one of the earliest successes when Apple’s App Store’s debuted in 2008, Bloom continues to be fondly remembered. This led in 2018 to a collaboration with Microsoft to produce Bloom: Open World, an augmented reality installation shown in Denmark, and Bloom: 10 Worlds, a complete reimagining of the app for modern phones and tablets. Eno and Chilvers were also commissioned to create Hypnotised, a customized version of Bloom for use in Coldplay’s live stadium shows.


Innovative guitarist Jon Durant brings a unique sense of texture and melody to his instrument. His distinctive “cloud guitar” soundscapes and engaging lead work have graced numerous CD recordings and film soundtracks and his very distinctive use of fretless guitar has been widely admired.

Durant has previously released 10 solo albums and three Burnt Belief records (with Colin Edwin of Porcupine Tree). Durant has also been featured on the Astarta / Edwin album which was released in 2016. Durant, Colin Edwin and Ukranian singer Inna Kovtun released a CD in 2019 which featured a completely unique and modern take on traditional Ukranian folk music, with a blend of progressive rock, ambient, and pop elements. Durant’s acclaimed 2018 solo release “Parting Is” was his first “solo guitar’ recording and the follow up solo guitar album “Alternate Landscapes” continues to stretch the boundaries of what a guitar record can sound like. Both solo CDs have been nominated for “Best Ambient Album” in US new age radio publications, while “Alternate Landscapes” also spent multiple weeks at the top of the NACC Chill Charts. In 2020, Durant released the well-received duo album Across the Evening with Estonian guitarist Robert Jürjendal as well as his most recent solo album, Soul of a River which featured Jon playing guitars and piano.

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

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Guitarists Jon Durant and Robert Jürjendal Release A Vibrant New Musical Collaboration "Across the Evening"


“Across the Evening,” by ambient experimental guitarists Jon Durant and Robert Jürjendal, further extends the ambient/jazz/world crossover music both musicians have traversed throughout their diverse careers. Featuring appearances from Colin Edwin (UK) on bass, Aleksei Saks (Estonia) on trumpet, and Andi Pupato (Switzerland) on percussion, “Across the Evening” is a multi-dimensional, trans continental delight.

With sounds that caress and envelop, rhythms that percolate and inspire, the two guitarists nimbly play off each other and their guests, rarely allowing the listener to imagine that they are hearing guitars.

From the sublime “Reflective Sea” to the deep middle eastern vibe of “Beguiling Eyes,” the album crosses multiple stylistic boundaries. The final two tracks, “Return to Russia” and “Balkan Blue” are live recordings from the ensemble's live performance in Tallin, Estonia in 2019.

Says Jon, “Robert and I had known each others' work for some time - I'm really fond of his group Uma (with Aleksei Saks), and between my collaborations with Tony Levin and Colin Edwin, he'd been following my work as well. But we hadn't connected personally until recently. When the idea of collaborating was floated, we met it with great enthusiasm. We are both very interested in the textural possibilities with guitar but approach it differently, both in terms of tools and techniques. In the end, the two approaches blend wonderfully, and it's often hard to believe that what you’re hearing is guitar. When we began working, we realized that while it's great to be able to work remotely, there was a strong desire to also work together in the same room. I arranged a trip to Tallinn, and Robert organized a concert at Philly Joe's Jazz Club in Tallinn. We were very fortunate to have Aleksei Saks join us on Trumpet, and Inna Kovtun came up from Kiev to sing with us. It was an incredibly inspiring evening, and two tracks on the album are from the recording of that show. The album includes ideas and concepts born out of our few days of rehearsing and improvising together, and flushed out with fantastic performances from Colin Edwin (bass) and Andi Pupato (percussion).”

THE ARTISTS

Jon Durant - Guitars

Jon Durant brings a unique sense of texture and melody to his instrument. His unique “cloud guitar” soundscapes and engaging lead work have graced numerous CD recordings and film soundtracks and his very distinctive use of fretless guitar has been widely admired. He has previously released 9 solo albums and three Burnt Belief records (with Colin Edwin). Durant's acclaimed 2018 solo release “Parting Is” was his first “solo guitar” recording and the follow up solo guitar album “Alternate Landscapes” continue to stretch the boundaries of what a guitar record can sound like. Both solo CDs have been nominated for “Best Ambient Album” in various US new age radio publications, while “Alternate Landscapes” also spent multiple weeks at the top of the NACC Chill Charts.

Robert Jürjendal - Guitars

Robert Jürjendal is an Estonian guitarist and composer who studied classical guitar and composition (Anti Marguste) at Tallinn Georg Ots Music School. In 1992-1997 he participated in Robert Fripp Guitar Craft Courses. He has written music for classical and contemporary guitar, cembalo, mixed ensembles, choirs; documentaries, art exhibitions and theater. His compositions include both traditional and contemporary elements, from folk music to post-rock and ambient-jazz. Robert Jürjendal is working as a freelancer composer / artist / lecturer. He is also the curator of the music program SOOLO at Tallinn Art Hall. Recent albums include “Source Of Joy” (Unsung Records 2013), “Balm Of Light” (iapetus - media 2014) and “Simple Past” (Strangiato Records 2016). “Another World” (with Colin Edwin) (Hard World 2018), “Five Seasons” (Albany Records 2018), With Noya and Godwin, “Samliku” (New Dog Records 2019), with Sandor Szabo “Electric Poetry” (Greydisc 2019).

To purchase:
Bandcamp: https://jondurant.bandcamp.com/album/across-the-evening

Burning Shed: https://burningshed.com/jon-durant_robert-jurjendal_across-the-evening_cd

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Across-Evening-Jon-Durant/dp/B089LYGZKT

Jon Durant's official website: http://www.jondurant.com
Robert Jürjendal's official website: http://robertjyrjendal.com

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

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Bill Nelson's "Dreamy Screens: Soundtracks From Echo Observatory" 3-Disc Boxed Set Available December 1, 2017!



Now available for pre-order

London - Esoteric Recordings' imprint Cocteau Discs, dedicated to the work of BILL NELSON, are proud to announce the release of a deluxe 3 disc clamshell boxed set limited edition collection titled “Dreamy Screens: Soundtracks from the Echo Observatory.” The set features three albums, all recorded at Bill Nelson's Yorkshire home studio, the Echo Observatory, in 1981 and 1982 - “Sounding the Ritual Echo” (originally issued as a limited edition bonus LP with Bill's 1981 album “Quit Dreaming and Get On the Beam”), “Das Kabinet” (a soundtrack to a production of “The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari” by The Yorkshire Actors Company issued as an LP on Bill's Cocteau label in 1981) and “La Belle et La Bete” (a soundtrack to a stage production of Jean Cocteau's classic 1946 film “Beauty & the Beast,” first issued as a limited edition bonus LP with Bill's 1982 album “The Love That Whirls”).

All of the recordings featured in this set demonstrate Bill's creativity utilising primitive recording equipment by today's standards. As Bill has stated, “The music was recorded on a domestic four track machine. A high degree of self-discipline was in order.”

All of the recordings forming “Dreamy Screens” have now become highly regarded in the prolific discography of Bill Nelson.

Track Listings
Disc: 1
  1. Annunciation
  2. Sounding the Ritual Echo
  3. Sleep
  4. Near East
  5. Emak Bakia
  6. My Intricate Image
  7. Endless Orchids
  8. The Heat in the Room
  9. Another Willingly Opened Window
  10. Vanishing Parades
  11. Glass Fish (For the Final Aquarium)
  12. Cubical Domes
  13. Ashes of Roses
  14. The Shadow Garden
  15. Opium

Disc: 2
  1. The Asylum
  2. Waltz
  3. The Fairground
  4. Doctor Caligari
  5. Cesare the Somnambulist
  6. Murder
  7. The Funeral
  8. The Somnambulist and the Children
  9. Caligari Disciplines Cesare
  10. Caligari Feeds Cesare
  11. Caligari Opens the Cabinet
  12. Jane Discovers Cesare
  13. The Attempted Murder of Jane
  14. The Dream Dance of Jane and the Somnambulist
  15. Escape Over the Rooftops
  16. The Unmasking
  17. The Shot
  18. The Cabinet Closes

Disc: 3
  1. Overture
  2. The Family
  3. Sisters and Sedan Chairs
  4. In the Forest of Storms
  5. The Castle
  6. The Gates
  7. The Corridor
  8. The Great Hall
  9. Dreams (The Merchant Sleeps)
  10. Fear (The Merchant Wakes)
  11. The Rose and the Beast
  12. Magnificent (The White Horse)
  13. Beauty Enters the Castle
  14. The Door
  15. The Mirror
  16. Candelabra and Gargoyles
  17. Beauty and the Beast
  18. Transition No. 1
  19. Transition No. 2
  20. The Hunt
  21. The Gift
  22. The Garden
  23. Transition No. 3
  24. Transition No. 4
  25. The Tragedy
  26. Transition No. 5
  27. The Enchanted Glove
  28. Tears As Diamonds (The Gift Reverses)
  29. The Beast in Solitude
  30. The Return of the Magnificent
  31. Transition No. 6 (The Journey)
  32. The Pavilion of Diana
  33. Transformation No.1
  34. Transformation No. 2
  35. The Final Curtain

To pre-order Bill Nelson's “Dreamy Screens: Soundtracks From Echo Observatory” 3-Disc Boxed: 
Cherry Red webstore: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/dreamy-screens-soundtracks-from-the-echo-observatory/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dreamy-Screens-Soundtracks-Echo-Observatory/dp/B075TQS3F4

Bill Nelson's official website: www.billnelson.com

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