New Jethro Tull Two-Volume Book ‘Spin Me Back Down The Years! A Comprehensive Guide to the History and Pre-History of One of the Greatest Rock Bands of the 1960’s, 70’s and Beyond!’ Now Available

Much to the excitement of Jethro Tull fans worldwide, a new two-volume book ‘Spin Me Back Down The Years! A Comprehensive Guide to the History and Pre-History of One of the Greatest Rock Bands of the 1960’s, 70’s and Beyond!’ written by Pat Kent is now available for pre-order!

“As a lifelong Jethro Tull fan I was approached to consider writing a book about the band at a press conference for the dance group Pan’s People in 2014. The publisher at the time was looking for a book of around 200 pages. It didn’t take long to realise that would not be sufficient to tell the story of a band that was soon to span 50 productive years playing around the world and selling well in excess of 60 million records. The book has been a labour of love for the three of us, myself, Charlie Kenney and Erin Ward, dedicated to a band that has provided the soundtrack to our lives.” – Pat Kent, author

Book Editions

The books are unofficial documents containing a fan’s eye view of the history of the band looking at the contributions of the musicians as a collective. They also contain a compendium of memorabilia, photographs and a worldwide discography.

The history covers the pre-Tull days of Ian Anderson, Jeffrey Hammond, John Evans, Barrie Barlow and Glenn Cornick’s involvement in those early lineups in Blackpool of ‘The Blades’ and the 'John Evans Band' through Mick Abrahams and Clive Bunker’s time in and around Luton in ‘McGregor's Engine’; as well as chronicling Martin Barre’s progression through various bands and musical styles in ‘The Noblemen’, ‘The Motivation’, ‘The Penny Peeps’ and ‘Gethsemane’ before fate, chance, luck and talent brought them together in the eventual guise of ‘Jethro Tull’.

The book will be released in three editions, each containing two volumes. The standard edition will be available in hardback and paperback.

Volume One - ‘Spin me back down the years’ - a history of the band as recounted by Pat Kent with contributions from Charlie Kenney, Erin Ward and other fans who detail some of their recollections. Lengthy interviews with Martin Barre and Dee Palmer and further input from Peter John Vetesse, Don Airey, Eddie Jobson, Andy Giddings, Clive Bunker and more.

Volume Two - Volume Two - ‘The Boy Scout Manual’ - will contain, additional images of rare memorabilia, photographs, many previously unseen, selected from our own collections, as well as from renowned photographers across the years, including, Carl Dunn, Joe Astromowicz, Tom Holsclaw, Chris Fenger and Martin Webb. This volume will also incorporate biographies of some of the key members, and an insight into the post-Tull art work of Jeffrey Hammond along with a comprehensive look at the worldwide singles collection of Charlie Kenney along with other discographies and listings of filmed performances.

The Deluxe Edition

Same as above but it will come in a presentation box housing two 12”x12” volumes along with reproduction handbill, poster, passes and photographic memorabilia. The edition will also contain a vinyl pressing of an acetate belonging to Clive Bunker of a 1968 recording featuring ‘Clive Bunker & Friends’.

The editions are available for pre-order through Gonzo Multimedia via the online Music Glue website now: https://www.musicglue.com/jethro-tull-spin-me-back-down-the-years-by-pat-kent/

For more information:
https://www.spinmebackdowntheyears.com

The Jethro Tull Group

Together we created an online presence known as ‘The Jethro Tull Group’, currently with around 10,000 members on Facebook and other social media platforms. We also set about putting our collections of recorded works, videos and assorted memorabilia together under the group’s associated free online resource at ‘The Boy Scout Manual’. ‘The Jethro Tull Group’ are an independent fan operated group.
www.jethrotullgroup.com

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

Robert Fripp “Washington Square Church” CD/DVD To Be Released April 29, 2022

Frippertronics from Washington Square Church on CD/DVD (audio only)

A new set of Frippertronics from 1981 will be released in CD/DVD and 2LP format in April 2022. These live Frippertronics performances have been taken from recordings in New York City between July and August 1981 and have been mixed and produced by David Singleton from audio painstakingly restored by Alex R Mundy.

This is the Frippertronics album that should have come out in 1982. The forty years that have passed have done nothing to diminish the power of the music. The material appears on both discs with the DVD offering the audio in hi-res stereo and DTS Surround Sound, the nature of the loops lending themselves ideally to this method of production

TRACKLISTING:
1. WASHINGTON SQUARE I
2. WASHINGTON SQUARE II
3. WASHINGTON SQUARE III
4. WASHINGTON SQUARE IV
5. WASHINGTON SQUARE V
6. WASHINGTON SQUARE VI
7. WASHINGTON SQUARE VII
8. WASHINGTON SQUARE VIII
9. WASHINGTON SQUARE IX
10. WASHINGTON SQUARE X
11. WASHINGTON SQUARE XI  

After completing the first round of concerts with a revived King Crimson starting in May 1981, Fripp headed over to the USA where he began a week-long residency at Washington Square United Methodist Church on 135 W Fourth Street in New York. Built in 1860, the church had historically been home to many congregations but in more recent years had become the venue for groups such as the Black Panthers, Gay Men’s Health Crisis and numerous arts organisations.

The series of Frippertronic concerts were held in aid of a Soho-based theatre group and they find the guitarist using his technique of slowly building the music from the ground up, step by step. It’s an approach which demonstrates how the addition or subtraction of a single note can change the entire mood of a piece as we move in the space of a few bars from an atmosphere of pensive anticipation to one of yearning hope.

In an interview with the Melody Maker published just weeks before these concerts, Fripp was asked why he continued to perform Frippertronic concerts. “It gives me a way of working with intimate contact with members of an audience...It's almost an excuse to put me in a situation where one has the audience, performer and music, and in a certain kind of way something remarkable can happen. And that has happened to me, and it's not possible in a group...Frippertronics is the most enjoyable means of playing I've ever found.”

The Washington Square Church performances represent some of the finest recorded examples of the Frippertronics series. Unlike other such recordings where the loops are on tape in the DGM archive but the solos require painstaking matching of existing audience recordings and bootlegs to those loops to complete the picture, the solos for these shows were actually recorded but not labelled as to which solos matched which loops. The matched pairs only became possible when DGM audio engineer Alex R. Mundy realised that the loops had been picked up, at microscopic audio levels, by the guitar pick-ups playing the solos, allowing for identification. David Singleton was then able to mix and produce the resulting audio.

The music played more than rewards such efforts as, culled from the shows, (more complete versions appear on the “Exposures” boxed set), Fripp appears to explore every sonic avenue available to him as a guitar player – mesmerising loops, overlaid with beautiful solos, fast running ‘Frame by Frame’ style lines against a looped background, powerful “Scary Monsters” type guitar noises and more besides.

The set is regarded as the finest example of Frippertronics in performance.  

The DVD features the material in 24/48 hi-res stereo and DTS-HD Surround Sound (Quad 4.1).

The 2LP edition is on 200 gram vinyl and has been cut by Jason Mitchel at LOUD Mastering.

Released on April 29th 2022 you can pre-order CD/DVD from Inner Knot (USA) and Burning Shed (UK / EU)

For more information: https://dgmlive.com/news/new-frippertronics-album-concert-from-1981?fbclid=IwAR1p2QYbdwadCilZZVlXug_7eHxA4LKXC5EIncLhok17XsZrqCLv21F-QJ0

To pre-order: https://shop.schizoidshop.com/robert-fripp---washington-square-church-cddvd-p1920.aspx

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

Colin Edwin Bandcamp Page to Benefit Red Cross Ukranian Crisis Fund

In an attempt to help the relief efforts, the albums made in collaboration with Ukrainian musicians, namely  the Astarta/Edwin and EDK releases (and others forthcoming.…) are now available on a new Bandcamp page set up specifically to raise funds for the British Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal here: AEAppeal.bandcamp.com

As well as raising funds,  it’s important that Ukrainian music, perhaps lesser known outside the country, is able to reach as many people as possible, in order to present an example of something positive from Ukraine, and to let the wider world know that Ukrainians posses a distinct and rich culture of their own, so therefore everything will be available on a “pay as you like” basis, and will remain so, but I would like to encourage everyone who can, to please make a donation to aid the humanitarian efforts.

The war in Ukraine is destroying the lives of many people, and the musicians we’ve made these recordings with have, along with many of their compatriots,  had their lives completely upended, so please share, tweet, download, donate.

The bulk of these recordings are based around traditional folk forms and melodies, passed from one generation to the next, long may they continue to do so......

Featured Musicians: Inna Kovtun, Yulia Malyarenko, Eduard "Dilya" Prystupa, Bogdan Kerichok, levgen Zharinov, with Colin Edwin, Jon Durant, Steve Bingham, Pat Mastelotto, Roberto Gualdi

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

Swiss Minimalistic Jazz Ensemble AKKU Quintet Release New “Live” Album

“Live” takes you on a 75-minute long musical journey and leads you into the cosmos of Swiss-based AKKU Quintet led by drummer and composer Manuel Pasquinelli (also known for his work with Sonar & David Torn). It contains five songs from different stages of the group's history, recorded at various locations between 2016 and 2020. You’ll hear the touch and character of each player, acting as a part of the ensemble to create this atmospheric, minimalistic yet livingly driving music.

Says Manuel, “Playing this music live is always an intense and beautiful experience. While not perfect, live versions often have a certain quality and spirit, which are hard to achieve in the studio. We want to share some live moments we captured on different occasions with this album, especially in this challenging time for live music. We didn’t do any editing. So you will hear truly handmade music. This album might be a good introduction to our work, and maybe one gets curious about the four studio albums we released before.”

“They take the Swiss zen maximalist/minimalist approach of Nik Bärtsch’s Ronin, Sonar, Schnellertollermeier to a different, but utterly logical conclusion. Fabulous stuff. Recommended!” - Steve Feigenbaum, Cuneiform Records

AKKU Quintet is based in Berne (Switzerland), from where they dispense a minimalistic jazz groove to great effect. Drummer Manuel Pasquinelli, who is also responsible for the compositions, founded the band in 2010. Their first concert took place in 2011. Since then, the band has released four studio albums and is playing live regularly. Their latest studio album, “Depart,” was the first one released with 7d Media. Manuel Pasquinelli is also known as the drummer of Sonar, who are collaborating with David Torn and Bill Laswell.

Track List:

01 Waves
Recorded live on October 15, 2017 at bee-flat im Progr, Bern
Album version on “Aeon”

02 Polar
Recorded live on May 8, 2019 at bee-flat im Progr, Bern
Album version on “Aeon”

03 Deep Sleep I
Recorded live on February 18, 2020 at City Pub, Bern
Album version on “Stages of Sleep”

04 Schneemann
05 Deep Sleep II
Recorded on April 10, 2016 at Cully Jazz Festival, Cully
Album versions on “Molecules” and “Stages of Sleep”

AKKU Quintet:
Manuel Pasquinelli - Drums
Michael Gilsenan - Sax & Fx
Maja Nydegger - Grand Piano, Keys
Markus Ischer - Guitar
Andi Schnellmann - Bass

Music written by Manuel Pasquinelli
No edits loops or overdubs on this record

Here’s what the press has said about AKKU Quintet:

“The group connect and lock together yet remain constantly in motion, maintaining a balletic poise and grace that skillfully builds and adds line upon line of long, sonorous notes. Though each one on its own might be gossamer-thin, when combined, they create something strong and enduring, something substantial and memorable” - Sid Smith

“There is a spaciousness in these zeros and ones that AKKU Quintet allows to speak for itself. There is no unnecessary noodling to fill the gaps, every note has its place.” - Roger Trenwith, The Progressive Aspect

“I had the great, great pleasure to see them on their final US show in 2018 and they take the ‘Swiss zen maximalist/minimalist approach’ of Ronin, Sonar, Schnellertollermeier to a different, but utterly logical conclusion. Fabulous stuff. Recommended!” - Steve Feigenbaum, Cuneiform Records

“Taking a type of minimalist and mathrock, slowing it down with postrock atmosphere, bringing a tight clean jazz element to it, and creating a set of dreamscape styled equal balance between classical and progressive rock and you have the formula for Switzerland's unique Akku Quintet.” - Lee Henderson, Big Beautiful Noise

“Very beautiful, spacious, minimalist groove.” - Anil Prasad, Innerviews

“Groove becomes a compositional element, beauty an act of concentration, improvisation never a sure-fire success, but a dramaturgical stylistic device.” - Ane Hebeisen

To purchase:
US: https://akkuquintet7d.bandcamp.com/album/live
Europe: www.akkuquintet.bandcamp.com/

For more information:
www.akkuquintet.com
www.facebook.com/akkuquintet
www.instagram.com/manuelpasquinelli_akkuquintet/

www.7dmedia.com

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

Now Shipping: King Crimson Print Collection by Tony Levin

Bass Legend and Photographer Tony Levin’s King Crimson Print Collection with Limited-Edition, Custom-Crafted Clamshell Box is Now Shipping

● Eight stunning, limited-edition prints spanning Tony Levin’s work with King Crimson since the early 1980s.
● Every print is numbered, and hand-titled and signed by the artist, Tony Levin.
● Prints are made by contemporary photogravure printmaker, Jon Lybrook
● Every Certificate of Authenticity is signed by artist Tony Levin and printmaker Jon Lybrook. The signed certificates contain full documentation about the print and edition, as well as the print number assigned.
● For single or multiple-print gifts, ribbon-tied, print portfolios are also available.
● FREE INTERNATIONAL AND US SHIPPING on the FULL 8-Print Collection, now thru March 31, 2022 Only!
● Orders are now shipping from TonyLevinPrints.com

“Tony Levin is not a bassist. He just happens to play the bass”. – Robert Fripp

Tony Levin (King Crimson, Peter Gabriel) has been photographing his touring experiences since the early 1980s. Tens of thousands of photos later, he’s compiled eight of his favorite photographic moments from forty years of touring with King Crimson. These prints include:

1. Adrian Belew, Backstage 1981
2. Bill Bruford, Bristol 1981
3. King Crimson, Faro, Portugal 1982
4. King Crimson, Royal Albert Hall 2019
5. King Crimson, Asbury Park 1982
6. On the Shinkansen 1981
7. Perkins Palace Marquee 1981
8. Robert Fripp, Krakow 2018

This full collection with special clamshell box is a must-have for any serious King Crimson collector though prints can be purchased individually as well. Tony’s iconic photography prints offer a unique perspective from the stage for over 40 years as a core member of this legendary band.  

All prints of these photographs are hand-titled and signed by Tony Levin. These are limited runs of 500 photogravure prints total. No more will be made after that. The first public orders of the Special Edition Box are assigned print numbers 11-50. Single print orders start at #101.

Each print is handmade on a traditional intaglio press using archive-grade materials that will last for generations. They are printed with oil-based etching ink on 22.25" x 15.5” (56.5 x 40cm) Hahnemuhle Copperplate Brite White, 300 g/sm alpha cellulose paper with torn, deckled edges. These same ink and paper formulas used in Tony Levin’s print collection have been used by printmakers in Europe for hundreds of years.

The 24” x 17” x 1.5”,  traditional, black, fabric-covered, limited-edition, lipped, clamshell-style, print collection box is foil stamped with Tony Levin’s signature.  Tony Levin’s King Crimson Print Collection Box is custom-crafted for optimal storing and preservation of prints. Cotton gloves are included for clean and elegant handling of both the box and prints. Signed and stamped certificates of authenticity are issued with every print.

Jon Lybrook is a Fine Art Printmaker based in Colorado. Jon has worked with photographers and artists for nearly two decades through his company, Intaglio Editions LLC.  He has studied the craft and worked with traditional printmakers from around the world including Henrik Boegh, Dan Welden, Sue Oehme, Ron Pokrasso, Sandy Tilcock, and esteemed Royal Photographic Society member and photogravure expert Peter Moseley. Jon has worked as both a professional printmaker and consultant

“Jon Lybrook is a true master. His prints exude an expertise, that only very few fine art printers in the world control on the same level.” – Professor Henrik Bøegh – Grafisk Eksperimentarium – Copenhagen, Denmark

Order now at: https://TonyLevinPrints.com

Check out the review of Tony’s King Crimson Print Collection with Special Edition Box: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_DTTULflY0

Watch the Make Weird Music interview with Tony about his history with photography and art: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-Bs0mu_gfA

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

Guitar Virtuoso Harvey Valdes’ Novare: J.S. Bach Lute Works on Electric Guitar Breaks New Ground with a Fresh, Ear-Opening Interpretation of Music for the Ages

“Harvey Valdes is a fantastic guitarist” - Andy Summers

Guitar Virtuoso Harvey Valdes’ Novare: J.S. Bach Lute Works on Electric Guitar – to be released by Destiny Records on April 8, 2022 – features sublime scores long performed by the world’s greatest lutenists and classical guitarists, but these pieces sound more timeless than ever in the hands of Valdes on steel-string electric guitar.

“Harvey Valdes is a fantastic guitarist – musical to the nth degree and with chops to spare, as anyone knows who has heard the way he handles standards and ballads with astonishing contrapuntal virtuosity. Now, with this new album, the special logic in his playing of Bach is wonderfully revealed.” - ANDY SUMMERS of The Police

Like the art of Shakespeare or Van Gogh, the music of Johann Sebastian Bach has been recognized the world over as universal and timeless – sounding as moving and miraculous now as the day these Baroque scores were written, some three hundred years ago. The lute works that J.S. Bach composed have been recorded by the world’s greatest lutenists and guitarists across the past century, from Segovia to Julian Bream to John Williams to Hopkinson Smith, among a myriad of others. It would take a stroke of something approaching genius to enable us to hear these pieces truly anew. But that is just what Harvey Valdes has accomplished with Novare: J.S. Bach Lute Works on Electric Guitar.

To be released digitally and on CD by Destiny Records on April 8, 2022, the album presents Valdes playing 10 of Bach’s pieces not on the age-old lute or the nylon-string classical guitar but on the modern steel-string electric guitar. The result is ear-opening; the notes are the same ones Bach put to paper in the 18th century, but Valdes performs them with a tone and texture that sounds extraordinarily fresh and of the moment, without ever trying to unduly “modernize” the music. Over the past few years, Valdes has attracted famous fans among iconic guitarists, including Andy Summers of The Police, ECM luminary David Torn and avant-garde notable Elliott Sharp, who says: “With Novare, Harvey brings Bach’s works into the 21st century with a sensuous tone and an articulation that is simultaneously precise and dynamic, even at breakneck tempi. His playing reveals the contrapuntal lines in all their permutational glory.”

But it isn’t just world-renowned guitarists who have been impressed by Novare. Classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein, celebrated for her playing of Bach on the modern grand piano, says: “Harvey Valdes brings an improviser’s sensibility to this music, which is in so many ways the most authentic approach to Bach. There is an understated quality to his interpretations that allows a listener to hear the architecture of the music, and there is a rhythmic malleability that gives breath and presence. The Prelude and Fugue in D-flat stands out in the way that Valdes enjoys the sustained possibilities of the electric guitar. It’s a beautiful new take on old gems.”

Why Bach on electric guitar? Says Harvey, “Why not?! The electric guitar has a capacity for tone, color and dynamics that moves beyond what the acoustic classical guitar can do. There have been some past recordings of electric guitarists who have played Bach or works by Mozart, Beethoven, etc. These often feature the instrument using high gain and distorted sounds with fast virtuosic playing. I respect this approach, but it’s not the one I wanted to take. I was interested in honoring some of the delicate classical guitar approaches and while also taking advantage of the sonic dimensions of the electric guitar.

“For listeners who are guitar players, I want to share with them how it’s possible to play Bach’s lute works on an electric guitar. You can bring a classical guitar approach to the electric guitar that expands the sonic landscape for this historical music and gives it a space to live in the present. As for everyone else, enjoy! I hope it can soothe a listener’s life. Making it certainly brought some peace into my life during a challenging time that has affected us all.”

More about Harvey Valdes

A guitarist of searching, sophisticated musicality, Harvey Valdes can traverse styles from avant- jazz and Middle Eastern/Balkan music to improvised film scores and the compositions of Bach. Harvey has an intrepid curiosity about the guitar’s sonic and expressive range; he is also a trained player of the Arabic oud, as well as the Turkish cümbüş. To date, he has released three albums as a soloist/leader: “Solitude Intones Its Echo” (Destiny, 2019), a set of concise, engaging solo improvisations praised by the likes of Guitar Moderne as “18 lyrical solo performances of compositions that hook you”; “Roundabout” (2015), his solo debut featuring lyrically inventive takes on jazz standards; and “PointCounterPoint” (2015), a bristling, Mahavishnu-meets-math-rock trio album with violinist Sana Nagano and drummer Joe Hertenstein. All About Jazz hailed “Pointcounterpoint” as “cosmic,” while the Free Jazz Collective described Roundabout as “sublimely beautiful.” In April 2022, Destiny Records will present Harvey’s newest album: “Novare: J.S. Bach Lute Works on Electric Guitar.” Underscoring his achievements, Harvey’s venturesome work in the studio and on stage has attracted fans among iconic guitarists, including Andy Summers of The Police, ECM luminary David Torn and avant-garde notable Elliott Sharp.

Based in Brooklyn, NY Harvey earned a BFA degree from The New School for Jazz & Contemporary Music. He has worked with artists from Butch Morris, Karl Berger and Rhys Chatham to Daniel Carter, and the Middle Eastern/Balkan ensemble Anistar, among many others. His score for Utopians, which premiered at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival, constituted “one of the longest-lasting guitar improvisations since (Neil Young’s score for) Dead Man.” The Valdes composition “Listen” was chosen as an Editor’s Pick by Guitar Player magazine. Harvey has also performed extensively in New York theater. He held the guitar/oud chair as an onstage musician and cast member for the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Band’s Visit, having originated the role Off Broadway at The Atlantic Theater before moving with the ensemble for the hit run at Broadway’s Barrymore Theater. He played on the show’s 2019 Grammy Award-winning cast album, and he received a daytime Emmy Award for his broadcast performance with the ensemble, along with participating in the 10 Tony wins as a cast member. Harvey has also worked with renowned downtown theater ensemble The Wooster Group, including its presentation of Cavalli’s 1640 opera “La Didone”; for that production, which toured the U.S. and Europe, he provided a modern interpretation of the Baroque lute, playing electric guitar and guitar synth within an ensemble that also included harpsichord, theorbo and accordion.

Harvey has played on stages from Radio City Music Hall, Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and St. Ann’s Warehouse to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Chicago Cultural Center, CalArts’ Redcat Theater in Los Angeles, Scotland’s Royal Lyceum Theatre, the United Nations. Harvey has also featured in broadcast performances for The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert, The Today Show and WNYC-FM, as well as the 72nd annual Tony Awards. Additional collaborators over the years have included Noël Akchoté, Gerry Hemingway, Lukas Ligeti, Killick Hinds, Jamshied Sharifi, Sean Sonderegger, Henri Scars Struck and Bern Nix. Harvey has recently featured on multiple compilation albums, including the fifth in Elliott Sharp’s anthology series “Never Meta Guitar,” and “Walk My Way,” a five volume 577 Records set featuring 49 guitarists of 32 different nationalities from six continents and virtually every sort of musical background. He also played on Eight Hands, One Mind by the Dom Minasi Guitar Quartet with Briggan Krauss and Hans Tanmen, as well as recorded the duo album Nueva Guitarra with avant-metal guitarist Alvaro Domene.

About the imaginative virtuosity of Valdes, guitarist extraordinaire David Torn says: “When I first heard Harvey, I thought: ‘Well, here’s another badass mother on the scene – wow.’”

Harvey Valdes record release show at Barbes in Brooklyn, NY on April 9th 2022

For more information:
harveyvaldes.net
destinyrecordsmusic.com
instagram.com/harveyvaldes
facebook.com/harveyvaldesmusic

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

Electric Violin, Vocal Master L. SHANKAR To Play Select US Shows April 2022

Electric Violin, Vocal Master L. SHANKAR will be playing select US shows in April 2022! Lakshminarayana Shankar, professionally known as L. Shankar, is widely considered a living legend, a pioneer, and a musical genius who has collaborated with giants such as Frank Zappa, Peter Gabriel, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and many, many more. His solo albums have always drawn not only enormous interest from fans and critics alike but also showcase the collaborative spirit that is integral to Shankar’s art.

Tour dates:
April 2 – Roulette – Brooklyn, NY
April 3 – Berklee Performance Center – Boston, MA
April 9 – Dell Fine Arts Center Theatre – Austin, TX
April 10 – Matchbox – Houston, TX
April 16 – The Rhythm Foundation– Miami, FL
April 22 – Skirball Cultural Center – Los Angeles

L. Shankar’s most recent solo albums, “Chepleeri Dream” and “Christmas From India,” are available on Cleopatra Records

Order the CD/vinyl:
https://cleorecs.com/store/shop/l-shankar-christmas-from-india-cd/
https://orcd.co/l-shankar-chepleeri-dream

For more information:
Official Website: http://lshankar.com
Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/LShenkar/
Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theshenkar/
Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheShenkar/
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6DmKvvaXUkECvkUozzpuQb?si=WFhaZGNiRhWeNr-wpAqA7g
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/shenkarworld/

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

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Prog Ensemble Star People To Release 20 Year Old Lost 3rd Album With Bonus Reunion 4th Album “Black Tie & Tales”

Album number 3, “Black Tie & Tales” would tie up neatly the heart-rending, while funny, story of the first “Star People” to trace the “SACRED SIGNAL” to its home planet. The new songs (Lorenza, watching “Dream Theater” perform their headline set once in Florida, said to bassist Randy Pratt “We need more gratuitous soloing”.) Dry sarcasm aside, when you’re right, you’re right. There’s more effort to highlight the band’s chops on #3 and some of their most sophisticated songwriting and lyrics. The future looked bright. Then, a series of the classic show biz brick walls were hit; unscrupulous management, personal tragedies and career choices…just like THAT it was over. Members adapted on so quickly, moving to other bands, moving to other states, there was barely any time to contemplate the masterpiece sitting, complete but for mastering, left behind in the studio vaults.

…UNTIL NOW! PEOPLE OF EARTH, BEHOLD! THE RETURN OF “STAR PEOPLE…Black Tie & Tales” a DOUBLE album in the era of singles only, where the hook must appear in 15 seconds or listeners attention drift back to their I-Phones, we give you an epic return to CLASSIC, BRAIN MELTING SCI-FI Progressive rock.

Double CD with turn-of-the-millennium remastered originals plus a whole second CD with new songs for 2021 with award-winning musicians on the roster!

Featuring:
Bill Olland “The Teacher”
Lorenza Ponce “Star Girl”
Paul Gifford “Golden Boy”
Phil Weiss “The Helmsman”
Randy Pratt “The Ambassador”
Robert Dean “The Captain”
Scott Treibitz “The Doctor”

For more information, a beautifully illustrated comic explaining the Star People story, videos, photos and past reviews, like us at Hyperspace Records Facebook page, then take the link to our website to listen to all four Star People albums, FREE!:
www.HyperspaceRecords.com
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063462463840

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

Krautrock Legends Guru Guru Release “Made In Switzerland - Official Bootleg”

Krautrock Legends Guru Guru Release “Made In Switzerland - Official Bootleg”

50 years of Guru Guru - that's 50 years of Krautrock!

If you hadn't believed possible that Mani Neumeier (born 1940) and his GURU GURU still rank among Germany's most active and prolific rock bands, well, then you’d be proven wrong!

Founded in 1968, the year of the student's revolt, Guru Guru has reached its 50th anniversary and still maintains its innovative spirit. Where many a musician made it big as a one-hit-wonder just to fade into oblivion soon after, Guru Guru carved its way outside the mainstream and short lived trends by blending experimental rock, avant-garde, jazz and world-music into an unique, original form of Rock 'n' Roll.

No one will deny that there were ups and downs, but nowadays, Mani shares the stage with two long-standing companions. Roland Schaeffer and Peter Kühmstedt have been with Guru Guru for more than 40 years. The passing of Hans Reffert, aged 69 († 21.02.2016), was a severe blow, but Guru Guru overcame this tragedy and proved that they are not in the least tired of creating music. Those four “Krautrockers” are living legends and next to the Rolling Stones among the longest-serving rock bands on this planet. Mani and Mick are in fact standing next to each other in the Tokyo House of Wax! Mani Neumeier and his Gurus are the epitome of a band that defies musical trends and fads and transcends limitations and genres.

When the Covid pandemic struck, all activities came to an abrupt halt and led to guitar player Jan Lindqvist leaving the band. But Guru Guru reinvented themselves yet again by adding a whole new dimension to the band's sound: Zeus B. Held, former keyboard player in Birth Control joined the outfit and gave songs like “Moroso” or the fabled “Elektrolurch” a whole new level by his energetic virtuoso style. To document this milestone in the Guru Guru’s development, a concert in Switzerland was recorded and subsequently released on CD in a small edition to allow rock aficionados worldwide a glimpse into Guru Guru 2022. No overdubs, no digital “cheating” was done on this album “Made In Switzerland - Official Bootleg”. It is a statement of the rock 'n' roll feeling an experienced live act with 4 seasoned musicians at their peak can deliver on stage! This CD will not be available through any distribution channels other than directly from the band. No amazon, no streaming and no distribution company between Guru Guru and their loyal fans

After more than 50 years they continue to go their own way because they've always been - and still are UNIQUE!

Musicians:
Mani Neumeier - Drums / Percussion / Kaossilator / Vocals
Roland Schaeffer - Guitar / Saxophon / Nadaswaran / Vocals
Peter Kühmstedt - Bass / Vocals
Zeus B. Held - Keyboard / Bluesharp / Vocals

Discography:
1970 UFO
1971 Hinten
1972 Känguru
1973 Guru Guru
1974 Der Elektrolurch
1974 Don’t Call Us, We Call You
1974 More Hot Joice
1974 Dance Of The Flames
1976 Tango Fango
1976 Rattenfänger
1977 Globetrotter
1978 Guru Guru Live
1979 Hey Du!
1979 Giri Fushi
1980 Mani in Germani
1983 Neumeiers neue Abenteuer
1987 Cosmic Hole
1988 Jungle
1988 Guru Guru 88
1988 Guru Guru Live 72
1993 Shake Well
1995 Wah Wah
1997 Moshi Moshi
1999 Live ‘98 - 30 Jahre Finkenbach (3 CDs)
2000 2000 Gurus
2005 In The Guru Lounge
2008 PSY- 40 Jahre Guru Guru
2009 Live On Tour 2008
2011 Doublebind
2013 Electric Cats
2014 45 Years Live (CD & LP)
2016 Live in Heidelberg (DVD & BluRay)
2018 Rotate!
New Releases:
2019 Live in China CD + DVD
2021 Made in Switzerland - official bootleg
2022 “New Album tba”

To purchase:
Digital: https://guruguru1.bandcamp.com/releases
CD: https://www.discogs.com/de/sell/item/1753725982

For more information: http://mani-neumeier.de/guruguru/guru_10_shop.htm

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

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

YES Legend Jon Anderson w/ The Paul Green Rock Academy To Play Select Shows Spring 2022

Legendary YES vocalist/songwriter Jon Anderson will be playing select shows with The Paul Green Rock Academy in April 2022!

This Jon Anderson with The Paul Green Rock Academy tour is a resumption of the tradition started in 2005 when Jon toured with Paul Green's original School of Rock all stars.

These early shows, over 30 in total between 2006-2008, were nothing short of magical, and now Jon Anderson returns to continue that magic with a set of Yes Classics, deep cuts, mash ups, and solo works, all with lush arrangements featuring choral singing, horns, and all the other benefits of having a backing band with 25 young musicians.

THE ONE THING ABOUT CREATING MUSIC WITH YOUNG MUSICIANS AND SINGERS IS THE ADVENTURE OF IT ALL..

I SANG AND TOURED WITH THE PAUL GREEN SCHOOL OF ROCK MANY YEARS AGO...IT WAS A MIRACLE FOR ME TO JOIN IN WITH THEIR YOUNG ENERGY...AND LEARN FROM THEM..

NOW HERE WE ARE WITH THE PAUL GREEN ROCK ACADEMY …….

AND AGAIN, THEIR EXCITEMENT AND JOY FOR MAKING MUSIC REALLY MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE .... PLUS THEY ARE A REALLY TALENTED BUNCH….

THERE IS A FUTURE IN MUSIC, AND THESE YOUNG SOULS PROVE IT EVERY TIME I HEAR THEM SING AND PLAY...

I KNOW YOU WILL HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING SPENDING TIME WITH THE FUTURE OF ROCK 'N' ROLL..

MANY BLESSINGS…JON ANDERSON..

Jon Anderson with The Paul Green Rock Academy tour dates:

Wednesday, April 6, Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA
Sunday, April 10. Capital Theatre in Clearwater, FL
Tuesday, April 12, King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne, FL
Thursday, April 14, The Plaza Live in Orlando, FL
Saturday, April 16, ROSFEST at the Sarasota Opera House, Sarasota, FL

Plans for a major North American tour in the summer 2022 are currently in the works!

Watch Jon Anderson with the Paul Green Rock Academy - HEART OF THE SUNRISE promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPdy9VRHeAA

photo by Deborah Anderson

Jon Anderson is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable voices in music as the lead vocalist and creative force behind YES. Anderson was the author and a major creative influence behind the ground-breaking album “Fragile” as well as the series of epic, complex pieces such as “Awaken,” “Gates of Delirium” and especially “Close to the Edge” which were central to the band's success. Additionally, Anderson co-authored the group's biggest hits, including “I've Seen All Good People,” “Roundabout” and “Owner Of A Lonely Heart.” After 50 years of success in the music business, Jon has worked with many variations of YES, as well as collaborations with Vangelis, Kitaro, Roine Stolt and Jean-Luc Ponty. He has released several critically acclaimed solo albums including “Olias of Sunhillow,” “Song of Seven,” “Animation,” “Three Ships,” “Toltec” and “Survival and Other Stories” to name just a few. In 2017 Jon reformed YES with former band members Trevor Rabin and Rick Wakeman. YES Featuring ARW toured the world to rave reviews and released “Live At The Apollo” CD/DVD in September 2018. Never to stand still musically, in 2019 Jon released an album he started 28 years ago, now called “1,000 Hands,” a reference to the fact that numerous guest musicians perform on the album, including Ian Anderson, Billy Cobham, Jean-Luc Ponty, Chick Corea, Zap Momma, Chris Squire, Alan White, Steve Howe and many more.

For more information:
Paul Green official website: www.PaulGreenRock.com
Jon Anderson’s official website: www.JonAnderson.com

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

ASIA Featuring John Payne Double Anniversary Tour Celebrating 30 & 40 Years of the Music of ASIA

2022 landmarks 30 years since the release of the ASIA album AQUA on which John Payne was ASIA’s lead vocalist.

The following 15 years featured 7 more stunning ASIA studio albums, ARIA, ARENA, ANTHOLOGY, AURA, ARCHIVA 1&2 and SILENT NATION. This year also celebrates 40 years since the 1982 release of the first ASIA album (Downes, Howe, Wetton, Palmer) that features the hits, “Heat of the Moment” and “Only Time Will Tell.”

This tour will showcase the music of both ASIA’s 1982 release and ASIA’s 1992 release AQUA.

The 90-minute show focuses on those two albums and a set list that includes, “Who Will Stop the Rain,” “Someday,” “Heat of the Moment,” “Only Time Will Tell,” “Back in Town,” “Lay Down Your Arms,” “Sole Survivor,” “Time Again,” “Love Under Fire,” “Heaven on Earth,” “Wildest Dreams,” “Here Comes the Feeling” and more.

Vocalist John Payne remarked “This is going to be very nostalgic for me, I haven’t played some of these songs in 30 years and I’m extremely excited to do this tour with our band. We want the shows to sound as close to the original recordings as possible”

Manager Lee Evans said “The band is really on form and John’s vocals are as powerful as ever, It’s gonna be a knock-out show!”

The tour is being booked by their agent Rick Shoor: Rick@paradiseartists.com in the US.

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

Iona’s Dave Bainbridge Releases 4th Solo Album “To The Far Away”

Despite all the traumas and uncertainties of 2020, it turned out to be a very busy year for Dave Bainbridge. As well as producing the epic 17 CD “Book of Iona” box set celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Iona, Dave contributed in various degrees to new albums by Kimmo Porsti, Cronofonia, Downes Braide Association, Lifesigns, Nick Fletcher, Glass Hammer, Celtish and Strawbs. However, in between all this activity Dave was also taking time out to put together the concept and music for his 4th solo album, “To The Far Away.”

Iona fans might recognize the title as a quote from the lyrics of the song “Edge of the World” from “Beyond These Shores” and there are definitely parallels in the themes of the two albums. “Shores” recounts the ancient story of St Brendan’s epic voyage across the Atlantic ocean, whilst “To The Far Away” tells a more contemporary story of lovers on opposite sides of the Atlantic ocean, separated for many months by the global pandemic. Both albums, however, end on a note of optimism. Brendan finally returns safely home, whilst our contemporary lovers are finally reunited after an epic trip across the same ocean.

The album’s 71 plus minutes of music draws upon the Celtic, progressive, rock and classical influences that have permeated Dave’s music since he started composing at the age of eleven and which he honed during his years with Iona and through his previous solo and many collaborative releases. Featuring his usual array of keyboards, guitars and assorted acoustic instruments, Dave also assembled a fantastic group of supporting musicians to bring the project to life:
Sally Minnear (Lord of the Dance / Celestial Fire) - Vocals  
Iain Hornal (Jeff Lynn’s ELO, 10CC, Three Friends, solo artist) - Vocals
Troy Donockley (Iona / Nightwish / The Enid / Maddy Prior) - Uilleann Pipes, Whistles, Voices Jon Poole (Cardiacs / Lifesigns) - Bass Guitars
Frank van Essen (Iona / Martin Garrix) - Drums, Violins & Violas
Jonas Pap (Epica, Cronofonia) - Cello
Nigel Cameron (Celtish) - Whistles
Julie Cameron-Hall (Celtish) - Violin
Martin Nolan (Iona) - Whistles  

Dave collaborated with acclaimed Canadian/Irish poet Lynn Caldwell on the album’s lyrics. “I’d read some of Lynn’s work and immediately felt that she would be the person to help me organize and bring an emotional focus to my thematic and lyrical ideas for the project. It was a hunch that paid off and I’m absolutely thrilled with what she came up with. Lynn, her husband Martin Nolan and friend Una Ní Cheallaigh were also able to put together the haunting Irish Gaelic lyrics, sung by Sally, which I’d wanted to include on several tracks.”  

Dave continues: “As with many artists and composers I know, 2020 was a bittersweet year. The complete shutdown of venues left us without places to play and income, but also paradoxically gave us the time and space to write, record and bring to fruition projects we may not have otherwise got around to finishing. For me it was especially bittersweet as I was due to be married at the end of March 2020 to Sharon, my fiance from Baltimore, on Cruise to the Edge, with my friends Neal Morse officiating and John Young (Asia/ Scorpions/Lifesigns) as best man. Not only was that plan put on hold, the abrupt shutdown of flights into the USA meant that Sharon and I were torn apart for 8 1/2 months. The thematic ideas behind ‘To The Far Away’ encompass thoughts, feelings and ideas I experienced, largely when I was doing my daily runs and walks on the rural country lane on which I spent so much time between March and October 2020.”

“As the music for this album evolved, I realized that the main emphasis was firmly on melody. Melodic lines and riffs that will hopefully stay with the listener, reflecting the emotions and sense of place in which I was immersed, as the seasons moved through spring, to summer and finally the rich colors of autumn under the vast skies of the Lincolnshire landscape. In some ways this is probably my most personal album to date and I hope that, as well as capturing some of the heartache of the time, it also leaves the listener with a sense of hope and optimism, that in the end, love will triumph.”

Despite being released late in 2021, “To The Far Away” still sneaked into a number of Best of 2021 Polls: No. 1 Best Album, Album of the Month, Cover Feature, iO Pages Magazine (Netherlands) No. 2 Best Album of 2021 Progressive Rock Central
No. 2 Best Album of 2021 Esther’s Rock Blog
No. 2 Best Album of 2021 Scotland Rocks Radio
No. 6 Best Album of 2021 Amarok Magazine (France)
No. 13 Best Album of 2021 Sonic Perspectives
Album of the Month Radio Xymphonia
In addition, Dave was voted 3rd in Prog Magazine Readers Poll Best Guitarist of 2021

Here’s what the press has raved about Dave Bainbridge’s “To The Far Away”:

“In my opinion, this is his best work ever! I hear great, uplifting, melodies, wonderful playing and excellent singing.” - Paul Rijkens iO Pages

“Absolute sonic perfection!!!” - Chris MacIntosh WCWP Radio New York

“If you remember the band 'Iona' you will love this album. It's a masterpiece of Celtic Prog Rock.” - Nigel Cameron - Celtish

“To The Far Away, just might be, well - the best thing he’s ever done – and with his years of output that’s saying a lot… A brilliant balance of vocal and instrumental tracks, To The Far Away will thrill and delight fans of both Celtic and ‘traditional’ prog-rock, and anyone open to more adventurous realms of music in general…If you’re a fan of Iona, Dave Bainbridge’s solo work, Celtic prog, classic prog-rock – whatever!  You need this.” - Bert Saraco - tollbooth.org

“‘To the Far Away’ is a wonderful journey of the mind, full of captivating music throughout. This album is one of the best albums of 2021. It is definitely in the top ten progressive rock albums of the year…Please get this album, relax and enjoy the journey. Every song is captivating and full of the kind of music that made Iona famous.” - Professor Mark, Progressive Rock Central  

“To get straight to the point, the music is of great, if not exceptional, class…the melodies Bainbridge presents us on this album are of very great, I repeat, very great beauty…It seems as if Dave has found the balance between say Celestial Fire (the symphonic) and the Celtic influences...There are not only great guitar solos on this record, but also wonderful keyboard moments...the more you play ‘To The Far Away,’ the better it gets. I could go on and on, but I think it is clear that lovers of atmospheric symphonic music have a pearl in their hands with this album. This is hashtag #heavenly.” - Jacco Stijkel - www.progwereld.org

Dave Bainbridge “To The Far Away” was released on Dave’s Open Sky Records label & distributed by Gonzo Multimedia, the album is available in 5 formats:
*DIGITAL DOWNLOAD 24 bit wav files
*SINGLE CD
*2CD WITH BONUS DISK featuring over an hour’s worth of alternate mixes, demos and previously unreleased tracks recorded exclusively for this release
*2CD AS ABOVE, SIGNED BY DAVE
*LIMITED EDITION DELUXE PHOTO BOOK featuring the 2CD version, accompanying A4 size hardback book of 123 of Dave’s evocative landscape photos, 6 postcards of Dave’s photos & a signed and numbered certificate.

To purchase: www.musicglue.com/iona

For more information: www.davebainbridgemusic.com

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

OLIVER WAKEMAN Announces “Collaborations” 3CD Box Set Including Re-issues of “The 3 Ages of Magick” with Steve Howe & “Ravens & Lullabies” with Gordon Giltrap

Release April 11, 2022 – available to pre order now from Burning Shed!

Oliver Wakeman has the honour of being one of the few musicians to have performed and recorded with some of Prog Rock’s most respected guitarists.

Back in 2001, many years before he became a member of YES, Oliver and guitarist Steve Howe worked together on the “The 3 Ages of Magick” album. Supplemented by an array of talented musicians, this album became a hidden gem in the YES family tree of recordings.

Following his tenure in the keyboard seat for YES in from 2008 to 2011, Oliver teamed up with another British guitar legend, Gordon Giltrap, to record their award winning “Ravens & Lullabies” album, a collection of rock and acoustic tracks featuring the singers Paul Manzi (SWEET) and Benoit David (YES).

20 years following its original release, “The 3 Ages of Magick” is teamed with the album “Ravens & Lullabies” in the new “Collaborations” 3CD Box Set. Including remastered versions of both albums along with the previously unreleased acoustic live album, “From a Stage” features music from Wakeman & Giltrap’s many years of performing together across the UK.

The “Collaborations” box set, comprising 3CDs each with a 16-page booklet and individual art prints of the sleeves, will be released by Burning Shed on 11th April.

“The 3 Ages of Magick”, released in 2001, is an instrumental album based in the style of the great 70’s prog solo records. Featuring Steve Howe across 11 of its 13 tracks, the album is both gentle and outlandish in equal measure. The album, based on stories from British folklore, utilises traditional instruments to help tell each story. This remastered version also includes 3 bonus tracks not available on the original release.

10 years later, Oliver and another legendary guitarist, Gordon Giltrap, joined forces after meeting at one of his father’s (Rick Wakeman) Christmas concerts in which they both performed.

“Ravens & Lullabies” allowed Oliver and Gordon to intertwine their acoustic musical abilities in the Lullabies section of the record. The Ravens aspect of the album allowed Gordon to be re-introduced to the Prog community in which he had been a leading figure during his heyday when releasing albums such as “Fear Of The Dark” and “Perilous Journey” (which contained his hit song “Heartsong”). This remastered version also features the bonus studio tracks, “The Forgotten King”, “Bach’s Praeludium” and a new version of Gordon’s classic “Roots” which were only included on the limited-edition double disc release of the original. Also included is a new recording, a piano and classical guitar version of Oliver’s track “The Wedding Approaches”.

This box set package also includes a third disc, “From a Stage”. During the lockdown, Oliver was approached by the sound engineer from one of the Giltrap/Wakeman concerts to say he had found a multitrack recording from a Christmas concert Oliver and Gordon had performed at along with special guest Paul Manzi (SWEET). This allowed a great opportunity to put together the live album “From a Stage” featuring Oliver and Gordon’s interpretations of songs from their collective 20+ years of back catalogues. Including the warmth and musical interplay that became a trademark for their often sold out shows, the recording features songs such as “Heartsong”, “Glimmer of Light” & “Roots”.

The “Collaborations” box set contains 3 CDs each with 16-page booklets including lyrics, previously unseen artwork and many stories behind the creativity of Wakeman and Giltrap. The first 250 box sets will also include the 4th art print of the box set cover numbered and signed by Oliver Wakeman.

A lyric video “Moneyfacturing” from the box set, is now available to view on YouTube.  The track is taken from the Wakeman/Giltrap “Ravens & Lullabies” record in the box set and features Paul Manzi (SWEET)

Oliver says: “This is one of my personal favourite band tracks I have ever written and recorded, allowing me to make use of a lot of my collection of keyboards. It is a radio-friendly song which also reminds people what a great electric guitar player Gordon is!”

Watch the video here: 

“Collaborations” will be released by Burning Shed on 11th April.

You can pre-order the set here: https://burningshed.com/store/oliverwakeman

About Oliver Wakeman
Eldest son of prog legend Rick, Wakeman 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 “In The Present – Live From Lyon,” “Fly From Here” and the “From A Page” box set featuring recordings from his time in the band released in 2019. During his tenure with YES, Wakeman also toured and recorded as a member of The Strawbs. Wakeman’s debut album (1997) “Heaven’s Isle” was inspired by the island of Lundy, and he has since released a number of solo and Oliver Wakeman Band albums.  He has also released several collaborations with renowned musicians, including Clive Nolan, Steve Howe, band mate to both Oliver and his father in YES, as well as writing and recording with guitar legend Gordon Giltrap. Oliver is currently working on his latest album ‘Anam Cara’ due for release in late 2022.

For more information:
Website: www.oliverwakeman.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OliverWakeman/
Twitter: @OliverWakeman
Instagram: www.instagram.com/oliverwakemanmusic/

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

Renowned Bassist Hansford Rowe Presents His New Signature Bass by Tao Guitars The HR Superleggera

“The Superleggera’s body shape is unique and perfectly balanced. The subtle references to the great Marcello Gandini (Lamborghini Miura, Alfa Montreal) are sublime. The brushed aluminum hardware is entirely bespoke. The bridge is made to my design parameters (as tool free as possible) with Tao’s usual attention to detail and magnificent design aesthetics. The pickups are custom Benedetti.” - Hansford Rowe

American bassist Hansford Rowe began his career in the clubs of New York City. With French drummer Pierre Moerlen, he reformed the jazz-rock group Gong. PM’s Gong is considered one of the great fusion bands of the late 70s. Recording guests included icons like Mick Taylor, Steve Winwood and Didier Lockwood. International touring soon secured Hansford a place among the world’s leading bass players and work with Mike Oldfield, Allan Holdsworth, John Martyn, Biréli Lagrène, La Monte Young, David “Fuze” Fiuczynski, Gary Husband etc Hansford, with Warwick bass guitars and guitarist Jon Catler developed the first Just Intonation bass. He is considered an expert in the use of alternate tuning systems. His last record is Decadence by Gong Expresso.

Tao Guitars was founded by Belgian luthier duo Serge Michiels and John Joveniaux in Brussels in 2004. The boutique builders collaborate closely with customers to perfectly outfit guitars to the individual and since the two luthiers handcraft all of the instruments by themselves they limit their output to just a few instruments per year. Infused by a deep sense of design and inspired by architecture, Italian auto design and Japanese aesthetics, Tao’s work is a perfect balance between functionality, tone and adventurous design. For more on Tao Guitars, please visit: http://www.taoguitars.com/.

HR Superleggera Bass by Tao Guitars

• Lightweight Swamp Ash body
• Neck-through of Bosnian maple with a Wenge center (tinted black)
• Wenge fingerboard with brushed aluminum fret marker inlays
• Custom proprietary Benedetti pickups
• Proprietary aircraft-grade brushed aluminum hardware
• Circular graining of electronics box aluminum lining
• Modified Hipshot lightweight tuners
• Proprietary titanium truss rod by KTS Japan (single bar, double action)
• Fret and nut material 18% Nickel / Silver (Maillechort – copper, nickel, and zinc)
• Paint: Lamborghini Oro Elios
• Scale: 34.5”
• String spacing at nut: 9mm
• String spacing at bridge: 17mm
• Fingerboard radius: 14”
• Weight: 7.8lbs
• Price: 14,000 Euros

For more information: www.hansfordrowe.com

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