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Archive for the ‘New Age Music World’ Category

List for New Age & World Music Promotional Services.

Being the site host of a popular music blog, I get emails from artists worldwide requesting a contact list for music promoters and marketing services in the New Age, Instrumental and World music genres.

While New Age Music World is a non-profit site in entirety, and I try to remain neutral on who I recommend, I am happy to offer my assistance by providing the names and contact information for the best music promoters and marketing specialists I work with on a regular basis.

I have worked with dozens of music promoters, producers, and public relations persons, by writing reviews or interviewing their clients, so I can tell you there are many excellent music promoters available, in addition to the ones I would like to tell you about today. Nearly everyone I have worked with over the years is a leading professional in regards to their capacity with client based publicity and music promotional services.

Promotional services do vary, as does their marketing strategies, level of assistance, and areas of expertise. Many if not all marketing strategists offer an artist initial phone consultation, to determine an artist’s specific needs, and at what level they can assist best, which lets the artist decide upfront, before promotion begins.

Various levels with marketing strategy can include production, graphics, manufacturing, distribution, licensing, online radio airplay promotion, and an all-inclusive list of client based services for artists wanting to greatly increase their chances with succeeding in the music industry.

The New Age Music Circle Forum, operated by marketing strategist Suzanne Doucet is another organization I would highly recommend for artists wanting to be proactive in their own music promotion. The New Age Music Circle is an international online community forum where artist in the New Age, World Music, and related sub-genres can share music, videos, and post information about special events and participate in discussions on a variety of music related topics.

The Circle Forum is open to everyone, from leading industry professionals and artists, but membership is open to music fans too. The Circle Forum is an excellent place, where artists at every level can enhance their presence in the music industry through self-promotion, regardless of whether they are employing the services of a professional music promoter or not. Visit the New Age Music Circle at NewAgeMusik.Ning.com.

Here is an alphabetized email contact list of the New Age, Instrumental and World Music promoters I have worked with on a regular basis over the years, and would recommend to artists. Please keep in mind there are a number of excellent music promotional services to choose from, so the marketing professionals listed below are the music promoters I know best, and who specialize in the New Age, Instrumental and World music genres. BigStockPhoto.com copyright – Milosluz.

Music Marketing Specialists:

1. LAZZ Promotions – Contact Ed Bonk. Email: lazzpromotions@rogers.com.

2. Only New Age Music – Contact Suzanne Doucet. Email: onlynewagemusic@yahoo.com.

3. The B Company – Contact Beth Ann Hilton. Email: bethhilton@thebcompany.com.

4. The Creative Service Company – Contact Randall Davis. Email: CreatServ9@aol.com.

Being a new age music reviewer, publicist and interview host, I often consider the puzzling question, what is new age music? It’s a perplexing question, even without taking into account the numerous music influences and sub-genres. More often than not, artists prefer not to be categorized by their music compositions which add yet another piece to the puzzle.

While I feel the “what is new age music” question is largely dependent upon an individual’s viewpoint to a degree, there are of course, a number of basic facts about the new age music genre to consider. As a music reviewer, I like to think of whether the songs are in a style or music category most people will find compelling or inspirational being a good indicator, regardless of tempo. Music made for relaxation, sleep and nature sounds are also an enhancing characterization to the overall new age classification.

Defining the new age music genre to one hundred percent accuracy is more than a challenge, it is nearly impossible, similar to assigning a single definition to all popular music genres. In my view, music is like a work of art, where individual perception is more important than organizing all the variable pieces into the ready-made design it is supposed to represent.

With that said, here are 2 Wikipedia pages that should prove helpful. The first page gives a definition for new age music, and the second page shows a partial list of new age music artists associated with the genre. Photo is courtesy Ihfgraphics.

Tangerine Dream will be a headlining band performing at the annual Moogfest 2011 during their October visit to the United States. The music festival lineup will have scenic venues in the Blue Ridge Mountain region of North Carolina.

The annual 2011 Moogfest which celebrates Bob Moog, the inventor of the innovative electronic Moog synthesizer that bears his name, takes place in his hometown of Asheville, North Carolina.

This special weekend concert event scheduled for October 28, 29 & 30 will feature over 60 exceptional artists, most of who are recognized internationally. The weekend passes for Moogfest 2011 are sold exclusively at moogfest.com.

The Moogfest event highlights contemporary and electronic music pioneers who have led the way to make their own synthesizer music innovations past and present. Citywide venues include the Asheville Civic Center Arena, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, and the world-renown Orange Peel Social & Pleasure Club.

Visit tangerinedream-music.com for the latest news. For concert info and weekend passes visit moogfest.com.

Our Last First Time by Sue Brescia.      

Sue Brescia, a New Age, Adult Contemporary singer, songwriter, and composing musician from Middletown, Rhode Island, recently released her second CD, Our Last First Time. By composing her original arrangements with simplicity, beauty and breadth, the 16 music compositions, title song and animated video are like a music symphony dedicated to the love shared between two people, even beyond the life experience of sorrow and loss.

The contemporary instrumentals in Our Last First Time are appropriately named after each line of every verse from the title song to encompass the full spectrum of the CD, which articulately capture emotions ranging from lightheartedness to an introspective tranquility. It is through the masterful blending of piano, woodwinds and strings that the heartfelt quality of her arrangements are conveyed.

Sue Brescia began her career as a singer in a top 40 band at age 18, while also performing in various cabarets and theaters in New England. After several years in Summer Stock Theater, a cabaret performance for the Royal Family, and an appearance at New York’s Catch A Rising Star, Sue Brescia began writing songs and produced her first CD release, Hope Rising in 2007. It was from this CD release that her song Forget You Never was listed among the International Top 40 according to the International Association of Independent Recording Artists.

The song Passage of Time from her Hope Rising CD, was another achievement for her after having been selected from more than 350,000 artists worldwide to appear with Natalie Merchant, Carly Simon and Livingston Taylor in contributing to the Life in the Years, and More Life in the Years CDs, a compilation of music to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.

Our Last First Time comprises the collection of Sue’s life experiences and mortality’s reasoning which has sculpted her into the artist she is today. It is where her fervency for music originates. Writing lyrics to a song, composing an arrangement, all come from the core of her being, from a spiritual place. Sue’s album was also selected among the top entries and runner up status in the December 2010 round during the Song of the Year song and lyric competition.

Visit suebrescia.com and find at her Amazon.com page. Visit Sue’s YouTube channel. Album art courtesy Sue Brescia.

There are two top of the chart New Age albums at Billboard I have reviewed recently, both of which are two new releases that I would recommend for anyone who loves great instrumental music. Yanni & Blackmore’s Night are two of the new releases currently listed in the Top 10 New Age charts.

Yanni’s Truth Of Touch is listed as the number 1 album. Truth Of Touch has spent 20 weeks on the Billboard chart during the week of July 9, 2011. Another fine album from Yanni I haven’t reviewed is his more ethnic instrumental release Mexicanisimo, which is listed at number 7 after having spent 36 weeks on the charts.

Truth Of Touch is a studio composition of refinement, giving one a beautiful impression like the inspiring concert recollections of yesteryear. The prodigious caliber of musicians Yanni enlists is boldly demonstrated on what I feel is his greatest instrumental music composition yet.

Blackmore’s Night’s Autumn Sky is listed as the number 4 album during the week of July 9, 2011. Autumn Sky was the second album I reviewed this year that had debuted at number 1. This renaissance inspired band which transports progressive music into contemporary times is a model for success, past, present and future.

This Blackmore’s Night album was also the greatest gainer of the week after having spent 20 weeks in the top 10 New Age albums at Billboard. Another fine release that I haven’t reviewed is Secret Voyage, which endured as a top 10 album for 72 weeks.

Ritchie Blackmore & Candice Night are the Grammy Nominated musicians that make up the core essence of Blackmore’s Night. You will find Autumn Sky is an album that accentuates the elegant vocals delivered by Candice, along with ancient and modern instrumental fanfare for which this group has become famous.

Blackmore’s Night & Yanni are both awarding winning music groups I will write more about in the future. If you want to read my album reviews here are my Yanni Truth Of Touch review. Here is my Blackmore’s Night Autumn Sky review. View the current Billboard New Age Chart. Cover art is courtesy yanni.com & blackmoresnight.com.

If one takes a minute to listen close enough, beautiful ambient music is all around us. It’s only natural those who live in the countryside have more time available to enjoy the serenity of a peaceful atmosphere verses those who live in an urban environment. Regardless of where you live, undesirable noise can strike any time of the day or night just like clockwork.

Coburn Tuller from the Springfield Missouri area, truly enjoys the best of both worlds. Not only does he live on the outskirts of a metropolitan area where annoying noise is at a minimum, but he also invented a musical instrument that produces peaceful and relaxing timbres any hour of the day or night he desires. The inherently unique musical creation he fabricated is named The Tones, and the relaxing qualities produced from this innovative instrument are the foundation for his first exclusive new release titled Butterfly Tones.

Coburn Tuller is first and foremost a talented musician, having reached a level of expertise on numerous instruments over the years including acoustic and electric guitar, dulcimer and piano. Coburn conceived the idea for his music innovation during walk around midnight back in 1996, when he heard wind chimes lightly touching in a gentle breeze.

While most of us are familiar with the sound of various wind chimes, and would think nothing further about this blend of manmade and natural ambience, the random series of sound fascinated him and sparked his imagination. Coburn then theorized this ambient sound could be taken to a whole new level, and determined that aluminum tubing of accurate length, diameter and dimension would produce an original sound modulation when struck with a mallet. He then accepted the challenge and spent the next 15 years perfecting his one of a kind instrument – The Tones.

Butterfly Tones features 9 songs of melodic bell timbres that are without a doubt one of the more unique forms of music I have ever heard. The Tones itself is a musical instrument that stands over 8 foot tall, and consists of 3 pyramid structures supporting 90 aluminum and brass tubes of various size and dimension, which range from 7 inches to over 6 foot in length.

If one were to classify the musical invention, I would imagine it would most likely be categorized as a directly struck idiophone like tubular bells or a xylophone, both of which are percussion instruments most often used in an orchestra arrangement. But their distinctive sound also enables the creation of an independent melody.

The 9 songs on Butterfly Tones highlight this instrumental freedom of expression to create some beautiful pieces. During Coburn’s performance you will notice like I did that every note struck produces a clear and precise harmony rather than a series of arbitrary sounds. One of the most interesting effects is the natural tone reverberation in every octave of the bells which can linger for minutes during a song.

This natural resonating characteristic of bell tones is apparent on every piece, where multiple layers enhance a distinct harmony while Coburn ascends and descends through the scales using select octaves and tempos. I also noticed the array of notes struck in the bass range often transfer the background theme for each song in the treble range, but the delivery of treble notes likewise act as a counterbalance for bass notes during each arrangement. I would also say the vibrant resonating sound produced is either close to, or the equivalent of the same note intervals and harmonic pitch found on the diatonic scale. Regardless of which musical scale is used, the tones sound perfect in pitch on every octave and ring true.

Coburn Tuller has discovered a steadfast new source of peaceful ambience whose finely balanced sound qualities are available day, night, or anytime the bell tolls. If you listen for yourself I am sure you will agree this exclusive album presented on CD or MP3 has an elegant rhythm and symmetry for relaxation you can count on, just like clockwork.

Visit the butterflytonescd.com homepage and sample or purchase at Coburn’s CDBaby.com page or Amazon.com page.

Photos are courtesy butterflytonescd.com.

Blade Runner Trilogy Soundtrack by Vangelis.

Movie Soundtracks & Film Scores have played an integral role during cinematic moments in film history by transforming a great movie into an award winning motion picture. Time after time, the music chosen provides the effective chemistry to accomplish the movie director’s objective of bringing out the full emotion and depth of an actor’s character identity.

The 3 CD Blade Runner Trilogy is another innovative and popular movie soundtrack by Greek composer Vangelis Papathanassiou. Directed by Ridley Scott and produced by Michael Deeley, Blade Runner the movie remains a classic film with a long list of popular actors including Harrison Ford, Daryl Hannah, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos.

Vangelis is an award winning musician with a long list of movie soundtracks to his credit. The Chariots of Fire movie score is one of high acclaim of course, but Vangelis also composed the entire music score for the epic science fiction thriller Blade Runner. For those who have watched the movie you know the film score by Vangelis is a vital component to the full drama viewers experience while watching this movie.

Over the years New Age music has been the perfect music genre for great movie soundtracks, so we can expect this to continue in the future. I feature many musicians who have produced film scores over the years so I wonder which artist will be the next to compose an Academy Award winning movie soundtrack for the film industry.

The Blade Runner YouTube song video from the motion picture features a pivotal moment during the movie storyline by using the song Love Theme by Vangelis. The 3 CD Trilogy Series and song Love Theme by Vangelis is a popular cinematic song on rotation now and then at our free online Stars radio player located on the right if you want to tune in.

Visit Amazon.com to sample / purchase the Blade Runner Trilogy Soundtrack by Vangelis.

Music legend Jon Anderson of Yes fame, has announced summer concert dates for his 2011 concert tour in North America, comprised of many U.S. cities, along with several concert venues in Canada and Mexico. This tour in support of his new CD release – Survival and Other Stories is sure to be an extraordinary event for every person in attendance.

Jon Anderson’s 2011 concert tour, publicized as “An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson,” is in fact a more intimate venue with a music celebrity who has entertained millions of people over the course of several decades. During his journey as a top artist he has covered popular and mainstream genres like Progressive Rock, but has likewise shown his talented diversity as an artist by his New Age, Adult Contemporary, and Christian music releases.

This concert tour in support of his new CD release – Survival and Other Stories, has a message of inspiration, with themes regarding love, life, understanding, healing and survival.  Concerts goers will be entertained with select material from Jon Anderson’s solo career, Jon & Vangelis songs and classic Yes songs, along with compositions from his new release. For many persons, this will be a great chance to hear a true music legend in a more intimate concert venue!

Visit jonanderson.com for music news and more tour info.  Read my 2011 interview with Jon Anderson and my review of Survival & Other Stories on our pages for Jon Anderson. Shown below is Jon Anderson’s 2011 summer concert tour dates. Photo and tour info courtesy jonanderson.com.

Jon Anderson North American Summer Concert Dates:

July 9 – Courtenay, BC Vancouver, Canada – Island Musicfest at Exhibition Grounds

July 10 – Courtenay, BC Vancouver, Canada – Island MusicFest at Exhibition Grounds

July 12 – Seattle, WA – The Triple Door.

July 14 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theater

July 31 – Vernon, BC, Canada – Komasket Music Festival Komasket Park

Aug. 3 – Lincolnshire, IL – Viper Alley

Aug. 5 – Saint Charles, IL – Arcada Theatre

Aug. 7 – Jerseyville, ON – Festival Of Friends Ancaster Fairgrounds (with America)

Aug. 11 – Shirley, MA – Bull Run Restaurant

Randy and Pamela Copus are the popular husband and wife duo that is the complete heart and spirit of 2002. After 19 years as top New Age music artists, Randy and Pamela are approaching a significant milestone in their careers and a time of celebration by their forthcoming 20 year anniversary as the award winning, Billboard charting music duo 2002.

Randy and Pamela Copus have just released an exceptional new 2002 album titled Damayanti so this is likewise a time of celebration for their loyal fans. It was nineteen years ago when 2002 first began producing music with their first album titled Wings. Since then, it’s as if their popular celestial melodies have stair stepped their way among the clouds in a skyward journey of their own.

Many would agree the New Age Billboard charting 2002 music duo Randy and Pamela Copus are one of the finest New Age groups producing music today. Their free-flowing arrangements and unhurried approach on every album they create has resulted in a made with pride product every time.

Their status as top artists is apparent by the number of times 2002 has been listed as a favorite musical group, having charted 9 times in the New Age Billboard Charts within the past 10 years. When combined this is equal to 270 weeks on the New Age charts. 2002 was likewise featured in the December 2003 Magazine issue of Year in Review at Billboard, and listed with other top New Age artists like Enya, George Winston, Jim Brickman, Manheim Steamroller and Yanni. This is a pretty good indication of their standing as a chosen favorite for many people.

Damayanti by 2002 was recently introduced on their Galactic Playground Music label. The album has 10 opulent songs revealing a wonderful change in tonal atmosphere which does make it stand out from earlier predecessors. While it is not an immense departure from earlier albums, the story based Damayanti is perhaps their best release yet, and I imagine it will be another big hit on the airwaves.

Damayanti was created in comparison like earlier 2002 albums by Randy Copus playing piano, electric cello, guitar and bass, while Pamela Copus played flutes, harp, keyboards and a WX5 wind instrument. Visit the 2002music.com homepage and then sample / purchase on their music page or go to their Amazon.com page. My album review quote, and Free to Fly song video from their A Word in the Wind DVD is shown below. Read my interview on our page for 2002.

Even now with their unending popularity and recognition, 2002 remains steadfast in their creative ambitions for producing quality orchestrations. Their close attention to instrumental and technical details on every album results in a complete reinvention of themselves every time which gives them another reason to pause, reflect, and to celebrate.

Another April Day by Marie-Thérèse McCartin.

Acclaimed pianist, singer and harpist Marie-Thérèse McCartin from Newtowngore, Leitrim, Ireland has released a debut album of special interest to people who appreciate beautiful vocals with piano and light orchestrations of distinction, set to a wonderful Celtic and Folk theme.

Another April Day offers listeners a collection of the most beautiful Irish songs ever written and in fine cohesion with compositions of her own. From the haunting notes of Carrickfergus to the unique rendition of Clare to Here, her release was over six months in the planning and recording of the 15 track album which features the 60 piece National Symphony Orchestra of Moldova.

Marie-Thérèse McCartin, who began playing piano at the age of six, had attended The Royal Irish Academy of Music and went on to graduate from Trinity College, Dublin, with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Marie-Thérèse is also an accomplished harpist, singer, and former member of Anuna, the original chorus in Riverdance. In addition to the recent release of her current album, Marie-Thérèse realized a lifelong dream in 2003 when she founded the Cavan Academy of Music. The school teaches a range of instruments and styles of music and welcomes students of all ages.

Another April Day offers listeners a fresh interpretation on some of Ireland’s best known melodies including The Rose of Tralee, Black is the Color & Galway Bay along with original compositions by Marie-Thérèse. The bonus track, Another April Day is a beautiful piece that has become somewhat of a family affair with lyrics that read like poetry composed by her father Tommy, having both the piano and vocal arrangement provided by the artist. Keeping with tradition, her debut album of Irish melodies are wonderfully heartfelt.

Visit marietheresemccartin.com to sample / purchase or at her Amazon.com page & CDBaby.com page.

Cover photo courtesy marietheresemccartin.com.

Jonas Kroon has released his first cinematic album during 2011, and it didn’t take very long to answer the essential question of whether I believe his first release entitled Melo would be of interest to my site visitors. Another point that answers the question of whether Jonas Kroon and Melo would be the perfect candidate is the quality of his first album, along with the proven experience he has demonstrated as a music specialist, even though this is technically his first release.

Jonas Kroon is a Norwegian composer, producer and artist taking full advantage of his tenure in the music business to produce one of the most unique debut albums I have heard in recent memory. As one might imagine this artist from Norway reveals his years of experience directly into his first product which sounds more like something you would expect from a musician with several best of the year releases or chart topping albums.

Riviera is a Sweden based global music company with a branch in Oslo Norway, where Jonas is currently employed producing artistic scores for the firm. During his time with Riviera, Jonas produces commercials, feature films, and television programing which have clearly given him an edge for his first release. Developing his talents along the way with a company handling accounts like IKEA, Burger King, McDonalds, Volkswagen, Saab and Volvo does make his technical edge and cinematic expertise noticeably sharper.

Melo is a 2011 AMAdea Records release having a unique identity of its own character since Jonas had the freedom to  compose his first album without the usual constraints of what various clients may have expected for him to produce. The 14 songs represent a renewed focus on creating cinematic music composed to his personal taste and perceptions which has led to a great album. After reading the list of film composers he favored including Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman and Howard Shore, I couldn’t agree with him more on his choices of top film score composers.

Melo is very much Cinematic with a composite of World and Ethnic influences from beginning to end, relying on electronic and symphonic elements along with wonderful percussion rhythms. The up-tempo songs Her Er Eg, Fakir Fusion & Into the Wild were my top favorites, along with violin and guitar version given on The King, with each featuring exotic without lyric vocals and orchestra instrumentals. However the more moderate in time songs Element, Zanzibar & Highland are just as worthy by highlighting colorful vocals with rich instrumental setting of cello, flutes, guitars, keyboards, violin and percussion which is a prominent feature on the entire album.

Melo is likewise the name of the 14 member band of international musicians Jonas selected to become the foundation for his album. The 14 member band whose first concert was in 2007 at the Paul McCartney Auditorium in Liverpool England was off to a great start right from the beginning. Formed in 2006, the band members in  Melo represent the nations of Norway, Sweden, UK, Poland, Bosnia and Hungary.

Jonas Kroon didn’t have a long track record of earlier releases, chart topping albums or top music awards, but his musical aptitude and what he produced made top honors with me.  The new release Melo easily makes my list as a new release to be commended and who is to say what the future holds, so let’s hope we hear more. Along with several other review publicists that have written positive reviews about him, Jonas has earned my respect, for which there is no question.

The following musicians are Melo band members performing with Jonas Kroon who provided vocals, keyboards and programing; Jostein Austvik (drums) Alex Braathen (percussion, vocals) Sondre Sandhaug (bass) Goran Obad ( electric guitars, saz, oud, tambura) Mateusz Rostad (violin) Birgit Nerheim (violin) Line Haukland (cello) Silje Karlsen (vocals, flutes) Kjersti Vatnan Ekman (vocals, flutes) Thomas Wicklund Larsen (vocals) Trym Bjonnes (vocals, didgeridoo).

Visit jonaskroon.com to sample / purchase or at Jonas Kroon’s AMAdeaRecords.com page & Amazon.com page. Discover more fine artists at the Bulgaria based AMAdeaRecords homepage.

Photo and artwork courtesy Oda Hveem & Jonas Kroon.

Randy and Pamela Copus are the husband and wife duo that is the complete heart and spirit of 2002. It was nineteen years ago when 2002 first began producing music with their first album titled Wings. From the beginning and throughout their careers, it’s as if their popular celestial melodies have soared in an ascending flight of their own.

The 2002 music duo Randy and Pamela Copus are without a doubt, one of the finest musical groups producing music today. Many would agree, and their popularity is pretty apparent by the number of times 2002 has been listed as a favorite musical group on the Billboard New Age Charts over the years, and their constancy of producing fine releases.

Presently, Randy and Pamela are nearing a significant milestone in their music careers by an upcoming 20 year anniversary. Review publicist John Olsen has interviewed Randy and Pamela in which many topics were covered. NewAgeMusicWorld.com & NewAgeMusic.nu are pleased to present their conversation to fans of 2002, and our site visitors.

John Olsen:  I want to thank you both for taking time out of your schedule for our interview together. I have been a big fan of your music for years so our interview together is even more rewarding to me personally.

You are approaching a significant milestone by your upcoming 20 year anniversary as 2002. Given your ever-rising popularity as New Age music producers, have you had much time to reflect over your roles as musicians and many achievements during the past 20 years?

Randy:  Wow, 20 years! It seems like just yesterday we were producing Wings, and watching the 2002 sound take on a life of its own. We don’t spend much time reflecting on our past because we’re always moving forward, constantly trying to improve our music and how we produce it.

John:  I find it impressive that 2002 has made the charts 9 times at Billboard within the past 10 years with the long list of albums; Chrysalis, Land of Forever, River of Stars, Across an Ocean of Dreams, The Sacred Well, This Moment Now, The Emerald Way, Deep Still Blue, and Christmas Dreams. This is the equivalent of 270 weeks total on the Billboard New Age charts. I wondered if winning awards and making the Billboard chart is really that important to you, and whether you consider these achievements a true measurement of your success?

Pamela:  It’s still important, though perhaps not as much as it used to be. In the past, it helped us know whether or not we were connecting with our audience. It validated hard work and helped us measure each album against its predecessors. However, the music industry is changing and there are plenty of new ways to measure those things now.

Randy:  I still get excited when I see our music on the charts, and awards are wonderful, of course. These help give us confidence that we are moving in the right direction. However, when we create the music, we’re not setting out for those kinds of achievements. We have as a single goal to make the best album possible, regardless of reviews and accolades, and even charting.

John:  You have a brand new release titled Damayanti, which I published a  positive review about recently. When compared to earlier albums you have produced, do you feel Damayanti is your finest release to date, and have you two received additional input from fans or other review publicists about the high quality of your most current release?

Pamela:  And thank you for that review John! Yes, each album has been special in its own way. It’s amazing how I can look back over the last 19 years and see reflections of our lives in our music and remember vividly what was going on during each album. Damayanti is no different. It’s a snapshot in time that freezes so many memories.  We had a great number of setbacks while creating that album and we certainly did work harder to get through all of that to bring it to the world.  It has been a stellar release for us and we have been overwhelmed with positive feedback from our fans, colleagues and reviewers.

Randy:  The reviews have been really great for Damayanti, and some of our fans are saying it is the best release ever from us, but we have enough records out there now to make it difficult for me to determine which one is the “best”. My personal favorite changes almost daily!

John:  What makes the melodies on Damayanti different from earlier albums?

Pamela:  It’s a microcosm of the 2002 career. The many avenues we’ve explored over the past 19 years are all represented in this one release. It brings it all together.

Randy:  Our music has always had great commonalities with film soundtracks. The new album takes this style to a new level for us. Many of the albums we’ve produced over the years, particularly the earlier works, have been centered on stories. We returned to this form with Damayanti. There are lush string orchestrations and those emotional “moments” in the music that are the hallmark of movie scores.

John:  If it’s not a trade secret, would you provide some details about the instruments and equipment you use, along with the process in which you construct a 2002 album?

Pamela:  I play a McKenna flute, specially made for me. My alto flute is a Jupiter. I also play a wind controller by Yamaha called a WX5 as well as a Thormahlen Swan 36 harp and miscellaneous keyboards.

Randy:  We use Apple computers and MOTU Digital Performer software. We also prefer to use a real recording console, rather than to do everything in the computer. Our microphones, preamps, speakers and effect processors are all high-end, and are an important part of the trademark sound we produce. Several people have written and asked us what vocal mic we use for all of the vocal layering that is so much a part of our sound. That is a custom made Pearlman TM-1, made by our friend Dave Pearlman. It is a tube microphone, and we run that into a Groovetubes VIPRE preamp. We try to leave our performances as natural as possible, without relying too much on the software to perfect everything. Sometimes there will be a slight timing error or errant sound, or even a mistake that we will leave in because the performance was where it should be. It seems like so often, using technology to perfect a musical performance takes the life out of it.

John:  Did you begin playing music with the intention of becoming top New Age music artists, or did you find your music is best defined as Contemporary Instrumental or New Age music?

Pamela:  Wow – well actually I started playing music when I was 4. My first instrument was piano, then violin, flute, bagpipes and oboe. Later, in college I moved on to piano. I joined various bands in a variety of styles and spent years playing live and touring. I played in bands performing everything from 60’s covers to industrial rock. I like all good music, regardless of genre.

Randy:  We almost fell into the new age genre by accident. Years ago we were both at a point where we had left our respective rock bands, and some friends of ours suggested that we create a solo flute album to sell at the wellness seminars they were conducting.  It sold well, so we made another solo flute recording, and then a third album that had more synthesizers and other instruments. All of this came to a head when we produced Wings in 1992, and the 2002 sound was born.

John:  You have DVD/CD collector’s editions for the albums A Word in the Wind & Deep Still Blue, plus your music videos. The cinematic aspect of your music is very apparent when viewing your DVDs and music videos. Do you have more DVDs or music videos planned and how did producing your own music videos originate?

Pamela:   Producing videos to accompany every song of an album is very time and labor intensive. It really increases the length of time it takes to complete a project.  It was a great experience, but I don’t see us doing only that in the future.

Randy:  After Deep Still Blue & A Word in the Wind, it was amazing to me how much easier it was to do a straight music album! I’m so glad we did those projects, though. They allowed us to stretch ourselves in new directions and discover what we were artistically capable of.

John:  Last year you had introduced your own Galactic Playground Music label. How has this changed the way you produce and market your music?

Pamela:  We started our first record label in 1992 (Dreamtime Records). Later, as we evolved into producers we realized that we needed to extend our abilities and began Galactic Playground Music as our publishing arm. When we found ourselves free of outside record labels, we transformed our successful publishing company into a new label and re-released the 3 Gemini Sun Records albums as well as our 2 newest albums, Wings II – Return to Freedom & Damayanti.

Randy:  It is great to be in control of our careers, but with that comes the responsibility of having to get everything done, and there are a million little things. It used to be we would get to the finish line of completing the album and then immediately turn our sights to what we would create next. Nowadays, finishing the record is only the beginning. There are promotions that must be done, deadlines that must be met, and decisions about where to spend money or not. Still, it’s very satisfying to take the reins and be in charge of our own destinies.

John:  Both of you produced and performed on Marc Enfroy’s Unconditional album, which turned out to be an excellent album by the way. Is producing an album for another artist comparatively straightforward, or are there many challenges to creating a quality product everyone is happy with?

Randy:  In the case of Marc’s album, Unconditional, we felt we had a good fit. We were able to bring the elements together with what he already had, to take it to another level. This is the prime consideration we have for producing another artist’s record – what can we bring to it to make it better? Marc had a very good collection of songs and wanted to make a more atmospheric, new age sound than in his previous works. I think it came together nicely, and in the end, everybody was happy with the result.

John:  Let me be the first to publically congratulate you both on your approaching 20 year anniversary as 2002. B.T. Fasmer and I wish you both continued success! Before we close for now, is there anything you would like to mention that we haven’t talked about yet?

Randy & Pamela:  Thank you so much John! I just want to let you both know how much we appreciate all you do for the music community. We are so grateful that there are people like you helping to get the word out!

Visit the 2002music.com to homepage and then sample / purchase at their music store or go to their Amazon.com page. Read more on our pages dedicated to 2002.

Photos courtesy 2002music.com.

Picture yourself as a singer on stage in front of a large crowd of people with all eyes upon you. Now, even if you are well accustomed to performing on stage, and are within your comfort zone in front of an audience and do well, keeping audiences entertained year after year is of course a completely different story. To survive and remain a long-term success, everything is dependent on your abilities as a vocalist and the quality of the lyrical message you wish to deliver.

Jon Anderson, former lead vocalist and lyrical messenger for the group Yes, is while I write this review, standing on a stage entertaining audiences during tour venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which is in support of his concept album – Survival & Other Stories. What I find most impressive about Jon Anderson is the fact he has been not only capturing, but keeping a firm grip on audiences with his music for the past 5 decades, and so it goes without saying that Jon Anderson is a wonderfully gifted vocalist with a exciting message people truly want to hear over and over again.

It was during my recent 2011 interview with Jon Anderson where he specified that while on stage, concert goers would hear original Yes songs, along with Jon & Vangelis songs. In addition he articulates the biographical aspects about his life to an audience, what the songs mean and how they were created, along with singing songs from his newest release – Survival & Other Stories. Jon also acknowledged the importance his fans are to him, which are of course the lifeblood for any artist.

Jon Anderson is a music superstar, even to those other than his most loyal fans who regard him as one of the greatest music icons past and present. While true he is best known as the former lead singer and key lyricist of the Progressive Rock band Yes, his prolific solo music career continues to be as positive and significant today as it was years ago, when people like myself were buying his vinyl records!

Jon Anderson’s influence and starring role in music over five decades is legendary, and one can say Jon’s divine voice and lyrical message is clearly unforgettable. Presently, it is estimated over 38 million records were sold during his years as the dynamic lead vocalist with Yes, and his successful solo career to date. Even today people are discovering the earlier works from Yes, in addition to his numerous collaborations with other top artists, and personalized solo projects.

Survival & Other Stories is a concept album Jon created after he nearly perished from a serious illness. The silver lining began after his recovery when this unique project began to take shape. During this time period, Jon published a message on his website inviting artists to submit their music for this new endeavor.

When musicians from all corners of the world turned in their ethnic music over the internet the substance of something beautiful was born. Jon then mixed, composed, and co-produced with wife Jane Anderson the first of three concept albums, Survival & Other Stories which has a collection of 11 songs with wonderful orchestrations unified with Jon’s heartfelt vocal energies clearly articulated both musically and lyrically as optimistic and positive.

The first song New New World which opens with bold drum cadence, snare taps, and dancing strings makes a clear distinction this release is like no other yet his lyrical propensity and alto tenor range vocals reassure the listener this release will be just as impressive as the melodies he released decades ago. Unbroken Sprit is a moving piece with a light percussion backed melody, while Love Of The Life & Big Buddha Song touch upon politics and religion with spirited instrumentals backing verses of inspiration.

The blend of harmonic ethnicities continues in the moderately arranged melodies Understanding Truth, Effortlessly, Love And Understanding & Sharpening The Sword. All songs are identifiable in a sense by vocal recognition, yet each has a varying metrical rhythm and unique melody which gives every song a singular timbre and atmosphere. Gentle introspective moments are prevalent qualities in the more serene songs Incoming, Just One Man & Cloudz.

Jon Anderson without a doubt has a wonderful story to share, and in the auditory sense, his new release has a personalized point of view that comes across as musical magic. And while many artists have abandoned their music careers or quietly faded away by stepping off and never returning to the stage, Jon Anderson has clearly reached the expert level while entertaining his audiences onstage and in the studio. As it turns out, 2011 now appears to be an exciting year for everyone.

On the 10 page CD cover booklet are all song lyrics and a memoir style narrative from Jon. The global musicians listed on specific songs are; Jamie Dunlap, Peter Kiel, Jann Castor, Dan Spollen, Kevin Shima, Stefan Poddell, Steve Layton, Jeremy Cubert, Christophe Lebled, Ryan Fraley, Daniel Reinker, and Paul Quinn.

Visit jonanderson.com for music news and concert info. Survival & Other Stories can be pre-ordered from Gonzo Multimedia and Amazon.com prior to June 6 release date. Read our 2011 interview article on our pages dedicated to Jon Anderson.

Concert photo courtesy jonanderson.com. Big Stock Photo – dws.

The Best of Album by Jon & Vangelis.

When you say the names Jon Anderson and Vangelis Papathanassiou, most people tend to classify the discography of the two legendary artists by Progressive Rock and Electronic, Soundtrack or Film Score. This is for the most part true, but like many famous musicians of today, one genre category is never enough to satisfy their creative ambitions in entirety.

Jon & Vangelis was the successive collaboration when celebrity Yes vocalist Jon Anderson teamed up with the master of electronic music, Vangelis Papathanassiou. Their partnership back in the 1980’s produced some incredible melodies which remain ageless classics and a favorite selection for devoted aficionados of both artists, in addition to their individual solo projects which began their rise to stardom.

The Best of Jon & Vangelis is an excellent album from the two artisans who joined forces during those earlier years, which today seem so long ago. The Best of Album in particular is one I would suggest to those less than familiar with their collaboration effort. The songs State Of Independence & I’ll Find My Way Home have been two of my personal favorites for many years.

During my recent interview with Jon Anderson we learned his solo career is still thriving after 5 decades of producing music.  Jon is currently performing his concert tour publicized as “An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson” at this very moment.

Jon Anderson’s new album Survival & Other Stories will be distributed soon too, so check back for my pre-release album review of Jon’s latest solo project. Below is Jon Anderson’s reply about what concert attendees could expect during one of his concerts, and the Jon & Vangelis song video of I’ll Find My Way Home featuring vocals by Jon and Vangelis on piano. Visit Amazon.com to sample / purchase this classic album. Cover art courtesy Jon & Vangelis.

Jon Anderson:  Well, it’s really like being in my ‘front room’. I’m singing Yes songs as I originally wrote them, singing ‘Jon and Vangelis’ songs, telling stories, how songs came together, the meaning behind the songs, talking about my life so far, and doing new songs from my new album – Survival & Other Stories.

 

Calmness of Spirit by David Hoffman.

David Hoffman is a brilliant composing musician from Illinois named a top award winner among others in The Tenth Annual Independent Music Awards. David was selected by a 62 member panel of industry professionals including popular artists Seal, Aimee Mann, Ozzy Osbourne, Arturo Sandoval and many other influential musicians.

Many may already recognize David Hoffman by his lengthy tenure with another famous musician named Ray Charles, having been the trumpet and flugelhorn soloist, along with his presence as composer and arranger with the Ray Charles Orchestra. It was during his 13 year partnership with Ray Charles that David Hoffman extensively toured many notable venues in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia. Additional tours included Russia in 1994 and a return visit in 2000, where he performed with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.

Calmness of Spirit is a beautiful instrumental album merging New Age and Jazz in a remarkable coupling which gives the listener a distant ray of sunshine impression by the elevated melodic ambience and tonal qualities. What makes this CD album so unique is the transition in style by the artist himself, and needless to say, it is a successful one. David skillfully performs on piano and the trumpet, for which he is famous. Another great artist on this album is colleague Paul Adams who co-produced and performs Native American flute, guitar, percussion, and Hulusi wind instrument.

David Hoffman is a masterful Jazz performer and expert brass musician making a fine transition by Calmness of Spirit. In addition to the more New Age and Jazz influence blending in Calmness of Spirit, David’s earlier more Jazz or World music centered albums are; From Energy to Stillness, Groovin’, The David Hoffman Sextet Live, and Christmas In Your Heart. David Hoffman also provides area located and online instructions to students of all levels from beginner to expert. As a Jazz great, his vast areas of expertise in composition, scoring and arranging on a multitude of instruments is unsurpassed.

Visit the davidhoffmanjazz.com homepage and visit pauladams.org to sample / purchase, or at his Amazon.com page.

Album Art courtesy David Hoffman.

It really doesn’t matter how old you are, but I would be willing to take a guess and say that there was a time in your life when everything seemed much simpler. Living the carefree life as a youngster might be the best way to describe this positively uplifting feeling that everyone has experienced at one time.

Keith Driskill has created an acoustic guitar album that gives one the impression of those lighthearted days by gentle guitar melodies of inspiration. His release A Time of Innocence is an acoustic guitar album that at least, momentarily shuttles the listener to a relaxing state of mind by its peaceful down to earth purity.

Keith Driskill performs superbly on acoustic guitar using the fingerstyle technique, and as it turns out, he is pretty well versed in articulating the emotional imagery of those carefree days, and does so with amazing clarity. Finding an early fascination in learning how to play the guitar at age 10, Keith began to explore and develop his own skills during the early years as a youngster growing up in Kentucky. This may have had something to do with the present day Utah resident’s abilities at expressing the simplistic period of our youth by fine guitar melodies.

A Time of Innocence is a New Age, Solo Guitar album with traditional Folk music elements. The 9 songs are best defined as serene and peaceful, yet there is a broader modulation of warmth and depth, which makes A Time of Innocence something rather unique and special. On the surface you will find light guitar rhythms comingle and reside in time with more complex tracings of depth and refinement which is a nice counterpart to the lighter more serene qualities.

The song Lover’s Farewell is the melody I felt best compliments this adaptation. The equally relaxing Moonlight Lullaby & Fireflies each convey an elevated atmosphere of inspiration. It may be less important how I phrase the description of Keith Driskill’s acoustic guitar music, just so long as wonderfully uplifting music is incorporated when summarizing his solo guitar endeavors. While true none of us can return to the carefree days of our youth, Keith’s guitar melodies offers a moment to reminisce about those lighthearted days of our past that ironically turn out to be important to most of us during our adult years. It’s an easygoing acoustic expression about A Time of Innocence.

Visit the driskillmusic.com homepage and then sample / purchase on his music page or visit his Amazon.com page.

Photos courtesy driskillmusic.com.

Midnight Orchestra by Spencer Stanley

Spencer Stanley is a composing musician who first developed his love for the piano during his elementary school years. Composing musical scores during junior high then became a constant activity and form of creative enjoyment for him. Spencer’s performance in various school bands, jazz bands and orchestras reflects his own compositional phrasing in his Midnight Orchestra debut album from 2010.

Midnight Orchestra has a Classic Piano, Contemporary Instrumental & New Age presentation. This album contains 11 pieces which takes listeners into the depths of melodic piano flow, with appealing resonances of strings, some woodwinds and lively percussion rhythms on snare and timpani drums. I was really impressed with his talents, along with the performing instrumentalist in accompaniment. Songs from Midnight Orchestra are currently being played on various internet radio stations, and his YouTube videos feature the song Velocity, and the title song.

Spencer Stanley has received training in piano, trumpet and French horn during his high school years. His scholastic studies earned him top scores in band ensembles, jazz and orchestras in competitions throughout the state. He is currently attending Brigham Young University for academic studies, and was selected an all-star youth musician with the Utah Symphony. Even though his background skills are centered on brass instruments, these songs are comprised of mainly piano, strings, and percussion rhythms blend remarkably well by their light melodic harmony.

Midnight Orchestra is compiled of songs Spencer composed and co-orchestrated with Dave Zimmerman during their high school years. It features Spencer on piano and Dave Zimmerman on percussion, with other musicians he became friends with over the years; Andrea Hughes (violin) Natachia Li (cello) and Sophie Stanley (classical guitar). Together these musicians have produced an impressive instrumental album, and I am sure you will reach the same conclusion.

Visit Spencer Stanley on his Facebook page.  Sample or purchase his album at Amazon.com and iTunes. Visit our page dedicated to Spencer Stanley.

Kelly Andrew from Denver Colorado is an admirable composing musician I wrote an album review about recently. You might recall I spoke very highly of his instrumental debut album titled Olympus. There was a pretty good reason I recommended his first effort to our visitors since Olympus really is one appreciable album!

In fact, I had even earlier stated in my album review that Olympus has some of the finest orchestrations I have heard in recent memory, and his classic symphonic music with contemporary instrumentals backed by full percussion, is a music symphony that will stand the test of time. Like all of my album reviews, there shouldn’t be any reading between the lines with that statement. Kelly has a second album with a night to day contrast in style titled Reflections.

Kelly Andrew is a great musician who is far from being a new composer since he is actually identified for creating a wide array of music having composed and arranged over 35 original singles, some of which were performed and recorded with the University of Colorado Choir.

One point I would like to make is that even if Olympus was his debut album, Kelly Andrew is a great composer too, well-seasoned with over 15 years of experience producing his individual brand of music in a variety of influences. Some of his arrangements are expressions in New Age, Cinematic, Contemporary, Symphonic, Soundtrack, Neo-Classical, World music, and a wide range of original orchestrations.

Reflections by Kelly Andrew really did surprise me after listening to this 11 song recording. Reflections is a second great album, but the surprise is most apparent in the way he composed the two albums. While his first has deep orchestrations and a bolder atmosphere, Reflections is an impressive contrast in style, and it is pretty clear his second album Reflections is even more aligned in the Cinematic or Soundtrack category.

The 11 songs are a selection of instrumental ensembles with Kelly Andrew on piano, keyboards and synthesizer. Aditional musicians are; Marcy Baruch (vocals) Randy Chavez (guitar) Christian Teele (percussion) Bijoux Barbosa (bass) Kailin Yong (violin) James Brody (oboe) Rachel Ellins (harp) and Rodney Garnett (flutes). Musicians from the Colorado Symphony Orchestra provided the strings section.

Reflections has a wonderful blending of New Age, Contemporary Instrumental, Symphonic music, and again commendable. Kelly Andrew’s change in direction has produced a second great album, and I would certainly recommend his first and second, with a third appreciable mention being the smooth transition in style conveyed by the artist himself.

Visit kelly-andrew.com to sample / purchase or visit his CDBaby.com page. Read our page dedicated to Kelly Andrew.

Album artwork by Kelly Andrew.

Jon Anderson Interview

Jon Anderson of Yes fame is the top music celebrity we are pleased to present here at NewAgeMusicWorld.com & NewAgeMusic.nu. With a successful music career spanning five decades, John Anderson’s presence as a vocalist and instrumentalist has made an admirable impression on millions of people over the course of many years as a musician.

This can be said regarding his lengthy tenure as lead singer for the Progressive Rock band Yes, during his numerous collaborations with other celebrated artists, and while performing throughout the years as a popular solo artist.

Jon Anderson’s influence and starring role in music over five decades is legendary. It is estimated over 38 million records were sold during his years as the dynamic lead vocalist with Yes, and throughout his successful solo career.

Today, Jon Anderson is preparing for his North American concert tour in support of his new CD release; Survival & Other Stories.

Knowing Jon Anderson’s significant influence in music it is our privilege to present this interview so that everyone can find out more about a fascinating artist with a long and enduring music legacy.

Review publicist John Olsen recently had the opportunity to interview the personable Jon Anderson prior to his tour in 2011. We are pleased to present their conversation to Jon’s fans and our site visitors.

Jon Anderson interview April 2011:

John P. Olsen: Thank You for agreeing to this interview on short notice Jon. We realize our interview request arrives at a time interval just days prior to your opening concert, so we do appreciate your enthusiasm for this interview, and your willingness to take time out of your schedule for us.

You are beginning your concert tour publicized as “An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson.” Would you like to give some insight to concert goers about the atmosphere and variety of music they will experience during an evening with Jon Anderson?

Jon Anderson: Well, it’s really like being in my ‘front room’. I’m singing Yes songs as I originally wrote them, singing ‘Jon and Vangelis’ songs, telling stories, how songs came together, the meaning behind the songs, talking about my life so far, and doing new songs from my new album.

JP Olsen: Your new release Survival & Other Stories is due to be released April 2011. Can you provide some details about your new release, and how Survival & Other Stories varies from other albums you have produced?

Jon Anderson: This album is #1 of 3 albums I will release over the next 2 years. I put an ad on my website saying ‘musicians wanted’… I was finding it hard to get the guys in Yes interested in using the Internet to write songs, I put the ad out there, I got so many people sending me their musical ideas, it was like this musical ‘door’ had opened, and I found myself writing so many great ideas, with some very talented peeps…. I still do this every week. Music is endless.

JP Olsen: You have collaborated with other celebrated musicians like yourself, including Vangelis, Kitaro, Rick Wakeman, Mike Oldfield and a host of other talents. Every artist has their own strengths, along with their individual viewpoint about an album production, so when collaborating with other musicians, how does a “meeting of minds” customarily transpire during album composition and production?

Jon Anderson: It’s very simple really, it has to be Fun, an element of Trust and a feeling of Adventure, I sing melodies and find lyrics to the music I hear, it’s a very instant thing, and if it’s working great, we tend to trust ourselves, and let the music take us on the journey.

JP Olsen: Recently you teamed up with Mike Oldfield for a Kanye West sample track titled Dark Fantasy, which topped the Billboard chart as the #1 album in the country. In addition you just produced a great album with colleague and Yes member Rick Wakeman titled The Living Tree. Do you find teaming up with other esteemed musicians just as rewarding as your solo projects?

Jon Anderson: I feel thankful to have these connections, they don’t come all the time, they are rewarding on so many levels. I’m singing on Jonathan Elias’s new ‘Prayer Cycle’ along with Sting and others, released June 1st, that song I sang was right in the middle of my illness in 2008, it was such a gift to sing with that music, very inspiring.

JP Olsen: To me and many others, the voice of Jon Anderson is one of the easiest to identify in an ocean of vocalists. Did you have professional vocal instruction, and what point in your life did you choose to pursue music as a career?

Jon Anderson: No, I just sang since I was a kid, sang as I went to school, sang when I worked on the farm, and just kept singing about the joys of life.

JP Olsen: Early in your career you were leader of Yes, a phenomenal and popular Rock group, yet you also produced music in less mainstream genres, including New Age and Contemporary Christian music. What is the reason you performed in respected but less mainstream music?

What 2011 concert goers can expect to hear during “An Acoustic Evening With Jon Anderson” – Well, it’s really like being in my ‘front room’. I’m singing Yes songs as I originally wrote them, singing ‘Jon and Vangelis’ songs, telling stories, how songs came together, the meaning behind the songs, talking about my life so far, and doing new songs from my new album. Jon Anderson

Jon Anderson: Music takes on your Sacred Journey, I have a deep belief that we are changing for the better again, and music can be a sign post to what is happening around the world, people all over the world ‘love’ music, so why not enjoy being a part of the ‘new age’….

JP Olsen: You wrote the song lyrics during your tenure in Yes, and likewise during your solo career. Your lyrical phrasing is beautifully expressive, and positive in nature. Do you have a lyrical theme or message you want to convey to your audience?

Jon Anderson: Like most people I am seeking for Truth to Life, and singing about this helps me, I live to understand the great mystery, and how we are part of Mother Earth, and ‘why’…. so lyrics dance around me every day, I do feel honored to be a musician.

JP Olsen: During the early Yes years some music critics downplayed the influence Yes was achieving as a music act. I believe it would be accurate to say many people didn’t realize at the time that Jon Anderson, and a handful of others, were essentially inventing a music genre we identify today as Progressive Rock. Did you and other band members recognize at the time you were making such a profound impact in the music scene?

Jon Anderson: We hoped that Yes Music would stand the test of time, and it seems to have done, but 40 years, wow!! I meet so many young people who have just bought ‘Close to the Edge’, they find out how exciting the music is, and they will go on the same musical journey as I did, it’s amazing to realize this.

JP Olsen: Your contribution as lead vocalist was an important factor, but why do you believe Yes as a Progressive Rock group so successful?

Jon Anderson: I worked hard within the Yes band as the musical director of sorts. I was surrounded by so much talent, I would come up with plans for the music, sing ideas constantly, and the Music we created is unique. I never dreamed it could become so wonderful, I kept on coming up with ideas, and Yes Music will last forever, Weeeeeee!

Jon’s reply on the major influence Jon Anderson and progressive rock group Yes had in music; We hoped that Yes Music would stand the test of time, and it seems to have done, but 40 years, wow!! I meet so many young people who have just bought ‘Close to the Edge’, they find out how exciting the music is, and they will go on the same musical journey as I did, it’s amazing to realize this. Jon Anderson

JP Olsen: You have been a very successful vocalist and instrumentalist practically your whole life. Do you believe your life achievements are due to your musical talents, hard work, a combination of both, or do you believe in destiny?

Jon Anderson: Practice, Practice. Well I just have fun playing every day, I sing every day, think about the ‘great work’ to be done, as for destiny, hummm, not sure what that means, I believe that I will be part of a great Awakening.

JP Olsen: What do you feel is your greatest achievement or most rewarding experience to date Jon?

Jon Anderson: Still being around, feeling valid in this world music scene, not getting carried away with fame. Singing with the school of rock and youth orchestras, and I enjoying being around ‘young’ musicians while helping to create some very good and interesting music to date.

JP Olsen: Earlier I read on your Facebook page you rarely do endorsements for advocacy groups but are involved with 600million.org, a non-profit organization created by the co-founder of PETA, Alex Pacheco. Would you like to tell us about your contribution and charitable endorsement for the animal protection advocacy group 600million.org?

Jon Anderson: My youngest Daughter Jade introduced me to the project earlier this year. I was really sad about the plight of our fellow creatures, dogs are truly man’s best friend, and they can be so healing and funny to be around, so to see so many millions in distress, made me want to help in any way I could, so I made a short video to help.

JP Olsen: Thank You again for spending time with us by way of our interview Jon. We look forward to the day when we can follow-up by another interview together. In closing, do you have anything you would like to express to the people who will be attending a concert this year, or the many fans that have supported you throughout your career?

Jon Anderson: Have fun!!! And thanks for all the support, and enjoyment I have at the concerts I do, I cannot thank you enough…. Cheers!!!

Again everyone, Jon Anderson is beginning his 2011 North American concert tour billed as “An Evening With Jon Anderson.” We wish Jon and every concert goer an enjoyable evening together during a live concert event that is sure to be memorable.

Visit the jonanderson.com homepage for news and concert tour information. Read our pages dedicated to Jon Anderson.

Concert photos courtesy Robin Kauffman & jonanderson.com.

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