New Age Music World

Posts Tagged ‘Steve Orchard’

Steve Orchard is a New Age musician from the UK releasing the third album from his Dancer Trilogy Series.  With this sequential album, a bold and thoughtful design in dancing rhythms, along with lively choreographed melodies entice ones imagination exactly like the first and second in series were envisioned.

Moondancer is the conclusive result in his highly imaginative Dancer Trilogy Series, reaching a point where it couldn’t get any better than what I have heard so far with the first two.  Then again, it becomes clear Steve reaches for the stars on the rhythmic dancer series featuring earthly qualities of rain, sun and moon elements.

Steve Orchard from Bristol, England is quite masterful at producing electronic instrumental music composed with improvised mood sensations and a progressive repertoire of lively rhythms.  If you have read our interview or earlier album reviews you know that Steve Orchard is a prolific singer songwriter having composed and performed original music for many years on guitar, mandolin, and harmonica, various skin drums, piano and keyboards.  His music was featured on BBC Radio, film scores, local radio jingles, plus Steve was a band member in 100’s of concert venues and a recognized soloist in South West & London England during the 1990′s.

Drawing inspiration from the natural environment, Steve’s first in series Raindancer is based in a tropical soundscape where beautiful South American rhythms are explored with flutes, panpipes, acoustic guitars, keyboards percussion, along with a wonderful array of elements by synthesizer.

Sundancer is an emblematic second album in Steve Orchard’s Trilogy Series, and like the first album, the second reflects rare qualities of relaxing yet energetic melodies that I felt achieve universal appeal.  In fact the energetic symmetry, illuminating atmosphere and Island music impression did help propel Sundancer to the eighth award winning position in our NewAgeMusic.nu Best Albums Awards for 2010.

Moondancer is the twilight and glowing counterpoint keeping well in contrast to the first two albums, but I do want to point out that Moondancer is far from being a boring or lull you to sleep album.  Here again you will find radiant melodic imagery right beside a natural and reposeful atmosphere, and this is where an emphasis on the dancer suffix comes into play.

Counting Stars begins the twilight sequence of the series with a light keyboard melody set in a deeper background and like Apollo’s Return, mysterious imagery is not the prevalent consequence with this first song, or the entire album as a whole.  Moondancer is carried out with a deeper contrast in style as the moon prefix implies, yet is very complimentary to the first two albums sunnier atmosphere so you will find this album preserves many of the same rhythmic qualities which are an integral part of the entire dancer series.

Phases & Tides, Nebula and Grimaldis Comet are three songs that help make this distinction clear since bongo drums and other percussion enhancements gently counterbalance deeper keyboard tones, infusing shades of light which in turn introduce a more illuminating atmosphere.  The soft flute melody in moderately timed Nocturne creates an interesting contrast when combined with the twinkling effect by keyboard.  Lost Contact has a deep futuristic feel by the dreamy keyboard and synthesizer tones while Earth Glue adheres to the counterbalance theme by a wood flute melody and percussion woodblock beats, and the intermittent chanting does convey a strong tribal influence too.

NewAgeMusicWorld.com & NewAgeMusic.nu feature many outstanding musicians who are all are capable of producing mood elevating music to either help you relax and unwind, brighten your day or even inspire you by notes that seem to dance.  The Dancer Trilogy Series from Steve Orchard is an all-inclusive colorful kaleidoscope of vibrant melodies, and this latest is no exception.  It is lively music rhythms in step with a wonderful radiant design. 

Visit the steveorchardmusic.co.uk homepage and sample or purchase Moondancer on his music page. Read my interview with Steve Orchard and album reviews on our pages dedicated to Steve Orchard.

 Moondancer cover design copyright David Orchard.  Big Stock Photo – mpemberton.

        NewAgeMusic.nu Best Album Award of 2010.   By B.T. Fasmer on January 1, 2011. 

2010 has been an amazing year for New Age Music! Critics have in the past, at best, called it a niche genre – but it is our claim that in 2010 it became far more mainstream. The reason for this is a long process. New Age Music has moved from being in the special selection in physical record stores, to easy access in the digital world – among jazz and pop.

Today New Age Music shows up as a top 5 genre on major web radio services like Live365. com (see below picture). It is also is easily available on digital music outlets like iTunes. Other genres (I will not mention names) have not been this fortunate. It all began before 2010 of course, but this year it became far more obvious.

The success of new age music is all about the quality of the titles available. It is a statement of the dedicated and talented artists that are currently active in the genre. In 2010 we have had the pleasure of reviewing and playing on our radio stations New Age Music Stars and Sky.fm/newage a high number of newly released songs that simply take our breath away. The quality artisanship is amazing. So please sit back and read our NewAgeMusic.nu and NewAgeMusicWorld.Com top 10 album list for the year 2010.

Clifford White – Atlantis

In his review of Clifford White’s 2010 release Atlantis, John P. Olsen wrote: “Creative talent and New Age music are identical terms in reference to the multitudes of creative and influential musicians producing music today. This can be said of all genres of course and just like all genres, New Age had a group of select artists in the primordial years whose earlier influences formed the inception and foundation of our genre. Clifford White is a musician living in the United Kingdom defining our New Age genre then and this is true today. ” And WOW, what an album Atlantis is.

BT Fasmer wrote: “Atlantis is like a box of surprises! Here Clifford White gives the listener a fresh perspective on the old myth. Indeed, after 65 minutes of music you feel that Atlantis has risen from the ocean and become a place in your mind you can visit and revisit again and again.” Atlantis is all in all a fantastic album!

Sample the album here.

Peter Kater – Call of Love

Peter Kater is without a doubt among the finest artists our genre has – and his 2010 album Call of Love is one of this year’s best releases. It is created by love for music, nature and creation itself. It is a true Call of Love. Peter has invited three very gifted musicians to create the album. These artists are Legendary reedman, Paul McCandless; celebrated cellist, Jaques Morelenbaum; and Sting guitarist, Dominic Miller. It is obvious to the listener that they have had great fun while creating the album. There is a refreshing playfulness to many segments. This gives the album a more live feeling.

We simply cannot praise the album enough. Six time Grammy nominee Peter Kater is always delivering, and this is also the case with the album at hand. No artist out there is better when it comes to creating a song that starts with a hint of melancholy and grows into a melodic, passionate and almost divine artwork; the finished musical canvas is filled with nothing but the brightest colors.

Sample the album here.

Michael Brant DeMaria – Gaia

Gaia has every hallmark for success since nearly every album produced by Michael Brant DeMaria has earned awards and respect from those in the music industry, and rightly so. Michael’s music, books, art, and poetry have acquired recognition in the U.S. along with international acceptance in Australia, Europe, and Russia, having touched many lives with his universal message. Gaia is essentially the achievement of over 25 years in personal and professional research by Michael into the fundamental principles of auditory healing techniques.

Gentle imprints of Japan are represented by bamboo flute ( Shakuhachi ) and the gentle breeziness of wind chimes leave fine impressions in Zazen & Tarani, likewise revealing Michael’s fine transition in World music personified on Gaia, along with the notion that our enduring heritage of dependency we share with planet Earth will always be just a simple fact of life. So yes, Gaia is one of this year’s finest albums!!

Sample the album here.

David Clavijo - The Landing (Special Edition)

About David Clavijo John P. Olsen wrote: ” When listening to New Age music, the multiple genres and subgenres of World, Ambient, Contemporary, Instrumental, Chill Out, and Groove in most cases are heard from one album to another.

Now I have a chance to tell you about a novel new release that explores the multitude of influences I have listed throughout the entire album.

David Clavijo from Seville Spain seems to have a natural inclination of what multi influential New Age music is all about and I felt his performance on acoustic & electric guitars along with piano & keyboards are a fine line balance that blends together quite nicely by having these diverse instrumental strengths.”

Do yourself a favor and check out this album here.

Tangerine Dream – Chandra: The Phantom Ferry, Pt. 1

Isn’t it fun that the first and most influential band in our genre still is the most active too? Well, I know for a fact that many TD fans are not so happy that they keep on releasing albums at such a speed that even the most dedicated fan can’t keep track. But one must always try to give the new albums a chance (and not just listen to TD albums from the 1960s and 70s) – and I think that this year’s release Chandra: The Phantom Ferry, Pt. 1 is an excellent album!

Especially the first and second songs - Approaching Greenland At 7pm and The Moondog Connection – are excellent songs that you will want to listen to again and again. This is music for dreaming and working – and with TD’s unique sound that is as modern today as it was in 1967.

Sample the album here.

Gandalf – Gates to Secret Realities

In this review of Gandalf’s 2010 album Gates to Secret Realities John P. Olsen wrote: “Many musicians are content to remain within a specific genre and are a complete success in their artistic focus. Then there are other notable musicians where a natural progression is realized, developing into a unique artesian style and by their inner convictions, become a virtuoso by what they offer the music world.

Gandalf is an internationally acclaimed composing musician and producer from Vienna Austria first identified as a New Age, Contemporary Instrumental and World artist. While transitioning the past 30 years of his long career, his progressive directive and persona helped neutralize the customary social borders in multicultural music for years. Gates To A Secret Reality on the Prudence label is an open manifest of Gandalf’s ambitious return to classic World music. Gates To A Secret Reality featuring 11 songs with over an hour of world class music is an expedition not to be missed. ”

Sample the album here.

David Wahler – A Star Danced

Just like an orchestra conductor standing on a podium, one New Age artist first held his raised baton in hand, and began to cue the first downbeat gesture for his debut album. What emerged after the final cutoff gesture was made, led to an upbeat direction for his first album’s achievements, and proclaimed admiration for this relatively new artist. David Wahler is the musician orchestrating Antiquus in a like manner, where his time signature expertly directed a unique phrasing in tempo, dynamics, and articulation, leading to welcoming salutations of praise during the final reception at the end of his first orchestration.

Composed, performed, and arranged solely by David Wahler, this album represents a heartfelt narration surrounding his family circle past and present, where resolution of personal life challenges are reflected as a unique source of inspiration for his music’s identity, lovingly embraced by his close family heritage. So please check out David Wahler’s new album – which is one of the finest released in 2010!

Sample the album here. 

Steve Orchard – Sundancer

Paul Avgerinos – Law of Attraction  

Another excellent release this year is Paul Avgerinos’ Law of Attraction. He has based the Law of Attraction theme in regards to authors Esther and Jerry Hicks and their bestselling self-help books, but after listening to his thirteenth album I discovered that Law of Attraction has such a pleasingly rich sensation of expressive delights, I just had to respond myself by concentrating more precisely on the fine melodic wonderment and charismatic appeal of this sensational new release, which if it was a library book, Law of Attraction would certainly be shelved in the romantic therapy section.

It is pretty easy to fall in love with Paul Avgerinos music whether you have been officially introduced or not. But now you are, so sample the album here. 

Lisa Downing – Christmas for Two

The Christmas is not yet over! Lisa Downing’s Solo Piano album titled Christmas for Two may be of interest to you and while there are many exceptional Christmas albums in the New Age genre along with every musical taste from popular artists, Lisa Downing truly does have a special gift herself as a top solo pianist in every sense of the word and this is precisely articulated on her Holiday music release. Plus, knowing Lisa was a youth pastor at her church in Littleton earlier in life and performed in the Christian, Folk, Pop-Rock band named Wings of Faith, you know that Lisa’s heart is in the right place.  

Christmas for Two varies from soft and contemplative at moments to spirited phrasing with majestic crescendos like her amazing version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Carol of the Bells which give new meaning to the term Holiday music. So now we have a new title to add to our “best of Christmas” list too! Sample the album here.

Yes, 2010 was an amazing year for new age music!  NewAgeMusic.nu and NewAgeMusicWorld.Com have high hopes for 2011 too so stay tuned for more excellent music from old & new artists – and we are ready to tell you all about them !

One of the more uplifting aspects of being a review publicist is getting to know many of the great artists producing music today on a personal level. In a recent interview with a musician from the U.K. everyone had a chance to learn he had a recording audition during his interview at the record label music icons The Beatles founded in 1968 called Apple Records.

Steve Orchard is the musician traveling that long and winding road to 54 St. James Street, London to Apple Records and this story is just one of many he shared during our interview together. Everything has come together for Steve Orchard since today he is an MG Music Label artist and representative member of the Medwyn Goodall circle of friends highly revered for their outstanding music and integral voice every label artist is known for producing.

Steve Orchard is a multi instrumentalist composing and performing original music for many years on guitar, mandolin, harmonica, keyboards, piano and various skin drums. His prior albums Voyages Beyond Midnight, Salt Water Café & The Consequences of Kisses are great albums too and some earlier songs reveal the fact that Steve is also a fine vocalist.

Sundancer is an emblematic second album in his Trilogy Series and just like first in series Raindancer, nicely reflects the rare qualities of relaxing yet energetic melodies that I felt achieve universal appeal. Moondancer is the third album in the Trilogy Series, which makes this trio edition a well timed release during the 25 year anniversary events taking place with Medwyn Goodall and every fine artist comprising the United Kingdom based MG Music Label.

Sundancer is a glowing accent to the Trilogy Series and where first in series Raindancer, with deeper tones and synthesized rhythms set the mood, Sundancer has a fun energetic symmetry and feel of Island music by a well placed illuminating atmosphere. One element greatly uniting the two is their overall relaxing yet energetic tonal qualities and their multiphase array of percussion rhythms.

The first bold impression of beaming radiance appears in energy driven song Soar. Percussion inscribes an upper tempo outline while keyboards and acoustic guitar imprint pleasing colors by a light but nicely melodic tempering while becoming your first indication the lively sun dancing theme is going to be fun and exciting.

While Sundancer is centered by a primarily upper tempo and is full of energy set in motion by an array of percussion and instrumentals, there are plenty of laid back relaxing moments too and none more apparent in than what you will hear in Lagoon & Tethered. This coequal ambiance with deeper rhythms during refrains are likewise found in the sultry oasis song Heat!

Many songs are evenly layered midst more moderately timed tempos like Rainman, Unrepentant & Deadly Arrow, where an ensemble of percussion and steel drum accents prepare the harmonic profile for acoustic guitar, flute and keyboard contrasting melodies, with brighter phrasing infiltrating the deeper passages with full solid clarity.

Playing in the Sun & Borboletas are upper tempo songs with wood flute becoming the essential melody producer, and where single or long drawn out notes are often heard from others playing either the woodwind instrument or by effect, here a free flowing multiple note melody backed by accordion, keyboards and percussion nicely balance the full of energy attribute.

Pacifica is the positive upbeat song rounding out the 11 total on Sundancer.

Steve Orchard is a bright and serious composer today just as he was in yesteryear and I’ve got a feeling he had composed Sundancer with a fun and energetic theme in mind all along which is like some of our other all time fun favorites, so for me this is what makes Steve Orchard’s releases memorable eight days a week.

Visit the steveorchardmusic.co.uk homepage and sample or purchase Sundancer on his music page. Read my recent interview with Steve Orchard on our pages dedicated to Steve Orchard.

Sundancer cover design copyright David Orchard. Picture copyright BigStockPhoto – Albo.

Steve Orchard is our interview guest today at NewAgeMusicWorld.Com & NewAgeMusic.nu. We welcome our visitors and Steve’s fans to read the recent interview John Olsen has prepared with this outstanding musician from the UK. We would also like to take this opportunity and invite everyone to read more on our pages dedicated to Steve Orchard.

John Olsen : Thank You for sharing a moment of your time with us today Steve. B.T. Fasmer and I appreciate this opportunity and I am certain your fans are excited to have this chance to find out more about you too. Steve, would you provide a description of your music studies beginning with your earliest introduction to the present?

Steve Orchard : Yes, Well I probably go back to piano lessons at 7 years old and then combining guitar lessons at 8. My one fault would be that I have always been an impatient, inquisitive player of various musical instruments always wanting to discover how things worked quickly and then improvise. As my Father would say, “Jack of all trades and master of none”.

I played a pretty mean trumpet in the school band and enjoyed singing in the church choir. My family was very musical. I had an aunt who was a piano teacher. When she regularly visited us, from Birmingham, she would want to hear my progress. She once nearly keeled over when I produced the sheet music for What a Day for a Daydream by The Lovin’ Spoonful ! Outrageous !!!

One side of the family were very properly trained with piano & violin playing and into classical and show tunes, whereas my other granddad was a pub pianist. He ‘vamped’ and ‘boogiewoogied’ his stuff and played harmonica at Christmas parties…. It was hilarious when I think back. It seemed to me that he was more joyous in his approach to music. It’s a belief I still hold today that made me a little rebellious in my approach to making my own music. At an early age I bent a wire coat hanger so I could play harmonica & guitar at the same time, just like Dylan & Donovan. It only resulted in me nearly losing an eye and breaking a tooth. I was the school ‘show-off’ doing plays & pantomimes and guess I fancied a career in something to do with the performing arts. Like most kids I was influenced by the pop of that generation.

I have made so many friends all around the world with the release of Raindancer. It has been a privilege to be able to share my music with so many enthusiastic people. This is what encourages us composers to continue to ‘up our game play’ to continually raise the standard, stretch, and find the best we can be.

In my teens I enjoyed the diversity of progressive rock, like Yes & The Moody Blues, also the gentle folksy guitar melodies of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, plus the piano troubadours Billy Joel & Elton John & also, the early electronic sounds of Tomita & Mike Oldfield. I was into that ‘Hippy’ thing and meditated, burnt incense and read a lot of Buddhism…. Took myself a bit too seriously! I was a bit of a ‘geek’ and lived for my music writing little tunes with terrible pretentious lyrics from about 15, spotty, years old.

John : You are a member of the Medwyn Goodall circle of friends as a MG Music label artist. Can you tell us some of your experiences as a member and what it is like to be a MG Label artist?

Steve Orchard : I first heard Medwyn Goodall’s Druid in the July of 1991, in an art gallery in St. Ives Cornwall. It just blew me away and couldn’t put it in any category that I recognized. It was more than music… It was an awesome soundscape and I just knew that it fit me like a glove. I bought it instantly from the gallery on cassette, to play on my ‘state of the art’ Walkman!! When I returned from my holiday I bought it again from New World, on CD. And so began a long period of buying up anything to do with Medwyn Goodalls music.

My wife Julie & I started to correspond with Medwyn and he graciously autographed all our CD’s. He was very open and quite funny. I’ve kept everything he ever sent me, every doodle and every ditty, including all the Christmas cards ( worth a fortune on Ebay …. only joking ) In our early letters ( this was before emails ) I never told Medwyn that I was a musician, thinking that he may feel I was “chasing my own ambitions”…. unthinkable I know but musicians have been known to do it !!!

I think I broke the news very humbly, without wanting to sound ‘pushy’ and tarnish this rather lovely correspondence that we were enjoying. He invited me to send anything anytime …. WELL !!! Boy, did I send him some rubbish, poor guy. I hadn’t found my NEW AGE feet yet and although I enjoyed this new genre, I couldn’t quite capture it in my own compositions. He was my mentor, DEFINITELY. He guided me, no doubt, to where I am today. After a few stumbles, falls, and many experimental tracks, I sent song Lull in The Storm from something I was working on called The Consequences of Kisses album. He invited me to produce a new project for MG Music !!!

You can imagine that this was a dream come true. To be working for the man that I had held in such high esteem for so many years. I soon discovered the family at MG Music is a wonderful bunch and all the other artists swap ideas and tips generally between us. The amazing Paul Sills soon became a great friend & Charmaine, his wife & Meina, his daughter, travelled down to spend an enjoyable weekend with us. We had discussions late into the night and played each other’s new or experimental tracks whilst the rest of the world slept.

I realize how unpretentious and genuine all the MG artists are. Chris Green and I talk on the phone regularly ( very clever & funny guy ) then Simon Lovelock & Clifford White have spent ‘time out’ to critique and give ‘sound’ advice, both brilliant technicians of the art. In the past I have found musicians to be very protective and guarded with their work but not here. The wonderful thing is, we are all so different and diverse yet all the same family, producing a vast mix of choices within the same genre, all under the safe and knowledgeable direction of the man himself, Medwyn Goodall. Be warned budding New Age composers, he will not accept second best on his label.

John : In your own words Steve, how would you best describe your music and what are the main components that uniquely sets your music apart from not only MG label artists, but so many other New Age musicians?

Steve Orchard : My music almost always originates from a guitar base and is then transcribed onto keyboards. I find the guitar a comfortable friend that I can embrace quietly without any sense of rushing to ‘lay down’ on paper or in the studio. Sometimes I live with a melody for months before it develops into a workable phrase or shape.

I have a terrible bad habit of not documenting tracks I have recorded. I have folders, in my studio, bursting with hastily scribbled chords and lyrics…. Someday I may return to them for inspiration, that’s if I can decipher them, but I hate going back. I prefer to always look forward with my writing. In the making of Raindancer I did a lot of research into the South American rainforest and I story boarded ideas & concepts onto the walls of my studio. Another strict rule I have is I never ever go into the studio unless I am in a happy, contented mood. I like to think that when you listen to a Steve Orchard album that, my positive optimism shines through. Sundancer was almost entirely written in my garden during the summer of 2009. It’s sunnier than a ripe melon !!! As Medwyn says, it has lots of energy & warmth. I think his buzz word for the album was ENERGY !!

John : During the early years in Bristol your music was played on BBC Radio and utilized in music scores for various media programming. In what ways has your music been featured?

Steve Orchard : It seems like a life time ago now but in the 70′s I was in a very popular duo of the time called Mossy, with musical partner Barry Webb ( he’ll be pleased I mentioned his name. ) We played a residency in the cellar bar, at the notorious Bristol Arts Centre. It was a mixture of folk covers and our own written ‘offerings’. We earned a lot of respect locally and had a loyal following amongst the local artists, musicians & regional TV personalities ( I seem to remember being invited and attending a lot of crazy parties ) We were also good ‘fodder’ for the colleges and festivals. At that time we did 3 half hour shows for BHBS radio which led to a spot on BBC’s Friday Folk Nights. BHBS were still playing the jingle we did for them up until a few years ago ( probably when the tape finally disintegrated ) We had a lot of fun but mutually called it a day in 1980 when we both had growing family’s. We remain great buddies.

Unbelievable now with all this technology, that I sent out my first demos on ‘spool’ tape. Perhaps most ended up in the bin but one hit home and I was invited up to Apple’s old offices in St. James Street London for an interview/audition. They gave me a good look over and I felt optimistic but, sadly nothing ever became of it. I still have the letter though, dated 6th September 1972 and at the bottom are the printed names of the two directors…. Yes, you guessed, J O Lennon & G Harrison. In the ’90′s I was asked to do the incidental music for ‘Star Runners’. It was a short promotional sci-fi film directed by Andrew Dymond who, I believe, went on to produce ‘Star Hyke’ which was sold to American TV. I wrote about an hour’s worth of instrumental music but only half of it finally reached the finished movie….. My son Daniel & I had a lot of fun going on an all night shoot for the film, eating Mars Bars and drinking Coca Cola all night to stay awake!! The studio day was also fun where we recorded my work, with the help of a prehistoric sequencer, onto video tape and mini disc ( very nostalgic ) Later, with the advent of Channel 5′s birth I was asked by an agent to go up to their TV studios in London to perform one of my own compositions for a forth coming daytime TV show, which I did….. The day flew by in a blur and all I can remember is the hideous cost of car parking on the Tottenham Court Road…. Scandalous !!!

I was invited up to Apple’s old offices in St. James Street London for an interview/audition. They gave me a good look over and I felt optimistic but, sadly nothing ever became of it. I still have the letter though, dated 6th September 1972 and at the bottom are the printed names of the two directors. Yes you guessed, John O. Lennon & George Harrison.

John : You were a band member earlier in life and in addition, widely recognized as a soloist in South West & London England during the 1990’s. Could you tell us about this time period of events you experienced and I just imagine there are some good stories you could tell everyone?

Steve Orchard : Blimey… How long have we got ? I worked a lot. Mainly covers for the pubs, clubs, hotels and summer seasons at holiday parks. I also did gigs for Army & Navy bases. If you are into performance then it is an incredible apprenticeship. You learn a lot about audiences. I spent 8 consecutive New Years Eve’s away from my wife & kids entertaining 1000′s of drunken party people. When the nights success relies on only YOU…. that’s quite a responsibility ( oh and the bingo & raffle ) I performed all over the South West with 3 nighters in London gigs sleeping in theatrical digs above a pub (not something I can recommend) It’s like an athlete. You build up muscles. You know when to be funny and when to keep your mouth shut!! ( Did I mention I did stand-up ? Don’t do it if you want to retain your sanity ha ha ha !!! )

I’ve known great musicians who were lousy entertainers and great entertainers who were rubbish musicians. In 2001 I realized that this was not what I wanted to do anymore. I wanted to return to my roots which was writing & recording. It was in my heart and the only way I could ‘look at myself in the mirror’ as a serious musician. Continually gigging, performing other people’s material makes you slightly morose and can leave your creative side sadly lacking. True, I do miss the adrenalin rush of an audience but what I do now feels right for me and hopefully my audience is out there still enjoying my performance.

John : Recently I wrote a review for Raindancer and have made plans to review Sundancer & Moondancer when released. Could you tell us more about your Dancer Trilogy and what each individual album illustrates?

Steve Orchard : Yes, they are companions to each other. I hope my listener/audience hear Raindancer and think, ” Wow! I liked that I’d like to taste some more of that.” Raindancer is very jungle/tribal with some twists and turns in its rhythm’s. I had this picture in my mind of cutting ones way through dense foliage to find a clearing populated by remote civilizations ( does that sound crazy ? ) The indigenous animals and fauna were all playing a part in my composing. Raindancer is where I discovered my New Age capabilities. With the generous direction of Medwyn, I am proud of this album. Sundancer, as I mentioned is all about energy. Islands in the sun and deep tropical seas yet cooling sounds in the midday heat. Rhythms play a big part of this album also and will make people want to move and children dance. My youngest son David is a gifted illustrator having produced many published children’s books has preliminarily designed both, Sundancer & Moondancer album covers. Obviously this is still to be confirmed but his work on all my other albums can be seen on my website.

Moondancer …. Is still under wraps. Suffice to say, this is the cool of the evening. The Moon is out in a cloudless night and a billion stars lead us to imagine what life could lay beyond them. This album is entirely recorded on my new studio and at this date still has to be completed but I have some ‘can’t quite keep still’ ideas in my head. I would just say, “Watch This Space!”

John : There is a lot of great instrumentation on the Raindancer album. In addition to acoustic guitar what are the instruments you play, and you told me about an upgrade to your project studio, so could you tell us the story behind this recent upgrade?

Steve Orchard : Raindancer is a completely ‘live’ album. By that I mean that it is layered onto a hard disc in the same way as working with analogue ‘tape’. That’s not to say it suffers from sound quality but I felt I needed to embrace a tiny bit more technology going forward. My main keyboard friends are my trusty Korg Triton & Roland Sonic Cell, with expansion boards, plus some other concoctions!!! On with a story…

By now Medwyn and his lovely wife Wendy had become my good friends. He invited me down to his home in Helston, in Cornwall, for a visit and to look at his studio with perhaps, an insight into the more sophisticated way he works. WOW !!! I only say that because a lot of your fellow members and readers of this site will be saying WOW !!! He was considering completely re-building his studio and giving me the opportunity to ‘adopt’ & ‘adapt’ his studio. This is ‘THE STUDIO’ which is responsible for selling over 4 million albums. It was January and the worst winter the UK had seen in 30 years. I was doubtful whether I would be able to make the journey as heavy snow had fallen over most of the South West. I travelled the day before our meeting and the journey was a little ‘hairy’ ( that’s a British expression for OMG !! …. another icey patch!!! ) I just had to go and meet this man face to face. He had a reputation for being ‘very private’ and not conceding to personal visits to their beautiful Cornish home.

I have to say, that information could not be more wrong. From the outset he was warm and friendly, and we spent the long day in his studio exchanging much humor and banter. I felt relaxed in his company immediately. To be sat elbow-to-elbow in the studio with him was an unforgettable experience. Such ease of understated talent was remarkable ( no, not me, him…. only joking ). Wendy arrived home from there very busy offices and warehouse in Helston and they were gracious enough to take me out for a memorable meal that evening. Suffice to say, I returned the following day with the ‘HEART’ of Medwyn’s studio and since then have amalgamated it into my own studio I think, really successfully ( you will need to wait for the completion of Moondancer to make that appraisal ) I personally can’t wait… It’s going to be special !!

John : On behalf of our visitors and your fans Thank You again Steve. Before we go is there anything you would like to bring up or tell your fans?

Steve Orchard : I have made so many friends all around the world with the release of Raindancer. It has been a privilege to be able to share my music at last, with so many enthusiastic people. This is what encourages us composers to continue to ‘up our game play’ to continually raise the standard, stretch, and find the best we can be. In the spirit of all MG Music Artists I will always try to answer all emails and help other budding musicians in their quest. Everything is possible. It has been a long journey but I still feel opportunities lay ahead of me. So many friends & family ( my closest love & confidant Julie, my wife of 31 years. She’ll be pleased I mentioned her name again! ) have supported me over the years even when I may have floundered. A good friend told me, ”The thing with you Orchard, is that you are PERSISTANT” Oh Yes!”… & keep smiling!

Visit the steveorchardmusic.co.uk homepage and sample his albums on his music page and learn more about Steve on his about page. Here is where you will find our pages dedicated to Steve Orchard.

Sundancer & Moondancer covers by David Orchard. Raindancer cover by Medwyn Goodall. Copyright Steve Orchard.

The United Kingdom based MG Music label has much to be proud of these days. The 25 year anniversary for Medwyn Goodall and Clifford White alone is reason to celebrate, yet MG label artists Steve Orchard and Paul Sills also have excellent releases planned this year. You will find the quality artisanship delivered by this close circle of friends is special with each artist retaining their own integral voice which to me makes MG label artists significant.

Steve Orchard is a New Age artist from the United Kingdom quite masterful at producing electronic instrumental music composed with many improvised mood sensations that nicely culminate into a repertoire of lively rhythms blended with a kaleidoscope of colorful melodies. The end result is one singular voice implanting a vivid melody image right beside a natural and reposeful atmosphere.

Raindancer is his current release and first in a trilogy series based in theme on a 3 natural elemental word, with each in series containing the dancer suffix.

Sundancer & Moondancer are future releases and I can already tell you that his spirited dancer series illustrates a rare quality of relaxing yet energetic melodies that readily achieve universal appeal.  Steve’s prior albums Voyages Beyond Midnight, Salt Water Café & The Consequences of Kisses are highly regarded earlier works and certainly worth a listen too.

Steve Orchard is a prolific singer songwriter having composed and performed original music for many years on guitar, mandolin, and harmonica, various skin drums, piano and keyboards. His music was featured on BBC Radio, film scores, local radio jingles, plus Steve was a band member in 100’s of concert venues with other artists and a well recognized soloist in South West & London England during the 1990′s era.

Steve Orchard made a great impression on me with his first in series Raindancer. This admirable collection of beautiful melodies exhibit the standard of excellence and integral voice Steve Orchard so boldly represents, brightly illustrated by his picturesque first release in the alluring Dancer trilogy.

Raindancer begins the initial splash of bright colors painted on a fresh musical canvas in a vivid song portrait titled Tribal Fire. The lighter vibrato in soprano vocals make the primary background shades to flute’s breezy hues, nicely accented by snare drum taps and free flowing rhythms. Keeper of the Sacred Trees & Cajon Sun are enhanced pan flute and keyboard melodies attuned to light synthesizer bordering while percussion assists by even handed rhythms in a fine blending of tropical harmonies.

Acoustic guitar then takes a turn holding the primary melody brush in Cajon Moon, primed with a steady synthesizer outline backed by flute and tenor drum. Guitar and pan flute emblazon the impression by a faster tempo in free flowing songs Amazona, Pathway Through The Forest & Festival, with each song inscribing bright reflective patterns by progressive guitar rhythms, flute expressions and percussion cadences that portray a flamboyant resemblance.

Passion Flowers & Where Rivers Meet are compositions with airy Latin & World influences which make easy going songs by light flute notes dreamy ambience and gentle tracing by guitar strums having a soft percussion mix in the first, then tenor drum outlining in the second.

Road to Manaus has a dreamy groove concept by light flute refrains intertwined with deeper keyboard and acoustic guitar that travel along a harmonic pathway together with even symmetry. The orchestra phrasing with strings and resolute percussion smoothly enhance the delightful mood illustration in this song.

Anocondas Caress completes the colorful spectrum and gives one a chance to admire the total picture on this album filled with exotic surroundings. In an exclusive move during composition, this song is captivating using two metrical rhythms.  Flute nurtures the primary melody while guitar draws on half step chord rhythms during a second melody, rising in chord phrasing to elevate the tropical atmosphere.  This beautiful song in proportion to the entire album is a nice exhibition of the integral voice Steve Orchard  boldly represents.  It sets a high standard of excellence for his all inclusive Dancer Trilogy.

Visit the steveorchardmusic.co.uk homepage and sample or purchase Raindancer on his music page.  Learn more about Steve on his biography page.  Read my pages dedicated to Steve Orchard.

Cover design Copyright MG Music courtesy of Medwyn Goodall. Picture copyright Bigstockphoto.com – wtolenaars.