Posts Tagged ‘Kelly Andrew’
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.
I know for a fact many people who visit NewAgeMusicWorld.Com & NewAgeMusic.nu are presently, or have been a musician in an orchestra or choir at some point in their lives like myself and while the majority of us chose a direction other than the life of a musician, many of us can readily recall earlier days when we too pursued music with true passion.
Kelly Andrew ( Kaveny ) from Denver Colorado may have begun his early career performing orchestra music like a lot of us but this is where the similarities end, and after you listen to the classic symphony music he has created the comparison will become even more noticeable.
Kelly Andrew has made a successful impression by release of Olympus, an exciting debut complete with full orchestrations that boldly recreate a music symphony the majority of us had only dreamed of producing.
Olympus is his New Age, Contemporary Instrumental, Symphonic release expertly joined with electronic and technological digital effects well suited for the Cinematic & Soundtrack fields of music.
This Epic release is so perfectly aligned for movie scores by the full symphony sound it may inspire those with prior orchestra experience to snap open their instrument cases, prepare by tuning and begin practicing warm-up scales!
Kelly Andrew is a classically trained composing pianist and may have released Olympus as his official first album but in fact Kelly Andrew is known for creating a much wider array of music with over 15 years of experience as a musician producing his original signature series of music, having composed, arranged, and produced over 35 original singles of which some songs were performed by the University of Colorado choir and more is planned for release in the near future.
Olympus has some of the finest orchestrations I have heard recently and since the 12 tracks of classic symphonic music has contemporary instrumentals from every section backed by full percussion, I believe Olympus is a symphony that will stand the test of time. Those who have in the past or presently sing in a choir will admire the light chorales in Aphrodite that build momentum and crescendo with a full arrangement of brass and strings.
Percussionist will recognize the full symphony complexity of Apollo, and like many songs the resounding rhythms by timpani drum with cymbal crashes on cue are the outline for a full brass section of French horns, trumpets and trombones evoking a majestic theme. Hera is comparable by this vibrant transfer of stateliness except woodwinds take center stage by a warm melodic theme among brass refrains, and likewise with song Athena.
Demeter has a comprehensive orchestra setting with woodblock claves and many enhancements that inscribe bold accents to the entire symphonic atmosphere, so again those who have played percussion in the past should notice the chimes, triangles, and drums like timbales and congas create the excitement in this piece.
Artemis is a great instrumental arrangement with a complete strings section of violins and cellos harmony before woodwinds join in a nicely united counter-melody. Soprano and tenor vocals impart a large amount of theatrics by chorus refrains which fashion an interesting contrast, especially when a full brass section of Flugelhorns, trumpets and trombones enter with rich solid tones. Hephaestus begins with a light strings segment before flutes, clarinet and additional woodwinds of oboe and piccolo supplement the song structure with breeziness while an elaborate choir enters during later measures.
Poseidon is dramatic by the intensity and depth beginning with a choir during the early measures. Electric guitar runs are a clear distinction apart from the rest and although it may appear less customary in a symphonic atmosphere, the electric guitar lead create a grand opus with every well placed instrumental note blending together decisively.
Olympus is a symphony of exceptional quality and true excitement. It really won’t matter whether you have prior experience for you to fully appreciate this release from Kelly Andrew, but for those who have played a musical instrument in an orchestra or sang in a choir expect to be reminded of an earlier time in life when playing music was your one true passion.
Visit the Kelly-Andrew.com website to sample or purchase Olympus or visit his CDBaby.com page. Find more about Olympus and other albums on my section dedicated to Kelly Andrew. Picture Copyright BigStockPhoto – yuyang.
Kelly Andrew ( Kaveny ) after releasing his first album Olympus continues to create a loyal fan base for himself which makes perfect sense to me after listening to the 12 songs contained on his official debut album based upon the twelve Olympians of Greek society and then the YouTube song video from the album titled Athena.
Kelly Andrew is a classically trained composing pianist with over 15 years of producing his own signature series brand of music having composed, arranged, and produced over 35 original singles of which some songs were performed by the University of Colorado choir and the good news is that there is more to be released in the near future.
Olympus is filed New Age, Contemporary, Instrumental and Symphonic categories by New Vision Promotion director and musician Kevin Wood which is appropriate, but Kelly Andrew is also recognized for producing wider a array of music including Electronic, Trance, Celtic, Soundtrack and a Trance / Progressive hit single titled Julietta.
Reflections is an album nearing completion and he is working on several unique projects with release dates in 2010 & 2011, plus Kelly creates a wide array of music with over 15 years of experience as a musician. You are invited to visit his website for more about the Olympus album, future projects and tour dates since Kelly gives live stage concerts.
Olympus is a symphony of exceptional quality and true excitement with some of the finest orchestrations I have heard recently. Considering his strong compositional skills and the 12 tracks of classic symphonic music with contemporary instrumentals from every section backed by full percussion is unified with precision, Olympus can be regarded as a music symphony that will stand the test of time. Below is the YouTube video Athena from his Olympus album.
Visit kelly-andrew.com to sample / purchase Olympus or at his CDBaby.com page. Read the profile page on Kelly Andrew.