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CD Focus Index Page |
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David Arkenstone |
Ambient Visions Focus on Quest for the Runestone Releasing 7/1/2024 Quest for the Runestone AV talks with David Arkenstone 5-time Grammy nominee David Arkenstone has established himself as one of the best contemporary instrumentalists of our time. This visionary continues to create distinctive tracks that inspire the imagination. A musical storyteller, David is passionate about taking listeners on a journey, creating sonic tapestries that evoke every emotion. “I envision a place where I would like to go, or an adventure I would like to take, and let my imagination run free,” says David. “I’ve gotten countless messages from listeners who love to take these journeys with me. I’m sometimes surprised by how powerfully people respond to my music.” David enjoys touring and meeting his fans from around the world. “One of the most exciting things about performing live is the interaction I have with the audience. It’s very different than making a recording, where you’re not sure who will be listening to it. A lot of the roots of our musicianship come into focus in a live situation. You’re in the moment, you perform your best, and many times reach new heights – then it’s gone and on to the next show!” David loves to travel and enjoys photographing the world. His recent trip to Iceland, Switzerland and other parts of Europe will surely inspire new music. |
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Billy Denk |
Ambient Visions Focus on Meditations of the Cosmos
Releasing 4/19/2024
Meditations of the Cosmos AV talks with Billy Denk Billy Denk is an ambient guitarist, synthesist, and composer. He co-founded Jazz on the Square, a not-for-profit organization in Woodstock, Illinois, which promotes jazz performance, education, and the annual Woodstock Jazz Festival. Billy hosted the Northern Sky Jazz Show on Harvard Community Radio 101.3 FM featuring music and interviews with musicians from Chicago and worldwide. He has performed with Glazz Ensemble, Phil Ciancio, Ian Hall, John Weber Trio, Chris Greene Quartet, and Paul Abella Trio in addition to hosting concerts with his own trio and to perform solo works of his compositions. Billy's focus has been to fuse elements of ambient, electronic, electro-acoustic, and jazz into a collection of moving, heartfelt recordings and performances. |
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Tom Eaton |
Ambient Visions Focus on Weathering
Weathering AV talks with Tom Eaton Tom Eaton is
a Grammy® award-nominated American musician, producer, and mastering engineer.
using vintage and modern synthesizers, guitars, fretted and fretless basses,
myriad sonic sculpting devices, field recordings, and his signature piano, Tom
composes what ambient music guide calls “lush, shadowed, emotional music that’s
rich in harmonies and oceanic layers and…so deliciously slow.” Since 1993 Tom
has been producing, engineering, mastering, and playing on albums for others,
and since 2009 he has been collaborating with Will Ackerman (Grammy® winning
guitarist, producer, and founder of Windham Hill Records), making albums for
some of the best musicians working in the modern instrumental and new age
genres. Tom and Will produced and toured with the award-winning ensemble FLOW
(featuring Will, Lawrence Blatt, Fiona Joy Hawkins, and Jeff Oster), playing Weill
Hall at Carnegie Hall multiple times, the grammy museum in la, and the jazz museum
in New Orleans, among many other venues. Tom lives in
rural New Hampshire with his wife, two cats, and a rotating cast of nearly
grown children. his studio, Sounds & Substance, is a two-story converted
barn containing a mastering studio on the first floor and Tom’s composing space
on the second floor, filled with instruments and natural light. he draws
inspiration from the woods and pastures just outside his door and the nearby Atlantic
coast. |
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Forrest Fang |
Ambient Visions Focus on The Lost Seasons of Amorphia
The Lost Seasons of Amorphia AV talks with Forrest Fang Chinese-American multi-instrumentalist Forrest Fang’s initial instrument was the violin. In 1980-1981 he examined electronic music, structure, and jazz improvisation at Washington School in St. Louis, MO. At exactly the same time, he discovered fiddling at local fiddling celebrations and obtained an understanding for stringed equipment like the mandolin and mandola. Fang’s initial records had been rooted in digital music and intensifying rock. His research of Chinese traditional music, with zheng (Chinese language zither) participant Zhang Yan from mainland China, resulted in a stylistic change that was noticeable on his 4th discharge, The Wolf on the Ruins (1989). After 1991, Fang examined gagaku (historic Japanese courtroom music) with imperial courtroom musician Suenobu Togi and gamelan with Balinese composer I Wayan Sujana. In 1993, Fang constructed music for the Balinese shadow movie theater creation of In Zanadu, that was granted a Citation of Quality through the International Puppetry Association. A few of this materials was rearranged and modified for his 6th launch, 1995’s Folklore. He also made an appearance on Robert Rich’s recording Seven Veils. Fang’s single releases continued using the Blind Messenger in 1997 and Gongland in Sept 2000. Fang is an ambient progressive musician who emerged from the DIY-“cassette culture” 80’s scene with a highly idiosyncratic style influenced by the traditional musics of non-Western cultures, including Javanese gamelan and the folk music of his Chinese ancestors. The rich electronic textures of his music are often complimented by Western and non-Western stringed instruments, winds and percussion. Fang has released 13 albums over the past three decades, including two ambient soundscape recordings under the project name, “Sans Serif.” |
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Holland Phillips |
Ambient Visions Focus on Standing In Motion
Standing in Motion Waters AV talks with Holland Phillips Multi-instrumentalist Holland Phillips' beautiful instrumental music defies categorization, and he likes it that way. The son of a music teacher, he was brought up on pop, classics and big band music, formally trained in classical music composition, been in jazz bands, show bands, rock bands and even southern rock bands, and shared the stage with names like Three Dog Night, Larry Coryell, American Noise and many others. So the varied elements he brings into his music should come as no surprise. What is surprising, however, is his ability to meld all those styles into the cohesive and engaging music that emerges, and to create the heartfelt, richly textured songs that appear on his albums. And whether you call it New Age, Contemporary Instrumental, neo-Classical or Dream Pop, Holland uses pianos, acoustic and electric guitars, flutes, synthesizers, and whatever else he can get his hands on to create a melodic musical tapestry that's impossible to forget. His music has earned dozens of nominations and awards, including Track of the Year, Album of the Year, Contemporary Instrumental Album of the Year, and many more. His music is played on radio stations all over the world, and is quite popular in the United States, Australia, South America and Europe. And he's just getting started. With ten albums to date, his music can be heard on radio stations, airline in-flight programs, sleep radio, Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Youtube, Deezer, Bandcamp, and almost anywhere else music is listened to or purchased. |
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Hollan Holmes |
Ambient Visions Focus on Emerald Waters
Emerald Waters AV talks with Hollan Holmes Hollan Holmes was born into a family of music lovers. Holmes’ father, mother and sister each had their own musical interests, thus Holmes was listening to a wide variety of music from the 60s and 70s. Perhaps more significantly, he grew up in a house with a piano, which served to feed a thirst for the creative process of making and playing music. The formation of his first band took place during his high school senior year, an interest which was further fueled by his discovery of synthesizers and the purchase of a Moog Prodigy, courtesy of a loan from his grandmother. Holmes still owns and uses (and must regularly calibrate) that old analog classic. In the early 80s, he discovered Jean Michel Jarre and, later, Tangerine Dream, both of which would forever alter his musical direction. The burnout of being in copy bands led to an exploration into writing his own music, from the late 80s until 2005, when he converted a room of his home into a music studio, where five years later, in 2010, he would produce his debut album, A Distant Light to critical acclaim. Two of his albums, Phase Shift and The Spirits Of Starlight, were nominated as One World Music’s Album Of The Year. His 2017 double release, Prayer To The Energy, was the most
difficult work of his musical career, requiring two years of serious effort and careful introspection, but was very well received and is considered by many to be his finest work. |
