Peter Jennison is a U.S. Army Captain and MEDEVAC helicopter pilot returning from active duty during the war in Iraq with revealing memories he witnessed from a firsthand perspective.  An American living at home in Florida now, his latest CD composed during the time period he served in Iraq is meant to evoke imagery of the conflict as a more peaceful musical experience for every listener, along with providing renewing therapy for soldiers and families upon their return home from service.

Longing For Home ( Songs From War ) is a New Age Contemporary Instrumental release Peter Jennison composed for piano with renown musicians supplying refined instrumentals in most of the 10 songs.  This album also has the notation of being a Will Ackerman production and with Corin Nelsen providing the mixing and mastering, their Grammy Award winning expertise can be perceived as a winning strategy by the quality work they produce.

In another strategic move, Peter Jennison enlisted highly recognized artists on his album including Jeff Haynes on percussion, Eugene Friesen on cello and Steve Schuch on violin.  In addition, Will Ackerman performs on guitar in one song and vocalist Noah Wilding gives soft vocals on two songs.  This album also holds the honor of being some of the last performances given by the late Tom “ T-Bone “ Wolk, a highly regarded multi instrumentalist remembered in part by his outstanding talents.

War  is a song with lighter phases in the beginning that build with increasing drama as piano, violin and percussion recreate a battlefield image during a dramatic illustration projected within the arrangement.  Nicely shown by a precise context, increasing tempo and percussion rhythms project distant artillery rounds, where chest moving recoil and ejecting shell casings seem all too real.

Peter Jennison composed his album with much regard to stories from the heart and mind.  This is apparent in his compositions where most songs portraying a tranquil atmosphere with a strong sense of drama and emotion can be easily felt and is consistent, during his solo piano expressions and in songs with instrumental refrains. Performing on a Steinway B, the emotional feel of 4 Solo Piano songs;  Hold Me in Your Heart, The Promise, Anthem & Longing For Home ( Title Song ) are classic and uplifting yet each one holds a certain melancholy as if telling of the days spent apart from family and the additional weight of uncertainty this carries.

The piano and instrumentals of violin during Time Passage convey this more poignant feeling where piano, cello and bass in High Mountain Dreams has a relaxing atmosphere.  The bass guitar and piano duet band together as one in moving song Desert Storms, then a piano melody combined with, guitar, violin and vocals in The One breaks into a resolute wave of harmony, in music finely empowered to portray the sentiment most of us will never experience firsthand.

Longing For Home ( Songs From War ) is indeed told from a U.S. soldier’s perspective, made more real since this story is voluntarily given by someone who has honorably faced and met the challenges war can bring.  And while recounting American men and women risking all in service to their country, reverent tribute is given to those lives we honor in memorandum of, also celebrating the virtues of every U.S. soldier as a regular citizen and a beloved family member.

Visit peterjennisonmusic.com to learn more.  You can sample / purchase at his CDBaby.com page or Digstation.com page.

Note :  A portion of the proceeds from every album sold will be given to charities that support veterans and their families.

Picture copyright BigStockPhoto.com – JustASC

Marc Enfroy

Acceptance is now available for preview and download at MarcEnfroy.com/listen-own The song will in the future be available at iTunes and Amazon – but is at the moment only available at the above mentioned address.

And while talking about Marc Enfroy; his new CD is in the final mixing phase, and we will tell you more as soon as we know it!

But there are a few titles I have no problems making a heartfelt recommendation for. One such album is (of course) Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells (1973) and another one is Enigma’s Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi! (1996). Another such album is without a doubt the third installment in Medwyn Goodall’s Medicine Woman series.

The album is called Medicine Woman III – The Rising (2005). It is an album you can put on and listen from beginning to end and not find one single uninspired note. It is simply musical harmony. It is perfect; the medicine woman is divine.

The opening of the album, the 10 minute long Invocation Part 3, is very effective in creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere – without wasting time on a build-up. The next songs out are all beautiful beyond words; Farewell to the Darkness, Faith, Sherpa and Divinity are all instant new age music classics.

So for once, I’m not going to use more words describing an album – simply saying that this album is highly recommended; it is not to be missed!!!

Sample it at MG Music.

There are two titles that are just out:

Mike Howe is back with the album Round River. Here is a presentation of this album:

Round River takes its name from Aldo Leopold’s metaphor for ecology of the mythical river that was not linear but circular, forever flowing around and back into itself.  Welsh national park ecologist Mike Howe is inspired by the never-ending circle of Nature to compose beautiful, heartfelt guitar melodies helping to foster a world in which the things that grow are love, spirituality, creativity, community, sustainable living and the healing of the Earth.

And then it is Buedi Siebert that is taking us on a trip to the Great Pyramid!

Within the resonant chambers of the Great Pyramid lies the ancient wisdom that guided its mysterious creation. Masterful musician Buedi Siebert experienced a profound trance state within the King’s Chamber and playing an extensive range of instruments, captured the immense power of the pyramid’s sacred voice on this recording made within it. An exquisite hour of listening and, if you’re receptive, access to the inner sanctum of a global treasure.

Do yourself a favor and check out these fine titles.

Matt Millecchia is a great example of a guitar player making a more profound change in his performance style by releasing of all things, a New Age album. Currently residing in New York, Matt is most acclimated to performances with various Metal Rock, Punk and Folk bands over the past 20 years and really not a matter of being a hot to cold disparity by this, but this departure certainly is polarizing. Interestingly, he is also a senior engineer who takes precision measurements on one of the most powerful lasers ever produced so is uniquely familiar with the technical aspects of extremes.

Silhouette of a Season is his more equalizing New Age Contemporary Instrumental debut with 12 original compositions featuring Matt on 4 Solo Guitar songs. Employing another key change in style, he specializes in the flat-pick method of acoustic guitar verses a more common finger style and has also enlisted notable artists most will recognize.

Taking the legendary journey to Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont, Grammy Winner and founder of Windham Hill Records Will Ackerman has produced and performs guitar with Matt on two songs. Another Grammy Award winner Corin Nelsen engineered, mixed and mastered this album so the quality shines by their expertise, plus the all inclusive list of top musicians on various songs which includes Michael Manring on bass, Eugene Friesen on cello, the late T-Bone Wolk on bass and accordion, Derrik Jordan on electric violin and percussion, Jeff Oster on flugelhorn, Steve Schuch on acoustic violin, and Samite on flute.

Silhouette of a Season shows a natural beauty in composition and performance while dramatizing a glowing atmosphere during each of the 12 songs placed mainly in a moderate tempo. All have a pleasing feel of radiance and song Arrivials is the first prelude into the many qualities you will experience on the entire album. Orchestra and electric violins provide a swaying motion while guitars evenly enhance this refined image by counter rhythms and then again in a more pronounced Summer Tears.

Antietam Spring is a light introspective song where accordion and guitar inscribe a peaceful feeling while achieving a pleasing sense of intrigue and perhaps only natural given the interesting choice in instrumental harmonies.

The guitar pairing of flugelhorn in Mist and cello in Acid Lake are like the percussion, guitar and flute instrumentals in Sphynx where each artist imparts their proficient expressions while revealing the fine naturalistic atmosphere envisioned for each song.

Matt takes a graceful departure apart from more familiar genres by the 4 Solo Guitar improvisations of Georgia Springs, Expectations, August Eclipse & Moonset and while adapting this gentle change of seasons with over 20 years of experience and by using the flat-pick method without sub-rhythm overdubbing, the transition is made solid by a fine performance, along with his artistic stance on the evenly represented concepts of harmony.

Silhouette of a Season is an album anyone can become acclimated with every single day of the year and since the glorious presentation given by every musician transposes a fine exploration in atmosphere, their precise harmonies bring to light an integral shine for success which to me, turns out to be an even more predictable quality.

Visit mattmillecchia.com to sample / purchase or at his CDBaby.com page. Learn more about Matt on his biography page.

Photo copyright Matt Millecchia and Cover courtesy of Marcia Birken

The USB is a 1 GB flash stick and contains high quality Mp3s. It also has the MG Music logo on it. The USB will load into any computer, and the mp3s can be transferred to laptops, ipods, or you can burn your own audio CD.

We here at .nu think that it is very exciting that MG Music is trying out new ways to sell and distribute music. Even though we think (read: KNOW) that the future is digital downloads, there is plenty of room for physical products too. The CD will not die entirely, and a custom made USB Stick is also a nice product – and a welcome gift - too.

Read about the USB product here.

I think it is so nice when a new age music superstar like Kater uses the blog format to communicate with  fans – much like J. M. Jarre and Peter Buffett. Make sure to bookmark it! You’ll find it here.

The video is free, about 40 minutes long, has excellent quality and is available for playback on Vollenweider’s homepage here – or by clicking the above picture.

I can only say WOW, what energy, what creativity, that is in this music – and this incredible artist. Thank you, thank you, mr. Vollenweider.

This is actually very interesting since this is a radio service where the audience can choose the soundtrack that fits their day – and not follow what’s “hot” or “in”. Other services, like iTunes and Amazon Mp3, often leads the listener according to the “what hot today” index. On Live365 you find the sound you like and stick with it. It is also a statement that our genre is very “work friendly”, since web radio is very popular to use while working.

Our station New Age Stars is – according to the stats – among the driving forces behind this.

Since the founding team members of Acoustic Ocean are skilled therapists and all 4 performers on the album live in Hawaii, their unique perspective with daily experiences of island living have helped recreate the relaxing atmosphere for you.

Reflections on Still Water is a New Age, Contemporary Instrumental album retaining a great sense of calm by 9 original compositions and 1 spiritual melody of instrumental beauty that is clearly prominent from the very beginning.

Peggy Morgan and Bette Phelan, as the former folk singer-songwriting duo Morgan & Phelan, toured together for 20 years performing in the US and abroad at a wide variety of venues which numbers in the thousands.  Over the past two decades as a duo their music has been featured on television along with aquiring widespread radio airplay, receiving many awards and notoriety over the years together before founding the New Age artist title we recognize today.

The year 2008 first marked the beginning of Acoustic Ocean and while the genre may have changed, their style in creating original works of relaxing music has fortunately remained constant.

Peggy and Bette are both certified Kripalu Yoga teachers, therapists and have specialized skills in many areas related to stress management so their better living skills enabled a well suited entrance into the New Age genre. On this album the team has enlisted Kay Aldrich playing cello on 3 songs and Anne Berliner on flute in 1 song which turns their wonderful instrumentation into another perspective of beauty.

The album cover shown in Reflections on Still Water gives you a visual hint of the elemental beauty you will hear, plus with the primary instrumentals of Celtic harp, Dulcimer, mandolin, acoustic guitar and fretless bass, the mental images of this restful destination reflect an even clearer picture, translating into a relaxing sound experience all within easy reach of the imagination.

Visit acousticoceanmusic.com to sample / purchase or their CDBaby.com page. Learn more about this team at their morganandphelan.com website.

Cover photo copyright Bette Phelan

Go here to sample the album. 

After listening to the samples, I can say that Clifford White’s fans has a lot to look forward to.

Here is a presentation of the album:

The enduring mystery of a lost advanced civilisation is brought back to life in this epic musical adventure by Clifford White. Sweeping and majestic, powerful and rhythmic, ATLANTIS voyages back in time to revisit the ancient Atlanteans and explore their myths and legends in an awe-inspiring journey guaranteed to surprise, dazzle and astound. Filled to the brim with Clifford’s own heady mix of powerful symphonic and electronic world music fusion, ATLANTIS will delight fans of Vangelis and Jean-Michel Jarre.

And here is the album art:

The paper Ottawa Citizen had in December 1986 and article about this, starting with:

Yuppies, rejoice! Some of your favorite music has been given its own Grammy Awards category. Though there still are about as many definitions of New Age Music as there are artists performing it, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences board of trustees has voted to include New Age in the 29th annual Grammy Awards.

And more:

Generally considered the person most responsible for getting New Age accepted is Fred Catero, a San Francisco record company owner who spent three years trying to convince the academy to add the category.

“ I love the music,” said Catero, whose company primarily produces jazz, but also has some New Age product. “I think it’s a viable form of music – an extension of jazz and classical. I also think it’s a very creative form, especially now that it’s gotten out of its wind chimes and tinkling bells and whale sounds phase.”

I am not sure IF the genre has come out of this phase – but do read the whole article here (to the left). And be sure to check out the ads too, since you might get to buy a VHS player for only 999 dollars. 1986 dollars mind you.

But who won the first Grammy for New Age Music? Our friend Andreas Vollenweider with the excellent album Down to the Moon.

The album I have selected today is to be found in our popular Island Music guide; Isle of Freedom by the Nexion Project. I simply cannot praise this album enough, and fell in love with it when I heard it last year. What makes Isle of Freedom into such a fantastic album is the light, uncomplicated atmosphere and the way the listener is taken on a musical day trip (morning to dawn) around the isle. You get to see both flowers and forests (track 3 and 6). The album has also some magnificent piano and guitar melodies, backed by a very enjoyable synth arrangement. Just check out track no. 2, The Hills over the Town, and listen for yourself.

This is not an album you want if you are looking for something complex and deep – but that is not matching with the sun&summer theme either. Isle of Freedom is an album that will give you a touch of summer even on a cold, winter day.

So yes, the Isle of Freedom do exist! Put on this album and you’ll be convinced too. 

Available on CDBaby.

Sample it here:

Track 3 – Flowers

Track 6 – Morning Forest

Tangerine Dream played the Royal Albert Hall for the first time in April 1975. So this concert was actually a 35 year anniversary.The 3 CDset comes with a 16-pages booklet. Below are two videos from the concert taken by the audience.

A truly unique concert!

See the complete track listing here.

Now we can tell you the name of the album and show you the album art! The title is as beautiful as the cover artwork; it is Call of Love.

I almost can’t wait a month for this to be released!

Follow Peter Kater on Facebook – or his homepage.

Gandalf is currently planning  a future orchestration to celebrate his 30 year Anniversary in 2011 and this composition will become the centerpiece to mark the celebrations.  There is also a live performance in Vienna scheduled to accent the occasion of his milestone achievement and becomes the first topic for discussion during this 2010 interview published prior to his 30 year anniversary.

The affiliate website hosts for NewAgeMusic.nu & NewAgeMusicWorld.Com are excited to bring our visitors the present day interview John Olsen has conducted with this global musician and invite all visitors and fans to learn even more on our respective website pages dedicated to Gandalf.

John :  I wanted to first thank you myself Gandalf, and on behalf of our visitors for taking time away from your more creative endeavors.  I feel certain our visitors and your fans do appreciate this present day opportunity to learn more about you and the outstanding music you produce.

Many are already anticipating your 30 year anniversary you have slated for 2011 which will be here before long, and currently you are planning a new orchestration project with live performance in Vienna to accent your milestone achievement.  Is everything being kept a secret for now or can you provide some details about your next orchestration and the live concert event scheduled for 2011  ?

Gandalf :  At this stage I don´t want to tell much in detail about the new project, this will all be presented due to the launch of  the album and the concert in 2011.

The composition is meant to be the essence of my musical excerience and development in the past three decades.  The leading instruments are guitars, piano and percussion, a small symphonic orchestra (woodwinds and strings) and a male choir.

The work is in good progress, a lot has already happened, but there is still much to do.  Currently I am finishing the orchestral score, the recordings are planned in October.  The album producton shall be finished until the end of this year.

John :  Thank you for the insight you have provided.  Your 20 year anniversary was quite extraordinary which included your first live performance in Vienna and the CD / DVD collection on the BSC Music label titled Live In Vienna.  Would you describe what your first live concert felt like on a personal level and was your first stage performance the positive experience you had imagined  ?

Gandalf :  Actually, this DVD/CD is the first official release of recordings from a performance in Vienna, of course there have taken place a lot of performances prior to this one.  My really first big performance in Vienna was in 1982, when the album Visions was released.  I had just started my career a year before and the reponse from the audience was a real sensation, the concert was completely sold out (more than thousand people) and the album climbed up to #2 in the album charts over night.  This was far beyond my imagination!  It was just great and lifted my motivation to continue with my work.

John :  In addition to your studio recordings you began venues of live solo concerts on acoustic guitar and piano in the United States, along with live concerts in Austria, the Netherlands, and during  Woodroot Festival in Germany.  With the increasing number of venues, are live performances more rewarding for you as a musician than studio recording, and if so why  ?

Gandalf :  A live performance can not be compared to anything else, this is where the music happens in the very moment.  Today performing live is more important for me than ever.  If you record an album in the studio you spend much time to get your performance recorded as perfect as possible, on stage you only have this one chance and that is the fascination about it, no song sounds exactly the same twice, you never know what is going to happen every other night.  And sometimes there is real magic and you can feel it from the first note you play and the audience can feel it.  I would not want to miss this.

A live performance can not be compared to anything else, this is where the music happens in the very moment.  Today performing live is more important for me than ever.

Gandalf

John :  What was the early turning point where you decided to pursue music as a career and could you tell us about your music history throughout the years  ?

Gandalf :  After having played in various Progressive-Rock lineups during the Seventies I found out that I had a musical vision which I could not realize with a conventional band so I started experimenting in a very simply equipped studio at home just on my own, playing and recording all instruments by myself.  And this was the first time I really felt satisfied about my work so I recorded my first album  Journes To An Imaginary Land  and my friends were so enthusistic about the result, that I played the material to someone from a record-company and I got a contract.

That´s how it happened, I  just followed my intuition and after some time I realized that I was able to make my living from making exactly the music I played out of my heart.   

John :  The Gates to Secret Realities was the transitional album during your move to World music influences.  What was the defining moments or reasons for your decision to begin composing World influenced music  ?

Gandalf :  My travels to India and other countries opened up my horizon and I found out more and more, that music is a universal language.  It has the ability to dissolve borders between different cultures.  There were so many elements in music from other parts of the world that inspired me and I wanted to integrate such influences and expand my personal style, trying to create some kind of a Global Music.

John :  During your continental travels, what experiences and ethnic cultures have led you to discover and then recognize music as the unifying source that indeed helps abolish the boundaries in various musical styles and categories  ?

Gandalf :  The first special encounters I had in India when I jammed with musicians there.  We were not able to communicate much by words because of our different languages, but we had so much fun communicating through music.

Also on my Brazilian tour in 1995, I could not speak Portugese at all, but the music opened up the hearts of people and the feedback was amazing.

This was where I met Emily Burridge from England. She had lived with a Tribe of Indians for a while and was very inspired by there way af looking at the world and their rituals. So when we played together in Brazil, we decided to record an album together, and this was Gates …

John :  You are referred to as The Painter of Musical Landscapes plus your music has a story to tell.  What thoughts, images or message do you hope your listeners will acquire from your music and what are the ideal circumstances where you are most productive in composing music  ?

Gandalf :  Nature is the most imortant source of inspiration for me, this is where I find my balance and open the channels of my creativity.

Over the years I found out, that the music already tells its story, whether I am aware of this or not.  It reflects my inner landscapes and feelings.  If you for example play it to children and let them paint, the pictures that come out show symbols of love, peace and hapiness, so there is not much else I need to tell people besides the music itself.  Sometimes a story that accompanies the music is nice but not really necessary.

John :  Your music has been featured in television and video media productions.  I wondered if you find visual scores more challenging to produce than your more traditional album compositions, and how do they differ when you begin composing  ?

Gandalf :  It is just, that your inspiration is initialized by a different source.  If there is a certain story you want to express by your music, you first must get fully into the story and then, the pictures or the words will evoke musical ideas.

Sometimes books can be inspiring, I did project with lyrics from The Prophet by the Libanese writer Khalil Gibran, and also wrote a soundtrack to the book The Stones Of Wisdom by a friend of mine, Ronald P. Vaughan.

Basically, every impression in your life can be an inspiration for a new piece of music.  On fair in Los Angeles I once met a painter, he told me that he is creating visual songs, so I said, I am creating audible pictures.

Over all the years I tried to follow my musical vision as honest as possible and did not try to adjust to any market or trend-situation and I think this is one of the reasons, why I am still here.  If you try to bend your personal way due to fast changing marketing situations, you may  soon get lost.

Gandalf

John :  In the early years you were highly regarded mainly in Europe and other countries prior to your current widespread recognition and status in U.S. markets.  Did acquiring a presence in broader international markets influence your music style to fit European or American tastes or was your transition to each country non apparent in your music identity  ?

Gandalf :  I never really cared much about such matters, it happened more the other way round. When my musical style changed throughout the years it became more or less interesting for different markets.  For example, back in the Eighties when I had some Spanish guitar on the opening track of the album The Universal Play it suddenly was released in Spain and South America.  Over all the years I tried to follow my musical vision as honest as possible and did not try to adjust to any market or trend-situation and I think this is one of the reasons, why I am still here.  If you try to bend your personal way due to fast changing marketing situations, you may  soon get lost.

John :  Again, Thank You Gandalf.  B.T. Fasmer and I do appreciate this present day opportunity to present our visitors this interview and we will both continue writing more about you in the future.  Before we go, is there anything you would like to tell your fans or bring up we haven’t mentioned  ?

Gandalf :  I just want to thank you and everyone who helps promoting my works and all my fans for purchasing my records and thus helping me to carry on with the music.

We now invite everyone to visit the gandalf.at homepage then read his biography page.  Visit BSCMusic.com website to purchase / sample his music, then read our pages dedicated to Gandalf.

When doing this kind of music live the question is always; how to give life to the ethnical samples and the overall synth/sequenced presentation. The best way is actually shown here; just playback the samples and synth effect and add something extra, like Blick Bassy’s vocal – and even more live instruments.

These videos are true gold for the Deep Forest fan. And don’t forget, we will soon get a brand new Deep Project album called Deep Africa! Eric Mouquet is without a doubt the king of new age music within the ethnic sub genre. With a Grammy (for Deep Forest) and over 10 million album sold and just as many playbacks on Youtube, he is an artist loved by a truly international audience.

Be sure to visit Deep Projects.com.

Gunnar Madsen from Berkley California has achieved an impressive level of success most would hope for at this stage of his bright career.  You can visit his website to learn all about his career choices through the years and I feel his grand success as a Grammy Nominated pianist and award winning composer, singer, writer, sound designer, filmmaker and actor are career decisions that might have even impressed his family.

Two Hands is the New Age, Cinematic Piano, Instrumental 2010 release from Gunnar Madsen and eighteenth CD he has produced.  This album is a more especial and innermost portrayal of his musical works in relation to his earlier compositions with the a capella group he founded called The Bobs.  His first solo album Spinning World is a closer likeness with Two Hands, in a uniquely diverse discography that includes award winning family CDs, an Epic Orchestral recording and even a pop art Rock album titled The Power of a Hat.

The recipient of countless music and theatre awards, his Grammy Nomination was for a song arrangement by The Beatles and has received ASCAP Awards for 15 consecutive years, plus his music is featured in some episodes of the widely popular HBO series Sex and the City and films Breaking the Rules, A Special Providence, The Break Up & Just a Kiss.  Gunnar Madsen also does voiceovers, providing the film voice for Don Cheatle when he portrayed Sammy David Jr. in the Emmy Award winning HBO film The Rat Pack and this is just a partial listing of many credits during his career so far.

Two Hands was recorded at the industry regarded Skywalker Sound Studio and includes 16 songs total.  Three songs have contrasting instrumentals where notable guest violinist Irene Sazer, a member of the improvisational Jazz and Classical group Turtle Island String Quartet lends her elegant expressions.

The first violin portrayal by Irene Sazer on Kerenyl  is more subtle while gently tracing the melodic depth on strings as Gunnar leads on piano.  Ordinary Day & Red Bird make a beautiful piano and string duet from the pair, extending the symmetrical harmony on each song while interblending into a narrative full of melodic drama.

Solo Piano ballads of Cinematic proportions are the sequential songs where Gunnar reveals the innermost reflections of his work and in a manner of classic distinction.  Outlined with a conceptual feeling of depth, some of the more melodramatic and intriguing phrasing performed on songs like Nino and Me, Down Moon & South Trail are offered with a personalized touch.

Frank Grows Flowers responds with an upbeat tempo and imaginative runs while dancing along the piano keys in every measure and the lighter reflective moments, yet none the less expressive songs The Blackbird Whistling, Brandon & Oak Sky are more introspective in their structuring.

Break into Blossom begins with a lighter metrical sway and soon unfolds into bolder imagery by exploring a more robust presentation of greater intensity before returning into restful state of contentment and has a resemblance in style with In These Lonely Regions & Down Moon, given the more pronounced dynamics of diminuendo and crescendo variances.

Much like the memoir notes on the inside album cover detailing each composition, Gunnar Madsen traces every song on Two Hands with a gifted accounting of his diverse imagination while delivering a beautiful finger to key statement and like the valuable reward of success that is never just handed to anyone, it all began from the talent and determination of an individual who started with and continues to have, hopes and dreams.

Visit gunnarmadsen.com to sample / purchase or visit his CDBaby.com page.  You can also purchase at Amazon, iTunes and most music outlets.  Read more about Gunnar Madsen on his biography page.

Picture copyright BigStockPhoto – jocelynbaker

Now Europeans have the chance to see some of the best and most inspiring new age music artists live; Terry Oldfield & Soraya will from August to October be performing in Italy, Spain, Germany, Scotland, Holland, Belgium and Sweden. Meditation Workshops will also be given at some of the locations. Believe me, you will not find anyone on earth better to give such a workshop!!

See the full tour & workshop plan here.

At August 20th the forum will be shut down permanently on Ning, moving to http://mgmusic.creative-herts.co.uk/network/  All users of the old forum must go to the above address and re-reregister.

To me the new forum looks very promising, and hopefully the many new users will join the discussion too!

Michael Cretu (born 1957) debuted as an artist in 1979 with the album Moon, Lights and Flowers after having received education in classical music – but deciding that synth music was his “thing”. His second album came in 1983, called Legionare. Here mostly German music fans got to hear Michael’s impressive keyboard and composition skills. Singing was never his strongest card, but he was a decent singer in the 80s and the early Enigma period.

His third album is called The Invisible Man (1985), which I will review in this article. I find this to be a very elegant album, with beautiful and heartfelt synth melodies, some with that emotional depth that made Enigma into such a winner 5 years later – in 1990.

The Invisible Man album is the very first sign of what eventually would become Enigma.

BT Fasmer

Note that there is also a German version available of this album – which is ready for playback in many music on demand services. This version is called Die Chinesische Mauer, and has German lyrics and a different track listing. But it is basically the same album.

The English version starts with the international hit Samurai. Cretu’s synth work and singing are here at their very best. The lyrics are perhaps a bit too enigmatic, yes, but the opening song has that rare groove that also made Sandra’s Maria Magdalena – produced by Cretu – into such a winner in the same period. It is simply a great pop song with an unusual and dramatic backdrop. This is not “baby, I love you” pop – just the way we Enigma fans like it.

With that tour-de-force of a first song out of the way, the album moves on with the song Carte Blanche. This is a slower, more thoughtful piece, a perfectly composed synth melody. Talking of synths; it must be said that the album sounds somewhat dated, but that will not stop a new age music fan. Never.

Silver Water is a refreshing song. Even though Michael’s singing is very loud, almost to the point of screaming at some parts, the song as a total is very well balanced.

Another truly beautiful song is track four, Your favorite toy. Here the lyrics are just as important as the music, telling the sad story of a toy. The German title is, translated, Tin soldier.

The album is in many ways divided into three. I have commented the first part above. The second part is the three songs Intro, Mikado and Coda. And this is the very first signs of what eventually would become Enigma. These tracks have deep synth pads, a heart-like rhythm and strong melodic elements; the very fingerprint of Cretu’s later masterworks. My only objection to this part of the album is that it is too short; it is only about five minutes long. These three tracks are, by the way, the intro to the German album.

The song Heavy Traffic is as relevant today as back in 1985; “Heavy traffic / Never ending / Spitting poison in the air / Metal river, who’s pretending / you’ll never get me there”.

The album ends with the title song. The Invisible Man is a track with a magnificent trumpet solo and a very satisfying build-up. It reminds of later Enigma masterworks such as Out of the Deep and Return to Innocence.

The Invisible Man album  is only 33 minutes long, originally meant for LP and cassette formats, but it is a short album not to be missed. And note that this is not only for fans of 80s synth music – but for all fans of great pop/new age. The Invisible Man is an early example of the genius that in time would sell many million albums – and get just as many fans.

The album is available everywhere, from iTunes to your local CD store.

Jeffrey Fisher from Southern California has chosen to make The Arts his principal focus during his diverse life as a composing musician. While some might pursue more fundamental scholastic studies, the more conceptual and creative aspects of art, poetry and teaching have nicely become a mainstay to his more individual endeavors and this reflection is transferred to his music. Natural surroundings and his unique inner imagination are on display again by his current nature inspired release.

Satyagraha – Songs of the Earth is his New Age, Ambient, Meditative, Instrumental 2010 release drawn from the imagination and past experience of this multifaceted artist who has improvised well while composing and performing music in nearly every genre.

The album title Jeffrey Fisher chose of Satyagraha translates to read The Power of Truth and references the non violent and principal ideals of Gandhi. In addition Satyagraha became the name for his nature retreat in the San Jacinto Mountains where this album was first brought to the surface and then recorded.

Satyagraha – Songs of the Earth is a nature inspired album that represents the serene and dramatic virtues of nature as realistic and one of natural beauty, much like the artistic rendition displayed on the accompanying cover art Jeffrey Fisher himself has painted using watercolors.

In a similar representation of the portrait shown, his music is serene and even though a performing artist on numerous instruments, his melodic improvisations on a 160 year old bass violin is the primary instrument for instilling color and the harmonious points of view in his music.

In accompaniment with the natural warm tones of bass violin, most of the 8 songs on the album are blended with the woodwind tones of Navaho flutes, keyboards and percussion which intermingle with the essential brush strokes to paint the final picture of nature using a very personal touch and with the artful imagination one would expect from both a musician and individual.

Visit HealingMusicoftheSouthwest.com to sample / purchase or at his CDBaby.com artist page.

Satyagraha cover art copyright Jeffrey Fisher

When streaming radio you get to see the album cover, and a link to buy the actual song is also provided. You can also access NewAgeMusic.nu through Live365.

So yes, this is a very nice upgrade from our friends at Live365. Now you can enjoy New Age Stars even more. Click here to visit our station page.

One man who obviously has found his paradise, is Mike Oldfield. He is currently enjoying some well-deserved quality time in the Bahamas on his boat. Getty Images has quite a few recent pictures available of Mike Oldfield. Also make sure to read Mike’s wife’s Bahamas diary on fanpage Tubular.net. 

As a longtime fan I must say that I am so happy to see him with a smile on his face.

(Never forget that our music genre has lots of album with the paradise island as theme).

Only by looking at the first few titles on the album we can sense what Arkenstone has in store for us; Sunset Cruise, Enchanted Night and Midnight Moon. It is all about easy living and happiness. My favorite song on the album is track eight, Sandy Toes, where the steel drum sounds truly sweet together with the flute and guitar. A truly beautiful mix. All songs on the album are a little over 4 minutes long, which give the listener time to enjoy the melodic elements without rapid shifts.

Caribbean Nights is both chill out and new age music in style, simply perfect for those lazy summer days we all just love. Isn’t it great that there’s things in this world that are just sunny, laidback and positive? Caribbean Nights is simply the perfect summer soundtrack.

Sample the album on Amazon or buy it at Arkenstone’s own web page.

We are so happy to see you all here  – and please leave a message for the friendly community of listeners.

Bruce Kaphan is easily recognized in the music industry since he began an early career as a studio technician, engineer and producer for many highly recognized artists in other genres and had either played a role with the recording production of their album or performed with artists such as REM, Jewel, The Black Crowes, Thomas Dolby, John Lee Hooker and a vast selection of popular musicians.

The list of popular artists Bruce has encountered as a musician and during his tenure as a recording artist is quite lengthy and will surprise you as it did me when you visit his website. During the early days while living in San Francisco he was also a member of Indie / Alternative band American Music Club plus his music has been featured on many film scores and television broadcasts.

Hybrid is his current album that I recently wrote a review about here at New Age Music World. The 12 original compositions show pedal steel guitar as an appealing choice while clearing a new path of creative improvisations in light ambience and emerges as a natural contender in the vast field of music.

Bruce Kaphan and his music is described below in my review quote, along with the song video of Oregon Fire from the Slider album. This is a nice selection of Bruce performing on pedal steel guitar behind a backdrop of beautiful photography by Nick O’Kelly. Visit brucekaphan.com website to sample / purchase his music or visit his CDBaby.com page. Read his biography page and view his collective discography page. Read my review of Hybrid on our page dedicated to Bruce Kaphan. Studio photo copyright Bruce Kaphan courtesy of James Saxon

Bruce Kaphan makes a bold statement on Slider and current Hybrid album which features pedal steel guitar as the primary instrument. You will find his music is a unique blending of unrivaled beauty freshly harvested from another cross section in the vast field of music. It quickly becomes apparent this new emerging beauty will remain a lasting entity in the world of music.

David Mauk from Las Vegas Nevada is a composing performer with plenty of experience in the entertainment business while advancing in popularity from his 12 Months debut released in 2009.  His first album created much excitement for many and equally so for David since 12 Months received nomination at ZMR for Best Electronic Album and also earned David a Best New Artist nomination for the year. 

Ground Swell is his 2010 release, unique not only by the great mood effect of his classic yet easygoing electronic compositions but some songs were inspired by American realist painter Edward Hopper and Ground Swell is a CD / DVD collector’s edition that beautifully captures the early American century with Cinematic drama and makes a nice collection by any standard.  The 5 bonus video clips are nicely correlated with his unique brand of classic electronic music and are a beautiful addition to the audio CD since the extra sensory effect of video makes it easy for anyone to visualize his ambient music becoming a modern times movie score.

The National Geographic Society has already realized the dynamic effect of his compositions by integrating as their official music with many exhibits including King Tutankhamun, Golden Age of the Pharaohs, Real Pirates and Cleopatra museum exhibits, in fine music that enhances the experience for every museum visitor.

David Mauk has given everyone 2 excellent reasons to appreciate his music in 2010.   The Ground Swell CD alone is a free flowing natural display of bright ambience offered with a harmonious and casual impression, plus the DVD greatly points out the Cinematic enchantment that makes his music special.

Ground Swell is in effect an Ambient, Electronica, New Age album with a total of 14 songs.  The 5 song descriptions I will provide from the CD are ones also listed on the bonus DVD, in this all inclusive CD / DVD collection and you will find the 9 additional songs are sequential to the atmosphere and ideals this album in entirety represents.

Dawn in Pennsylvania has a singular piano melody backed by a deeper synthesizer profile that gives depth to the overall bright and casual mood and is effective at producing a story line of realism by a light atmospheric point of view with cymbal taps and percussion enrichments.   Summertime is like an ode of joyous celebration the summer season always represents, marching right along in attitude by a majestic piano movement.  Lower piano octaves maintain the rhythm while upper ranges move up and down the scales in half steps while bell tones ring in the seasonal event.

Chop Suey relies on tenor drum and percussion rhythms as a prelude to keyboard producing the light staccato note melody with a casual feel.  During refrains the dynamics are rearranged to a deeper tenor and nicely embolden the song while adding tonal drama.  Queensburo Bridge carries nice rhythmical metrics by strings subtle back and forth sway while light synth notes and key changes introduce sparkling overtones into the melodious theme.

New York Movie is a dreamy song that transports you to a different place and time with strings becoming the prevalent character in the lighter melody.  Percussion plays a more indirect role by sharp woodblock notes and when xylophone enters, the soft percussion detailing projects nice sparkling tones in a secondary rhythm.

David Mauk made 12 Months an impressive introduction into New Age music.  Ground Swell is another fine classic that makes musical entertainment an even better experience, offering his appealing to the senses experience like the premiere attractions many people are searching for at this very moment.

Visit the davidmauk.com homepage and then sample / purchase on his music page.  Learn more about David at his MySpace page and then our pages dedicated to David Mauk.

Cover art copyright Kelly Stamblesky – Smith. Picture copyright BigStockPhoto.com – Ondrej Garaj

John :  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 timeline 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 was into that ‘Hippy’ thing and meditated, burnt incense and read a lot of Buddhism….

Steve Orchard

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 !!!  ha ha ha

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 a track called 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 !!!

… 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.

Steve Orchard

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 recently you told me about an upgrade to your project studio, so could you tell everyone 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 any 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!!!  Anyways 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 we 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 once told me, ” The thing with you Orchard, is that you are PERSISTANT ” Oh Yes!”…. & keep smiling !

Visit the steveorchardmusic.co.uk homepage right here. Sample his album at his music page and learn more about Steve on his biography page. Visit his MG Music profile page to sample / purchase then learn more about every MG label artist at the mgmusic.ltd.uk website.

Sundancer & Moondancer covers by David Orchard. Raindancer cover by Medwyn Goodall. Other pictures copyright Steve Orchard.