Our special guest today is songwriter and guitar hero Martin Barre. Martin has been the legendary guitarist of Jethro Tull for 43 years, his sound and playing having been a major factor in their success. Album sales have exceeded 60 million units and they continue to be played worldwide representing an important part of classic rock history.
Martin’s guitar playing has earned him a high level of respect and recognition; he was voted 25th best solo ever in the USA and 20th best solo ever in the UK for his playing on 'Aqualung'. His playing on the album ‘Crest of a Knave’ earned him a Grammy award in 1988.
Most Recently: Martin Barre has announced the release of his sixth and most important solo album to date. Back to Steel celebrates the guitarist’s 50-year career with a return to his roots of steel strings and electric guitars released through Garage Records and will be available through www.martinbarre.com, iTunes and Amazon.com initially. Martin Barre and his band have started their 2015 tour throughout the UK and Europe. Following Cruise to the Edge in November 2015 in Florida, Martin and his band will also be touring the U.S.
It is my great pleasure to welcome the legendary guitarist of Jethro Tull
…Martin Barre.
You Tube Post of the Radio Interview
with Martin Barre and Anne Leighton
Our second segment of the show today welcomes another special guest …
Anne Leighton who is president of Anne Leighton Media * Music Services * Motivations a multi-faceted company that helps artists who need development, marketing and/or promotional services in their careers. Some of her clients include … Ian Anderson/Jethro Tull/Martin Barre, Blackmore’s Night, Grand Funk Railroad, Gentle Giant, Orleans, KKB (with Bruce Kulick), Shun Ng & Magic Dick, The Strawbs, The Family Stone, and Jann Klose to name just a few.
… Anne’s worked in radio at WZIR-Buffalo, WRNW-Briarcliff Manor, WFUV-Bronx, WBUZ-Fredonia, and was an editor at HIT PARADER magazine, plus freelanced for a number of magazines including FELINE WELLNESS, CATFANCY, MUSCLEMAG INTERNATIONAL, INSIDE KARATE/KUNG FU, GOLDMINE, and CREEM. Anne’s play’s include REACH FOR THE SUN, which was performed by Poets Repertory Theater of Long Island, ONE WAY TO HEAVEN performed by the San Antonio Living Church, and THE PASSION OF MARY which was read at the Kingsbridge Library Center in her hometown of the Bronx.
Her latest project is Anne Leighton's Poetry Book,
THE LEIGHTON EXPLOSION Officially released on October 8th and available to purchase now at amazon.com I’ve worked with Anne for several years now and she’s one of the best in the business.
Intelligent
Music Project III Releases New Single & Video MIND PROJECTION feat. John
Payne & Drum Legend Simon Phillips From Forthcoming “Touching the Divine”
Album
Sofia, Bulgaria – A year
after releasing the all-star project “My Kind O’ Lovin’” producer and composer
Milen Vrabevski returns to fulfill, as earlier claimed, his promise and
ambition with Intelligent Music Project III – “Touching the Divine”. The new
album features session legends Simon Phillips and Tim Pierce, and Nathan East
courtesy of YEG. Тhe production concept relies again on two project launchers –
guest stars John Payne (ex-Asia) and Toto’s Joseph Williams. Says Joseph, “It’s
wonderful to explore working with Milen. The project has a wonderful message,
accompanied with some beautiful music and some great rock ‘n’ roll – the
musicians in this project are top-noch.”
Musically “Touching the Divine”
delivers a thrilling example of straightforward songwriting combined with rich
and layered sound and gently executed dynamic spins. The first single MIND
PROJECTION is a melodic and energetic slice of AOR, scored with John Payne’s
powerful vocal arrangement and virtuoso instrumental charge, that lets you in
deeper to the magic ingredient of this sophisticated project. Bass great Nathan
East and fabulous Simon Phillips stamp their own authority in this piece, as
well on the record throughout.
Full creative input by all guest
stars in the project. Recording sessions took place at Simon Phillips’ Phantom
recordings (Williams, Pierce, Phillips and East) and at Intelligent Music
Studios in Sofia (Payne, Pierce and vocals from Carl Sentance, recently
appointed as Nazareth’s lead singer). Says Simon, “Music is an universal
language. It’s really a blessing to have the opportunity to work with musicians
from around the world.”
MIND PROJECTION brings together
once again the positive idea of the producer and composer Milen Vrabevski, that
following the true excitement of our hearts and souls will give us the key to
living a conscious live and to spiritual satisfaction, we often call happiness.
Says Nathan, “This project is very special to me, because of the nature of the
message of the project. I was very inspired and happy with the idea, because
the message has value and meaning and I am about that. The word ‘inspirational’
is what I use to describe this project.”
John Payne, who continues his 14
year legacy as “ASIA Featuring John Payne” says, “Doing this project with Milen
– it has been great, really – these songs have a lot of structure and melody.
It’s a very mature project, it’s a very intelligent project for the mind.”
Says Milen Vrabevski, “I believe
we managed to deliver an astonishing sound once again and it will delight the
ears and sound systems of hardcore rockers all around the world. Bearing in
mind the top-noch level of our guest stars, I allowed myself mainly to record
the acoustic guitar of the first single MIND PROJECTION. The video was shot in
Bulgaria by Vasil Stefanov, a very prolific and talented video director. The
explicit idea was to show the level of collaboration and collective effort of
all featuring musicians, which I believe, would be one of the most intriguing
aspects for the music fans.”
Says Tim Pierce, “My DNA is ‘a
rock player’. Musically, this project is fun, because it travels a lot of
different places.”
“I really enjoyed working with
Milen in his studio. There is a great sense of depth in his songs. We tried to
get the best of my voice.” (Carl Sentance)
Intelligent Music Project III
– “Touching the Divine” is coming out in late September 2015.
“The coming album is to bring us
to the subject of the essence of life. It directs to searching for this special
place within our souls that brings the spiritual satisfaction we often call
happiness. It is our source of love and creation, balance and harmony. This
place is the Divine in us all…” (Milen Vrabevski, MD)
Intelligent Music Project III
– “Touching the Divine”
Author and producer – Milen
Vrabevski, MD
Featuring:
Simon Phillips – drums and
percussion
Nathan East (appears courtesy of
Yamaha Entertainment Group) – bass
John Payne – lead & backing
vocals
Joseph Williams – lead &
backing vocals
Carl Sentance – backing vocals
& ad-lib, lead vocal part on 7
Tim Pierce – guitars
All: Invaluable full creative
input!
Previous albums by the same
author, featuring Simon Phillips, Joseph Williams & John Lawton are IMP I
& II, respectively titled “The Power of Mind ” & “ My
Kind O’Lovin’ ”
Prog Icon Billy Sherwood To
Release Solo Album and Career Retrospective – Now Available as a Direct
Sales Offer Only!
On November 6th Frontiers Music
Srl will Release Sherwood's Brilliant New concept album
entitled 'CITIZEN'
Prog icon BILLY SHERWOOD, best
known for his work with YES and CIRCA:, has made available his studio album
DIVIDED BY ONE and a compilation called COLLECTION with a hand autographed
postcard!
These two CDs and the signed
postcard are ONLY available directly from www.billysherwoodcollection.com or a mainstream release in October 2015! Orders through this website are
being sent out NOW!
Says Billy, “I’m very excited to
finally have ‘Divided By One’, my 7th solo release come out on CD. I’m proud of
the record and look forward to getting it out there, I had many requests to
release it on CD as it was only for download till now.”
BILLY SHERWOOD is the current
bass player in the band YES and will be touring with the band throughout 2015.
Billy Sherwood was a key part of the line-ups which created the YES albums OPEN
YOUR EYES, THE LADDER and was also part of the TALK tour. He recently mixed the
band’s HEAVEN AND EARTH album and 2 subsequent DVDs.
DIVIDED BY ONE is Sherwood’s
seventh solo album and this edition through Cherry Red is its first release on
CD. This CD release will be eagerly greeted by YES fans especially in light on
Sherwood’s recent return to the band in mid-2015.
Tracks include:
1. On Impact
2. The Scene Comes Alive
3. No Stone Unturned
4. Between Us
5. Divided By One
6. Sequence Of Events
7. Sphere Of Influence
8. Here For You
9. Constellation Codex
10. End Of An Era
COLLECTION is the ideal
introduction to Billy Sherwood’s solo career and includes TWO EXCLUSIVE TRACKS.
This edition through Cherry Red is its first release on CD.
Says Billy, “I’m happy to
announce the release of ‘Collection’, it’s made up of tracks from each of my
previous solo records. In addition to that there are 2 bonus tracks, one is a
new yet unreleased solo track and the other is a cover I did of Sting’s song ‘I
Hung My Head’”
Tracks include:
1. Drone Decipher
2. Seeing Through The Walls
3. Call
4. On Impact
5. Dying Breed
6. The Recurring Dream
7. What Was The Question?
8. I Hung My Head*
9. Dark To Light*
(* Previously unreleased)
The albums will be available
through third party distributors and retailers on Backyard Levitation Records,
via Cherry Red Records from October 30, 2015
For more information: www.billysherwoodcollection.com
On November 6,
2015, Frontiers Music Srl will release Billy Sherwood's
latest concept album entitled CITIZEN.
Billy Sherwood created this
concept album based on a lost soul that is reincarnated into various
periods of history. "I was inspired by the notion that General Patton
believed he was reincarnated on various battlefields through time; I wanted to
take that concept even further." As the songwriter/producer, Billy placed
the citizen character into significant moments of history.
The lead off track is called “The
Citizen" which sets the stage for what's to come on the recording. “The
Citizen” features Billy's longtime friends and members of the legendary
Progressive Rock band Yes: bassist Chris Squire and former Yes
keyboardist Tony Kaye.
Billy has written all the music
and production is now in full swing. Guest artists joining Billy in this
journey through music, time and space include:
1 John Wetton (Asia [Original
Asia])
2 Rick Wakeman Music (Yes)
3 Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater)
4 Tony Kaye (Yes)
5 Geoff Downes (Yes, Asia)
6 Chris Squire (Yes)
7 Steve Hackett (Genesis)
8 Jerry Goodman (The Mahavishnu Orchestra)
9 Steve Morse (Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs)
10 Steve Hillage (Gong)
11 Patrick Moraz (Yes)
12 John Wesley (Porcupine Tree)
Billy Sherwood was born in Las
Vegas Nevada and into a showbiz family of talented musicians. His father
was big band leader/musician/actor Bobby Sherwood -his mother Phyllis was a
singer and a drummer and his brother Michael a singer and keyboardist. Now
if that hadn’t convinced anyone that they were indeed a showbiz family how
about the fact that his Godfather was legendary comedian Milton
Berle.
10cc/Godley and Creme Legend Kevin Godley
Releases New Book SPACECAKE on iBooks
Ireland – SPACECAKE chronicles
the misadventures of a debauched and dangerous masochist as he tantrums his way
through the sleazy worlds of Rock & Roll, music video and technology, each
squalid escapade dragging him ever deeper into a repugnant maelstrom of sordid
excess…well sort of. A wee bit, actually…not remotely.
It’s all about the work really.
If you don’t recognize the name,
Kevin Godley was a founder member of ground breaking UK band 10cc. (Their
single, “I’m Not In Love” continues to be one of the best selling records of
all time). As one half of Godley & Creme he went on to pioneer the notion
of music video as an art form and was responsible for iconic clips by artists
such as Herbie Hancock, The Police, Duran Duran, Lou Reed & Frankie Goes to
Hollywood etc, continuing to up his game in solo mode with U2, Frank Sinatra,
Paul McCartney, The Beatles & Blur amongst others. KG thrives on
re-inventing himself and SPACECAKE, his first book, takes you on an interactive
tour of his life via pictures, music, film clips and 27 chapters of abstract
insight into how everything from the first hits to WholeWorldBand, his
music/video collaboration app, got made. It’s dark in some of the corners though…so
make sure you bring a torch.
Kevin Michael Godley (born 7
October 1945, Prestwich, Lancashire, England) is a British musician, writer and
music video director.
He was born in a family with
Jewish ancestry, and went to North Cestrian Grammar School in Altrincham. His
first band was Group 17 which had its origins in the Jewish Lads Brigade (The
JLB). The members were Henri Shalam, Bernard Suffrin, Sydney Kaye and Jeffrey
Baker, whose father may have inspired the “Sergeant Baker” character in the
10cc song, “Rubber Bullets”.
While attending art college in
Manchester, Godley met Lol Creme and formed several bands, most notably Hotlegs
and 10cc. After leaving 10cc, the two became known as Godley & Creme, both
as musicians and music video / TV commercials directors. They won many MTV
awards for their unique films and were jointly nominated for a Grammy Award for
Best Music Video, Long Form for: The Police: Synchronicity Concert in 1986.
Godley writes, sings, and plays
drums and percussion and in 1990 conceived and directed the TV music special
“One World One Voice” that featured a global piece of music focussing on
environmental and ecological issues. Godley also became a vegetarian during
this period.
Both Godley and Lol Creme briefly
“reunited” with their former 10cc bandmates Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman on
the 1992 album, “Meanwhile”. However, Godley claims that their involvement with
the project was very limited, as the album was dominated by studio musicians.
He performed the lead vocal on “The Stars Didn’t Show”, the band’s tribute to
the late Roy Orbison. It was the only song on the album not sung by Stewart.
Following “Meanwhile”, Godley and Creme went their separate ways.
He reunited with another former
10cc member, Graham Gouldman, to record new music in 2006 as GG/06, and
together they have recorded six new songs which are available via their
website www.gg06.co.uk
Recently, Godley has moved into
developing a music platform that combines audio and video to create a global
recording studio in the cloud called “WholeWorldBand” (www.wholeworldband.com).
The company was nominated for the “SXSW Music Accelerator Award” in 2013 and
was one of eight finalists selected from a pool of over 500.
SPACECAKE, the book, is available
for download from iBooks and can be read on any Mac iOS device.
Keyboard Legend Extraordinaire
Patrick Moraz, Former Member of YES and the Moody Blues, To Release New Album
“MAP” (Moraz Alban Project) With Outstanding Drummer Greg Alban!
Los Angeles CA- Patrick Moraz and
Greg Alban proudly announce the release of their new CD “MAP”.
Says Patrick, “The concept and
the meaning of “MAP” is first and foremost the 'MORAZ ALBAN PROJECT'! Some time
ago, Greg Alban, a very good friend of mine and a great drummer whom I have
known now for more than 30 years asked me if I would like to start composing
and arranging some music that he could play the drums on, with me. He wanted to
record a whole album together and eventually of course, release it.”
So Moraz began composing and
arranging the music for “MAP” in his studio in Florida, the project then moved
to California, where it was further developed and recorded. This new music
is a collection of instrumental pieces that range in style and spirit of World-Fusion,
Rock and Jazz.
Greg Alban, originally from
Columbus, Ohio, attended Ohio University and moved to Los Angeles in 1974 to
pursue a career in music. Greg has studied with some of the great drummers and
teachers such as Richard Wilson, Joe Morello and Joe Porcaro. Patrick Moraz
first heard Greg Alban play drums when he was head of his own band ICE. They
were performing at the famous and since shuttered Red Onion in Marina Del Rey,
CA. Impressed with the playing skills of Alban and fellow band member John
Avila, Moraz asked them to perform on his album, “Timecode”. Greg Alban who has
worked with such artists such as “The Miracles”, Denny Laine (Wings) and
Mike Pinera (Blues Image and Iron Butterfly) explains: “Patrick and I have been
very good friends for a long time and I’m still always being surprised by the
depth of his knowledge, not just about music but everything! He’s a creative
genius and I’m honored to be working with him.”
Swiss born Patrick Moraz, is best
known as an official member and keyboardist for the progressive rock bands
“Yes” from 1974 to the end of 1976 and “The Moody Blues” from 1978 to 1991. He
was classically trained at the Conservatory of Lausanne, but having a keen
interest in jazz and world rhythms he decided early on to pursue composing and
playing in these genres of music as well. This led to Patrick and his own trio
and quartet, opening for major jazz artists and famous rock bands throughout
Europe in the mid-sixties. He then formed the group “Mainhorse” with Jean
Ristori in 1968 and released a self-titled album on Polydor. Then, after a long
tour of Japan and the Far-East as musical director of a Brazilian Ballet
Company, he came back and moved to England in the early Seventies to form
“Refugee” with Lee Jackson and Brian Davison, both previously of “The
Nice”. They produced one album titled “Refugee” which to date is still revered
as one of Prog-Rock’s monumental works known for Moraz’s highly inspired
compositions and keyboard virtuosity.
Moraz rose to prominence in 1974 as
a new member and keyboardist of “Yes”. He co-composed along with Yes’s” band
members and played on the album “Relayer”, which led to what was to be “Yes’s”
most successful ever world tour, playing to crowds which numbered from 25,000
to 120,00 at JFK stadium during the bi-centennial year of 1976. In
1975-1976 all the then- members of “Yes” released solo albums. In the interim
Moraz had moved to Brazil and composed the music for the “I” aka “The Story of
I” which incorporated 16 Brazilian percussionists, making it an important
staple of “world music”. “I” was Moraz’s first solo album and in 1976 it was
voted the #1 Album of the Year by “Keyboard Magazine”. After his departure from
“Yes” Patrick recorded his second album “Out In The Sun” on the “famous” Charisma
Record Label, and moved officially to Brazil.
In the last part of 1977 and the
first part of 1978, time was devoted exclusively for composing and recording
for the production of his 3rd solo Album, simply titled “Patrick Moraz”, in the
company of the percussionists of Rio-de-Janeiro and Djalma Correa, who, several
years later, was referred by Patrick to Peter Gabriel for his Album “SO”.
Moving back to Europe via an
appearance at the famous “Montreux Jazz Festival” in Switzerland, and upon
their request, Patrick began touring with ”The Moody Blues” on their “Octave”
tour in 1978, replacing their former keyboardist Mike Pinder. The two world
Tours, ending in 1979 proved extremely successful!
In 1980, having played and
recorded on the new album “Long Distance Voyager” he was asked to become a
member of the band. Subsequently, in 1981, “Long Distance Voyager” reached #1
on the US charts and proved to be one of their highest grossing albums to
date. He continued touring and recording with “The Moody Blues” until 1991
and played on the four subsequent albums : “The Present”, “The Other Side of
Life”, “Sur la Mer” and partially on “Keys of the Kingdom”. Moraz is also
credited as composer and co-writer of the song “The Spirit”, which appeared on
the 1986 album “The Other Side of Life”.
During recording and touring
breaks with the “Moodies”, Patrick had continued to compose, play and record
his solo albums “Future Memories 1” “Future Memories II”, (both “Live on TV”),
“Human Interface”, and “Timecode”. He also collaborated, (in 1979), with
the renowned Romanian panpipe flutist, Simeon Stanciu, (a.k.a. Syrinx), for
their album “Coexistence”. From 1983 to 1985, Patrick Moraz and Bill
Bruford, former member and drummer for Yes, decide to form a duet and tour under
the name “Moraz-Bruford”. They recorded two albums, “Music For Piano and Drums”
and “Flags” and managed to do three very successful worldwide Tours.
In 1991 having been with “The
Moody Blues” for thirteen years, Moraz embarked on a solo career. To date he
has composed and played acoustic piano on three solo CD’s, “Windows of Time”,
“Resonance” and “ESP” all of which have been critically acclaimed and extremely
well received.
In 1995, exactly 20 years ago,
Patrick Moraz performed throughout the USA on his C.H.A.T. tour (Coming Home
America Tour). The tour was unique in that it was one of the first, if not the
very first to be booked entirely over the Internet. Moraz played solo on
acoustic Grand Pianos to audiences that numbered as small as two people to hundreds
of people, taking place in eclectic venues which ranged from single homes, to
large estates, corporate headquarters, churches, theaters, concert halls and
museums. One of the concerts was filmed and recorded for a DVD and CD in
Princeton N.J. and is titled “P.M. in Princeton”. The C.H.A.T. tour proved to
be a huge success and an experience that Moraz says, “He will always hold very
dear to his heart”.
In 2009 he released “Change of
Space”, and in 2011 Moraz released the electronic keyboard CD “Moraz Live/Abbey
Road” which features Patrick playing live electronic keyboards as
well as a live acoustic piano improvisation. There was also a
piano-compilation CD titled “Pianissimoraz”, featuring a new and unreleased
piece : The “one-&-only take” of the instant composition “Pure Love”.
And now much to the excitement of
music fans worldwide, Patrick Moraz and Greg Alban are releasing their first
album “MAP” in June 2015!
The album features amazing bass
player John Avila, former member of “Oingo Bongo”, who also plays bass on
“MAP”. The other great players featured on “MAP” are Lenny Castro on
percussion, who has worked with such artists as “The Rolling Stones”, “Elton
John”, “Eric Clapton” and many others. Renown and awesome bass player, Matt
Malley, founder and former member of “The Counting Crows”, expertly plays
Indian Slide Guitar on “MAP’. Swiss virtuoso bass player Patrick Perrier and
heavyweight multi-instrumentalist on tenor saxophone Dave VanSuch, both perform
on “MAP” as well.
