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Celtic Women are what many would descrbe as World Music- ethnic based, traditional style. And I think they put on a lovely show- and that's exactly what it is-> a show. It's as much about the "flash and dazzle" as it is the music. Altho they do great justice to the music, as well. And certainly the show aspect brings at least some exposure to the Celtic music to people who would not search it out otherwise. They do sing some of their songs in Gaelic, which is a darned hard language to get a handle on!

As for Vangelis and the like, when New Age music first came on the scene many, many years ago, that is exactly what it was- electronic based, "atmosphere" music. The class has grown considerably since, mostly, I think, because record companies and retailers just didn't know what to do with all this contemporary instumental music, and so it got lumped in with New Age. For an example of what New Age was originally concieved to be, listen to some of Constance Demby's "Novus Magnificat." You will also find Wendy Carlos in with New Age recordings a lot.

I think what we are seeing today is an umbrella category (New Age) with a number of sub-categories: electronic, contemporary instumental, and so on. Kind of like the catergory Rock has it's sub-genres: classic, metal, alternative, etc.

For solo piano-based music that is very good (and he would probably deck me for mentioning him in a New Age thread! lol), try Lyle Mays. His main gig is jazz, but his solo CDs, Lyle Mays and Solo: Improvisations for Expanded Piano are quite nice and could be stretched into this category. Street Dreams is a bit more jazz in sound, but also good. Fictionary is definitely jazz, with a trio. And, of course, anything he does with Pat Metheny, but that IS jazz!

Speaking of non new age, but worth mentioning, I'd say Bradley Sowash has some great solo piano stuff. I have a few of his CD's and he's one of my favorites. Plus for those interested he sells sheet music for all of his albums.

JeanneW said:

I don't think Vangelis bought all those keyboards just to get one good patch out of each one. He composes, and performs full-scale orchestrations on all those keyboards. Most likely, it's all interconnected via MIDI and sequenced / programmed to the hilt to allow him to do the "one-man" orchestra thing that he does so well.

What he does with all that equipment is a mystery. He's said little (if anything) to the press about how the equipment enables his compositional technique.

It's well beyond my comprehension how someone could perform an orchestrated arrangement on 18 keyboards in a live setting ... but somehow he does it.

I'm thinking that photo of Vangelis was "pre-midi era", Colin. That was probably back around 1977ish or so. I don't think midi's been around that long? Anybody know for sure?

Jeanne W

MIDI was first introduced in 1983.

I don't know if Vangelis still operates in the same way, but he used to run all his (many) keyboards into a multi-track tape machine, and then play as many as possible at once. I remember an interview from many years ago where the interviewer saw Vangelis playing as many as six keyboards. lightning fast and not being able to tell the difference between that live performance and the recorded version. If I am remembering correctly, what Vangelis played was Chariots of Fire. So, who needs MIDI??

Hah! I found it! I found the photo I was talking about - from The Melody Maker - of Vangelis sitting in the middle of a ton of keyboards.

There's also an article that accompanies the photo. The date on the article is Oct 2, 1976, by the way.

I've posted some of the article. Vangelis has some interesting things to say.

He is really into synths and keyboards, so I thought it might be appropriate to post this in the "Digital keyboards forum". Here's a link to the thread if you're interested in reading through it.

Link to Vangelis post:

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/6/2972.html

Jeanne W

I said I'd try to add some new age artists to the list. Here are ones I've found and like. This list is in no particular order.

These CD's main focus is solo piano:

John Boswell.
"Trust" CD
IMO one of his best CDs
http://www.amazon.com/Trust-John-Bo...mp;s=music&qid=1174429008&sr=1-4

Dan Chadburn
"Reflections" CD
http://cdbaby.com/cd/danchadburn2

Peter Kater
"Piano" CD
http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Peter-K...mp;s=music&qid=1174429066&sr=1-2
Kater was nominated for a Grammy award the past (2) years I believe.

Keiko Matsui
"The Piano" CD
http://www.amazon.com/Piano-Keiko-M...p;s=music&qid=1174429113&sr=1-15
Most of her other CDs have lots of other instrumentation on them. This one is basicaly solo piano. Very nice.

Wayne Gratz
"Gift of the Sea" CD
http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Sea-Wayn...mp;s=music&qid=1174429151&sr=1-2

Jennifer Thomas
"Key of Sea" CD
http://cdbaby.com/cd/jenniferthomas
She's very interesting. Her music has more of a classical element to it than most.

Dmitry Krasnoukhov
"Drops of Rainbow" CD
http://cdbaby.com/cd/dmitryk

Linda Kerby
"Little Miracles" CD
http://cdbaby.com/cd/kerby

Jeanne W

The top artists, George Winston, Jim Brickman, Yanni tend to lead the way in quality. David Arkenstone and 2002, both groups multiinstrumentalists, are also excellent. They tend to be the artists that others try to copy.

Also try Jon Schmidt out of Utah. He has a pop influence but mostly new age. I am a piano artist but am still developing and hopefully will one day be able to reach the quality of these other names.

Another new name is Dax Johnson. I heard about him from David Nevue, who talks on his website about Dax Johnson being HIS favorite pianist, so I figured he had to be good! And he is. Sadly, he died a few years ago. That makes it hard to find his CDs (I got mine from the Dax Johnson website that is being maintained by his friends). But his music is complex, sort of along the lines of Winston or Jon Schmidt. It's the kind of music I wouldn't be able to play for years. But I like to listen to it.

Hi,

Sorry to dig up this thread from long ago, but it seemed more appropriate than starting a new one for my short message.

There is a car programme here in the UK (and also US now?) called Top Gear. They do reviews of cars, but also entertainment aspects as well. In the past few years they have used minimalist music by Einaudi and Craig Armstrong quite alot during the features (in fact, Einaudi can be heard in the following vid at one point).

Anyways...
was watching the programme at the weekend, and loved the short section of piano music playing in the background at 5min 50s mark or so in this clip. It's lovely! (if you can hear it above the tyre-screeching etc)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8X-TILdRRg

Okay,

It took around 5 minutes of research. I found a site which listed the music on the programme. The piece is by Eluvium* and the track is called Perfect Neglect in a Field of Statues.

http://green.groups.vox.com/library/audio/6a00ccff84a969985d00fa969d092b0002.html

* I played a piece by Eluvium in a previous recital this year. I had no idea this was by the same group!

That *is* pretty, Euan... I have this sense I've heard the piece before, but I can't remember where or who... maybe on the Whisperings station.

Seeing as you've resurrected this thread, I'll add another name: Josh Winiberg, who I learned about on the Einaudi forum. His music comes the closest to Einaudi that I've ever found, so of course I love it. My favorite track of his is "Tidal" from his "Sunrise" album.

We cross-posted, Euan. While it's reassuring to learn that I wasn't imagining I had heard that piece before, it's irritating to discover that it's a piece I have in my Eluvium playlist on Rhapsody so I really shoulda been able to identify it... [gnashes teeth]

The piece is from the album 'An Accidental Memory in the Case of Death' - I remember you said it featured only piano music, rather than other albums by Eluvium which have electronic stuff. So you must have heard it online or something?

... oops, I posted that last message before I read your last response. Haha!

Can't leave Richard Clayderman and Keiko Matsui from the list. Keiko was mentioned with one of her CDs - bot she has much more, and everything is worth a look and listen. I literally love her music.


M.

I recommend Constance Demby - Novus Magnificat.
It is a grand and extremely beautiful new age/spacemusic/classical composition and basicly the only new age I ever cared about.

Vangelis I wouldn't classify new age, only some of his music is new age-ish.

Also, new age isn't the same as ambient. Ambient artists are for example Brian Eno, Steve Roach, Robert Rich. Of course classifications don't matter in the end, but you gotta seperate things somewhere.
For great piano ambient I recommend Brian Eno & Harold Budd - Ambient 2: The Plateaux of Mirror

The best piano tune by Vangelis is of course Memories of Green (from Blade Runner)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cg0cmhjdiLs