(All profits go to American Red Cross disaster relief through 10/25/05)
Torchy, funky songs, from lush to bare bones! Haunting melodies and rich harmonies with shades of jazz, classical, rock, pop, funk and rhythm-and-blues. Lyrics range from the state of the heart to the state of the world, with a sense of irony, poetry, spirituality and storytelling.
Featuring singer Wendy Boulding, with intimate and stirring performances by various lead & backing singers backed by keyboards, saxophones, guitars, harmonica, bass & percussion.
(Playing time: 1 hr. 3 min.)
"Inspired by my own experience near Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, I wrote KEEP WALKING for New York Artists Unite to Support World Trade Center Disaster Relief. It was performed there with Wendy Boulding the week of its completion, and later at Marianne Williamson's opening rally for the Department of Peace Campaign in New York City." - A.L.
For additional audio samples and graphics from this CD, visit:
www.differentdrummusic.com/liveontape.htm
(or via 'Adam Levin website' link on this CD Baby webpage)
CRITIQUES:
"Truly enjoyable... serious musical talent... music has the same haunting intrigue [as] Todd Rundgren's..." - Alan Schlein, Journalist, Billboard Magazine, Rolling Stone Magazine
"Wendy Boulding has a superb voice..." - Henry Roa, Producer, Who's in the Crib, MNN Television
"Phenomenal... amazing piano... the songs are killer... commercially strong as rock musical theatre... fabulous, connected singing, tight accompaniment and natural sound... I'm absolutely blown away." - Bob Cusack, Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist
"...one of the very best songwriters on the planet. One reason for that is his musical taste is impeccable, and it shows in his songs!" - Dennis Pettas, Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist
"...a cohesive, consistent album with no clinkers. Every song is excellent. It's really like hearing one whole concert." - Marcus Lazarium, Air Musicologist
"...a musical waiting to happen..." - Anne Ptasznik, Writer
CREDITS:
Performed and co-arranged by Mark Abrahams (lead vocal/guitar), Eva Atsalis (percussion), Wendy Boulding (lead & backing vocals), Valerie Gomes (vocals/percussion), Marc Landesberg (bass guitar), Adam Levin (lead & backing vocals/keyboards/percussion), Ellen Weiss (vocals/harmonica) and Steve Wirts (saxophone).
Songs written by Adam Levin, with collaborative material by Wendy Boulding, Elena Rye Pellicciaro, Anne Ptasznik and Peter Stoller.
Produced and arranged by Adam Levin, and engineered and mastered by Jay Mark.
For additional liner notes, visit: www.differentdrummusic.com/liveontape.htm
(or via 'Adam Levin website' link on this CD Baby webpage)
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Can accessible music be intelligent? And intelligent music passionate? Adam Levin tries to answer those questions with his music. Music that classical musicians have called jazz. And jazz musicians have called rock. And rock musicians? They've called it classical. With some pop, soul and funk sneaked in.
In fact, one could call Adam's work the "liberal arts" of music. One discipline is not enough. But that's predictable coming from a background of classical piano training, pop music listening, and European ("progressive") art rock, or jazz- and classical-rock fusion, and the "psychedelic" movement that ushered it in.
Adam has written well over a hundred songs and instrumental pieces, with an array of instrumentation. They run the gamut from pop to contemporary classical, sometimes combining contrasting elements. His lyrics range from the state of the heart to the state of the world, with a sense of irony, poetry, spirituality, storytelling and humor.
He has composed, written lyrics, arranged, produced, played keyboards and/or sung for numerous musical, performance and recording artists, and theatre. His songs have been accepted by major music publishing, performed at hundreds of events in North America and Europe, been featured on radio and television, and received critical acclaim.
He continues to record and perform in the New York tri-state area, including as a writer, arranger, keyboardist and vocalist for Wendy Boulding. He has written individually as well as with Wendy Boulding, David Brooks, Joe Lobell, Elena Rye Pellicciaro, Anne Ptasznik, Kathryn Sanders and Peter Stoller, nearly all of whom he has performed with.
He studied music composition, piano and musical theatre at Interlochen Center for the Arts/University of Michigan School of Music, Indiana University School of Music, and Berklee College of Music. Fortunately, he succeeded in not allowing any of it to interfere with his musical education. Despite his maverick nature, he has even received the occasional award. Even when they didn't know how to categorize his music.
You'll have to decide that for yourself.
Check out the artist's website:
http://www.differentdrummusic.comTrack List:
1. All Caught Up in Nothing
2. Let It Go
3. Walking on Thin Ice
4. Say It
5. Ivory Tower
6. Every Time I Hear Your Voice
7. Everything She Needs
8. Do You Feel It?
9. Feeling What I Feel
10. Too Far
11. Emily (Extended ballad of Emily Dickinson)
12. Keep Walking (Ode to 9/11)
13. Something in the Way
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