Our orchestral album Dream Gallery got a nice review from All Music that describes the album both briefly and well. There is also a new series of composer commentary videos on YouTube. The introduction gives an overview of the album. Dream Gallery is on the Delos Music label.
Nice day for press
This morning I was presented with two nice surprises. First, the Berklee College of Music Berklee Blogs did a really nice feature about me. Second, Dream Gallery made it to Amazon’s Hot New Releases list. Not a bad way to start the day!
I’m also beginning some work for another show with Stewart Copeland and D’Drum, this time at the Royal College of Music in London. What a great day!
Dream Gallery Physical Release
The physical release of Dream Gallery is today, and the album is still on sale for HALF PRICE through iTunes for the rest of this month. Buy it before the price doubles!
It’s 70 minutes of classical/rock full orchestra art songs, nothing like anything you have in your collection. Check it out on iTunes, Amazon, our label Delos, Arkiv Music, Classics Online, or a store near you.
Another nice album review by John J. Puccio is available on Classical Candor.
Dream Gallery Press
The Dream Gallery’s release was not long ago, and we’re already getting some very favorable press:
La Jolla Light – album & artist profile
Richmond Confidential – album & artist profile
Midwest Records – album review
Boing Boing – album review
The Dream Gallery release announced
I’m very pleased to announce the March 6 release by the Delos label of “The Dream Gallery: Seven California Portraits”, a massive song cycle for solo singers and full orchestra that depicts a group of archetypal Californians and the regions in which they live.
My first major label release, I co-produced the album and co-orchestrated the music with composer Mark Abel. I also played the piano throughout and we did some of the smaller recording sessions in my Torrance studio. Sharon Lavery, one of the Los Angeles area’s leading conductors, directed an ensemble of distinguished Hollywood session players.
The product of an intense year-and-a-half of composing and recording, Dream Gallery exposes both the state’s varied landscape and the fault lines of its characters’ internal worlds. Dispensing with postcard themes and stressing stark realism, the piece highlights these complexities through music that melds elements of classical, rock and jazz, and is performed by high caliber musicians from across California. Many thanks to Carol Rosenberger, the head of the Delos label, who has been extremely supportive!
Dream Gallery piano arrangements
Dream Gallery is the title of a modern classical album that I produced and orchestrated with composer Mark Abel. It is a song cycle for full orchestra and soloists and will be released soon by Delos, one of the most respected and well established classical labels. I am currently arranging the entire 70 minute work for solo piano, and these arrangements will be released as sheet music at the same time.
Show tonight with Roman & Alaina
I have been recording keyboards on a new album with Roman & Alaina. The pop duo and I are giving a pre-release concert at a Sukkot celebration. 7pm in Hollywood, all are welcome.
Dream Gallery orchestral sessions complete
Today was the last day of our orchestral sessions for Mark Abel’s Dream Gallery, a classical album project that will be released early next year. I am co-producing the project with Mark for Delos Music. I also orchestrated the music, played the piano on the album, and did the score preparation. The album is a long-form song cycle for many different singers and full orchestra. Working with Mark has been a wonderful and highly collaborative partnership.
Our brilliant conductor Sharon Lavery is a professor at USC, and our engineer Tim Jaquette is the head of the Citrus College Recording Arts program.
Recording for composer Aaron Stanley
Today was another session at my studio for composer and orchestrator Aaron Stanley. The session was winds, brass, some instrumental layers for his latest project. They are all great players if you need them.
Left to right: Alicia Mastromonaco (horn), Jon Bradley (trumpet), Rob Schaer (trumpet), Aaron Stanley (composer), David Diaz (clarinet), Sean Franz (sax and oboe), Steve Hughes (trombones), and Will Vargas (saxes and flute)