Re-Orient release first album in 5 years.
Re-Orient release their new album Undiscovered Time on the ARC label. Featuring their usual host of exotic instruments and guest musicians French sax player Eric Junkes and long time associate Andy Platt on bass, Undiscovered Time is one of the greatest releases. While in the studio they realised that they were celebrating their 20th anniversary together as a band.

Chris says - "I'm really pleased with how this came out - I think it's one of our best albums. I think we've captured what we do best in the past and we've moved things on too with subtle hints of electronic and ambient music amongst the Indo-jazz.

For more info and soundclips check out the Re-Orient Undiscovered Time CD page

We are excited to tell you that the song "Queen of the May - The Congress" from the album "Celtic Fire" was nominate for a Celtic Radio Music Award in 2011.
Would you vote for us? You'll have to register and sign-up for a Celtic Radio member account to vote.

To place a vote, please visit the following link:
http://www.celticradio.net/php/celtic_radio_awards.php?year=2011
Online Awards to be announced on St. Patrick's Day!
THANK YOU!!

In January I...
1. ... had to replace the studio computer and refit it with new software - big job and expensive! Luckily it happened between albums and not in the middle of a big project. All done now - just have to get used to new software.

2. ...started recording new Govannen album - wrote new piece and recorded it and Dan Britton recorded some bodhran and percussion on it.
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3. ...did some mastering for singer-songwriter Kevin Hewick for his new album - I also added electric piano on one song.

Ambient electronic duo Memory Wire release their 3rd CD for the Zorpin label.
Entitled Plus One, the album features a different gest musician on each track. All but one of the tracks were recorded live at Quadelectrectronic events.

Guests include synthesizer players Alan Freeman (Endgame), bowed CD soundscaper Steve Freeman (Endgame), James Lynch (Kafka Wilde from Bridge) and Zaheer Gulamhusein, vocalists Victoria Bourne (Harper Bourne) & Ola Szmidt (Muted Fnord), cellist Dave Dhonau (Muted Fnord), hurdygurdy player Dave Powell (Triax), and sax player Robin Lister.

Their previous album Pattern Recognition had several tracks with a minimal music feel, influenced by the likes of Terry Riley. On Plus One, the focus is on on drifting ambient cosmic soundscapes.

Read more on the Plus One CD page

download - name your own price (no minimum)
Listen to the whole album -
Plus One by Memory Wire

Celtic Dreamer received areveiw from a Russian reviewer Ascentor. Here it is - apologies for Google translation from the Russian....

Celtic music is the incarnation of the two - on the one hand, it's pretty fiery and joyful songs, sparkling energy of the people, who can be subjected to a variety of tests, but can not break ever. On the other hand - it's deeper integration into the mythical world, tracking the deep and often hidden links between the simple eyes of history, legend and reality. Ties that are difficult to express in words, but that people have always felt and tried to describe when a dreamy melody of Irish flute, and when quiet soothing whisper, uttered the matter over the cradle in the hope that her child when she grows up, breaks the bond of time and generations.

I think not much mistaken, if we assume that such a mission took over and Chris Conway, when, together with a group of like-minded people working on this album «Celtic Dreamer». He chose the topic of sleep, because in this condition, man is left alone with his subconscious and his memory, extracting from the images and visions, moreover, the dreamer better assimilate the incoming information. And, last but not least, modern society has created many problems and disorders that are not spared, and sleep. So, the problem is very easy to decide if the trust in a gentle flow of sounds and just close your eyes, when the musicians start to the fabric an elegant design, in which their whining thread weaves Irish flute, harp, zither, guitar, piano and other traditional instruments, wrapped in a warm blanket atmospheric and mysterious electronic ambient.

Conway has long established himself as a brilliant melodist, arranger and composer who knows how to create a soulful, harmonious works, every note of which causes vibrations in the soul of the listener, making the experience a whole range of positive emotions, from total relaxation to experience thrilling and romantic longing in my chest - and this disc was no exception to the rule. Also, while your eyes are closed, and even breathing will bring out all the negative energy of the body, the musicians will tell you a story about an ancient princess, the swan, her lover, his search through the veil of time and dreams. Each track of the album - this chapter of history, and you can live with its heroes, plunging ever deeper into a fairy tale, following the inviting voices of the elves and fairies, atmospheric themes, subtle vibrations of the strings and mesmerizing whisper of wind instruments, wandering echoes in misty shroud of ancient forests and stony slopes. Beautiful drive.

Ascentor

A band from Georgia, USA called Play It With Moxie led by talented pianist/chanteuse/songwriter Dr Mary Crowell launch a live CD which features a cover of my Alien Jellyfish Song. They are the band that play at the banquet at Gafilk filk convention and it features many old chums - many will know Jodi Krangle who has sung on several of my albums. It's a great album and captures the fun of this 9 piece band live.
Hear clips from the album here
See a vid of Play It With Moxie playing The Alien Jellyfish Song here

Gigs (last year in brackets)
total - 142 (128)
Celtic 57 (46)
Jazz - 37 (35)
Songs - 32 (29)
Electronic 16 (18)


Albums Released - 6
Chris Conway - Celtic Dreamer - Paradise Music PCMCD0225
Chris Conway - Adagios Electric - Zorpin Music ZZCD009
Chris Conway - Time Traveller - Oblong Music OBL CD070
Chris Conway - Vampire Dreams - Zorpin Music ZZCD008
Memory Wire - Pattern Reconition - Zorpin Music ZZCD007
Bridge - Sun Ship- Zorpin Music ZZCD006 - 2011

albums as guest
Steve Cartwright - Welcome To Insanity

compilations
ARC Music 35th Anniversary 1976-2011 sampler - ARC Music

Video- nice one from Q40 for theremin vocals & effects + soprano saxophone & effects

- see over 100 past Quadelectronic videos I played in here
Join the Quadelectric Facebook Group to keep informed on Quadelectronic events.
See the Quadelectronic webpage

Quadelectronic 44 - Tue Jan 24th
at 8.30pm the sumptuous Quad Studios, Leicester. - it's not easy to find but here's a map - it's free to get in (and out!) - bring your own alcohol.

Discovering a treasure trove of old lyrics triggered Conway into revisiting the material and updating the ideas for this CD. Recording a few new songs among the revamped discoveries has created a gratifying and timeless set that also showcases singers Dan Britton and Linda Shanovitch, violinist Adele McMahon and the cajon drum of Neil Rabjohn.
Conway brings a multitude of instruments to the party; guitars, keys, whistles, theremin, kalimba, bodhran and percussion.
Touches of elegant harmony, delectable arpeggios and traces of Celtic jigs also appear to make a satisfying whole. Recommended.
Musician Magazine

Celtic Dreamer, is now out! It's my first new age album with my name on the cover for 2 years (Chris Conway & Llewellyn's Celtic Reiki) and the first new age album with only my name on the cover for 6 years (River of Life).

Following the Irish myth of Caer Ibormeith - the princess who becomes a swan every alternate year, how she haunts Aengus' dreams and his search for her.

It is a very mellow Celtic ambient album and designed to aid sleep

Read all about Celtic Dreamer and hear soundclips here

christo trivia

Charles Harness
Bruce Sterling
Clifford Simak
Frederik Pohl
William Gibson