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MP3 Paul Avgerinos - Sky of Grace
10 MP3 Songs
NEW AGE: New Age, NEW AGE: Ambient
Details:
Sky of Grace was chosen as "The Best Recording of 1998" by Hannah Shapero of Wind & Wire Magazine.
Sky of Grace was voted the 4th best album in 1998 by the Backroads Music staff.
Hannah M.G. Shapero writes: This new music drifts higher into a universe of ethereal sound-clouds, rather than the sunlit Mediterranean of the earlier album. Even when Sky of Grace has rhythm and percussion, it remains all contemplative, filled with a mood of mystical reverie. Avgerinos shows his competence as a composer and arranger on this album. He is a master of sound textures, especially with strings. He has some of the best people in the field playing for him : David Darling on cello and Brian Keane on guitars. Avgerinos himself plays both the bowed string bass and the electric fretless bass; his playing of these unforgiving instruments is so expressive that it sounds almost like a singing voice. Avgerinos'' jazz harmonies, slowed down to an ambient pace, are very much his own - his style is easily recognizable. He also uses a sighing, crooning "choir" of electronically multiplied voices, who sing in better tune than any real human choir - a chorus of cyber-angels perhaps. These guide us through many tracks filled with sensuous languor and mystical yearning, such as the opening "Angel Breath" or "Graceful", later in the album. On other tracks such as "The Calling" or "Dance of Life", slow percussion and distant-reverbed guitar notes add a slightly harder quality. Track 8, "My Father''s Prayer", is an imaginative interpretation of the sound and mood of Byzantine chant (Avgerinos is of Greek descent, thus his father would probably have prayed Eastern Orthodox prayers) in which the cyber-chorus keeps on low, repeated chant notes without singing identifiable Greek words or Byzantine melodies. It''s a moving , serious piece, coming in the midst of an album which can honestly be called "New Age". This album is a joy to listen to - hearing it brings a sense of release from cares and comfort for the weary soul. It does not try to push some "message" of facile "world consciousness" or "personal growth" on the listener. It gently weaves along with it''s mood of cosmic warmth and a very welcome sense of wonder, twined together with crystal sound-sparkles and strands of singing strings.
When Paul Avgerinos graduated from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in 1980, as a
full scholarship honors student, he had already performed as a bassist with Isaac Stern,
Jean Pierre Rampal, The Beaux Arts Trio, Baryshnikov and many other great classical
artists. He also has won scholarships to play and study at music festivals in Tanglewood,
Aspen, Grand Teton, Taos, and Spoleto (Italy). After graduation, Paul served as principal
bass of several major symphony orchestras around the world, and gave solo recitals as
well.
Expanding into more popular genres, Avgerinos toured as a bassist with Charles
Aznavour, Liza Minelli, and the jazz legend Buddy Rich. Seeking to further his original
composition and develop his childhood passion for electronic music, Paul built Studio
Unicorn, a comprehensive digital/analog recording studio, in 1984. Eight solo CDs in the
new age genre followed, including Muse of the Round Sky which was nominated for a
Grammy. Paul''s music is played on more than 2,000 radio stations around the world ;
Sirius & DX Satellite Radio , Music Choice Cable and syndicated shows such as Music
from the Hearts of Space and John Diliberto''s Echoes. Two thirtyminute features with
the latter are added to his credits along with his many other radio interviews. He has
appeared on five sampler CDs and as a guest artist on albums by Joanie Madden, Faruk
Tekbilek, Joaquin Lievano, Brian Keane and others. Paul records and produces many
popular albums as well and has worked with artists as diverse as "Run DMC," "Richie
Havens," and "Jewel." Avgerinos always makes time for scoring and has worked on over
fifty film, TV, and cable projects for HBO, PBS, and Lifetime, among others. Paul just
received his second Grammy Nomination for his work on Peter Kater''s Red Moon
album , And has become a voting member of the Grammy Recording Academy .
Keeping busy creating original music for a variety of interesting and rewarding projects is
a way of life.
Currently, he lives and works in his Studio Unicorn in Redding, Connecticut, where the
deer pass by his studio windows and the hawks and eagles give inspiration from above.
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