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About the Artist:
The diversity of genres present in Raymond Egan's music reflects the wide range
of musical genres he has been involved with as a performer. The presence of
these various musics is not intended to create more music in these categories,
but rather as a jumping off place from which to create some hopefully yet
unnamed category - categoryless music! In the classical music context, he has
been active as both a conductor and organist, and as a pianist he has
accompanied artists including Zubin Mehta, Steve Gadd, and Joseph Flummerfelt.
In the jazz area, he has worked, as a pianist, with artists including Lisa Rich,
Terry Plumeri, and Joel DiBartolo. In the field of African American Gospel
music, he has performed as a keyboard player with the Johnson/Montgomery Singers
and with the Choir, Praise Teams, and Rhythm Section of Agape Christian
Fellowship Church, Los Angeles, California. He has pursued an interest in World
Music as a leader of his own groups, and with field study in northeastern Brasil
and Barcelona, Spain, and has a doctorate in music from the University of
Southern California Thornton School of Music. He has led many ensembles in
performances of his own music, most happily with the stellar group of artists
featured on his CD Ancient Partners (listed below).
Raymond Egan is available for commissioned work. To contact him, send a
note to
EganRaymondB@aol.com
About the CD, "Ancient Partners," (notes by the composer):
The CD, "Ancient Partners," is an exploration of musical possibilities inherent
in the small chorus. The CD consists of nine original compositions and one
original arrangement. In six of the pieces, the chorus is paired with a funk
rhythm section. Of the other four, two are a cappella settings, and two are with
piano.
The music calls on each of the singers in the chorus to sing in a variety of
musical styles. Everyone must sing all of the styles. The texts of the music are
about Life, Nature, Spirit, and the Environment.
Five of these pieces were commissions: four by Dr. William Belan of California
State University, Los
Angeles, California, and one by Dr. John French of The Church of the Holy
Trinity, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Of the rest, the two Epiphany pieces were
part of a Mass for Epiphany first performed with Tony Levin, Steve Gadd, and
Michael Holmes in Washington, D. C. Two others, "St. John's Day Psalm" and "i
thank You God," were written for choirs of mine. The arrangement of Englishman
Andy Barnes' "The Last Leviathan" I originally wrote for vocal quartet.
The CD, "Ancient Partners," features the following performers:
singers Samela Aird Beasom, Susan Judy, Nell Walker, Kay Nickerson Bowen,
Christen Herman, Katy Stephan, Donald Brinegar, Randy Crenshaw, David Larsen,
Richard Berent, Eric Bradley, and Michael Geiger.
Playing electric and acoustic basses is Dean Taba, playing drums is Bob
Leatherbarrow. The percussion is played by Roberto Fernandez, and Paula
Hochhalter is the cellist. The keyboards are played by Raymond Egan, with Twyla
Meyer playing piano on two pieces. The CD is co-produced by
Rich Smith and Raymond Egan, recorded by Paul
Tavenner, at Big City Recording,
Granada Hills, California,
in February of 2003, edited and mastered by Rich
Smith.
Hubble space photos for this page and for the
"Ancient Partners" CD courtesy of NASA/JPL/Caltech
Concert photos taken by
Kieron
Lo and edited by Rich Smith
©2003 Raymond Egan / Rich Smith
This page designed by Rich at RichSmith.com |
