Mannheim Steamroller-Fresh Aire III-1979

Исполнитель: Mannheim Steamroller
Альбом: Fresh Aire III
Жанр: Progressive rock, Symphonic prog, neo-classical electronic
Страна: USA [American Gramaphone Records AGCD 365]
Формат: APE (image + .cue)
Битрейт аудио: lossless
Размер: 160 [5% восстановление]
Дополнительно: Full scans

The alias of composer Chip Davis, Mannheim Steamroller was among the pioneers of neo-classical electronic music, emerging as one of the driving forces behind the New Age phenomenon. Born in Sylvania, Ohio, Davis' father was a high school music teacher, while his mother was a trombonist with Phil Spitalny's All Girl Orchestra. His grandmother was his first music teacher, giving the child his initial piano lessons at the age of four; two years later, Davis composed his first piece, a four-part chorale written in honor of his dog. He later joined a boys' choir as well, and while attending the University of Michigan played bassoon in the school's concert band. Upon graduating in 1969, Davis was tapped to tour with the Norman Luboff Choir; after five years with the group, performing everything from pop to classical, he returned to Sylvania to teach music at the local junior high school, often adapting classical standards to contemporary harmonies and rhythms for student consumption.

Davis later left teaching, arranging and conducting an Omaha, Nebraska production of Hair before accepting a job writing advertising jingles. With co-worker Bill Fries, he created the enormously popular C.W. McCall character, later the figure behind the chart-topping hit "Convoy; " as the McCall craze went into high gear, however, Davis returned to the classical adaptations he'd first composed while a teacher, and soon entered the studio to begin recording what he dubbed "18th century classical rock" -- classical music performed on electric bass and synthesizers. He titled the resulting album Fresh Aire, and when no label would touch it, he founded his own company, American Gramaphone, in 1974, creating a fictitious band named Mannheim Steamroller to better promote the project. Davis initially marketed Fresh Aire to stereo showrooms, where his state-of-the-art sound proved ideal for demonstrating home stereo equipment; the LP became a smash hit among audiophiles, and a series of popular Fresh Aire sequels followed in the years to come.
Allmusic.

Track List:
Toccata 4:36
Small Wooden Bach'ses 2:42
Amber 2:47
Mere Image 6:50
Morning 2:52
Interlude 6 3:13
The Cricket 2:23
The Sky 5:04
Midnight On A Full Moon 3:14

Line Up:
Eric Hansen - bass
Jackson Berkey - keyboards
Chip Davis - drums & other devices
Ron Cooley - guitars