Aomusic
Encyclopedia
AOMUSIC, is a pan-cultural world
/new age
musical group
, known for an exotic blend of ethnic texture, rhythmic energy and ambient harmony. Their compositions employ melodic refrains, sung by Miriam Stockley
(the voice of Karl Jenkins
' Adiemus
project), and children’s choral ensembles from around the globe. Song lyrics are typically sung in a mixture of ancient languages or made-up phonetics
, so as not to pay allegiance to a particular ethnicity; thereby lending to a more universal
impression. Each song is composed, produced and performed by three well established recording artists; founder Richard Gannaway
, Jay Oliver
and Miriam Stockley
. Since the The group self-produces albums on their own indie label AO Music/Arcturian Gate
(established in 1996). Gannaway
and Oliver
produce the sound using a blend of live acoustic instruments and digital samples that cover a broad range of world indigeny
mixed with contemporary elements.
(stringed instruments, vocals
) and Jay Oliver
(synths, samples, keyboards) were born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri
. They met in 1988 and moved to the Los Angeles
area in 1989. They began working on the Aomusic project in 1996. Gannaway
started his career as a touring folk musician then toured Western Europe
and Canada
as leader of the rock group Tiger & the Helix
before founding the vision of Aomusic. Oliver
began at the age of sixteen as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson
’s band. His later credits include: Sheryl Crow
, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett
, Wynona Judd, Glenn Frey
, Peabo Bryson
, Chick Corea
and Dave Weckl
.
In the Fall of 1996 Gannaway
approached Oliver
to co-produce a world music
sound that was more universal and inclusive than what was known at the time, involving an international choir of children. Gannaway
had a fresh collection of song compositions that were originally written for the second Tiger & the Helix
rock album. Oliver
liked the idea, so they began to reconstruct the songs in a world
format using indigenous textures from his ethnic instrument sample library. These sessions culminated in the first Aomusic album "Grow Wild
", released in 2000 on Arcturian Gate
and promoted on NPR
radio across North America
.
In 2001 Gannaway
and Oliver
moved to Carlsbad, California
to begin production of their second Aomusic album "Twirl
". During that year the group traveled to Indonesia
, where they studied the Gamelan
music tradition. They were also invited to China
by CRC
(the China Record Corporation
) and introduced to the Beijing Olympic Committee, who asked the group to compose theme music for the 2008 Summer Games. That same year they enlisted Miriam Stockley
to sing the chorus of "On Jai Ya
" along with Beijing
's renowned CRC Children's Choir
, which is how Stockley
became involved with Aomusic. Gannaway
and Oliver
were impressed with her work on Karl Jenkins
' "Adiemus
" album "Songs of Sanctuary" while she was still living in the UK. Stockley
has also worked with Tina Turner
, Chaka Khan
, George Michael
, Freddie Mercury
, Deniece Williams
, Mike Oldfield
, Brian May
and David Arkenstone
. She is heard in several feature film
soundtrack
s, including "The Lord of the Rings
".
In 2004 they were invited to Mumbai
to work with Bollywood
film score composer Sandeep Chowta
, who brought a wealth of musical resources to the group from that region. Chowta
also joined Aomusic as a contributing producer. Their trips throughout Asia
over the course of four years brought a new depth of influence to the group's sound, and in late 2004 they performed the first live Aomusic concert at the Habba Festival in Bangalore
, India
. In 2006 Miriam Stockley
officially joined Aomusic and began co-composing with Gannaway
and Oliver
.
Ultimately, the Aomusic song ("On Jai Ya
") was not selected as the 2008 Olympic theme piece and is now heard as soundtrack
music for the 2011 promotional trailer Project Peace on Earth
. The song was released in 2009 to an international audience on the group's second album "Twirl
", which was well received by a broader fan base with Stockley
as a core member of the group.
In June of 2009 Gannaway
, Oliver
and Stockley
composed and produced the song "Gaiya Lo Mane" as theme music for the Give Kids the World
Foundation.
On Feb. 15, 2011 Aomusic released their third album "...and Love Rages on!
", via indie label, AO Music/Arcturian Gate
. The album features children's choral ensembles from Beijing
, Tbilisi
, Johannesburg
, Asheville and Orlando
.
With the release of "...and Love Rages on!
", Aomusic aligned with one of the many charities under the FirstGiving / GlobalGiving
umbrellas. The FirstGiving / Aomusic alliance is specifically organized to build sustainable villages for the children of Haiti
, who were displaced by an earthquake
in 2010, and represents the first association of its kind for Aomusic's non-profit affiliate AO Foundation International.
Regular Contributing Artists:
Choral Ensembles:
Guest Artists:
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
/new age
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
musical group
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, known for an exotic blend of ethnic texture, rhythmic energy and ambient harmony. Their compositions employ melodic refrains, sung by Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
(the voice of Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
' Adiemus
Adiemus
-Concept:Each Adiemus album is a collection of song-length pieces featuring harmonised vocal melody against an orchestral background. There are no lyrics as such: instead the vocalists sing syllables and 'words' invented by Jenkins...
project), and children’s choral ensembles from around the globe. Song lyrics are typically sung in a mixture of ancient languages or made-up phonetics
Phonetics
Phonetics is a branch of linguistics that comprises the study of the sounds of human speech, or—in the case of sign languages—the equivalent aspects of sign. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds or signs : their physiological production, acoustic properties, auditory...
, so as not to pay allegiance to a particular ethnicity; thereby lending to a more universal
Universal (metaphysics)
In metaphysics, a universal is what particular things have in common, namely characteristics or qualities. In other words, universals are repeatable or recurrent entities that can be instantiated or exemplified by many particular things. For example, suppose there are two chairs in a room, each of...
impression. Each song is composed, produced and performed by three well established recording artists; founder Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
, Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
and Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
. Since the The group self-produces albums on their own indie label AO Music/Arcturian Gate
Arcturian Gate
Arcturian Gate is a record label founded in 1994 by AOMUSIC's Richard Gannaway under the LLC "AO Music". In addition to its function as an independent label, AO Music / Arcturian Gate is also the publishing entity for its artists...
(established in 1996). Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
and Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
produce the sound using a blend of live acoustic instruments and digital samples that cover a broad range of world indigeny
Indigenous music
Indigenous music is a term for the traditional music of the indigenous peoples of the world, that is, the music of an "original" ethnic group that inhabits any geographic region alongside more recent immigrants who may be greater in number...
mixed with contemporary elements.
Formation
Richard GannawayRichard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
(stringed instruments, vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) and Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
(synths, samples, keyboards) were born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri
Mo
-Abbreviations and codes:* Altria Group, formerly Philip Morris, New York Stock Exchange symbol 'MO'* Calm Air * Macau, in the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code* MO, the code for Mayo, Ireland...
. They met in 1988 and moved to the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area in 1989. They began working on the Aomusic project in 1996. Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
started his career as a touring folk musician then toured Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
as leader of the rock group Tiger & the Helix
Tiger & the Helix
Tiger & the Helix was a Los Angeles based rock group that formed in the early nineties, fronted by Richard Gannaway, who later founded the acclaimed world music project Aomusic. The group also featured keyboardist, Jay Oliver, whose other credits include Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett,...
before founding the vision of Aomusic. Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
began at the age of sixteen as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson
Maynard Ferguson was a Canadian jazz musician and bandleader. He came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton's orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957...
’s band. His later credits include: Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
, Wynona Judd, Glenn Frey
Glenn Frey
Glenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
, Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson
Peabo Bryson is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, born in Greenville, South Carolina...
, Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
and Dave Weckl
Dave Weckl
Dave Weckl is a highly acclaimed jazz fusion drummer. Weckl attended Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, MO and graduated in 1978. He majored in jazz studies at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut...
.
In the Fall of 1996 Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
approached Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
to co-produce a world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
sound that was more universal and inclusive than what was known at the time, involving an international choir of children. Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
had a fresh collection of song compositions that were originally written for the second Tiger & the Helix
Tiger & the Helix
Tiger & the Helix was a Los Angeles based rock group that formed in the early nineties, fronted by Richard Gannaway, who later founded the acclaimed world music project Aomusic. The group also featured keyboardist, Jay Oliver, whose other credits include Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Jimmy Buffett,...
rock album. Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
liked the idea, so they began to reconstruct the songs in a world
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
format using indigenous textures from his ethnic instrument sample library. These sessions culminated in the first Aomusic album "Grow Wild
Grow Wild
Grow Wild is the debut album from Aomusic, released March 21, 2000, through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "AO" - 1:29# "Chameleon Makebelieve" - 5:22# "Haumea" - 5:35# "Grow Wild" - 2:12# "Helios" - 3:44# "Little Dove's Reel" - :17...
", released in 2000 on Arcturian Gate
Arcturian Gate
Arcturian Gate is a record label founded in 1994 by AOMUSIC's Richard Gannaway under the LLC "AO Music". In addition to its function as an independent label, AO Music / Arcturian Gate is also the publishing entity for its artists...
and promoted on NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
radio across North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
In 2001 Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
and Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
moved to Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Carlsbad had a population of 105,328. The population density was 2,693.1 people per square mile . The racial makeup of Carlsbad was 87,205 White, 1,379 African American, 514 Native American, 7,460 Asian, 198 Pacific Islander, 4,189 from other...
to begin production of their second Aomusic album "Twirl
Twirl (world music album)
Twirl is the second studio album from Aomusic, released Feb 17, 2009 through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "On Jai Ya" - 6:32# "Tayeh Kayoh" - 4:26# "Drops & Sparks" - 5:52# "Obayo" - 6:30# "Yei Ha" - 5:41# "Na Ha Ye" - 6:17...
". During that year the group traveled to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, where they studied the Gamelan
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
music tradition. They were also invited to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
by CRC
China Record Corporation
China Record Corporation is the Chinese government's oldest and largest record company. CRC's catalog of traditional Chinese ethnic, classical and folk music features over 60,000 releases spanning some 5,000 years of Chinese musical history, and includes the world-renowned Peking operas and a...
(the China Record Corporation
China Record Corporation
China Record Corporation is the Chinese government's oldest and largest record company. CRC's catalog of traditional Chinese ethnic, classical and folk music features over 60,000 releases spanning some 5,000 years of Chinese musical history, and includes the world-renowned Peking operas and a...
) and introduced to the Beijing Olympic Committee, who asked the group to compose theme music for the 2008 Summer Games. That same year they enlisted Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
to sing the chorus of "On Jai Ya
On Jai Ya
"On Jai Ya" is a World music composition by Richard Gannaway, Jay Oliver and Miriam Stockley that appeared on the Aomusic album Twirl in 2009, featuring the CRC Children's Choir from Beijing. The piece was originally written as Olympic theme music at the request of the Beijing Olympic Committee for...
" along with Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
's renowned CRC Children's Choir
China Record Corporation
China Record Corporation is the Chinese government's oldest and largest record company. CRC's catalog of traditional Chinese ethnic, classical and folk music features over 60,000 releases spanning some 5,000 years of Chinese musical history, and includes the world-renowned Peking operas and a...
, which is how Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
became involved with Aomusic. Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
and Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
were impressed with her work on Karl Jenkins
Karl Jenkins
-Other works:*Adiemus: Live — live versions of Adiemus music*Palladio *Eloise *Imagined Oceans *The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace...
' "Adiemus
Adiemus
-Concept:Each Adiemus album is a collection of song-length pieces featuring harmonised vocal melody against an orchestral background. There are no lyrics as such: instead the vocalists sing syllables and 'words' invented by Jenkins...
" album "Songs of Sanctuary" while she was still living in the UK. Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
has also worked with Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
, Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan
Chaka Khan , frequently known as the Queen of Funk, is a 10-time Grammy Award winning American singer-songwriter who gained fame in the 1970s as the frontwoman and focal point of the funk band Rufus. While still a member of the group in 1978, Khan embarked on a successful solo career...
, George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was a British musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his flamboyant stage persona and powerful vocals over a four-octave range...
, Deniece Williams
Deniece Williams
June Deniece Chandler known by her stage name Deniece Williams is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s...
, Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
and David Arkenstone
David Arkenstone
David Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie...
. She is heard in several feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
s, including "The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings film trilogy
The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
".
In 2004 they were invited to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
to work with Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film score composer Sandeep Chowta
Sandeep Chowta
Sandeep Chowta is an Indian Bollywood and Tollywood music director and head of Columbia Records in India. He has also sung some of his songs.In 2003, he produced an anti substance abuse documentary, titled Dead End, that was entered into numerous film festivals and was government acclaimed...
, who brought a wealth of musical resources to the group from that region. Chowta
Sandeep Chowta
Sandeep Chowta is an Indian Bollywood and Tollywood music director and head of Columbia Records in India. He has also sung some of his songs.In 2003, he produced an anti substance abuse documentary, titled Dead End, that was entered into numerous film festivals and was government acclaimed...
also joined Aomusic as a contributing producer. Their trips throughout Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
over the course of four years brought a new depth of influence to the group's sound, and in late 2004 they performed the first live Aomusic concert at the Habba Festival in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 2006 Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
officially joined Aomusic and began co-composing with Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
and Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
.
Ultimately, the Aomusic song ("On Jai Ya
On Jai Ya
"On Jai Ya" is a World music composition by Richard Gannaway, Jay Oliver and Miriam Stockley that appeared on the Aomusic album Twirl in 2009, featuring the CRC Children's Choir from Beijing. The piece was originally written as Olympic theme music at the request of the Beijing Olympic Committee for...
") was not selected as the 2008 Olympic theme piece and is now heard as soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
music for the 2011 promotional trailer Project Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth
Peace on Earth may refer to:*Peace on Earth, a phrase meaning the concept of world peace*The Biblical phrase "Peace on Earth, good will to men" used in the Annunciation to the shepherds...
. The song was released in 2009 to an international audience on the group's second album "Twirl
Twirl (world music album)
Twirl is the second studio album from Aomusic, released Feb 17, 2009 through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "On Jai Ya" - 6:32# "Tayeh Kayoh" - 4:26# "Drops & Sparks" - 5:52# "Obayo" - 6:30# "Yei Ha" - 5:41# "Na Ha Ye" - 6:17...
", which was well received by a broader fan base with Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
as a core member of the group.
In June of 2009 Gannaway
Richard Gannaway
Richard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
, Oliver
Jay Oliver
Jay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
and Stockley
Miriam Stockley
Miriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
composed and produced the song "Gaiya Lo Mane" as theme music for the Give Kids the World
Give Kids The World
Give Kids The World Village is a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness by a licensed doctor are eligible for a GKTW Wish...
Foundation.
On Feb. 15, 2011 Aomusic released their third album "...and Love Rages on!
...and Love Rages on!
...and Love Rages On! is the third studio album from Aomusic, released Feb 15, 2011 through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "Gaiya Lo Mane" – 5:52# "In Lake'ch" – 5:58# "Shen Deni" – 5:14# "Ena Na Lena" – 6:44...
", via indie label, AO Music/Arcturian Gate
Arcturian Gate
Arcturian Gate is a record label founded in 1994 by AOMUSIC's Richard Gannaway under the LLC "AO Music". In addition to its function as an independent label, AO Music / Arcturian Gate is also the publishing entity for its artists...
. The album features children's choral ensembles from Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, Asheville and Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
.
With the release of "...and Love Rages on!
...and Love Rages on!
...and Love Rages On! is the third studio album from Aomusic, released Feb 15, 2011 through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "Gaiya Lo Mane" – 5:52# "In Lake'ch" – 5:58# "Shen Deni" – 5:14# "Ena Na Lena" – 6:44...
", Aomusic aligned with one of the many charities under the FirstGiving / GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving
GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that connects donors with grassroots projects in the developing world. Potential donors can browse and select from a wide offering of projects, organized by geography or by themes such as health care, the environment, and education...
umbrellas. The FirstGiving / Aomusic alliance is specifically organized to build sustainable villages for the children of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, who were displaced by an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
in 2010, and represents the first association of its kind for Aomusic's non-profit affiliate AO Foundation International.
Band members
- Richard GannawayRichard GannawayRichard Gannaway is a composer, producer, recording artist who founded the world/new age musical group Aomusic . The group features Miriam Stockley, the voice of Karl Jenkins' "Adiemus" project, whose recording credits include Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Freddie Mercury, Deniece...
(vocals, stringed instruments, production) - Jay OliverJay OliverJay Oliver is an American jazz musician , composer, record producer, programmer & engineer; residing in Los Angeles. He began his professional music career at the age of 19 as the youngest member of Maynard Ferguson’s band...
(keyboards, synths, samples, production) - Miriam StockleyMiriam StockleyMiriam Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music in her home country. Her unique vocalese style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins' launched the "Adiemus" project with "Songs of Sanctuary", featuring...
(vocaleseVocaleseVocalese is a style or genre of jazz singing wherein lyrics are written for melodies that were originally part of an all-instrumental composition or improvisation. Whereas scat singing uses improvised nonsense syllables, such as "bap ba dee dot bwee dee" in solos, vocalese uses lyrics, either...
)
Regular Contributing Artists:
- Andy Georges (stringed instruments)
- George Bernardo (drums and percussion)
- Doug Lunn (BassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
)
Choral Ensembles:
- CRC Children's Choir (BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Peoples Republic of China) - William Joseph International Academy for Performing Arts (BangaloreBangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
) - Martve Boy's Choir (TbilisiTbilisiTbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, People's Republic of Georgia)Georgia (country)Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of... - Bishop Bavin St. George's Children's Choir (JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
) - Chorus of Light (Orlando, FloridaOrlando, FloridaOrlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
) - Rainbow Mountain Children's School (Asheville, North CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
)
Guest Artists:
- Sonu KakkarSonu KakkarSonu Kakkar is an Indian playback singer, born as Niti Kakkar, in Rishikesh . At the age of five she started singing in jagrans .After some years her family shifted to New Delhi...
(MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)-vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Kimba Arem (BoulderBoulderIn geology, a boulder is a rock with grain size of usually no less than 256 mm diameter. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive....
, ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
)-didgeridooDidgeridooThe didgeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia around 1,500 years ago and still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe"... - Ashwin Srinivasar (MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
)-Indian bamboo fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... - Michael "Piper" Cooney (TipperaryTipperaryTipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
)-Irish pipes and whistlesTin whistleThe tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and... - Peter Mayer (Nashville, TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
)-acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - John Higgins (St. Louis, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
)-mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Susan Craig Winsberg (Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
)-steel fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening... - Miari Peterson (Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CACAThe term CA commonly means:* California, a U.S. state* Canada, a nation on the North American continent* Chartered Accountant* Compressed Air, such as "CA Piping"...
) - backing vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Claudia Cummings (Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, CACAThe term CA commonly means:* California, a U.S. state* Canada, a nation on the North American continent* Chartered Accountant* Compressed Air, such as "CA Piping"...
) - backing vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Katy Hill (St. Louis, MOMo-Abbreviations and codes:* Altria Group, formerly Philip Morris, New York Stock Exchange symbol 'MO'* Calm Air * Macau, in the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code* MO, the code for Mayo, Ireland...
) - backing vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Cayla Clark (St. Louis, MOMo-Abbreviations and codes:* Altria Group, formerly Philip Morris, New York Stock Exchange symbol 'MO'* Calm Air * Macau, in the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code* MO, the code for Mayo, Ireland...
) - spoken wordSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events.... - Mary Jo Clark (St. Louis, MOMo-Abbreviations and codes:* Altria Group, formerly Philip Morris, New York Stock Exchange symbol 'MO'* Calm Air * Macau, in the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code* MO, the code for Mayo, Ireland...
) - Irish dance hard-shoe taps/choreographyIrish danceIrish dancing or Irish dance is a group of traditional dance forms originating in Ireland which can broadly be divided into social dance and performance dances. Irish social dances can be divided further into céilí and set dancing...
Discography
- Grow WildGrow WildGrow Wild is the debut album from Aomusic, released March 21, 2000, through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "AO" - 1:29# "Chameleon Makebelieve" - 5:22# "Haumea" - 5:35# "Grow Wild" - 2:12# "Helios" - 3:44# "Little Dove's Reel" - :17...
(2000) - TwirlTwirl (world music album)Twirl is the second studio album from Aomusic, released Feb 17, 2009 through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "On Jai Ya" - 6:32# "Tayeh Kayoh" - 4:26# "Drops & Sparks" - 5:52# "Obayo" - 6:30# "Yei Ha" - 5:41# "Na Ha Ye" - 6:17...
(2009) - ...and Love Rages on!...and Love Rages on!...and Love Rages On! is the third studio album from Aomusic, released Feb 15, 2011 through AO Music / Arcturian Gate.-Track listing:# "Gaiya Lo Mane" – 5:52# "In Lake'ch" – 5:58# "Shen Deni" – 5:14# "Ena Na Lena" – 6:44...
(2011)