Chroma Key
Encyclopedia
Chroma Key is the name under which ex-Dream Theater
keyboardist
Kevin Moore
records. Although primarily a solo project, several other musicians have recorded as part of Chroma Key such as bass
ist Joey Vera
, drum
mer Mark Zonder
, and guitar
ist Jason Anderson.
Chroma Key's music is a mix of psychedelia, electronica and ambient, with detailed keyboard sounds and a slightly dark mood.
, New Mexico
where much of the first album, 1998's Dead Air for Radios
was written. 2000's You Go Now was written and recorded in Los Angeles
, right before another move to Costa Rica
, where Moore lived for 3 years. In Costa Rica, he began writing and recording ideas for a new Chroma Key album, during the day producing a bi-weekly, activist, musical radio program for Radio for Peace International, a short wave station based in San José
. Moore released a compilation of the program—a mix of original music and politically volatile spoken word recordings—as a downloadable album on his official site as Memory Hole 1
. Graveyard Mountain Home was recorded in Istanbul
, Turkey
.
All Chroma Key releases have been self-produced and recorded in Moore's home studios, the locations of which have changed from album to album.
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Kevin Moore
Kevin Moore
For the blues singer, see Keb' Mo'.Kevin Moore is a keyboardist, vocalist and composer and founder of the Chroma Key music project. He is also a former member of the American progressive metal band Dream Theater, co-founder of the progressive rock supergroup O.S.I. and has composed film soundtracks...
records. Although primarily a solo project, several other musicians have recorded as part of Chroma Key such as bass
Bass (instrument)
Bass describes musical instruments that produce tones in the low-pitched range. They belong to different families of instruments and can cover a wide range of musical roles...
ist Joey Vera
Joey Vera
Joey Vera is an American heavy metal bassist for heavy metal band Armored Saint. He is also a member of the progressive metal band Fates Warning. In 2004-05 he replaced Frank Bello in Anthrax as the band's bassist. He appears as part of the project Engine, as well as on the OSI album Free. His...
, drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
mer Mark Zonder
Mark Zonder
Mark Zonder is the drummer of American heavy-metal band Warlord. When the band was in a hiatus, he joined Fates Warning. His artistic name in Warlord is "Thunder Child"...
, and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Jason Anderson.
Chroma Key's music is a mix of psychedelia, electronica and ambient, with detailed keyboard sounds and a slightly dark mood.
History
After leaving Dream Theater in 1994, Moore relocated to Santa FeSanta Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
where much of the first album, 1998's Dead Air for Radios
Dead Air for Radios
-Personnel:*Kevin Moore - vocals, keyboards, bass*Mark Zonder - drums*Jason Anderson - guitars*Joey Vera - bass on tracks 3, 4, and 5-External links:* where the entire album is available to listen...
was written. 2000's You Go Now was written and recorded in 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...
, right before another move to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, where Moore lived for 3 years. In Costa Rica, he began writing and recording ideas for a new Chroma Key album, during the day producing a bi-weekly, activist, musical radio program for Radio for Peace International, a short wave station based in San José
San José, Costa Rica
San José is the capital and largest city of Costa Rica. Located in the Central Valley, San José is the seat of national government, the focal point of political and economic activity, and the major transportation hub of this Central American nation.Founded in 1738 by order of Cabildo de León, San...
. Moore released a compilation of the program—a mix of original music and politically volatile spoken word recordings—as a downloadable album on his official site as Memory Hole 1
Memory Hole 1
Memory Hole 1 consists of an 80-minute radio program that Kevin Moore did for Radio For Peace International.-Track listing:-External links:*, where the entire album is available as a free download...
. Graveyard Mountain Home was recorded in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Discography
- Music Meant to Be HeardMusic Meant to Be HeardMusic Meant To Be Heard was the initial demo tape for Kevin Moore's work, published within certain Dream Theater fan clubs, and distributed by Kevin Moore himself. Very few copies of the original tapes exist. The tape was converted to CD at an unknown time, and is distributed as a CD-R in most...
(Demos) (1994–1996) - Dead Air for RadiosDead Air for Radios-Personnel:*Kevin Moore - vocals, keyboards, bass*Mark Zonder - drums*Jason Anderson - guitars*Joey Vera - bass on tracks 3, 4, and 5-External links:* where the entire album is available to listen...
(19981998 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
) - Colorblind - single (19991999 in music-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
) - This is a Recording: 1994-1997 (19991999 in music-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
) - You Go NowYou Go Now-Personnel:*Kevin Moore - vocals, keyboard, bass*Steve Tushar - Producer, co-writer, programming, additional guitars, additional keyboards*David Iscove - guitars-External links:* where you can listen to the entire album...
(20002000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January – Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
) - Graveyard Mountain HomeGraveyard Mountain HomeGraveyard Mountain Home is the third studio album released under the name Chroma Key by American keyboardist Kevin Moore. It was released on November 8, 2004 by InsideOut Music. Moore originally started work on the album in 2003, planning to release a less electronica-influenced album than previous...
(20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
)
All Chroma Key releases have been self-produced and recorded in Moore's home studios, the locations of which have changed from album to album.
External links
- Official site (offers downloadable albums or links to purchase the CD)