Fresh Aire II
Encyclopedia
Fresh Aire II was the second album released by new age
musical group Mannheim Steamroller
. The album was originally released in 1977. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season
; Fresh Aire IIs theme is Fall.
Fresh Aire II is particularly unique in the series as it is the only album that is almost entirely based around a single melody, presented consistently in the "Fantasia" music cycle (tracks 1-9) which starts off with 'Chorale,' followed by the seven "doors" and ending with the piece 'Fantasy.' This melody is heard in the closing track 'Going To Another Place' and can also be heard quoted throughout the rest of the series and even in some of the Christmas albums, usually appearing in a form closest to the first few notes in "The First Door."
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 Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller
Mannheim Steamroller is an American music group founded by Chip Davis and Jackson Berkey, known primarily for its modern recordings of Christmas music. The group has sold 28 million albums in the U.S. alone.-Beginnings:...
. The album was originally released in 1977. Each of the first four Fresh Aire albums is based on a season
Season
A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
; Fresh Aire IIs theme is Fall.
Fresh Aire II is particularly unique in the series as it is the only album that is almost entirely based around a single melody, presented consistently in the "Fantasia" music cycle (tracks 1-9) which starts off with 'Chorale,' followed by the seven "doors" and ending with the piece 'Fantasy.' This melody is heard in the closing track 'Going To Another Place' and can also be heard quoted throughout the rest of the series and even in some of the Christmas albums, usually appearing in a form closest to the first few notes in "The First Door."
Track listing
- "Chorale" – 0:36
- "The First Door" – 1:26
- "The Second Door" – 2:02
- "The Third Door" – 2:30
- "The Fourth Door" – 3:50
- "The Fifth Door" – 2:59
- "The Sixth Door" – 1:28
- "Door Seven" – 1:57
- "Fantasy" – 1:24
- "Interlude V" – 3:37
- "Velvet Tear" – 2:44
- "A Shade Tree" – 4:57
- "Toota Lute" – 2:50
- "Going to Another Place" – 3:20
Personnel
- Jackson BerkeyJackson BerkeyJackson Berkey is an American composer, pianist and singer, best known for his work with Mannheim Steamroller, which he co-founded with Chip Davis in 1974.-Early life and education:...
- pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, harpsichordHarpsichordA harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, Fender Rhodes, concert bellsBell (instrument)A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
, vocal chantChantChant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures Chant (from French chanter) is the rhythmic speaking or singing... - Eric Hansen - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, luteLuteLute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
, classical guitarClassical guitarThe classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones... - Chip DavisChip DavisLouis F. "Chip" Davis, Jr. is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller.He also wrote the music for C.W. McCall, including the 1975 hit "Convoy".-Biography:...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, recorderRecorderThe recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
s, dulcimerAppalachian dulcimerThe Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, vocal chant - Walt Meskell - rhythm guitar
- Dave Kappy - French horn
- Gene Badgett - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Bob Jenkins - oboeOboeThe oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
- Melody Malec - harpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
- Milt Bailey - vocal chant
- Hugh Brown, Dorothy Brown, Ginni Eldred, Merton Shatzkin, Joe Landes, Mortimer Alpert - violins
- Alex Sokol, Lucinda Gladics, James Hammond - violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Miriam Duffelmeyer, Beth McCollum, Jean Hassel - celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...