Giles Reaves
Encyclopedia
Giles Reaves is a multi-instrumentalist
sound artist and audio engineer who has composed albums of space music
. His most recognized album, Sea of Glass, 1992, peaked at #11 on the Billboard Top New Age Albums chart.
Wunjo first appeared on the U.S. public radio show Hearts of Space
(HoS) in PGM 113: Scorpio, 1986. Pieces from Reaves's albums have appeared in 17 HoS programs broadcast during the show's 25 year history.
In 1992, HoS producer Stephen Hill contacted Reaves to tell him about fans of HoS who still wrote to him wanting copies of Wunjo, which were unavailable due to MCA's original limited distribution. With the expiration of the MCA contract, Reaves had another album of unpublished music which interested Hill. Reaves signed with Hill's Hearts of Space Records
for the release of Sea of Glass, which remained on the new age charts for four months. Music journalist Bert Strolenberg wrote about Sea of Glass in 2007, "This classic space music recording by Nashville-based synthesist Giles Reaves is one of those milestones that can stand the test of time for decades, as it still sounds fresh and inspiring after all these years."
Later in the 1990s, Reaves joined the improvisational space music group Spacecraft, described by Star's End
radio as "one of the leading voices in the spacemusic community".
Reaves also appeared on Tony Gerber
's, Blue Western Sky for the Lektronic Soundscapes label.
In 2001, Kaleida Visions was released by the Space for Music team. SFM included Reaves as an original member along with Kirby Shelstad, with whom he also collaborated in live performances and on recordings.
In 2002, with Spacecraft and also as a solo artist, he performed at the Nashville Space for Music Festival, along with other noted Nashville artists including Aashid Himons & Future Man from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Robert Rich
, the West Tennessee ensemble Zero Ohms, and others. The space music festival had been founded by fellow Spacecraft band-member Tony Gerber in 1986.
Reaves also creates 3D renderings that have been used for CD cover artwork.
Beyond space music, Reaves has another career as an engineer and co-producer for the Nashville rock music scene, including work with Dessau
and Grinning Plowmen. He also collaborated with Afrikan Dreamland, Bedlam
, Lisa Germano
, Jaime Kyle, Tom Littlefield, Bill Lloyd, and Lounge Flounders.
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
sound artist and audio engineer who has composed albums of space music
Space music
Space music, also called spacemusic, is an umbrella term, synonymous with a segment of New Age Music and Ambient Music, used to describe music that evokes a feeling of contemplative spaciousness. Space music can be found within a wide range of genres. It is particularly associated with ambient, New...
. His most recognized album, Sea of Glass, 1992, peaked at #11 on the Billboard Top New Age Albums chart.
Biography
Reaves got his start in the Nashville country music business in the 1980s, as an engineer working for producer Marshall Montgomery. MCA producer Tony Brown overheard Reaves' space music improvisations in a studio late one night, and signed him for a contract that resulted in two solo albums and a collaboration with Jon Goin for the MCA Master Series. MCA provided little promotion or distribution for these albums, but 1986's Wunjo received critical acclaim from Electronic Musician magazine, who named it a top electronic album of all time.Wunjo first appeared on the U.S. public radio show Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space
Hearts of Space is a United States weekly syndicated public radio show featuring music of a contemplative nature drawn largely from the ambient, New Age and electronic genres, while also including classical, world, Celtic, experimental, and other music selections...
(HoS) in PGM 113: Scorpio, 1986. Pieces from Reaves's albums have appeared in 17 HoS programs broadcast during the show's 25 year history.
In 1992, HoS producer Stephen Hill contacted Reaves to tell him about fans of HoS who still wrote to him wanting copies of Wunjo, which were unavailable due to MCA's original limited distribution. With the expiration of the MCA contract, Reaves had another album of unpublished music which interested Hill. Reaves signed with Hill's Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records
Hearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
for the release of Sea of Glass, which remained on the new age charts for four months. Music journalist Bert Strolenberg wrote about Sea of Glass in 2007, "This classic space music recording by Nashville-based synthesist Giles Reaves is one of those milestones that can stand the test of time for decades, as it still sounds fresh and inspiring after all these years."
Later in the 1990s, Reaves joined the improvisational space music group Spacecraft, described by Star's End
Star's End
Star's End is a weekly, five-hour-long New Age music radio show broadcast by 88.5 WXPN, the University of Pennsylvania's radio station, in Philadelphia. It is the second longest-running show of its type in the world, after Hearts of Space.-History:...
radio as "one of the leading voices in the spacemusic community".
Reaves also appeared on Tony Gerber
Tony Gerber
Tony Gerber is a filmmaker and the co-founder of Market Road Films, an independent production company. Gerber was born in New York City and lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife, playwright Lynn Nottage, and their two children.-Career:...
's, Blue Western Sky for the Lektronic Soundscapes label.
In 2001, Kaleida Visions was released by the Space for Music team. SFM included Reaves as an original member along with Kirby Shelstad, with whom he also collaborated in live performances and on recordings.
In 2002, with Spacecraft and also as a solo artist, he performed at the Nashville Space for Music Festival, along with other noted Nashville artists including Aashid Himons & Future Man from Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Robert Rich
Robert Rich (musician)
Robert Rich is an ambient musician and composer based in California, United States. With a discography spanning over 30 years, he is widely regarded as a figure whose sound has greatly influenced today's ambient, New Age, and even IDM music.-Early life:At an early age he thought he disliked music...
, the West Tennessee ensemble Zero Ohms, and others. The space music festival had been founded by fellow Spacecraft band-member Tony Gerber in 1986.
Reaves also creates 3D renderings that have been used for CD cover artwork.
Beyond space music, Reaves has another career as an engineer and co-producer for the Nashville rock music scene, including work with Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
and Grinning Plowmen. He also collaborated with Afrikan Dreamland, Bedlam
Bedlam
Bedlam may refer to:* Bethlem Royal Hospital, London hospital first to specialise in the mentally ill and origin of the word "bedlam" describing chaos or madness-Places:* Bedlam, North Yorkshire, a village in England...
, Lisa Germano
Lisa Germano
Lisa Germano is an American singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has released seven albums featuring her often-hushed vocal style, confessional lyrics, and distinctive violin. Her 1994 album Geek the Girl received widespread critical acclaim, including being featured as a top album of...
, Jaime Kyle, Tom Littlefield, Bill Lloyd, and Lounge Flounders.
Discography
- 1986: Wunjo, MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
- 1988: Nothing Is Lost, MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
- 1989: Letting Go, MCA RecordsMCA RecordsMCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
- 1992: Sea of Glass, Hearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space RecordsHearts of Space Records is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment.From the label’s website, “Launched in 1984, this record label was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space...
- 2001: Kaleida Visions, Space for Music
- 2001: Sacred Space, Space for Music
External links
- Space for Music Giles Reaves Homepage
- [ Allmusic Giles Reaves - detailed credits list]