Pieces of the Sun
Encyclopedia
Pieces of the Sun is Tony Levin
's third solo record. It is an often jazz
y, progressive rock
, instrumental record. It features the Tony Levin Band, which includes Levin on bass guitar
s, stick
and cello
, Jerry Marotta
on drums, Larry Fast
playing synthesisers and Jesse Gress
on guitar
s. The California Guitar Trio
accompanies the quartet on the opening track, "Apollo." In addition to his percussion duties, Marotta plays acoustic guitar, Omnichord
and saxophone
on the record. The only vocal performances are a spoken word on "Tequila" and the called "dog one," "dog two" and "dog three!" on "Dog One," which is a new recording of an unreleased Peter Gabriel
composition, which Levin, Marotta and Fast had played on.
Tony Levin
Tony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
's third solo record. It is an often jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
y, progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, instrumental record. It features the Tony Levin Band, which includes Levin on bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
s, stick
Chapman Stick
The Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass lines, melody lines, chords or textures...
and cello
Cello
The 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...
, Jerry Marotta
Jerry Marotta
Jerry Marotta is a drummer currently residing in Woodstock, New York. He is the brother of Rick Marotta, who is also a well-known drummer and composer....
on drums, Larry Fast
Larry Fast
Lawrence Roger 'Larry' Fast is a synthesizer expert and composer. He is best known for Synergy, his 1975–1987 series of synthesizer music albums, and for his contribution to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.- Biography :Fast grew up in...
playing synthesisers and Jesse Gress
Jesse Gress
Jesse Gress is a rock guitarist. He tours and records with Todd Rundgren and the Tony Levin Band, and plays on all four of John Ferenzik's albums....
on 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...
s. The California Guitar Trio
California Guitar Trio
California Guitar Trio is a band of threeguitar players founded in 1991. Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah, Bert Lams of Brussels,...
accompanies the quartet on the opening track, "Apollo." In addition to his percussion duties, Marotta plays acoustic guitar, Omnichord
Omnichord
The Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument, introduced in 1981 and manufactured by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate, and buttons for major, minor, and diminished chords...
and saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on the record. The only vocal performances are a spoken word on "Tequila" and the called "dog one," "dog two" and "dog three!" on "Dog One," which is a new recording of an unreleased Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
composition, which Levin, Marotta and Fast had played on.
Track listing
- "Apollo" (Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
) - 6:49 - "Geronimo" (Levin, Larry FastLarry FastLawrence Roger 'Larry' Fast is a synthesizer expert and composer. He is best known for Synergy, his 1975–1987 series of synthesizer music albums, and for his contribution to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.- Biography :Fast grew up in...
, Jesse GressJesse GressJesse Gress is a rock guitarist. He tours and records with Todd Rundgren and the Tony Levin Band, and plays on all four of John Ferenzik's albums....
, Jerry MarottaJerry MarottaJerry Marotta is a drummer currently residing in Woodstock, New York. He is the brother of Rick Marotta, who is also a well-known drummer and composer....
) - 3:11 - "Aquafin" (Levin) - 5:13
- "Dog One" (Peter GabrielPeter GabrielPeter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
) - 5:15 - "TequilaTequila (song)"Tequila" is a 1958 Latin-flavored rock and roll song recorded by the group, the Champs. The title of the song constitutes the entirety of the lyrics, and is spoken a total of three times during the course of the song. "Tequila" became a #1 hit on both the pop and R&B charts at the time of its...
" (Levin, Chuck Rio) - 5:20 - "Pieces of the Sun" (Levin, Marotta) - 7:20
- "Phobos" (Fast) - 7:08
- "Ooze" (Levin) - 4:16
- "Blue Nude Reclining" (Levin, Fast, Gress, Marotta) - 3:08
- "The Fifth Man" (Levin) - 5:47
- "Ever the Sun Will Rise" (Levin) - 9:08
- "Silhouette" (Levin) - 4:37
Musicians
- Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- bass guitars, electric upright bass, Chapman StickChapman StickThe Chapman Stick is an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman in the early 1970s. A member of the guitar family, the Chapman Stick usually has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and has been used on music recordings to play bass lines, melody lines, chords or textures...
, cello - Larry FastLarry FastLawrence Roger 'Larry' Fast is a synthesizer expert and composer. He is best known for Synergy, his 1975–1987 series of synthesizer music albums, and for his contribution to a number of popular music acts, including Peter Gabriel, Foreigner, and Hall and Oates.- Biography :Fast grew up in...
- synthesizer - Jesse GressJesse GressJesse Gress is a rock guitarist. He tours and records with Todd Rundgren and the Tony Levin Band, and plays on all four of John Ferenzik's albums....
- guitars - Jerry MarottaJerry MarottaJerry Marotta is a drummer currently residing in Woodstock, New York. He is the brother of Rick Marotta, who is also a well-known drummer and composer....
- drums, percussion, acoustic guitar, saxophone, Omnichord - Bert Lams - acoustic guitar
- Hideyo Moriya - acoustic guitar
- Paul Richards - acoustic guitar
- Randy James - Steel Guitar
Production
- Tony Levin - Producer
- Robert Frazza - Engineer
- Doug Stringer - Premix and overdub engineer
- Kevin Killen - Mixing engineer
- Trevor Sadler - Mastering