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NAMM 2014 – Saturday – Day Three
NAMM 2014 – Day Three – it’s half over already!! Saw an awesome demonstration of one of the coolest keyboards in history – the PianoArc (look for videos coming soon), and got to hang out with the only artist in the world performing on it at the present time – Brockett Parsons (Lady Gaga). I got to hang out and grow my relationships with jazz musician/composer/producer/author Michael Gallant, rock musician/composer/producer/author Robbie Gennett, and Dave Medd (The Tubes). Dave Medd is also co-owner of Kryptonite Cases, the BEST case company on the planet. I spoke to guitarist/educator Jesse Gresse and composer/bassist Doug Lunn about opening for their band Mahavishnu Project on some new tour dates! I also got to see some amazing new in-ear and stage monitoring systems, courtesy of the recent merger between Behringer and Midas. I had a great time playing the very cool and unique instrument Haken Audio Continuum Fingerboard, even doing a duet on the Haken Continuum with Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard)!
Michael Gallant, Andrew Colyer, and Robbie Gennett
Andrew Colyer, Brockett Parsons (Lady Gaga), and Dave Medd (The Tubes)
Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard) demoing the Haken Continuum
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NAMM 2014 – Friday – Day Two
Day Two of NAMM was spent renewing my relationships with Yamaha Musical Instruments, Tony Antoniou of Psicraft Software Designs, Vyzor Software, Vycro MX Software, Brook Hansen of the Prog Rock Orchestra, Bobby Kimball (Toto), Arturia and the KeyLab 61, Arturia’s V Collection, Richard Whittington at Sweetwater Pro Audio, Cakewalk and Sonar X3, Studiologic, Jeff Lorber (jazz/fusion legend), and Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard). Friday night was the Muse Research Receptor dinner, with fellow artists and sound designer Tim Swartz.
Andrew Colyer with Brook Hansen (Prog Rock Orchestra)
Brook Hansen (Prog Rock Orchestra) demoing the new Arturia KeyLab 61
Andrew Colyer with Jeff Lorber
Andrew Colyer with Ryo Okumoto (Spock’s Beard)
Andrew Colyer at the NAMM Cakewalk Booth.
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NAMM 2014 – Thursday – Day One
NAMM 2014 started off with a bang! I attended workshops by singer-songwriter Ben Folds (stay tuned for video of that presentation), composer and music producer Jerry Gerber, musician/teacher/producer Keith Hatschek, digital sheet music on your iPad from Airturn, and an awesome workshop on the “New Rules for the Music Industry” by producer Jeffrey Weber. I also attended a very cool panel discussion on the state of 21st Century Synthesizers with Gerry Basserman, producer/composer/sound designer Edmund Eagan, composer/synthesist Drew Neumann, sound designer and founder/creative director of Spectrasonics Eric Persing, and synthesizer pioneer Dave Smith; moderated by journalist/historian/teacher/performer Mark Vail.
I was very excited to put down a deposit on a new ROLI Seaboard, one of the most expressive keyboards ever made. I will be one of the first people in the world to own a ROLI Seaboard when they come off the assembly line in fall 2014!
Andrew Colyer with Evan O’Brien, ROLI Head of Artist Relations
NAMM 2014 – Day One – the afterglow
NAMM 2014 – Wednesday – Pre-Conference
To escape from the single-digit New York freezing weather to sunny and warm Southern California feels so great!
Here’s where all the action will take place for NAMM 2014…..
The Pathway to NAMM 2014 – musicians going to pick up their conference badges
Anaheim Convention Center, Pre-NAMM 2014
Andrew Colyer Performs Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s Dreams of Fireflies [keyboard cover]
Using the background tracks and music provided by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, here is my official entry for this year’s video contest – “Dreams of Fireflies (On a Christmas Night). Make sure you watch all the way until the end of the video!
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#FireFliesPlayAlong
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales
Andrew Colyer performed on keyboards and vocals with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales in Kingston, New York on Saturday, November 9th. Special thanks to the staff at Keegan Ales and to all those who came out for the gig! Here are some photos, provided by Greg Thompson of Totally Graphic Photography.
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey – Nine Bands in One Night
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #1
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #1
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #2
Andrew Colyer (keyboards, vocals) and Dave Ostrowski (bass, bass pedals, vocals) with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #1
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #2
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #3
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #4
Andrew Colyer (keyboards, vocals) and Dave Ostrowski (bass, bass pedals, vocals) with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #2
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #3
“Colyer’s Keyboard Cockpit” – before the gig with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Keegan Ales – #4
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Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Putnam Den
Andrew Colyer performed on keyboards and vocals with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Putnam Den in Saratoga Springs, New York,
on Saturday, November 9th. Thank you to all the fans who attended the show!
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey – Nine Bands in One Night
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Putnam Den - #1
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Putnam Den - #2
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Putnam Den - #3
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey - #4
Andrew Colyer (keyboards, vocals) and Dave Ostrowski (bass, bass pedals, vocals) with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey at Putnam Den
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Prog Rock Orchestra Hires Andrew Colyer to Perform on Moody Blues Cruise and Cruise To The Edge
PRWEB PRESS RELEASE – Thursday, October 10th, 2013:
Andrew Colyer brought on as second keyboardist to perform with the Prog Rock Orchestra on the Progressive Rock Cruise To The Edge and Moody Blues Cruise in April 2014.
Who wouldn’t love to perform with 40 of the top Progressive Rock bands in the world today? Andrew Colyer will be doing just that, with the Prog Rock Orchestra, aboard the Moody Blues cruise, and the Yes-headlining Cruise To The Edge in April 2014.
The classically-trained Colyer will be joining top-notch musicians Brook Hansen (keyboards, vocals), Tom Tutino (guitars), Paul Simmons (drums), and Tim Marshall (lead vocals) in the Prog Rock Orchestra, performing alongside Progressive Rock legends such as Yes, Steve Hackett (Genesis), Carl Palmer (ELP), the Moody Blues, and many others.
The Prog Rock Orchestra performs original compositions and classic progressive rock songs. Original compositions reflect their wide variety of influences, such as Yes, Kansas, and Dream Theater. The two Prog Rock Orchestra original CD’s are for sale or download via CD Baby and iTunes.
Yamaha and Muse Receptor sponsored artist Andrew Colyer has played piano, keyboards, trumpet, and sung across the United States, Canada, and Japan, including three times at Carnegie Hall. His classical training includes the Juilliard School, and his teaching lineage places him five steps down from Beethoven.
Colyer’s previous rock/pop experience includes performing and collaborating with Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), Jon Anderson (YES), The Tubes, Max Flyer, 10th Planet, and the Progressive Rock Tribute Band, Downing Grey.
Colyer has composed original music for commercial radio and video, and for Indie film producer Luke Franek’s award-winning film, “Tingle”.
“All of my previous classical and progressive rock musical experiences will be invaluable in helping me to prepare for the upcoming concerts on the cruises,” says Colyer. “Brook, Tom, and the P.R.O. have these incredible arrangements, especially their signature 18-minute epic, ‘The Star You Are’. I can’t wait to perform this material in front of 6,000 progressive rock superfans.”
2014 promises to be a banner year for Andrew Colyer – besides performing with the Prog Rock Orchestra on the Yes and Moody Blues cruises, performing with Downing Grey and the rock-funk-fusion project Mondo Electro, Andrew’s next album of original music is also scheduled to be released in 2014. Colyer’s career is definitely on the rise.
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Published online: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11208231.htm
Andrew Colyer Yamaha MX61 Review, Part One
Yamaha and Muse Receptor artist Andrew Colyer reviews the sounds and features of the Yamaha MX61.
Special thanks to all the people at Yamaha Musical Instruments and Tony Antoniou from Psicraft Designs and Vycro MX performance editing software for making this video possible.
Andrew Colyer with Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey – Promotional Video #1
Progressive Rock Tribute Band Downing Grey recently completed the first promotional video for the current tour – “iProg – Your Classic Prog Playlist on Shuffle”. Andrew Colyer is a featured member of the band on keyboards and vocals. The video was shot on location at the Enigma Dance and Music Hall in New York. Enjoy!
Featuring the music of:
- Emerson, Lake, & Palmer
- Genesis
- Gentle Giant
- Jethro Tull
- King Crimson
- Pink Floyd
- Rush
- U.K.
- Yes
Downing Grey was formed in 2009 by founding members Bill Shannon (guitars, vocals) and Bob Larkin (sound and light engineer). Dave Ostrowski (bass, vocals) joined the band in 2011. Coz Orphanides (lead vocals, flute, percussion) and Darin Brannon (drums, percussion) came on board in 2012. Andrew Colyer (keyboards, vocals) completed the lineup in 2013.
