Phoenix Rising is ready with an album called “In My Dreams Again”. It is the musical vision of composer Wendy Loomis and arranger Monica Williams. It drives a deep sense of transcendence and spirituality that can only be captured in metaphoric terms.
“In My Dreams Again” is Phoenix Rising’s 4th CD. The dynamic duo delivers inspirational original compositions played on flute and piano. Their unique sounds stem from unfolding the best aspects from multiple genres such as New Age, Classical, World, and Jazz. Phoenix Rising’s other albums are “Whispers”, “Ascension”, and “Mystic Places”.
“We are living in a time of stress and struggle,” Loomis states. “There is still hunger, hatred, and sickness in a world that is also filled with such beauty, generosity, and harmony. My vision as a composer is to create music that helps people relax, de-stress, and energize with a positive vibration of gratitude for this life.” Williams adds, “As a flutist I find that the flute is an extension of my own self. I let the flute be my voice. A new work is created from Wendy writing it first on the piano. I am then given the freedom to arrange a flute line that expresses and reflects the mood and character of that particular piece. What emerges is music that is lyrical, mystical, or at times even dramatic, but always thoughtful and emotionally compelling.”
The Instruments
Any discussion of Phoenix Rising’s music must include mention of the instrumentation used. In addition to piano and various flutes, the duo often invites guest artists for particular pieces. Loomis says, “For ‘Ascension’ we invited a different guest artist for each track; the 7 tracks represented the 7 chakras of the body and worked their way upwards both in intensity and key signature. The instruments were guzheng, cello, tabla, hang drum, cello, guitar, and wordless vocals. Every piece and album is different and therefore calls for its own unique approach to help bring it to life.” Williams says, “For this next album it will still be piano and flute-centric, but we will also mix in percussion, didgeridoo, electronic/hybrid instruments, vocals, and even some guest birds!”
About “In my Dreams Again” Monica Williams says: . “In this CD I used ten different flutes to help create a different character and flow for each piece. Flutes included C flute, alto flute, Zi headjoint, two bamboo flutes, pan flutes, and four Native American flutes.”
Awards
Phoenix Rising is no stranger to the award circuit; they have been nominated in various categories at the Hollywood Music and Media Awards, Los Angeles Music Awards, Independent Music Awards, and Unisong’s International Competition. On the subject of success Loomis says, “The real reward comes from hearing the stories our fans share about how our music has helped with reducing chronic pain, giving birth, and even in transitioning from this life to the next.” Williams agrees. “Passing along music to those who need it is one of the main missions of Phoenix Rising. On many occasions we have donated our performance time for good causes and have given away hundreds of albums to non-profits, both locally and nationally.
“In My Dreams Again” is available on CD Baby. Also be sure to check out the band’s homepage.