What's New - Winter 2004

Greetings!
It's been a wonderfully busy year of producing and playing on many fun and noteworthy projects. I'm finally finishing Enskyment, The Poetry of Robison Jeffers. I've had the honor of putting 24 of Jeffers' great poems to music and will be releasing the recordings in early 2005. Also, I will have 2 new solo piano recordings: Influences Volume 2 (some more of my favorite jazz standards), and a collection of my original compositions and improvisations, all due out in early 2005. Another project very close to my heart and almost complete is a duet album with the sublime Weber Iago, a two-piano recording with a few guitar and piano duets. Adventure Music has just released one of Weber's albums that I recorded and co-produced with him called Children of the Wind..

In addition to my own musical offerings, I have been producing several recordings for others as well. I was hired to produce and orchestrate a piece for the most recent installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King. I contracted the men's a capella group Chanticleer to sing on it and brought in 8 cellists, a 12 year old male soprano (Michael Bannett), Paul McCandless on English Horn and pennywhistle, Tina Malia on vocals and several other fabulous musicians. Warner Classical was supporting us in trying to get the song in the movie but to no avail - Annie Lennox, Howard Shore and Fran Walsh had the coveted song spot sewn up long ago. We recorded Frodo's Farewell (West of the Moon), composed by Maria Danley, at Skywalker Ranch with Judy Kirschner and Andre Zweers of Screaming Lizard Productions.

I also produced a fun election-year ditty with the superb vocal group SoVoSo and my favorite production team (Andre & Judy). This has been the year to work with topnotch singers! ...Including my dear friend Rachel Bagby (who has also sung with Bobbi McFerrin), with whom I've been working on two magnificent recordings: a meditative, massage experience and a follow-up to her divine Fullness.

Stillwater Sound is a recording studio, production company and record label based in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. Composer Colin Farish produces both recording projects and concert events.

Stillwater Sound's mission is to produce, record, disseminate, and perform acoustic music from around the world.

Kai Eckhardt has been a joy to work with on Rachel's groovin' release, as well as on all the political pieces. Speaking of which, I have a new incarnation of Y.B. D'uped called War Nevermore (click to listen) and a very interesting story to go with it that will be posted on the YBDuped.com website.

Another exceptional project that I actually have Executive Producer's credit on as well as string arranging and keyboards is Andre Zweers's Full Code (click here to listen).

Culminating two years of intensive recording and editing work, I'm finishing up 8 classical CDs of mostly solo piano, featuring Tomoko Hagiwara. Look for these new classical offerings on Songpeddler.com in early 2005.

Concerts with the Worn Chamber Group continue, focusing on 20th Century music or later. This is my 7th year of hosting and recording this fine group and we will be compiling a CD of some of their magical moments next year.

Tune in to the BBC on Jan. 9, 2005 to hear a radio program I've recorded about the Salt Song Project for The Cultural Conservancy. We are also completing a 20 minute documentary about the Salt Songs that will debut at the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona next month . I recorded the audio and, together with John Carlos Peria, scored this fine film which was directed by Esther Figuroia from Juniroa Productions in collaboration with Melissa Nelson and Phil Klasky from The Cultural Conservancy (TCC). I've also produced a collection of Native American music for TCC that will be available early next year (check in with Nativeland.org for updates).

I helped produce an achingly beautiful opera for the effervescent composer Candace Forest called Concha, Rose of the Presidio, based on a true story of thwarted love from the history of early California. I also produced some holiday fare for her, including the charnming Mrs. Klaus, which Marvin Hamlisch licensed to be performed this December at the Kennedy Center in New York and in several other cities as well. Congratulations, Candace!

Thanks for your support! -
Sincerely,
Colin Farish

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