New CD ~" Notes From Across The Sea"

Date: Dec 22, 2009

Posted by:
Contact:

http://www.AnnMayoMuir.com (coming very soon)
410-268-3067
135 Spa View Ave. Annapolis, MD 21401

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ~ December 21, 2009
Promoter/Artist Contact:
Christina Muir
Office: 410-268-3067
Email: cgmuir@aol.com

Ann Mayo Muir & Grammy-Nominated Ensemble Galilei
Celebrate The Release of Their New CD:
Notes From Across The Sea

ANNAPOLIS, MD – On Monday January 11, 2010, the Grammy-nominated instrumental group Ensemble Galilei and musician/singer/songwriter Ann Mayo Muir celebrate the release of their new collaborative CD, Notes From Across The Sea, in a special presentation by the 333 Coffeehouse located at the lovely Unitarian Church in Annapolis, MD. A traveler, sailor and lifelong musician, Ann Mayo Muir composed original music that emerges from a deep well of connection with the people and places she has known. Smitten by the beauty of the tunes, Ann's daughter, Christina Muir, who performs with the Wammy-winning vocal trio, Hot Soup, suggested that Ensemble Galilei arrange and record the pieces. Fellow adventurers, Ensemble Galilei jumped on board, eager to sail into new waters with Carolyn Surrick at the helm, co-producing the recording with Bob Dawson at the renowned Bias Studios. The result is a sinuous, snappy, energetic delight of interpretations, with some pieces feeling American, many with a European twist, and a few that have run off with the Gypsies! The CD features thirteen tunes woven together with Celtic harp, fiddle, recorder, whistle, oboe, guitar, percussion and viola a gamba (an early cello-like instrument) creating “a feast for the musical gourmet!” - Gordon Bok (Bok, Muir & Trickett)

Ann Mayo Muir has a long and lustrous career as a recording artist and touring musician, most often performing with the legendary folk trio, Bok Muir & Trickett. She distinguished herself as a singer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, recording two solo albums and more than twelve critically acclaimed albums with the trio. After the trio's farewell tour in 2000, Ann took up the fiddle, studying with Alasdair Fraser and Martin Hayes, some of the finest fiddlers in the Celtic tradition. Immersed in this exciting world of music based in tradition but welcoming of innovation, Ann connected with a powerful delight in writing and composing songs and tunes inspired by her family, travels and a singular passion for the music. While the fiddle has fallen away, Ann now accompanies her warm alto voice with a small Celtic harp, flute, whistle, Nyckelharpa (a traditional bowed Swedish instrument), and her beloved baritone ukulele.

At the CD Release Concert Ensemble Galilei performs most of the pieces from the CD. The music tells a story full of wisdom, sorrow, whimsy and love. Mischievously-spirited tunes like
Twist the Devil’s Tail, Fire up the Kiln, Love and Gypsy's Bow incite us to raise our arms and kick up our heels, while the melancholy, deeply moving tales, told through Lament for Andrea, Winter's Blanket and The Deepening, reveal the tender, quieter places within that call for stillness and compassion. Connie's Garden, Mother To Son, Hear My Heart and A Love Song For My Sailor speak of family, while Hanko Panko and Merlin's Forest take us to an old world where magic dances. Get ready to be taken on a journey full of twists and turns, and in the sure hands of Ensemble Galilei we will surely leave with our hearts pounding with pleasure. Ann will also appear as a special guest, performing a few of her favorite songs, and her daughter, Christina Muir, will no doubt join in to add a few scrumptious harmonies. To top it all off, a homemade dessert reception by Miss Nancy follows the show!

Grammy-nominated Ensemble Galilei is a brilliant “Crossover Group,” blending Early Music with Celtic and Classical emphasis. The arrangements of Ann Mayo Muir’s instrumentals are created by the members of Ensemble Galilei: Carolyn Anderson Surrick (viola da gamba), Sue Richards (harp), Kathryn Montoya (recorders, oboes, whistles), Hanneke Cassel (fiddle), Danny Mallon (percussion), and Tom Mitchell (guitar, mandolin). These wonderful musicians pour themselves into Ann’s music, giving wings to her tunes. These musicians were specifically gathered for this project, as the winning combination that had the right mix of ingredients to showcase Ann’s music. Additional members of the group do not appear on this CD, but to learn more about Ensemble Galilei, visit their website: www.EGMusic.com. Their impressive discography includes at least nine albums, and their national tours fill renowned theatres from coast-to-coast. NPR’s Neal Conan first read poetry and stories to the music of Ensemble Galilei in 2000 and worked with the group to put together both "A Universe of Dreams," which debuted in 2004, and "First Person: Stories from the Edge of the World," which had its premiere at the National Geographic Society in 2007. He tours with both programs.

For more information, call 410-268-3067 -OR- Email cgmuir@aol.com. The concert starts at 7:30pm (doors open at 7:00pm) and is presented by the 333 Coffeehouse located at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 333 Dubois Road, Annapolis, MD (off of N. Bestgate Road). Tickets are $35 and $30 for seniors and students. To buy tickets and CD’s in advance, send check payable to Ann Mayo Muir with a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: 135 Spa View Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21401. CDs are $15 plus $2 s/h (plus $1 per additional CD). Tickets and CD’s will also be on sale at the door. To learn more about the venue and artists, visit: www.EGMusic.com (Ensemble Galilei); www.AnnMayoMuir.com (Ann Mayo Muir); www.hotsouptrio.com (Christina Muir); http://fsgw.org/333/ (333 Coffeehouse); www.Timberheadmusic.com (CD’s).
This concert is sponsored in part Julie McKay ~ www.craniosacralpath.com.

To hear some of the CD tracks follow the links:
Twist The Devil's Tail ~ http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=65722

Winter's Blanket ~
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=64882

Lament For Andrea ~
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=62742

A Love Song For My Sailor ~
http://www.songramp.com/mod/mps/viewtrack.php?trackid=69199

To buy online go to: http://www.timberheadmusic.com/detail.html?id=102