+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Artist : William Joseph |
| Album : Beyond |
| Bitrate : VBR kbps |
| Label : Warner Bros \ Reprise |
| Year : 2008 |
| Genre : Instrumental |
| Rip date : Oct-10-2008 |
| Store date : May-20-2008 |
| Size : 69,8 MB |
| |
+--------------------------------[Track List]--------------------------------+
| |
|Track Listing: |
| |
| 01 - Standing The Storm 04:22 |
| 02 - Beyond 04:05 |
| 03 - Leningrad 04:30 |
| 04 - Heroes 04:23 |
| 05 - Once Upon Love feat. David Foster 04:23 |
| 06 - Kashmir 03:44 |
| 07 - Sweet Remembrance Of You 03:29 |
| 08 - Apasionada 04:02 |
| 09 - Return With Honor 04:08 |
| 10 - Cinema Paradiso 04:59 |
| 11 - Asturias feat. Jesse Cook 04:43 |
| 12 - A Mothers Heart 03:39 |
| |
| |
| 50:27 min |
| |
+----------------------------------[Notes]-----------------------------------+
| |
| When William Joseph sat down to write the songs that appear on his new |
| album Beyond, he had a very clear vision of how he wanted the music to |
| sound. ôI wanted it to be memorable,ö he says. ôI wanted it to be |
| moving, inspiring, and thought-provoking.ö William and his team, |
| executive producer David Foster and producers Jochem van der Saag and |
| William Ross, have accomplished all that and more on Beyond ù a bold, |
| confident collection of instrumentals that showcases the Phoenix |
| nativeÆs artistry as a musician, composer, and performer. |
| |
| ôThis album is absolutely me,ö says William, whose deft piano playing on |
| Beyond is backed by a band and a 72-piece orchestra. ôThis record is |
| cinematic ù like the soundtrack to an epic film that has yet to be made. |
| And then it goes beyond, and has these high-energy, driving melodies |
| that are not only exciting to listen to, but also to perform live.ö |
| |
| The music ù a genre-defying crossover mΘlange that has been described as |
| ôclassical popö ù captures a variety of moods, from the dramatic, to the |
| heart-wrenching, to the light and playful, and all performed with the |
| emotional power and polished precision that William has become known |
| for. His growing legion of fans has been devoted to him ever since the |
| 2004 release of WilliamÆs debut album Within, which featured a mix of |
| original compositions, inspired rock classics, and impassioned classical |
| pieces. |
| |
| ôWithin was a great learning process for me,ö William says. ôAt that |
| point, I had never played with an orchestra before, I had only written |
| for piano. After Within, I saw the possibilities of working with |
| orchestrators and programmers and my whole creative world opened up. I |
| wrote the songs on Beyond knowing that I would have the instrumentation |
| I love. Plus, IÆve grown a lot in the last four years, and I really feel |
| like IÆve figured out what my sound is, and how to take whatÆs in my |
| head and put it on the album.ö |
| |
| While he was composing, what was in WilliamÆs head was often expressed |
| as raw emotion. ôMost people, when they sit down to write, have a |
| specific story or experience to write about,ö William says. ôWhen I sit |
| down itÆs purely about the music. I focus on the emotion and the melody, |
| then go back and think about what this story is telling me.ö |
| |
| And so the songs on Beyond soar, like the forceful ôStanding the Storm,ö |
| the edgy ôAsturias,ö the epic ôHeroes,ö (currently in consideration to |
| be played during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Summer Games), |
| and the dramatic ôKashmirö (a reworking of the Led Zeppelin classic that |
| has become WilliamÆs signature live show-stopper). William also proves |
| his versatility on the tender ballads ôSweet Remembrance of Youö and ôA |
| MotherÆs Heart,ö then fires up the mood once again on the |
| flamenco-flavored ôApasionada,ö which actress Jane Seymour fell in love |
| with and told William she would dance to if she won her season of |
| Dancing With the Stars. Finally, thereÆs the title track, which William |
| says sums up the entire album for him. ôIf someone asked me what my |
| music sounds like, I would play them æBeyond,Æö he says. ôMaking this |
| album took me on a journey through all these feelings that I feel ù |
| romantic, hopeful, excited, intense ù and I hope anyone who listens can |
| relate, and go on that journey with me.ö |
| |
| With the exception of ôKashmirö (which features a violin solo by Lucia |
| Micarelli) and a version of Andrea and Ennio MorriconeÆs ôCinema |
| Paradiso,ö William composed all the songs on Beyond himself and with his |
| various producers, who include Foster (a 14-time Grammy Award-winner who |
| has worked with Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, and Michael |
| BublΘ) and FosterÆs frequent collaborator Jochem van der Saag (Groban, |
| BublΘ, and Andrea Bocelli). William, van der Saag, and Bill Ross, the |
| albumÆs veteran orchestral arranger and conductor, flew to Serbia to |
| record the Belgrade Film Orchestra, an experience that William says was |
| a dream. ôIt was overwhelming,ö he says. ôFour years of having these |
| songs in my head and thinking, æIf we only had an orchestra.Æ Finally I |
| could hear what had existed only on paper for so long. I have to say, I |
| was totally blown away. It was such an emotional experience that words |
| cannot describe it, but IÆll never forget it.ö |
| |
| Indeed, the whole process of making Beyond was thrilling for William, |
| who has seen his career take off since Foster discovered him at a 2003 |
| charity event in Phoenix honoring Muhammad Ali. ôDavid looked at me and |
| said, æPlay something,Æ and I felt my heart skip a beat because I knew |
| who he was and that this was my moment, my big chance, and everything I |
| had worked for.ö |
| |
| Twenty seconds into the song, Foster signaled the band to join in and |
| began conducting them. ôSo IÆm playing this song IÆd written, being |
| backed by this world-class band, with David waving his hands in the air |
| leading it all, and IÆm thinking, æPlease donÆt mess up now.Æ We finish, |
| everybody started applauding, and David gave me a high-five. It was like |
| a scene from a movie.ö The original composition, ôWithin,ö stopped |
| Foster in his tracks. ôWilliam sat down and played this beautiful piece |
| magnificently and to perfection,ö Foster says. ôI was so impressed I |
| asked him if he would perform that evening. A standing ovation later and |
| I knew I had to work with him.ö |
| |
| Since the release of Within, William has been in-demand for a number of |
| high-profile musical events, including a support tour with 143 RecordsÆ |
| label mate Josh Groban in 2004, a two-month tour with Clay Aiken in 2005 |
| (plus a collaboration with him on his album A Thousand Different Ways), |
| and supporting such artists as Barbara Streisand, Natalie Cole, Kenny |
| G., Il Divo, and Peter Cincotti at select concerts around the world. |
| |
| William ù who at age eight had already won a full-ride national music |
| scholarship that allowed him to study classical piano with acclaimed |
| Russian instructor Stella Saperstein ù welcomes the opportunity to |
| perform any chance he gets. Hence he has appeared center stage for |
| several prestigious celebrity events, including tennis great Andre |
| AgassiÆs ôGrand Slam for Childrenö fundraiser with Tim McGraw, Faith |
| Hill, and John Mayer; a charity event for Carousel of Hope with BeyoncΘ; |
| as well as at private parties held in the homes of actresses Eva |
| Longoria and Jane Seymour. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| also personally invited William to play at an intimate birthday party |
| for his wife, Maria Shriver. |
| |
| In February 2008, William performed ôKashmirö at the star-studded |
| opening of the Broad Contemporary Art Museum at LACMA, an |
| invitation-only gala event attended by Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, |
| Prince Andrew, Steve Martin, Christina Aguilera, and Dustin Hoffman, |
| among many others. Also this year, Dr. John Gray, author of Men Are From |
| Mars, Women Are From Venus, selected ôBeyondö to be the theme music for |
| his website (www.marsvenuswellness.com) and Internet television |
| programming. |
| |
| William also launched his first headlining tour at the end of January, a |
| stint through western Canada in which he drove fans into a frenzy with |
| his vigorous performing style, which includes playing the piano |
| upside-down. ôI absolutely love playing in front of an audience,ö |
| William says. ôNot only do I want to take people on a musical journey, |
| but I want to connect with them and hear what they think, which is why I |
| love meeting people after the shows. The fans are as much a part of this |
| as everything else and I take that connection with them very seriously. |
| In the end, I just want to bring as many people along with me on this |
| adventure as possible.ö |
| |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+