| 10th May |
Ravens & Lullabies UK tour 2013 story... Olivers diary on the Winter 2013 Ravens & Lullabies tour has been added to the Stories section of the website. |
| 5th May |
Summers End Festival Announces "Ravens and Lullabies" with Gordon Giltrap, Oliver Wakeman and the full electric band... The Summers End Festival, which takes place on October 4-6th at Lydney Town Hall, are thrilled to announce a very special event on the Saturday Evening of the Festival. "Ravens and Lullabies" will be an unique electric performance by Gordon Giltrap (electric and acoustic guitars) and Oliver Wakeman (keyboards). Joining them in this exclusive one-off event will be two old friends of the festival, Paul Manzi (Arena, Oliver Wakeman Band - vocals) and Johanne James (Threshold - drums) plus a bassist to be named. Gordon will be best known to Prog fans for his trio rock albums in the late 70s, and for his hit single "Heartsong" while Oliver's eclectic career has involved several solo albums, two albums with Clive Nolan, appearances with The Strawbs and Bob Catley and an eventful three and a half years in YES. Although the two of them have been touring extensively as a duo, this will be Gordon's first full electric performance for over 30 years, while Oliver will be playing his first major concert with a full band since his departure from YES in 2011. The set will revolve around a performance of their superb album "Ravens and Lullabies" released earlier this year on Esoteric Antenna, which mixes intimate acoustic performances with full-blown Prog, but will also contain some pieces from both men's back catalogue. Festival co-promoter Stephen Lambe says: |
| 26th March |
Oliver to perform with Rick, Adam and Jemma Wakeman... Rick has put together a series of 3 special concerts in Gloucester in June. Oliver will be joining his dad, his brother Adam and his sister Jemma for a very special performance on the 15th June. For more details please see the full details here. |
| 19th March |
Ravens & Lullabies review page added to the site... Reviews have now been added to the new Ravens & Lullabies review page which can be accessed by the reviews link above or here. |
| 12th March |
March Update, Ravens & Lullabies, Peter Banks and PROG magazine... It's been a couple of months since I last wrote an update about what has been going on in my music world and reading about the passing of Peter Banks this morning has prompted me to sit down at the computer keyboard. Peter Banks I thought that I would start with a few thoughts about Peter. For those of you who aren't aware of Peter and his work, Peter was the original guitarist with Yes back in the late 60's and worked on their first two albums. I enjoyed performing Astral Traveller when I was in Yes and it was great fun to play on a track that was linked to this early incarnation of the band. However, Peter and I did work together on a couple of my albums back in 1999 and 2001. My first rock record 'Jabberwocky' (a collaboration with Clive Nolan) featured Peter heavily as the main lead guitarist and he came up with some amazing parts. He worked in a slightly unusual way in so much that he was a great improviser and never played the same part twice - he'd give you lots of great solos in their entirety to chose parts from. He also had a wonderfully jazzy style which was best represented on the Jabberwocky album with his great solo in Coming to Town. I'd originally written the jazzy chords with the idea of having a sax solo (in fact the original demos have me doing a sax solo on a keyboard) but when Peter put his jazz solo down, all thoughts of a sax solo were soon forgotten. The record came out whilst I was working on my next album 'The 3 Ages of Magick' which featured Steve Howe. I played Steve some of the album and he was genuinely impressed with the guitar work he heard - 'Is that really Peter..?' I remember hearing him say in his studio in Devon during one of our arrangement sessions. Peter & I got together again for the followup to Jabberwocky, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' and again Peter came up with some great - completely unique - guitar lines. His solo on my track 'By Your Side' is particularly gorgeous and completely unexpected in construction and approach. Peter and I kept in touch for a while afterwards but as is often the way, paths take different directions and I hadn't been in contact for a few years. But I am proud to have met Peter and I'm even more proud that I have some of his performances on 2 of my albums. RIP Peter Banks, thanks for the music. Ravens & Lullabies March saw the release of my latest project 'Ravens & Lullabies' which is a collaboration with another unique guitarist - the wonderful Gordon Giltrap. The first few reviews and reactions have come in and I can only say thanks for the wonderful things people have been writing abut the album. We really seem to have hit on an approach that people seem to relate and warm to. I really hope the album has the opportunity to reach as many people as possible as I am really proud of the project and people need to hear Gordon on an electric guitar again. We have been overwhelmed with the speed at which the initial pressing of the limited edition sold out - they had all gone before the album was actually released which involved a quick repressing to meet demand. A very encouraging start indeed! If you are unsure about the style of the album, you could always buy this months 'PROG' magazine which features one of the tracks ('Moneyfacturing') on its cover-mount CD as well as a great 3 page article in the magazine. We are currently touring the UK in support of the album, having performed twice so far with another 11 dates due over the next couple of months. We will be following up with a longer run of dates later in the year as well as performing a shorter set as special guests of Barclay James Harvest later in November. If you get a chance, please do come and see the live show, we have a great time of stage playing pieces from the new album and from Gordon and my past musical endeavors and people are often complimenting us on the on stage interplay which is very rewarding. Following the tour we have been invited to appear as gusts on Bob Harris's show on Radio 2 for a live session and interview. This will be recorded in June for transmission in July which is something I am really looking forward to. I will also be this weeks guest on the Dutch radio station Paperlate where they will be playing tracks from the new album and interviewing me. The show is to be broadcast on Sunday evening and all details can be found at www.paperlate.nl. Blue Some of you may remember that I recently played on my friend Paul Bond's song Blue to help raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital who were instrumental is saving his son's life from cancer. Paul wrote to me recently to let me know that the download song raised over £1000, so if you were one of the many who downloaded it then thank you very much indeed for contributing to this worthy cause. On a final note, I would just like to thank all the people who have written such nice things about the album on the web. It is very much appreciated and hopefully it will help spread the word! All the best to you all, and I hope to see some of you at the upcoming shows. Oliver - March 2013 |
| 11th March |
Oliver & Gordon appear in PROG magazine... This months PROG magazine features a 3 page article on Oliver & Gordon's Ravens & Lullabies album as well as having the track 'Moneyfacturing' on the front cover mount CD Available from all good newsagents now! |
| 5th March |
3 new Ravens & Lullabies 2013 tour dates added... Three dates in the Channel Islands have been added to the 2013 tour. These are: 16th April - St James Concert Hall, Guernsey 17th April - The Island Hall, Sark 18th April - St Annes Church, Alderney |
| 11th Feb |
Ravens & Lullabies 2013 tour dates... The dates for the second leg of the 'Ravens & Lullabies' tour have now been announced. We hope to see you at a show or two. 28th February 9th March 15th March 22nd March 23rd March 13th April 16th April 17th April 18th April 19th April 26th April 27th April 25th May November 2013 7th November - Bath Komedia 8th November - London Islington Assembly 9th November - Milton Keynes Stables 10th November - Bilston, The Robin 16th November - Holmfirth Picturedrome 21st November - Oxford - venue details to follow 22nd November - Southampton, The Brook 23rd November - Tavistock Wharf Ticketing details to follow - see the BJH Website for further details |
| 15th Jan |
Ravens & Lullabies available to pre-order... It's here! 'Ravens & Lullabies' is now available to pre-order. If you want to be one of the first people to receive the album then order it now direct from the Cherry Red website. Buy direct and help the record label and Oliver & Gordon! You'll also get it quickly! |
| 15th Jan |
Ravens & Lullabies cover and song list unveiled... 'Ravens and Lullabies' - Gordon Giltrap and Oliver Wakeman
There will be two different releases of the album. A standard single CD with the following 13 tracks 1. Moneyfacturing2. Fiona's Smile 3. From the Turn of a Card 4. LJW 5. Maybe Tomorrow 6. Wherever There Was Beauty 7. Is This the Last Song I Write? 8. A Mayfair Kiss 9. Anyone Can Fly 10. A Perfect Day 11. Credit Carnival 12. One For Billie 13. Ravens Will Fly Away The 2CD limited edition will have a second CD featuring the following tracks Live recordings taken from the 2012 tour: 1. Nature's Way 2. Isabella's Wedding 3. Progress of the Soul 4. On Camber Sands 5. Lutey and the Mermaid New studio recordings: 6. Praeludium (from the Well Tempered Clavier) 7. The Forgotten King 8. Roots Details about pre-ordering will follow soon - we promise! |
| 17th Dec |
Oliver appears on Great Ormond Street Charity Single... 'Blue' Charity single by Paul Bond available for download Oliver, along with bass player Nick Beggs (Steve Hackett band, Porcupine Tree), appears on a new downloadable charity single from RedBox's guitarist Paul Bond. Paul's son, Josh, has been fighting against the serious cancer illness Burkitt's Lymphoma and has been treated at Great Ormond Street children's hospital for nearly a year. Paul is better at describing what he is trying to achieve and so here is a message from Paul. "This is it people! ... Please share the living daylights out of this!!!! My song 'Blue' is available for download. Suggested donation of only £2.00 and ALL profits go to Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital who saved the life of our boy Josh. This year, he contracted Burkitt's Lymphoma which is an ultra-aggressive form of cancer and it has taken a NINE MONTHS stay at Great Ormond Street to get him through it. This song is a love song from a father to a son and is dedicated not only to Josh, but also to ALL of the lovely children who we met during our stay at this incredible hospital, many of whom will be enjoying Christmas at home and sadly some who didn't manage to conquer their battle. Roseanne, Danny and Malachi - we won't forget you xxxx I have specified that the money goes to the Oncology wards. We see nurses scrabbling around for machines because they have to share them between so many rooms, so we know that there can be improvements made and I just want to give SOMETHING back for saving the life of my little boy Josh (www.facebook.com/JoshuaBondUK)". Paul Bond If you would like to download the single then the details are available from http://www.paulbond.co/CharitySong.aspx. It is a great song, and the cause is even greater. So if you like a bit of a classic rock then look no further, safe in the knowledge that you'll be helping children at Great Ormond Street Hospital. |
| 13th Dec |
Ravens and Lullabies album press release... Guitar Legend and the next generation of keyboard wizardry join forces for a new record! March 2013 will see guitar legend Gordon Giltrap and keyboardist Oliver Wakeman (following his years of touring with the classic progressive rock band YES) release their debut collaborative album 'Ravens & Lullabies' on the Esoteric Antenna label. The album is a 13 song collection of hard hitting memorable rock pieces coupled with thought provoking lyrics alongside acoustic duets featuring their fine instrumental interplay. The project was initiated with a phone call from Gordon to Oliver in early 2012 requesting Oliver's keyboard services for a new rock album. Within 24 hours Gordon had phoned again suggesting a full collaboration instead and the 'Ravens & Lullabies' concept was born. Gordon and Oliver spent 2012 writing and recording the album which features a return for Gordon to his rock roots following a 30 year absence and Oliver's first recorded works since his departure from both Yes and Strawbs. It has been recorded and mixed by 'Threshold' guitarist Karl Groom (who also mixed the Yes 'Live In Lyon' record which featured Oliver on keyboards). The album will be available in two formats, a single CD featuring 13 new pieces and double pack special edition featuring a Bonus CD of live recordings taken from their 2012 tour and re-recordings of pieces from Oliver and Gordon's past catalogue. The new album features performances by the following well respected musicians. Paul Manzi - vocals Steve Amadeo - Bass Guitar Johanne James - Drums The album also features a special vocal appearance by Benoit David, Oliver's old band mate from Yes, on the track 'From the Turn of a Card' written by Oliver during the Yes recording sessions of 2010. Many of the pieces were debuted and refined during their acoustic duo tour in September and October 2012 where they performed sell out concerts across the UK. The tour will resume in March 2013 to coincide with the release of the new album. One of the most innovative acoustic guitarists in the UK today, Gordon Giltrap has developed his own unique style, much copied, but never bettered. It is impossible not to be awestruck as he coaxes incredible melodies from his instruments; you almost suspect a second pair of hands. He is well known for his varied musical output and 'Heartsong' (a hit single from the album 'Perilous Journey' in 1977) is instantly recognized as the theme for the BBC TV's long running 'Holiday' programme. Following ten solo albums in a variety of styles, Oliver Wakeman joined the legendary band 'YES' in 2008, touring with them up until mid-2011. A live CD and triple vinyl release, 'In The Present - Live from Lyon', was a fitting bookend to his period in the band. He also worked with the folk rock band 'The Strawbs' and appeared on their last studio album as well as their 40th Anniversary CD release. Appearing in venues across North and South America, Europe and the UK with YES, Strawbs and as a solo artist, he has become a well respected live performing musician to add to his other talents as composer, songwriter, lyricist and producer. Gordon says "Working with Oliver is like a breath of fresh air. I knew of his reputation as a fine musician, and it made perfect sense for me to tap into his creative energy, not only to bring out certain elements of my musical gifts but to create something new and exciting, at the same time giving a nod in the direction of our respective Progressive Rock roots" Oliver adds, "After working with YES, the chance of working with another legendary artist was an opportunity too good to miss. I am having a wonderfully productive time working with Gordon and feel we are creating something genuinely unique in our 'Ravens & Lullabies' project." Many of Gordon's fans have been asking for years when he is going to return to his rock roots and others wondered what Oliver would write after the Yes experiences... In March 2013 they'll know... |
| 29th Nov |
Ravens and Lullabies tour report... Read Oliver's tour story from the recent Ravens & Lullabies tour around the UK. |
| 29th Nov |
Oliver & Gordon backstage movie... As part of the Trowbridge Arts festival a short film was made of the Wakeman & Giltrap show. It can be viewed on Oliver's YouTube channel. |
| 29th Oct |
Few more reviews from the Ravens and Lullabies tour... A couple more reviews have been added to the Ravens & Lullabies tour reviews page. |
| 23rd Oct |
More reviews from the Ravens and Lullabies tour... More reviews added to the Ravens & Lullabies tour reviews page. |
| 1st Oct |
Ravens and Lullabies tour reviews added... There is now a section on the site with reviews from the Ravens & Lullabies tour. It can be reached by clicking the link here or under the reviews menu tab above |
| 26th Sept |
First night of the Ravens tour excerpt on new YouTube channel... There is now an official Oliver Wakeman YouTube channel! It features an excerpt from the first night of the 'Ravens & Lullabies' tour as well as solo, Oliver's band, Yes and Strawbs video performances. We hope you like the new channel. |
| 14th Sept |
New interview with Oliver... Earlier in the year Oliver was interviewed by Martin hudson from the Classic Rock Society. The interview has been reprinted in the interviews section as is full of interesting insights into working with Yes and Gordon Giltrap |
|
5th October November 2013 7th November - Bath Komedia 8th November - London Islington Assembly 9th November - Milton Keynes Stables 10th November - Bilston, The Robin 16th November - Holmfirth Picturedrome 21st November - Junction, Cambridge 22nd November - Southampton, The Brook 23rd November - Tavistock Wharf Ticketing details to follow - see the BJH Website for further details |
Gordon Giltrap & Oliver Wakeman
Ravens & Lullabies
Released March '13
Yes - In the Present
Live From Lyon
Released Dec '11