Album Notes

Emergence - solo Hang
Alan Tower

The Hang (Huhng) came into the world consciousness in 2001, a fascinating evolutionary hybrid of Gamaelan, bells, and Ghatam while simultaneously stirring in the ear the sound of string, flute and drum. The 8 or 9 fixed notes(6 or 7 discrete) are like the planets revolving around the sun or Dome, which is the main central note of the instrument. With instruments that have a limited number of fixed notes, like the Hang, there is no need to tune them in western equal temperament (like with guitar, piano) but instead they can be organized around the natural scale (low prime ratio’s) for a more direct experience of vibrational resonance.

The sound of the Hang has captured the hearts of musicians and audiences around the world. For quiet contemplation and creativity.

These pieces feature the Triple Hang Altar invented by Alan Tower to be able to play two or three HangHang together for a broader compositonal palette of tones.

Sound of Love and Change is Good are likely the first solo pieces composed for three HangHang together. Alan Tower Bio
www.alantower.net


AT Bio
Alan Tower began his musical career as a solo acoustic guitar composer influenced by Michael Hedges and eventually collaborating with Alex deGrassi. In 1991, after an injury to his right hand left him unable to play guitar for many years, he became attracted to musical sounds of other cultures, eventually making a career out of finding one-of-a-kind evolutionary acoustic instruments and then working closely with the inventors to expand their potential for composition and performance. In 2003 he launched Green Music Network 501c3 with an ecological orientation in bridging cultures with music for the healing of our world. He has collaborated with many accomplished world musicians including Mark Deutsch, inventor of the Bazantar, Stephen Kent, didjeridu master and Matthew Montfort leader of Ancient Future, the longest running world fusion band.

Tower’s primary instruments are the Huaca, Hang, Didjeridu and modified Shruti Box. His compositions, unusual sounds and ecological literacy have been captured on 9 CD’s with two released on the Ancient Future Records label, and two on Hemi-Sync/Meta Music. His organic sounds have been used in the 2004 Disney/Skywalker movie Peter Pan, his music in soundtracks for meditation and yoga, in a series of Tsunami Ranger video’s on Sea Kayaking, and in the Ellipsis Arts CD/book bestseller Orbitones, Spoonharps and Bellowphones. His new album released in ’08 is Bearing Witness: our vanishing ethnosphere and focuses on didjeridu duos and solos. He teaches in a studio close to the beach for surfing and cycling in San Francisco.

"The music of Alan Tower is all tracings. Like the bards of ancient times he holds up the mirror of our follies. But he also holds up stars and mists and fleeting lights that trace hidden paths out of the darkness. He is a composer of dreams and a gentle artisan of hope". - Miriam Teresa McGillis O.P. Founder Genesis Farm & Lecturer, Fate of the Earth.