Album Notes

Current Albums by James Gray available at cdbaby:
Ancient Journey
King Crab
Shaman

"Ancient Journeys" draws on Mediterranean and Celtic traditions, blended with some electronica and effects. "Ancient Journey" is a magical tour through the travels of a distant time and place. Instruments are electronic and acoustical. I use an M-Audio Midi Keyboard, acoustical harp, penny whistle, psaltery, lap dulcimer, and fiddle. The software I use to create my tracks is Garage Band, (of which I cannot say enough; for this creative tool thank you, Apple, for making a long-standing dream come true.) Tracks are often developed late at night long after the family has gone to bed. Try a few tracks and see if they don't transport you.

My Musical Influences
African; Alternative; Ambient; Appalachian; Avant Guard; Celtic; Celtic New Age; Classical; Delta Blues; Electronica; Experimental; Folk; Impressionist; Indian; Jazz; Native American; New Age; Old English; Old Timey; Classical Persian; Pop; Reggae; Rock; Scottish; Ska; Sound Tracks; South West; Space; Spanish; Swing 30's 40's; World; Zydeco;

Tracks of Ancient Journey

"Aegean Sea" 4:40
A combination of flute, hammered dulcimer and stringed instruments. The hammered dulcimer seems to catch the reflecting water as the sultry woodwinds celebrate the red sky and setting sun.

"Colossus" 6:02
One of the 7 wonders of the world. It must have been an awesome sight to be aboard a ship passing under this statue as it straddles the harbor entrance to the port city of Rhodes. This piece starts off with the hammering of metal as it is still under construction. It is soon overtaken by awe; the size, the disbelief of just how massive this structure is.

"Strong City" 4:28
This piece captures a ride through a strongly fortified port city and gives the sense of its majesty and the bustling activity of the streets. Imagine yourself on horseback trotting through, taking in all the ambience.

"Marsh Passage" 5:30
A trip through the marsh, an eerie place filled with bizarre sculptural plants and unusual sights. You start to pick up all the sounds of the creatures that live there. I like how dark and mysterious swamps and marshes can be with their will-o-the-wisp legions and their noxious swamp gases.
Let "Marsh Passage" guide you through a landscape as compelling as it is dark.

"Campfire Tales" 4:06
Storytelling was a way of teaching and the passing of memory and knowledge in ancient times and good storytellers where highly prized. As the storyteller points to the constellations and relays stories of heroes and heroines, a shooting star accents the tale. Join him as he spins his tales and draws you in. Suddenly you are in the places of Gods and Heroes.

"Deep Forest". 5:36
You feel small amongst these massive trees. The wind blows through, rustles all the leaves, and it seems to come alive with the sounds and the dappled lights of spirits. You feel you are in the power and at the mercy of this great and wise place.

"Summit" 5:12
With the wind howling all about you, you see the world anew. You are looking at the rooftops of the world. You no longer feel small but you have transcended yourself and you are now part of all you see. You feel expansive but at the same time the mountain can remind you that you are mortal after all and you must be very careful or it will kill you.

"Desert Crossing" 6:54
Crossing a desert is a combination of drudgery, power, expanse and fascination all rolled into one. You see mirages; dunes that seem only yards away turn out to be monster dunes on the distant horizon. You lose your sense of scale-your sense of you. It seems spirits travel on the winds to taunt and trick you, to claim you as a permanent resident.

"journey's Turn" 8:31
There comes a time in every journey were you start to recognize the familiar and home no longer feels so far away. You reflect on where you have been and anticipate arriving in the comfort of your home and hearth.

"Destination" 5:30
Homecoming dance celebrations can go on for days. You bring to your village the most important commodity of all: news of the your travels and the outside world. Through you, all of them expand their worlds.

I hope you enjoy these tracks as much as I did creating them and that they encourage you to take and reflect on new journeys of your own making.

Album Titles available at www.endlessbounty.com are:

* King Crab -- Coming Soon
* Stranded Heart -- Coming Soon
* Ancient Journey
* Road to Jerusalem
* Cactus Flower
* Compilation
* The First
* 1863
* Jezebel's Vanity
* Paradisum
* What Cost
* Letting Go
* Be Where You Are
* Tribute