The EVI, invented by Nyle Steiner, stands for Electronic Valve Instrument because it has a playing technique similar to that of a brass instrument or trumpet.
On this CD the EVI plays instrumental type sounds, such as trumpet, brass, oboe, woodwinds, violin, low strings and high misty sounding lines.
Much of this music is the result of high speed internet allowing musicians to record their own tracks while being separated by many hundreds of miles. Nyle Steiner says "I have never met Norm in person. If he walked in the door right now, I would not recognise him but I have enjoyed a great working relationship with him and Beth. Beth has recorded many of her tracks here with me and many others while being hundreds of miles away."
The intensity of the Bach Toccata is enhanced with a topping of high trumpet sound played to a slight jazzy rough around the edge interpretation.
Benevolent Paradox, sweetened with string and percussion sounds, is an improvisation with a brass sound and chord pedals.
Stowaway and Through The Eyes of a Child represent the eclectic taste of this trio of composer/musicians, as they take you from a 1950's Sci-Fi movie (featuring Nyle's wacky Theramin sound) to beautiful orchestral ramblings that capture the feeling of a tempestuous sea.
The songs from Marilyn, An American Fable were recorded by Beth Lawrence and Norman Thalheimer for a project commemorating the 2008, 25th anniversary of the opening of the musical at the Minskoff Theater on Broadway. The songs were restored to their original arrangements and done very purely by the composers with piano, voice and Nyle's wonderful solos. "It was a neat experience to revisit the songs of Marilyn with Norman after so many years," Beth said, "and a fantastic treat to work with Nyle who always adds a magical touch to the music." These songs represent the collaboration of three old, and new, musical friends, proving that time and distance are no obstacles to creating a beautiful piece of music.
Nyle Steiner began experimenting with electronics at an early age. This experimentation combined with the experience of growing up in a musical environment led to the ability to design his own electronic music synthesizers.
Vladimir Ussachevsky, commissioned Nyle to build electronic music synthesizers for the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center in New York and the University of Utah.
Composing scores for modern dance became a specialty, working with groups such as the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. TV commercials and local films were also part of his activities.
Being a trumpet player, Nyle developed a synthesizer with a playing technique similar to that of a trumpet. It is called the Electronic Valve Instrument (EVI) because of it's three valve playing technique. Breath control and human vibrato make it a very powerful and expressive musical instrument with its own unique musical qualities and the ability to sound and articulate like conventional musical instruments.
Nyle was first place winner of the 1980 ARS Electronica International Electronic Music Competition at Linz, Austria.
Nyle's career with motion pictures started in 1979, playing much of the music and featured solo passages in the movie"Apocalypse Now". At the same time, he also wrote some of the music for the movie "Black Stallion".
He started working in the Los Angeles area in 1981 as a studio musician for movies and television. Some of the movies include: "Witness" "Ghost", "Dead Poets Society", "Fatal Attraction", "Gorillas in the Mist", "No Way Out", "Enemy Mine", "Mosquito Coast", etc.
TV projects include: "Dallas", "Columbo", "Matlock", "Perry Mason", "Quincy", "Remington Steele", "St. Elsewhere", "Mike Hammer", "Fantasy Island", "Cagney and Lacy" etc. Featured solo in "Knots Landing" main title. Perry Como TV Special etc. TV commercials for Chevrolet, Chevron, Kelloggs, Telesis, etc.
People he has worked with include: Maurice Jarre, Henry Mancini, John Williams, Lalo Schifrin, Hans Zimmer, Melissa Manchester, Shirley Walker, Carol Burnette, Maureen Mcgovern, Stephanie Mills, Neal Diamond and others. He was heard and featured on the HBO Barbara Streisand TV Special "One Voice".
Vladimir Ussachevsky has written several works for EVI. One is for EVI and symphony orchestra, recorded on Grammavision with Nyle and the Brooklin Philharmonia, directed by Lucas Foss.
Maurice Jarre wrote a concerto for EVI and orchestra which was performed by Nyle and the BBC orchestra in London. He also performed the concerto in other European countries and in the USA.
He has also designed an Electronic Woodwind Instrument (EWI) which is now being produced and marketed by AKAI Corp of Japan.
There is a lot more info that can be found by doing a google search of Nyle Steiner.
Singer/Composer Beth Lawrence has written music and lyrics for Marilyn an American Fable, a musical that ran on Broadway at the Minskoff Theater in New York, and has written book, lyrics and music for The Journey Home, which ran as part of the 2002 Cultural Olympiad.
Beth's voice can be heard on numerous national jingles and soundtracks, and her CD's have garnered awards from Parent's Magazine, Billboard Magazine, the American Song Festival and L.A. Jazz Scene Magazine. An award-winning singer, Beth has appeared in major showrooms and concert venues in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.
Beth is the CEO of Viva La Voice, a company offering private voice coaching and therapy; workshops in the performing arts, and music camps for women. Beth has created The Integrated Voice system, a holistic approach to voice coaching and therapy honoring the connection of body, mind and spirit, and is the author of the Joyful Singing Series - Seven Principles for Vocal Mastery.
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