The Asheville Symphony Orchestra and some of the most talented musicians from the area have just finished collaborating on a new album. Titled The Asheville Symphony Sessions, it is scheduled for release this month. “This album serves as a soundtrack for the city,” says ASO executive director David Whitehill. “The Asheville Symphony champions great music, and we’re very fortunate that there is great music being made here.
“Not many communities of this size have the kind of resources—including the symphony musicians, recording engineers, producers, publicists, arrangers, session musicians, and recording studios—that we have in Asheville.” The album was produced by Michael Selverne, of Welcome to Mars, at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Recording Studios.
Featured artists are Doc Aquatic, Electric Owls, Free Planet Radio with Lizz Wright, Lovett, Matt Townsend, Rising Appalachia, Shannon Whitworth, and Steep Canyon Rangers.
The album synthesizes a variety of genres including folk, country, roots, rock, pop, bluegrass, R&B, and jazz, with each track featuring ensembles from the ASO ranging in size from nine musicians to 24.
“This album is life-sized art, produced here in our community,” says Michael. “After 32 years of making records in NY and LA, this is one of the coolest projects I have worked on. … I believe that we have created an incredibly musical record that reflects the spirit and the soul of our community.”
A number of notable arrangers worked on the project including Michael Bearden, who works with Lady Gaga and Neil Young and was Michael Jackson’s musical director for his This Is It tour. Also participating: Van Dyke Parks, who composed and arranged the score for Disney’s The Jungle Book animated film; and Jonathan Sacks, a composer and orchestrator who has worked on many blockbuster films including The Princess and the Frog and Disney’s Cars.
“It was amazing to see the bands’ reactions as they heard the symphony musicians bring the orchestral arrangements of their songs to life,” says Jessica Tomasin, Echo Mountain Recording’s studio manager. “I love the idea that we are connecting musicians from varying backgrounds and musical genres in our own community.”
The Asheville Symphony Sessions will be available through a number of local retailers, and worldwide through iTunes and Amazon.com. Visit ashevillesymphony.org/ sessions for more information.
