TONY BANKS MUSICAL RETURN
Third orchestral work due in February.
Genesis keyboard player Tony Banks will release a new album through BMG Records in February. Entitled Five, this will be Banks’ third orchestral work, following on the back of 2004’s Seven: A Suite For Orchestra and 2012’s Six Pieces For Orchestra.
The album is a collection of five compositions written by Banks and produced by long-time collaborator Nick Davis. The work has been conducted by Nick Ingham, who has previously worked with the London Symphony Orchestra, David Bowie and Oasis. Ingham agreed to be involved in the project after hearing the initial demos that Banks played him.
Five breaks with orthodox classical recording tradition by being recorded section by section, a trait more common with rock and pop music. Solos and percussion were intially recorded at London’s Angel Studios before recording moved to Prague where the orchestra and choir recorded. Banks has played all the piano parts on the new work.
The inspiration for Five was a piece that Banks recorded for the 70th Cheltenham Music Festival in 2014, titled Arpegg, which has been re worked as the opening track Prelude To A Million Years. The final track, Renaissance, is based around a piece that Banks composed during his Genesis days.
The full tracklisting is: Prelude To A Million Years, Reveille, Ebb And Flow, Autumn Sonata and Renaissance. Five will be released via BMG Records on Febuary 2. It will be available on CD and double gatefiold vinyl. See www.tonybanksmusic.com. JE