Sir George Martin Partners With Compendia Music Group and the Kellerby Company to Release "Enhanced CD" Classical Collection

Famous Producer, Writer, Arranger Seeks to De-mystify Classical Music With This Collection; Delightful Video Commentary a Bonus for New Classical Listeners and Beatle Fans Alike Sir George Martin, the legendary producer, composer and arranger best known for his work with The Beatles, has collaborated with Compendia Music Group and Kellerby Company to release a classical music series, enhanced with video commentary, entitled "Sir George Martin Presents". All six enhanced compact disc titles will be released in the U.S. on April 9, 2002.

LONDON/NASHVILLE TN (PRWEB) June 30, 2002 -- Sir George Martin, the legendary producer, composer and arranger best known for his work with The Beatles, has collaborated with Compendia Music Group and Kellerby Company to release a classical music series, enhanced with video commentary, entitled "Sir George Martin Presents". All six enhanced compact disc titles will be released in the U.S. on April 9, 2002.

The enhanced CD produced by the Kellerby Company of Nashville provides two ways for the consumer to enjoy the "Sir George Martin Presents" series. When played in a compact disc player, the CD contains classical compositions personally selected by the famed producer, and performed by Londons Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. When the CD is played in a computer, the consumer can listen to the music while accessing video interviews with Sir George as he gives details about the featured composers and compositions, personalizing the commentary by relating it to his work and career. The video portion of the enhanced CD also contains a section where consumers can view a selection of artwork from that period, as well as an extensive biography of Sir George Martin.

The six titles in the "Sir George Martin Presents" series - Bach and the Baroque, Mozart, Beethoven, The Impressionists: Ravel and Debussy, Tchiakovsky and Holst and Vaughan-Williams - will be released on the Compendia label, and distributed through the Compendia Distribution Group. Further details and a demonstration of the enhanced CD features of this project are available at www.georgemartin.com.

"For me, music is music," said Martin. "I think there are only two types of music -- good and bad. Unfortunately, there are some people in the classical music world who have done a great disservice to that music, because they've made it intimidating. It shouldn't be - it's music that should be enjoyed by everyone. I want people to be aware of all these gems that are available to them. If they delve in, there's tremendous enjoyment to be got out of it. So this is my invitation to dig in, listen, and enjoy!"

"This collection gives people who aren't yet tuned into classical music a taste of what there is in store," the producer continued. "The selections range from the really classical composers like Bach to the composers of the last century, and covers a huge span of the rising curve of genius in music and human history. If you're listening to this stuff for the first time, this is just a taste of things to come because it points the way to where you can find enormous enjoyment in a whole world of untapped classical music."

"We approached Sir George about this project because we knew that he, maybe better than anyone else, could get people to listen to classical music with fresh ears," said Martin Tudor, CEO of Compendia Media Group. "I have been privileged to know George for many years now; I was well aware of his deep passion for music, all music, and that was a key element in Compendia attempting this series."

Widely acclaimed as the most influential and prolific record producer in history, Martin has produced more than 700 recordings in a career spanning 50 years and genres as diverse as jazz, rock, classical, comedy and film soundtracks, with an unprecedented and unmatched 31 Number 1 hits.

Beloved for his work with The Beatles, Martin is lesser known for his training in and love for classic music. Classical influences are prevalent throughout his work and among many of the Beatles most famous recordings including "Eleanor Rigby," "In My Life" (with its baroque-style middle eight) and the classic crescendo at the end of "A Day In The Life".

The famed producer, in fact, makes an occasional reference to the Beatles in the video portion of the "Sir George Martin Presents" series, including the following story about a well-known Beatles tune: "One day Paul McCartney came to me and said, 'I listened to something last night; it was Bach, and it featured a very high trumpet. I said, 'Thats probably one of the Brandenburg Concertos, Paul, probably a trumpet in D or a piccolo trumpet. He said, 'Thats a really great sound -- could we use it? I said, 'Sure we can -- absolutely! The result was the obbligato (the very distinctive horn accompaniment) on 'Penny Lane . . . so without Bach, 'Penny Lane would not be what it is today."

ABOUT SIR GEORGE MARTIN
Although frequently ascribed the title of the "Fifth Beatle," Sir Georges career is uniquely diverse. He grew up with no formal musical training and taught himself to play piano by ear and by sixteen had his own dance band. Beginning in 1947, he studied composition and classical music orchestration while developing his talents in the piano and the oboe at London's Guildhall School of Music. He entered the music industry in 1950 at Parlophone Records and was responsible for classical recordings while establishing himself as a jazz and light music producer, working with such names as Cleo Laine, Stan Getz, John Dankworth, Humphrey Lyttelton and Judy Garland.

In 1963, records produced by George Martin held the number one position on the British charts for an unprecedented 37 weeks of the year. In 1997, he produced "Candle In The Wind '97", Elton John's tribute to the late Princess Diana, which became the best-selling single of all time. In addition to his work with the Beatles, Martin also produced numerous other artists, as well as producing memorable and popular movie theme songs, including "Goldfinger," "From Russia With Love" and "Live and Let Die" for the "James Bond" box-office hit movies. A member of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, Martin was named one of Britain's top 300 achievers of the century in 1999.

ABOUT KELLERBY COMPANY
The Kellerby Company began programming computers and designing web sites as early as 1983. In 1997 LeftRightBrain, a video production firm and Imagine It Media, a design house specializing in Web Design and Network Architecture merged to form the Kellerby Company.

Lead principal of the company, Dan Kellerby moved to Nashville in 1990 at the urging of Benson Music Publishing and chart topping producer and publisher Bob Millsap. In entertainment, he has worked with the likes of: Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart, Sawyer Brown, Reggie White, Warner Music, Westwood One, Word Records, ForeFront Records, Rodney Crowell, Reba McIntire, Dolly Parton, Hoyt Axton, Sandi Patti, and many more. Kellerby has produced video that achieved double platinum status and has produced multi-media projects for then Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton. He has served as Vice President of both Big Doggie Records and Silent Planet Records.

Our client history includes: Compendia Media Group, Sir George Martin, Ingram Industries, Nortel Networks, Word Publishing, Sony Music Group, Nanci Griffith, CNA Insurance, Outboard Marine Corporation, Y-Tex Corporation, Columbia Tristar Pictures, Provident Music Group, Benson Music, Audio Productions, Atlantic Records and CampusVibe.com.
   
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

Taunia Kellerby
www.kellerby.com
taunia@kellerby.com
615-383-5009