Grammy® Award Nominee Laura Sullivan: a Rarity in the New Age Category – Indie and Female
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 07, 2014 -- Pianist, composer and recording artist Laura Sullivan’s critically-acclaimed album LOVE’S RIVER is nominated for the 2014 Best New Age Album Grammy® Award. Sullivan is only the 9th woman nominated as a solo or main artist in the New Age category’s 27-year history. Additionally, LOVE’S RIVER was executive produced and marketed entirely independently by Sullivan with her producer and husband, Eric, from their San Francisco-area home studio and via their label, Sentient Spirit Records.
LOVE’S RIVER is Sullivan’s seventh album. It climbed to #2 on the ZoneMusicReporter chart, which is the industry’s benchmark for New Age Music radio airplay.
"The music on Love’s River is warm and inviting, soothing and uplifting, and should ensure Sullivan’s place in the upper echelons of contemporary pianists." ~ Kathy Parsons, Mainly Piano
"Laura’s new arrangements take on a mature vitality and soulfulness that makes you want to listen again and again.” ~ RJ Lannan, New Age Reporter
"This is pure sonic artistry." ~ Brent Fischer, Grammy® Winning Producer, Composer, Arranger (Michael Jackson, Usher, Toni Braxton et al)
Years of critical support and emotional fan connection elevated Sullivan’s musical identity and contribution to a major national level. Her music has appeared on the hit television series “So You Think You Can Dance,” nationwide Hyundai commercials, and many television series and film scores. And while this is Sullivan’s first Grammy® nomination, the collaborative talent on LOVE’S RIVER carries an award-winning pedigree:
• Grammy® award winning artist Will Ackerman, the founder of Windham Hill Records: produced four pieces, plays guitar on select tracks
• Grammy® award winning artist Nancy Rumbel from the renowned duo Tingstad and Rumbel: oboe and English horn
• NAR Lifestyle and Independent Music Award winner Jeff Oster: trumpet and flugel horn
• Four-time Grammy® award winning cellist Eugene Friesen, a member of the celebrated Paul Winter Consort
• World renowned artist Jill Haley: English horn.
“Laura is blessed with a musical soul and the hands to go with it. Her compositions are at once breathtaking and lovely; accessible and yet challenging. The four pieces showed incredible range in style while being held together by the strength of her musical voice," commented Will Ackerman.
“As I consider how hard work and good fortune have come together for me as a self-reliant artist, and the significance of being a rare female nominated in this category, I'm so grateful and excited about what Grammy® Week holds in store,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan’s fellow nominees for the Best New Age Album Grammy® include some of the genre’s most accomplished artists, including Kitaro, Peter Kater, Brian Eno, and R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman, who have combined for over 40 Grammy® nominations in their storied careers.
The 56th annual Grammy® Awards ceremony will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26, 2014, and televised by CBS.
LOVE’S RIVER is available in CD or digital format from various retailers, including Amazon.com and iTunes and can be heard at http://www.laura-sullivan.com.
For more information or media inquiries, contact Robin Samora, Public Relations Coordinator at (617) 921-3448 or Robin(at)RobinSamoraInc(dot)com.
About Laura Sullivan
Laura Sullivan is a GRAMMY® nominated pianist and composer of New Age and Contemporary Classical music. She began playing the piano at the age of four and was first taught by her mother, the late author, Carol Purdy. Her music has appeared on the hit television series “So You Think You Can Dance,” nationwide Hyundai commercials, and many television series and film scores. Her music is released and distributed under her independent label, Sentient Spirit Records. Laura's childhood home was on a farm in Northern California. She now lives on the California Coast near San Francisco with her husband and their young daughter.
GRAMMY® and GRAMMY Awards® are registered trademarks of The Recording Academy®.
Robin Samora, Robin Samora Inc, http://robinsamorainc.com, +1 (617) 921-3448, [email protected]
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