Pieces of the Sun
Tony Levin
Pieces of the Sun CD |
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Pieces of the Sun
Pieces of the Sun is Tony Levin’s third solo album, an adventurous instrumental journey that weaves together jazz, progressive rock, experimental sounds, and international influences. The record features Tony’s touring band at the time—Larry Fast on keyboards, Jesse Gress on guitar, and Jerry Marotta on drums—joined by the California Guitar Trio on the opening track, Apollo.
Marotta expands his role beyond percussion, adding acoustic guitar, Omnichord, and saxophone throughout the album. While largely instrumental, there are playful touches of voice: a lone “Tequila” on the track Tequila, and the spirited “dog one!,” “dog two!,” and “dog three!” on Dog One, a fresh recording of a Peter Gabriel piece originally developed by Levin, Marotta, and Fast during their years with Gabriel’s band.
The album’s opener, Apollo, received a Grammy nomination in 2003 for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, marking another highlight in Tony’s celebrated career.
Musicians
Tony Levin - Chapman Stick (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 9-11), Music Man StingRay Bass (tracks 1, 5, 6), cello (tracks 6, 8, 11), NS Electric Upright Bass (track 2), electric fretless bass (tracks 3, 9, 12), acoustic bass guitar (track 1), electric guitar(track 8), Omnichord (track 3), vocals (tracks 4, 5)
Larry Fast - synthesizers on all tracks except track 8, vocals (track 5)
Jesse Gress - electric guitar (tracks 3, 5, 9, 11, 12), electric guitars (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 10), acoustic guitars (track 3), backwards guitar (track 8), vocals (tracks 4, 5)
Jerry Marotta - drums on all tracks except track 8, percussion (tracks 5, 6), tenor saxophone (tracks 5, 9), acoustic guitars (track 3), Omnichord (track 3), Taos drum (track 8), vocals (track 4, 5)
California Guitar Trio - acoustic guitars on “Apollo"
Production
Tony Levin - Producer
Robert Frazza - Engineer
Doug Stringer - Premix and overdub engineer
Kevin Killen - Mixing engineer
Trevor Sadler - Mastering
1. "Apollo" (Tony Levin) - 6:49
2. "Geronimo" (Levin, Larry Fast, Jesse Gress, Jerry Marotta) - 3:11
3. "Aquafin" (Levin) - 5:13
4. "Dog One" (Peter Gabriel) - 5:15
5. "Tequila" (Levin, Chuck Rio) - 5:20
6. "Pieces of the Sun" (Levin, Marotta) - 7:20
7. "Phobos" (Fast) - 7:08
8. "Ooze" (Levin) - 4:16
9. "Blue Nude Reclining" (Levin, Fast, Gress, Marotta) - 3:08
10. "The Fifth Man" (Levin) - 5:47
11. "Ever the Sun Will Rise" (Levin) - 9:08
12. "Silhouette" (Levin) - 4:3