"This Is What I Live For"
Label: Burning Petals Records
Genre: Contemporary Classical, Post-Classical
Buy: Directly through BurningPetals, iTunes or Amazon
in my hands, I was totally taken aback to see that
this (debut) album is worth every little penny you will spend for it.
If you are a fan of Contemporary Classical music
or you want to discover more about this kind of music,
I'm sure you will not regret this choice.
"This Is What I Live For" Is a contemporary classical album
composed by Richard Anthony Jay.
A musician from U.K who has single-mindedly followed his own path and own vision
rather than the path which was fashionable or cool in music.
Favorite [Key] Tracks:
Track 2: Milan
Track 7: Alone
Track 11: Gone... But Not Forgotten
[You can preview the entire album here]
"As a debut album, This is What I Live For has attracted high profile special guests including, Grammy-award winner Davy Spillane on Gone…but not Forgotten. Spillane's uilleann pipes add a haunting and dramatic touch to the track, making it stand out amongst the more classical, ambient pieces on the album.
Musicians from renowned Hallé orchestra, Britain's longest-established symphony orchestra, also feature on almost all of the album tracks. Their superb musicianship bring Richard's intricate compositions to life, evoking emotions the listener has no choice but to feel.
A veteran of the music industry, Richard has done an array of jobs until deciding to try his hand at being The Artist. Beginning his career at age 16, working in studios as a sound engineer, Richard's life is one of following the opportunities. They lead him to: writing and arranging pop songs for various artists; being signed by Universal Records Japan; having publishing deals with BMG Riccordi, Warner/Chappell and Polygram; creating a Film/TV music company; licensing music to Sony Pictures, Nintendo, Paramount Pictures and Fox amongst many others.
Despite all of these experiences, he still felt something was missing. It was a love-hate relationship with the music industry. During the 'hate' periods he turned his back on the industry altogether. He didn't own a stereo, fell into depressions, and lost interest in anything music related. But slowly the muse would re-enter his life.
When finally deciding it was his turn to be the artist, Richard focused on composing music whose sole purpose was personal creative expression. The result is what you hear on This is What I Live For - a contemporary, ambient, classical sound. Surprising, considering his extensive past in pop music, and with a mix of influences such as Stevie Wonder, Dead Can Dance, and Michael Nyman."
