String Planet

Editorial Reviews
About the Artist
Composing, performing and recording together for almost two decades in FREEWAY PHILHARMONIC, violist Novi and composer/Stick player Larry Tuttle developed their original style by combining classical melodies and harmonies with the drive and energy of world music. Designed to be accessible, their music is filled with hooks, memorable themes and compelling rhythms. Imagination is priority one in their sound.

NOVI NOVOG - VIOLA

Novi Novog and her viola have been heard and seen on recordings, films and concert stages all over the world. She is one of LA's top session musicians, with a long list of credits including solos on Prince's "Purple Rain" and "Raspberry Beret," The Doobie Brothers' "Black Water", and album appearances for such diverse artists as Bonnie Raitt, Terrance Trent D'Arby, Michael Jackson, 10,000 Maniacs, Cher, James Taylor, Spinal Tap, Madonna, Tom Petty and Tangerine Dream. Her performing credits include such names as Frank Zappa, The Doobie Brothers, Aretha Franklin and Jennifer Warnes.

Throughout her childhood Novi played and recorded music with her first cousin, Lauren Wood. Their first album was on the Musicor Label, then they moved on to Warner Brothers and recorded as CHUNKY, NOVI AND ERNIE. Novi and Lauren still continue their lifelong musical relationship today, with Lauren contributing two vocals on the debut STRING PLANET CD.

LARRY TUTTLE -THE STICK-

Larry Tuttle and The Stick were on a collision course right from the start. It was a perfect fit. Growing up in Seattle, Washington, Larry Tuttle discovered the string bass at age nine and embarked on a childhood saturated in classical music, playing in school orchestras, All-City orchestras, Youth Symphonies, college symphonies, and just about every kind of ensemble imaginable. A short study course in ear-training with jazz great Gary Peacock was a revelation, opening his ears to jazz and helping to develop deep listening skills and musical philosophy.

Discovering the electric bass and progressive rock bands such as Yes, ELP and Gentle Giant, Larry went on to play for ten years with rock group RUSSIA, moving to Los Angeles and recording two albums for Warner Bros. Records.

After the RUSSIA years, looking to expand his musical choices, he added The Stick to his repertoire of instruments. It was a life-changing move. The Stick opened up whole new worlds of musical expression. As a new instrument with plenty of untapped potential, it offered both a challenge and an opportunity for creating a totally unique and personal musical voice. In 1999, Larry recorded "THROUGH THE GATES", a CD of solos performed on The Stick.

Product Description
The debut CD from violist Novi and composer/Stick player Larry Tuttle, String Planet combines a 21st-century approach to strings with a world-beat rhythm section. This is classical crossover with a serious ethnic groove. Soaring and visionary melodies float over an unstoppable river of drums and percussion. Novi contributes lots of heartfelt and creative improvisations with her beloved viola "Stinky" while Larry Tuttle's Stick provides a clean and sparkling foundation on the Stick.

Although primarily an instrumental CD, String Planet also contains two guest vocals from Lauren Wood (the singer of "Fallen" from the "Pretty Woman" soundtrack) and one tune featuring string quartet.

String Planet,String Planet,Tone Science Records,Classical crossover meets World Beat - Chapman Stick and viola with lots and lots of percussion - visionary melodies over ethnic rhythms

String Planet

Tracks:

Black Clouds
Born On The Wrong Planet
Lands End
The Remington Ride
Resume Man
Elvis' Wild Ride
Bigger Isn't Better
Johnny Cash
Lester Had A Coconut
Diggin' In
Texas
Jellyfish

Customer Reviews:

No Kyle! :-( .......2005-02-01

This is the only String Cheese album that was made before keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth joined the band. It's a pretty good album, though. Nershi and Kang are great here, especially on the tracks that have a bluegrass sound. It's a fun album to listen to and the musicianship is excellent. However, Kyle's absence bothers me quite a bit. Songs such as "Texas," "Jellyfish," and "Black Clouds" don't sound nearly as good as they do on the live album "Carnival '99," an album that has Kyle on it. Only get this album if you are a diehard String Cheese fan or if you like albums that have a good amount of bluegrass.

Even without Kang.......2001-11-09

Amazingly enough, Kyle Hollingsworth, SCI's keyboardist, is not a member at the time of this album. That aside, this album is incredible! Take a little under an hour of your time kick back with a drink (it could be water, soda or a whiskey straight) and dive into a story book of soulful, satisfying compositions. If you love music, period, you can not go wrong with the SCI.

Personal faves on disk: see tracks 1-12.

born on my planet.......2001-08-24

Never thought anyone could tear me away from my beloved Phish, but I have to say that String Cheese is now number one in my heart and ears...an awesome multifaceted group out of Boulder, always experimenting with different sounds and genres, SCI never fails to get my booty moving to beautiful jammy tunes. They also translate really well from performing live to album recordings - I recommend this cd over their live one performed at the Fox Theatre in Boulder. Tracks 9 and 10 are my babies, transporting me to a funkycalypsopercussion-driven heaven.

Something for Everyone.......2001-02-03

The String Cheese Incident's first studio release contains studio versions of some of SCI's classics such as Texas, Black Clouds, Johnny Cash and Jellyfish. Born on the Wrong Planet is a must for all hardcore String Cheese fans. It shows a different side of String Cheese, the more acoustic, bluegrass, or just plain wacky element of this extremely versatile band.

IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN.......1999-06-03

Born on the wrong planet is full diverse styles of music. Bluegrass, jazz-rap, country, latin, rock and whatever that drum-thing might be ("Diggin In"). Its full of songs, but its mainly an instrumental affair. The quality of playing is astoundingly good. I say this for 2 reasons, it is not only unusually spirited & inspired for a studio recording, but the detail & subtlety is extreemly fine. The vocals are not to be overlooked though, the harmonies are natural in the way that Poco`s are. I have never heard such fine intrumental playing emerge from a studio before. Even John Coltranes records had troughs etc. This is in a class of its own. This band (like so many) is not known in my country, mores the pity! Rudi Samborski

Average customer rating:

Last Sin Eater

Manufacturer: Word Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

New Traditionalist | Contemporary Country | Country | Styles | Music

Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music

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1408

ASIN: B000QTCY6I
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

Shall We Gather at the River
Last Sin Eater
Grandma's Flowers
Funeral
Follow Me & Bletsung's Bees
Dead Man's Mountain & Cadi's Pain
Strawberry Jam
Mom Gives Preserves Back
Mountain Meeting
Not Given a Spirit of Fear
Nothing's Changed
Fathers' Love & New Friends
Ellen's Fall
Softly and Tenderly
It Doesn't Hurt Anymore!
Sorry They Done That to You
Grieving the Past
No More Lies
You're Just a Man Whom God Loves
Reconciliation with Mom
I Love You
Room at the Cross for You

The String Quartet Tribute to Duran Duran

Average customer rating:

EXTRAORDINARY - Duran Duran goes Victorian
Thorougly nonplussed

The String Quartet Tribute to Duran Duran

Manufacturer: Vitamin Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Tributes | Pop | Styles | Music

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General | Compilations | Rock | Styles | Music

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Nick Rhodes and John Taylor Present Only After Dark

ASIN: B000255K76
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

Ordinary World
Rio
Save A Prayer
What Happens Tomorrow
Planet Earth
Girls On Film
Electric Barbarella
Hungry Like The Wolf
Meet El Presidente
Run Run

Product Description

1. Ordinary World
2. Rio
3. Save A Prayer
4. What Happens Tomorrow
5. Planet Earth
6. Girls On Film
7. Electric Barbarella
8. Hungry Like The Wolf
9. Meet El Presidente
10. Run Run (Original Composition)

Format: CD

Customer Reviews:

EXTRAORDINARY - Duran Duran goes Victorian.......2004-07-28

If you enjoy classical music and can appreciate the modern turns being given to the format (by groups such as BOND), you will LOVE this Duran tribute.

I loved the song selection - a few deep cuts chosen won't be readily recognizable by the average fan, but true Duranies will get a kick out of choices like "Meet El Presidente".

Since alot of Duran's music was written with horns or strings included, it wasn't that much of a leap to imagine the entire song done by a string ensemble, such as "Ordinary World."

This is such an interesting and well-done cd. It is wonderful to listen to and you'll probably find yourself singing along to the more popular tunes, like "Rio."

Loved the concept, loved the song selection, loved the cd!

Thorougly nonplussed.......2004-07-22

This string tribute to Duran Duran is rather lackluster. It's not that the musicians aren't talented; it's just that Duran Duran's music - or at least most of the songs chosen for this release - doesn't translate well to the string-quartet format. A collection featuring all Duran ballads (Midnight Sun, Michael, Pop Trash Movie, Land, Winter Marches On, Matter of Feeling, etc.) would have worked better. If you're one of those fans who feels the need to own every release related to Duran Duran, it's not a terrible purchase to make, but for the casual fan, it's not worth it.

Average customer rating:

Very soothing

Classica Nouveau

Manufacturer: Soundings of Planet
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000017R3
Release Date: 1994-05-19

Tracks:

Endless Time
Air On A G String
Lover's Sonata
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desire
Sonata For Beatrice
Nocturne In E Flat
Gymnopedie #1
Moonlight Sonata
Arioso
Mazurka

Customer Reviews:

Very soothing.......2002-07-02

I've listened to this CD hundreds of times. It is very soothing and has a great variety of instruments. Woodwinds are very cool in some songs. I would definetly reccomend this CD to interested people.

Robert Ackerman: Dances for Orchestra; Three Aphorisms; Suite; Etc.

Average customer rating:

Robert Ackerman: Dances for Orchestra; Three Aphorisms; Suite; Etc.

Manufacturer: Albany Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0007MSUJO
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Tracks:

Dances for Orchestra
Three aphorisms for Flute, Clarinet, Harp, Percussion & Strings
Suite for Flute, Harp, Percussion & Strings
Conversations for Flute & Orchestra
Two Studies for String Orchestra
Twist
Sakala
Aubade
Planet of Abundance

Album Description

Robert Ackerman is a rarity among musicians in our day and age: more than a performer who composes or a composer who performs, he transcends musical genres and styles, not only in his compositions, but performs all styles of music on four instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone and piano). As if this were not enough, Ackerman has made a life of the study of acoustics and instrument design and has shared this information with generations of students not only as a public school music teacher, but also as an international lecturer and published author. His compositions have received Ford Foundation and National Endowment grants; he has performed with Steve Reich and Philip Glass; his big band charts and jazz tunes have found their way into the repertoire of some of the most influential jazz players of his age; and he has performed at most of the important jazz festivals the world over. Robert Ackerman was born in Irvington, New Jersey in 1940. His music studies began in New York City with Joe Soldo (Bell Telephone Hour) and the legendary Joe Allard (Juilliard School of Music) continuing with master teachers such as Thomas Nyfenger (Yale University), Keith Underwood, Eddie Saulkin, Harvey Boatright (Dallas Symphony), and Bob Morris (New York Philharmonic). Ackerman received degrees from Montclair State University and Columbia University in New York. After spending the 1960s in the New York concert music scene, Ackerman left for Europe and entrenched himself in the jazz scenes of Italy, Switzerland, France and Sweden, only to return to the States in 1985. This recording marks the first commercially available representation of his concert music.

Average customer rating:

GREAT CD IF YOU LIKE MELODIC STRING INSTRUMENTS

String Planet

Manufacturer: Tone Science Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sacred

ASIN: B0002V3ZVS
Release Date: 2004-08-01

Tracks:

Without A Word
Hold Me In Your Heart
Edge of the Ice
Drum Prayer
Boomerang
All That I Want
Forgotten Messages
The Race
Romance
Dogland
Elephant Feathers
Little Melody
Gorilla Walk

Album Description

The debut CD from violist Novi and composer/Stick player Larry Tuttle, String Planet combines a 21st-century approach to strings with a world-beat rhythm section. This is classical crossover with a serious ethnic groove. Soaring and visionary melodies float over an unstoppable river of drums and percussion. Novi contributes lots of heartfelt and creative improvisations with her beloved viola "Stinky" while Larry Tuttle's Stick provides a clean and sparkling foundation on the Stick.

Although primarily an instrumental CD, String Planet also contains two guest vocals from Lauren Wood (the singer of "Fallen" from the "Pretty Woman" soundtrack) and one tune featuring string quartet.

Customer Reviews:

GREAT CD IF YOU LIKE MELODIC STRING INSTRUMENTS.......2004-11-03

This is the group String Planet's debut album (self-titled) which has an unusual sound because the primary instruments are viola (a big violin) and Chapman Stick (a guitar and bass combined as one instrument) backed by assorted hand drums. Plus two songs have vocals (special guest Lauren Wood should have been a star like Linda Ronstadt 20 years ago). It's a cross-genre sound combining new age, classical crossover, folk and world. The sound of strings is their thing. You may remember viola master Novi Novog and Stick player Larry Tuttle as members of the instrumental string-ensemble Freeway Philharmonic or the vocal group Soulskin. Novi also is a well-known session musician who has played with many big-name pop and rock acts. Novi and Larry grew up playing classical music initially and that heritage is obvious. One tune, "The Race," even features a classical string quartet. This is soft, melodic music with propelling world-music-sounding drums underneath and lots of viola improvisation over the top. Great interplay between the Stick and the viola.

Average customer rating:

Classical Moods [CD/DVD Combo]

Manufacturer: Direct Source Label
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000CFWNZI
Release Date: 2006-01-10

Average customer rating:

The Incredible Flutist
Ulysses Kay , Walter Piston , Peggy Stuart-Coolidge , Daniel Gregory Mason , Siegfried Landau , Paul Freeman , David Epstein , Aristid von Wurtzler , and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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