Sting, J.S Bach, Toumani Diabate, Louis Armstrong, Tori Amos, Carlos Núñez, Astor Piazolla, Chris Armstrong, David Gray, Dido, Djivan Gasparyan, Gotan Project, Cheb Mami, Paco de Lucia, Silvio Rodriguez, Skydance, Solas, Violetta Parra
Apart from those direct musical influences, the things that influence me most are people, nature, art, cycling, flying, travelling, poetry, words, languages, meditation...........the good and bad things that happen in the world.
Sounds Like
"In Gow's capable hands, her electrified harp easily shifts between heavy metal and ethereal celestial music." 14th October. 2007. The Globe and Mail. Canada.
"Award-winning harpist Phamie Gow was astounding to listen to as she
created sounds with the harp one would swear was three or four
different instruments." SooToday.com 24th October. Canada. 2007
"Rackwick Bay" taken from Moments of Time CD. '' a definate rising Brittish star". Classc FM
Guesting with The Band of Horses, ABC, Glasgow. 21st February. 2008
Dancing Hands - Phamie Gow
''lovely dancing harp grooves, enchanting Celtic voice'', Andreas Vollenweider.
Phamie 'live' in Buenos Aires
Hi there! Thanks for checking me out on myspace. Let me introduce myself. My name is Phamie (that sounds like Jamie with an F) Gow and I am a musician, composer, recording artist that plays the lever harp, electric harp, piano, accordion, whistle and sing. I always love to work with new, and exciting musicians, dancers, actors, poets, writers and performers.
I also like the idea of breaking boundaries with the harp and changing preconcept ideas people tend to have about this instrument.
I have really enjoyed working with artists such as Philip Glass, Band of Horses, Ray Davies, Marisa Monte, Carlos Nunez, Kepa Junkera, Alan Stivell, Ashley MacIsaac, Eddie Reader, Alisdair Fraser, Tom Richardson, Mattie Foulds, Fraser Fifield, Karine Polwart, James Graham, and many more. I had the great pleasure being invited by Philip Glass to perform in The Tibet Concert in The Carnegie Hall in New York City this year. That was totally awesome!
I love working with musical souls where music is the language no matter what mother tongue you have. For example I will never forget doing a lovely collaboration with the African kora player and Griot from the Gambia, Bajaly Suso. When we got together, he hardly spoke any English however his kora and my harp were the tools in which we could exchange our language, which was music.
I think my musical education started really in mothers womb!! My mother used to always listen to harp music while she was pregnant with me, and I am sure that is why as a child I always wanted to play the harp! However I started with the piano at the age of 8 and that gave me a great musical grounding and understanding (it still does). I then taught myself to play the clarsach/ scottish small harp (thanks to my parents for renting it!) with the aid of a cassette tape and tutor book and listening to an old record my parents had of Robin Williamson from The Incredible String Band. 6 months later, at the age of 12, I gave my first public appearance. It was at that point, that I knew I had realised my dream! The dream that I still am living today which is to communicate emotions, experiences, stories through music.
I wrote my first musical composition at the age of 15 called A Japanese Water Garden which I later recorded on my first album, Winged Spirit. It was at this point where I set up my record label Wildfire Records and Publishing. This was the first of my 5 self produced and self penned albums to this date.
By the age of 19 I was given my first major musical commission which was to write an hours worth of music. This was part of an award (one of the first 'Danny awards') I won in the worlds biggest celtic music festival, Celtic Connections. I also had the fantastic opportunity to have a wish list of musicians which meant I could choose whoever I wanted to work with (within reason of course)! I wrote Lammermuir, my 2nd album featuring Alasdair Fraser, Eric Rigler, Patsy Seddon, Mairi Campbell and a few other fantastic musicians.
My third CD Dancing Hands was studio recorded in 2005 thanks also to the SAC for their support. I had a number of my favourite musicians on board with me too, Karine Polwart, Fraser Fifield to name but a few.
2007 finally had the release of my first piano solo album, Moments of Time. This cd is dedicated to Ronald Stevenson, my mentor and great friend. He taught me the piano and many things about life. You can see a video here called 'Rackwick Bay' which is a track taken from the album.
This year, 2008, I released La Vida Buena, The Good Life, which is a purely electric modern harp CD, with a few added vocals, low D whistle and a bit of percussion. This time I'm offering a very modern slant on harp music. Some tracks have a mediterranean feeling which has naturally come through having lived in Barcelona the last 2 years.
I love creating and encourage creativity in whatever form it may be. I also love sharing music with everybody, especially when people do listen and enjoy. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to travel the world and meet amazing people and learn about different cultures and share my own creativity.
Please feel free to check out my other myspace if you are interested in reading more about my piano CD/project Moments of Time. www.myspace.com/phamiegow_moments
Concert tour in Brazil and Chile, May 2008.
The Tibet Concert. 13th February 2008. The Carnegie Hall. NYC.
Directed by Philip Glass, Ray Davies, Band of Horses, Marisa Monte, Nawang Khechog, Ashley MacIsaac, Sufjan Stevens, and Tom Verlaine. (photos here by James Salzano). Phamie was sponsored by Lyon and Healy Harps, Chicago.
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
Do you want some reggae music now? Visita Osk I Jah-man (ZULU 9.30) en myspace, escucha y descarga algunas de las canciones del nuevo proyecto "Osk I Jah-man, U-Know"
I spend a short day in Scotland had spend more time in Derry city because the weather was so nice and warm and sunny. I spent 4 days longer in Derry and went on to Brussel and than spend a few days in Amsterdam and back to London was in London one night only and just passed on the other time before moving on to Dublin now in sunny California again for a stay
Hi Phamie, Thanks for your friendship. Nice to meet you here and listen to your awesome music and voice. I hope we can share our music soon. My best wishes for you and yours.
Muchísimas gracias!! Te mantendremos informada de todas las novedades y a ver si nos vemos en algún concierto por ahi... De momento el próximo 12 de Junio en Salamandra con Afrika Unite... Nos vemos? Visita www.zulu930.com One-Love Osk I Jah-man
hello hope all is well was just twittering with Gillian Anderson form the x-files I did not know that she lived in Scotland now a day, how are you will try to get back, was in Ireland a few week back and will be going back soon maybe Scotland.
War Song taken from Moments of Time. Directed by Izu Troin.
