David J Lynch - Bass, BV's
Ben Milway - Drums, Percussion, BV's
Johnny Parry - Vocals, Piano, Keyboard instruments, Guitar, Percussion
Donna Loomans - Soprano
Margit Van Der Swan - Cello
Merlyn Sturt - Viola
Anne-Marie Kirby - Violin
Carine Ries - Violin
Ed Bruggemeyer - Violin
Neil McIntyre - Trumpet, Cornett
Jim Bennett - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Whistling
Jenny Hird - Sax, Oboe
Roger Illingworth - Sax
Chez Taylor - Sax
Claire McIntyre - Sacbutt, Trombone
Andrea Tweedale - Soprano
Rosie Middleton - Mezzo Soprano
Emma Hardy - Soprano
Commander Nick Parry, James MacDowell, Rich Cooper, John Blamey, Tris Steyn, Mike Heard - Men
Siegfried Bulow - Narration
Fi Salomon - vocals
Ru Cook - Guitar
Andy Holden - Artwork and films
'MORE LOVE AND DEATH" NOW AVAILABLE £8 AT johnnyparry.com and losttoysrecords.com
To celebrate this launch we are releasing a free download single 'God Loves Me'.
You can download it as part of a free three track EP also featuring This is The Kit and Soy Un Caballo:
http://drop.io/thisisthesoyunjohnny5thbirthdayEP
ummm...so many...mainly - deus, moondog jr/zita swoon, leonard cohen, joanna newsom, sigur ros, bjork, tom waites, ennio moriconne, gavin bryars, arvo part, diamanda galas, the bad plus, shostakovich, kancheli, gorecki, schnitka, stravinsky, nick cave, eels, lambchop, sparklehorse, einstürzende neubauten, bonnie prince billy, radiohead, low, show without punch, grubby mitts, jon redfurn, betty frances, bob dylan, richard einhorn, stina nordenstam, rachel's, jeffrey lewis, low lows, captain beefheart, tindersticks, scott walker, sandy dillon, ry cooder, calexico, daau, ernest hemingway, milan kundera, kurt vonnegut, vincent gallo, elliot smith, nina simone, mahler, thelonious monk, miles davis, charles mingus, the flaming lips, fiona apple, lou reed, the paradise motel, godspeed you black emperor, silver mount zion, mercury rev, john cage, steve reich...the list goes on.and of course grows
..
For more videos please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/johnnyparrytrio
or contact johnnyparrychamberorchestra AT losttoysrecords.com
"More Love & Death" is genius, one that builds off of trauma and bad choices, blends it with the moody echoes of some of his heroes, and creates art that remains, despite the fringes, stark and brutally honest. That genius is, more than the sum of its parts, Johnny Parry himself."Musicemissions, 2009
"As Parry has proved it once more with More Love And Death, his dark and beautiful and complex world is a work of genius." Daily Vault, 2009
"Parry's poems of morbid carnality and romance are framed by heavy velvet curtains of stylized theatrical gloom" Uncut, 2009
"Overall, to imaging this, just put Tom Waits in front of A Silver Mt Zion, an opera singer is in the wings doing vocal exercises. Gravelly vocals over sometimes elegant and sometimes Kurt Weill like musicscapes, earthy imagery contrasting with polite strings, the gamekeeper is in the drawing room enjoying the ladies from behind. Sometimes though the songs are more like dream sequences ‘Kicking and Screaming’ with its spoken bookends and dividers draws the ear towards another world where opera is the opiate, I expect the Flying Dutchman to arrive at any moment and deliver me from my dream. If I was taken away and delivered to ‘Dine Alone’ it could only be to an ante-chamber to a circle of hell, sparse percussion marking each moment, tremulous vocals with a deep choral rumbling percolating up menacingly from below." Americana UK, 2009
"Parry's lyrics are the best. Recommended. (Rating: 5++)" Baby sue, 2009
"Parry's rough voice (that inevitably recalls something of Tom Waits) is matched with the operatic soprano of Donna Loomans. The combination is unique: emotional, compelling, eerie, majestic. The quality of this album is evident in every single note." Terrascope, 2009
"...songs start out beautiful, swing through nightmarish, and end masterful...they're uncomfortably beautiful; even, occasionally, tenderly funny ... It turns out this twisted character loves the same things as any retarded hippy.
This album makes light out of some genuine darkness, and art out of some real songcraft.
These songs are simply better written - better composed - than almost anything out there."
Scene Point Blank, Gluck November 2007
"Genius"
Bearded Magazine, November 2007
"A piano led thing of beauty"
Timeout, July 2007
As played on BBC Radio 3 Late Junction special - "Extraordinary Voices"
October,2007
"Beautifully orchestrated"
Plan B, September 2007
“Songs Without A Purpose is one of the most beautiful records ever made.
...his music brims with such beauty, elegance and bountifulness that it is impossible not to look at him as a poetic and musical genius.
Could Johnny Parry be England’s best export in recent years? Hell, yes! Just give Songs Without A Purpose a spin and you’ll know why.
He is a poet and an excellent musician who lets nothing but his creativity to do the job.
...lavish and indulgent without foregoing every little element that is played to perfection and has a meaning in the complex web.
...an atmosphere that forms a heavenly canvas on which Parry paints majestic pictures that are blessed with details, may it be his wonderful play with words
...textured layers that reach musical complexities far beyond what’s conventional in this genre.
Yes, he is that good.”
Vish Iyer, Daily Vault, Febuary 2007
“Extremely beautiful and dark”
Radio 1 Belgium, Cucamunga October 2006
also listed in the ‘best albums of 2006’
“...a real underground gem.
Beautiful music created with acute attention to detail. We love this one. (Rating: 5++)”
Babysue, January 2007
“On Songs Without A Purpose Johnny Parry got the support of the OM-string quartet
and the Jazzuits Brass Section. The result of this magical symbiosis is a
staggering album full of contrasts, combining the noble art of songwriting with
theatrical musical arrangements and experimental influences.
...an exciting journey through styles and atmospheres,
irony and sincerity, bombast and intimacy... and all of that without ever
breaking the wonderful unity of this album.
A must have for all those who love songs that rasp and rattle, suck and bite, mourn and anoint.
Parry's voice grabs you by the throat. This music drips right into your soul.
...mind-blowing”
DaMusic, January 2007
“...not only a stirring, intelligent treat, but is instantly gratifying... shows off Parry and his band as particularly adept at navigating whirlpools of musical themes... strings stomp and gush, choral voices swoon like theramins... from Johnny's literal whispers to sweeping, precisely notated orchestral drama that would bring an opera house to its feet.
It's the sort of record you can get lost in, that's rich enough to reward repeat visits with new discoveries, and that's ultimately surprisingly uplifting.”
disclaimerband.com, Febuary 2007
Part of the Lost Toys Records collective along side Show Without Punch and The Grubby Mitts.
The Johnny Parry Trio has grown to be a deceptive title. Since creating this myspace page they have dramatically expanded to the Johnny Parry Chamber Orchestra with live projections from artist Andy Holden. The band perform in different sizes depending on the show. Sometimes as the original piano trio but more often than not with a few members of the chamber orchestra, and when possible all the strings, brass, woodwind and opera singers come together to perform as the full Chamber Ochestra.
www.johnnyparry.com.
Thanks for the contact. I'm really enjoying your songs. I love the mixture of classical and contemporary...not easy but you do it so well. Nice work! Will try and come to see you on Saturday. Best, Ged
All the best with the gig on Saturday... I'd love to see you and Rosie on stage but unfortunately it's our bassist's EP launch in Mcr thaat day so am otherwise engaged! Have an excellent time and best of luck
You will play Belgium! Houray! but we'll be in Italy while you're here! Anyway, we come to Uk next week and it will be the first tour with a four pieces band... Drums and guitar.. I know it's nothing compare to you 16 players band... Please come and say hello, Your belgium pal, Thomas
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