Celtic Peace
Bill Leslie's 12th Album
Hi friends! I can’t wait for you to hear my new album. We are finalizing plans now to release Celtic Peace on May 1, 2021. LAZZ Promotions is gearing up to handle the international radio campaign for the album, the 12th of my career.
Celtic Peace is a product of the pandemic. Finding refuge in my music studio, I wanted to create a work of beauty to help diminish the darkness of 2020.
As I began composing I found myself reflecting on themes of peace and healing. My mind drifted overseas to Scotland and Ireland. The album cover is a sunrise I photographed in Glencoe, Scotland while vacationing with family and friends in 2017. We also visited Iona, Edinburgh and Ben Nevis, three places that inspired songs for this project.
Ten of the 12 tunes on this all-instrumental album are original compositions. The other two are fresh renditions of ancient Celtic classics Foggy Dew and Planxty Irwin.
The songs of Celtic Peace are both large and small. Some tunes require a small ensemble while others demand a full orchestra.
I enjoyed playing guitar, piano, Celtic whistles, harmonium and orchestrating much of the album. Other featured musicians include pianist Joseph Akins, violinist Jennifer Curtis, flutist Linda Metz and oboist Melanie Wilsden.
Much of the recording was done at Overdub Lane in Durham, NC and at my studio in Cary, NC. Grammy nominated Ian Schreier was the recording and mixing engineer. Another major award winner, Greg Calbi of Sterling Sound, was the mastering engineer.
Celtic Peace is already getting some attention from prominent reviewers:
“Warm and embracing tones that will lift your spirits out of any dark spaces you may have found yourself in. Celtic Peace makes the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish landscape come to life before your very ears.” – (Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews).
“An amazing work of audible art. An instrumental masterpiece of joy, sadness and beauty. At times you can hear all of those emotions within one track on Celtic Peace.” – (Keith “Muzikman” Hannaleck).
We’ll have more information soon!
All the Best,
Bill Leslie