GARY WRIGHT – The Dream Weaver [Rock Candy Remaster] (2017)

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Rock Candy Records has remastered the two best albums by GARY WRIGHT, the American musician known for his role in helping establish the synthesizer as a leading instrument in rock & pop music. Now it’s time for the other; “The Dream Weaver“, Gary Wright’s third (and most successful) album, including as session musicians true legends in this matter such as David Foster, Jim Keltner (Toto, Pink Floyd) and Andy Newmark (Eric Clapton).

“The Dream Weaver” was said by Gary Wright to be the first-ever all-synthesizer / keyboard album. Though there were many all-synthesizer LPs before this, none used this rock&pop ‘song format’ that would define many music genres in years to come.
The only track to include any guitar is ‘Power of Love’, featuring Wright’s Warner Bros. labelmate Ronnie Montrose on electric guitar.
However, many of the keyboard riffs on the album sound, indeed, like an electric guitar.

Born in the USA, Wright moved to the UK and joined the band Spooky Tooth at the suggestion of Island records Chief Chris Blackwell. It was a match made in heaven but, as these things often pan out, the band’s commercial appeal waned, leaving Wright with little choice but to return to the USA and contemplate a solo career.
Securing a recording deal with Warner Brothers Records, he set about taping a series of demos with just keyboards and a synthesizer. This combination of instruments plus commercial melodies produced a fascinating sound and one that he continued to pursue on the finished record.

No one expected the success of “The Dream Weaver” when it was released, but it sailed to the top of the charts, and with good reason.
Backed with only drums and a wide assortment of keyboards plus his melodious voice, Gary Wright crafted instantly recognizable tunes such as the title cut (a song that continues to be heard around the world to this day on radio, TV and in movies) and ‘Love Is Alive’, which caught on and remain staples of classic rock stations around the U.S.

All very revolutionary and new at the time, “The Dream Weaver” hasn’t lost any of its magic over time. Even more with this Rock Candy remaster, honoring the LP original warm while enhancing all instruments.

01 – Love Is Alive
02 – Let It Out
03 – Can’t Find the Judge
04 – Made to Love You
05 – Power of Love
06 – Dream Weaver
07 – Blind Feeling
08 – Much Higher
09 – Feel for Me

Andy Newmark, Jim Keltner: Drums
David Foster: Electric Piano, Hammond B3, Synthesizer [ARP Strings]
Bobby Lyle: Clavinet, Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes]
Betty Sweet, David Pomeranz, Gary Wright, Lorna Wright: Backing Vocals
Jamie Quinn: Vocals on 2
Ronnie Montrose: Guitar on 5
Gary Wright: Vocals, Synthesizers, Moog, Clavinet, Organ [Hammond], Electric Piano, ARP Strings, Woodwind, Effects

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