Seattle, Washington — WildLife, Gary Paul Bryant’s 10th CD, is quickly climbing jazz and world music charts, airing on more than 100 radio stations from Australia to Europe to the U.S. and topping 120,000 streams and downloads in recent weeks on Soundclick.com alone. Yet, you’ve probably never heard of him.

Gary Paul Bryant’s WildLife – musicdish

Recording from his home studio north of Seattle, Washington, Bryant reflects an evolving reality of today’s music industry, where artists who take advantage of new technology can build dynamic careers outside the mainstream.

“People are surprised to find that you can have a strong international fan base and a satisfying career operating in your own niche, a bit below the pop culture radar,” said Bryant.

After an early experience with the traditional corporate recording industry, Bryant began marketing and publishing his own material in the 1980s, a time when producing an album on your own could cost as much as buying a house and marketing meant hauling hundreds of vinyl albums to radio stations and retail outlets.

Then came the 1990s with new recording technology and, of course, the Internet. Music web sites like iTunes, Rhapsody and Napster gave musicians access to worldwide audiences and gave fans an unprecedented selection of genres and styles. Tech-savvy songwriters willing to adapt to the new medium found that making a living through music was no longer an unlikely dream. Bryant’s affinity for technology soon moved him from acoustic pianos and guitars to music workstations, sampling software and digital distribution.

“What really made it interesting for artists is that, in addition to all of the recording and performance gear going digital, support services like CD production, digital distribution and promotion were adapting to the technology in a big way,” said Bryant. One such company, CDBaby.com, founded in 1997 by musician Derek Sivers, has paid more than $80 million directly to artists.

Bryant’s first album, Just a Word, was digitally remastered and released as an anniversary edition in 2004. Seattle Times music critic Patrick MacDonald summed it up: “Exceptional piano work!”

In May 2005 came Imaginary Piano, a high-energy collection of jazz motifs, followed by a collection of original and classic Christmas piano solos, Midnight Clear.

Melding power rock with jazz and classical music, his 2007 project, Big World, reached the No. 1 Jazz spot at SoundClick.com, was featured Jazz selection at Garageband.com and made the Top 10 Jazz playlist at Broadjam.com.

Wildlife, released in August 2008, includes 13 upbeat instrumentals that combine classical, rock and jazz elements. It’s available from iTunes.com, CDBaby and other digital outlets. For information, visit http://www.GaryPaulBryant.com

Gary Paul Bryant’s piano stylings add the perfect amount of snazzy class on “One Cool Squirrel.” Complete with the steady, pulsating beat of the high hat and stunningly swift sax melodies, the track sends listeners on a trip to New Orleans at night, mesmerizing both their eyes and ears with the classy tone of the city as they visualize street musicians and shining lights.
http://www.wildlifethecd.com

Recently featured on the iTunes music store, BFM Digital and SRI Records announces Ray Brown Jr’s new album, “Friends And Family”. The new CD is an all-star duets album with Ray joined by Dionne Warwick, Jane Monheit, James Moody, Dr. John, Freda Payne, Melba Moore, David “Fathead” Newman, Sophie B. Hawkins, Paul Williams, Maria Muldaur, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Terry Gibbs, Sally Kellerman, Dave Somerville, Haylee and Kim Hoyer. “Friends And Family” was produced by Shelly Liebowitz.

Born in New York City, Ray Brown Jr. was raised in a family of musical royalty (the son of singer Ella Fitzgerald and legendary jazz bass player Ray Brown). “Friends and Family” reflects the amazingly diverse musical pedigree that Ray possesses.

Original and unconventional arrangements and song choices set the tone and unique style of this release. Friends And Family shows a completely different dimension of Ray Brown, Jr. with these artists who have come together to create this historic album.”

It also includes two very special tracks:

* Haylee (Ray’s daughter) doing a duet with her Dad on Grandma’s first hit “A Tisket A Tasket”

* A live version of “How High The Moon” with Ray joining his mother (Ella Fitzgerald) and father (Ray Brown).

“What pleased me the most was seeing the talent of Ray Brown Jr. hold up so well with all these brilliant and different sounding artists. As a result of his versatility and the unique arrangements of the songs, we were able to capture a wide variety of flavors, which I think offers something for everyone on this album,” says producer Shelly Liebowitz.

To honor our veterans, a portion of the proceeds from the download sales of the duet by Ray Brown Jr. and Dr. Lonnie Smith on “Everybody’s Cryin’ Mercy” will be donated to the National Veterans Foundation.

The album will be available at all digital outlets via SRI’s digital distributor, BFM Digital.

About SRI Records
SRI Records and SRI Jazz (www.srirecords.com) are divisions of the SRI Entertainment Group. It is our mission to bring great music to the public at reasonable prices. The core audience for our music is the baby boomer generation, but by no means is it limited that group alone. Our record companies market recordings by major artists, many of which have never before been available. We offer the opportunity for established artists with completed albums to be distributed and retain ownership of their masters. We also produce and distribute recordings by talented new artists. The management of SRI Records is made up of experienced music industry professionals. SRI can provide private label CDs for companies that require them for premiums and give-a-ways.

In addition to being an active record company, through SRI Entertainment we produce concerts, tours, television specials and other events. Plus we have a video division (SRI Video) for VHS and DVD releases and a music publishing division, Golden Shellsongs Music.

About BFM Digital, LLC
Connecting music to the world since 2004, BFM Digital (www.bfmdigital.com) is an innovative digital distribution company committed to serving the independent music community by helping them maximize their catalog’s potential through global digital distribution. BFM Digital offers labels, artists and content providers access to all major online and mobile store fronts. BFM represents hundreds of catalogs in every genre and works closely with labels to ensure top placements through ongoing promotions with retailers and target campaigns for key releases. BFM is also affiliated with leading global publishing companies such as The Royalty Network, Inc.

(Pittsburgh, PA) — “A Hip-Hop Elton John.” That’s exactly how Ryan Skyy, a Pittsburgh piano-based singer/songwriter, would describe his debut independent demo CD, BETA version 0.9. And what else would you expect from a 21-year old, soft-spoken, recording artist, who spent the majority of his childhood idolizing piano/pop artists like Billy Joel and Stevie Wonder, but also snuck out of his parent’s house on the weekends to soak up the music at underage hip-hop clubs? Ryan’s debut (due out December 1st) features five original, self-produced, songs that highlight a unique sound he has developed that communicates sincere, instantly-relatable, lyrics through a landscape of soulful vocals, catchy pianos, and surprisingly modern hip-hop beats.

Carla Bianco (#1 Billboard singer-songwriter/ASCAP award winner) described him best when she raved “Ryan Skyy is the real thing…the male version of Alicia Keys. A consummate pianist, vocalist and composer with a hip-hop groove.” It’s no wonder that Ryan’s down-to-earth character, melodic gifts, and natural ability to write music that strikes an emotional nerve have connected him to a steadily growing fanbase; which, originated in the hallways of Point Park University and has since begun to spread through local venues and online music communities.

Despite an avalanche of overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans, and scores of pre-orders for his soon-to-be-released demo CD, Ryan still considers his music to be in its developmental (i.e. ‘beta’) stage; which, if you’ve made the connection, is the inspiration behind the title of his CD. Ryan explains, “It’s important that I communicate to fans that while I believe my music is ready for release, this demo only represents one stage in a career that will consist of continuous growth and evolution. As my music matures and I grow, I want to document that path and give fans the ability to follow me on my journey. The ultimate culminating release for me will be version 1.0, but that will not be out until a record label contract is signed and a professional LP is released.”

For now, Ryan is staying focused on the beginning stages of his blossoming career and continuing to build momentum in what he hopes will lead him to the forefront of a modern pop renaissance of a piano-based singer/songwriter legacy established by Elton John and Billy Joel. With vocals similar to Gavin Degraw and Justin Timberlake, and a writing style reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, Ryan’s catchy, socially conscious, and emotionally driven music is bound to push the envelope on a new era of pop music.

For more information on Ryan Skyy and Beta version 0.9, visit Ryan Skyy Official Website or send an e-mail to ryanskyy@gmail.com.

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Note to media folks: Ryan would like to send you a copy of his demo CD for review. To have a complimentary copy mailed to you, send an e-mail to ryanskyy@gmail.com or call 724-991-1874. Please be sure to include your address and media affiliation. You can also access all 5 tracks instantly by visiting www.ryanskyy.com!

photo for press release: http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd297/ryanskyy/onlinepressreleaseimage.jpg

audiofile for press release: http://www.crunchbug.com/noneofusknow.mp3

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