Arcadia

Frail and haunting, beautiful and dreamy, Gayle Ellett and Todd Montgomery's acoustic music has a sound that is both traditional and contemporary. Highly cinematic and with a strong pan-cultural vibe, they have created a new hybrid style that is uniquely their own. And it is these qualities that make the instrumental music of Fernwood the perfect antidote for the stresses of our modern life. The title of Fernwood's new album: Arcadia, is loosely based on a narrative that suggests an endless search for an unspoiled wilderness of great beauty, a utopian paradise. With an expanded palette of world instruments from which to choose from (actually a small orchestra consisting of 25 different acoustic stringed instruments largely invented before the mid-19th Century), Todd Montgomery and Gayle Ellett create acoustic music that is both familiar and exotic, lush and melodic, warm and inspirational. Their unique music combines modern and classical music concepts, with the traditional sounds of Greek & Irish bouzouki, sitar, dilruba, quirquincho, Chinese ruan, Turkish cumbus, Moroccan oud, harmonium, gimbri, rababa, bulbul tarang, jal tarang, dotara, surmandal, tambura, manjira, tumbi, bugchu, gopichand, violin, mandolin, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, tenor banjo, tenor ukulele, bells & chimes, acoustic piano, rhodes piano, upright bass, field recordings and other sounds. And then these exotic tones are used like paint, to create the dramatic visions of immense beauty that is the music of Fernwood. Their stunning new album Arcadia continues in the same direction and philosophy that the group has been pursuing for the past several years, but with an even grander vision. Deeply beautiful acoustic music, with masterful compositions and dynamic orchestration, and an immense attention to detail, all come together on this high-quality recording. Arcadia will released on vinyl, as a Special Limited Edition LP of only 300 copies, pressed on 180 gram Audiophile-Quality vinyl, to the highest standards possible. Reviews from Fernwood's 'Almeria' and 'Sangita' Arcadia will also be released on compact disc, and as a download. ALL MUSIC PLAYED BY HAND... ON INSTRUMENTS MADE OUT OF WOOD! ----------------------------------------- FERNWOOD's MUSIC on TV: Fernwood's music can be heard on such TV series as 'Strange Sex' and 'Equitrekking' and others. And their music can be heard on The Discovery Channel, The Learning Channel, Oprah's OWN, and on additional networks throughout Europe, Canada, and South America. RADIO PLAY: Fernwood's music can be heard locally on KCRW-FM, throughout the country on National Public Radio and ECHOES Radio, and internationally on Public Radio International and Radio Centraal, and on hundreds of other stations throughout the world. ------------------------------------------------- Here are some reviews Of Fernwood's first two albums.... 'Wonderfully melodic, expertly layered, masterfully interwoven, luscious yet rootsy.' GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE 'Sangita is most rewarding and truly brilliant, a genuine masterpiece.' MUSIC STREET JOURNAL 'Fernwood creates a global chamber music with Americana accents and cinematically inclined melodies.' 'Almeria' was chosen as the 'Number 4 ALBUM OF THE YEAR'!!! ECHOES RADIO 'One of those rare albums that probably will remain with you for a lifetime of appreciation.' PSYCHEVANHETFOLK.com (Belgium) 'On their debut Almeria, they established the template for a global Americana music, mixing banjo and bouz