Gareth Koch – Tangos del Gato (New Release!)

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"Gareth Koch – Tangos del Gato (New Release!)"

For the past 12 months Gareth has been recording and releasing tracks that explore the various forms of classical Spanish dance forms: Tango and Flamenco.  His output has built a solid base of keen listeners, now over 10,000 monthly listeners.

This latest release is a Tango.  Tangos is a dance form that developed primarily between Cadiz and Sevilla.  It is a 4/4 beat rhythm and has some reminiscence with certain Arabic rhythm and groove patterns.  The flamenco Tangos, has nothing to do with the Argentinian Tango.  The style of dancing is also sensual which includes much hip movement due to the Arabic belly dancing style.

Tangos, together with Bulerías are the two favourite forms of jamming and partying in all the Juergas (a flamenco party-jam) usually in celebration of a wedding, baptism or any joyous occasion.

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Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter.  He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Checkout the new single ‘Tangos del Gato’ on our Soundslikecafe Playlist 

OR Direct link right here

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Gareth Koch Releases New Album ‘Ghost Stories’

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"Gareth Koch Releases New Album ‘Ghost Stories’"

In ‘Ghost Stories’, Gareth Koch creates an ethereal sound world, blending the aesthetic nuances of medieval chant with rock psychedelia. The mood of the album is defined by chiming cathedral-like textures, as if the monks themselves are playing guitars, percussion & lyres.

This record could perhaps be described as prog-rock, yet it effortlessly manages to be much more than that. The listener will discover the album’s unique identity & subtle references to music past & present. This is a refreshingly new recording which deftly sidesteps easy characterisation.

‘Ghost Stories’ could be seen as an evolution of Gareth’s duo albums ‘Songs From Another Life’ with Steve Kilbey , and ‘Music in the Afterlife’ with Martin Kennedy. While the previous albums might serve to shed light on the preoccupations of this one, it is very much a standalone & distinctive creation.

The titles & ambience of ‘Ghost Stories’ guide us on an otherworldy journey. We are led variously through imagined states of being to experience Catacombs, Unblessed Spirits, Longing & Redemption via this shimmering & beautifully crafted recording.

Recorded in and inspired by the mystery and wilderness of Tasmania.

Song Descriptions
Redemption
The first track from the album is uptempo and has a fully formed rhythm section underpinning the many layered trademark guitars. By no means his usual classical/world offering, although some elements remain. This song has a more rock orientation featuring electric guitars and big drums.

Old Church
A melodic and hypnotising bass line underpins this modern instrumental rock track. The drums are powerful and help to drive the tune along, while layered guitars and keys keep the interest even without vocals. His lead guitars offer a crisis section to the song before resolving into a fine outro section.

Dance Of The Unblessed Spirits
Another short and sweet frenetic full band instrumental rock piece with plenty of breakdowns that remind the listener of his classical roots. A fascinating piece of music by a master of his craft at the top of his game.

Benedictine
The title evokes a monkish, monastic vibe and from the beginning you can hear this in the piece. It’s not rock, it’s not classical but it is certainly superb instrumental guitar. This tune is a break from the first few on the album, dispensing with drums and sticking with guitars.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter.  He has recorded a sizeable repertory across multiple genres spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects, rock & songwriting. He has appeared at major festivals within Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Born in Milan, Gareth began his musical studies on piano and clarinet, and at age 12 was accepted into the Mozarteum in Salzburg. He received his Bachelor of Music degree at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music before winning  scholarships for advanced guitar study at The Royal Madrid Conservatorium & the Vienna Academy of Music. He holds a PhD in Music & has lectured in music across Australian & European universities.

In 2002 Gareth formed the first guitar supergroup with Karin Schaupp & The Grigoryan Brothers, Slava & Leonard.  Saffire – The Australian Guitar Quartet soared to #1 on the Classical Music Charts and even featured on ARIA  pop charts. The quartet released a total of 3 best-selling albums & was Australia’s biggest selling classical act for several years.

Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects & has released a succession of collaborative albums with Martin Kennedy & with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church). His recent release ‘The Guitar Player’ received a coveted 5 star review from The Sydney Morning Herald. Gareth’s current output has a strong rock bias with classical overtones & his writing is increasingly focussed on the ethereal nature of music.

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Gareth Koch & Martin Kennedy Release Album ‘Music In The Afterlife’

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"Gareth Koch & Martin Kennedy Release Album ‘Music In The Afterlife’"

“Brian Eno meets Massive Attack and classical guitarist John Williams”

The idea of an afterlife has fired imaginations across cultures for millennia and is one of the earliest belief systems in recorded history. It is fascinating to consider that a type of identity or stream of consciousness might exist in the absence of the physical body.
In ‘Music In The Afterlife,’ Gareth Koch & Martin Kennedy have created a sound world which seeks to convey a continued existence taking place in the spiritual realm, or otherworld. In mythology there are phases through which the consciousness passes before arriving at a reward in the afterlife. The Koch/Kennedy songs, or pieces, reflect imagined states in which the protagonist journeys through the stages of waiting, trance, drifting, resignation & Elysium.

In their debut collaboration Viennese-trained classical musician Gareth Koch & ambient music specialist Martin Kennedy have created a unique sound world. Their compositions weave acoustic & electronic realms into a seamless fabric in which medieval, folk & electronic influences are entwined. If this melange is beginning to sound like an unholy brew nothing could be further from the truth. The pieces are deft, intuitive & hypnotic, drawing the listener into a reflective & profound listening experience.

In what is termed classical music (perhaps more aptly described as western art music) the earliest notated plainchants of around CE930 were centred on spirituality & belief in the afterlife. From this point onwards classical music evolved with a connection to an otherworld or divine, often embracing various mythologies. Ambient music came of age in the twentieth century in the era of electronic synthesisers, but its origin’s date back to French classical music composer Erik Satie. Satie pioneered a genre of music which emphasised tone & atmosphere, providing the ideal sonic environment for contemplation & spiritual reflection.

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Celebrate Christmas with Gareth Koch’s Instrumental Guitar Album

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"Celebrate Christmas with Gareth Koch’s Instrumental Guitar Album"

Imagine timeless European Christmas music played instrumentally, as if upon a choir of lutes. Ancient & exquisite songs, deep within the human psyche, are now newly arranged by ARIA Award winning guitarist Gareth Koch. The interpretations reveal his signature blend of contemporary flair laced with medieval sensibilities.

The arrangements are both elegant & appealing, sidestepping any notion of commercialised Christmas clichés. Re-imagined as troubadour-like ballads or tender Austrian folk songs, each carol receives a unique treatment. The listener is invited into an array of soundworlds, ranging from the early medieval to English folk-revival.

The music of this album leads us away from the bustle of many modern realities. Instead, we are drawn into a gentler universe, filled with subtlety & nuance. In any year, at any time, this album presents a Christmas message we all need to hear.

Song Descriptions
Little Drummer Boy
This timeless mid-tempo classic Christmas carol is dealt with not just using multiple classical guitar parts but with hand percussion and rice shakers.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
A very old piece, dated to the 16th century and referred to in Charles Dickens ‘A Christmas Carol’. Gareth recreates the vocal melody perfectly and becomes a terrific hum along piece. Bass guitar rounds out the arrangement featuring multiple guitars: acoustic, nylon string and electric creating a lush sonic tapestry.

About Gareth Koch
Gareth Koch is an ARIA Award winning recording artist, guitar soloist, composer & songwriter. He has recorded a diverse repertory across multiple albums spanning works for classical guitar, flamenco, original compositions, arrangements, medieval projects & song writing.
Gareth is involved with many cross genre projects. Over the past two years he has released two collaborative albums with ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Steve Kilbey (The Church).

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