AO

AO, "music for a new aeon," is vibrant, cinematic, and intoxicatingly rhythmic - described by critics as "astonishing" (visit www.aomusic.com ). The immediate freshness of this sound has a way of making people "feel" something wherever on the Earth they're from. AO music is a complete hybrid of universal expression; unlike anything ever produced, and appealing to all ages and genres of preference.
Richard Gannaway and Jay Oliver grew up in St. Louis, MO. They met in 1988 and moved to the Los Angeles area in 1989. The AO project began in 1996.
Gannaway toured Western Europe and Canada extensively as leader of the group, Tiger and the Helix before founding the vision of AO. Oliver's credits include: Sheryl Crow, The Eagles, Celine Dion, Jimmy Buffett, Bonnie Raitt, Wynona Judd, Glenn Frye, Joe Walsh, and Dave Weckl. Oliver has also created something extraordinary with his colleague William Lenihan. You can learn more at www.soundscience.us .
AO's message is simple - "UNITY" - and its methods come in four components of beauty: music, color, form, and movement. A key ingredient in AO's unique expression is powerful vocal ensembles, sung by children throughout the world. Refrain lyrics are often a variety of ancient languages or carefully crafted phonetics, chosen for their "shape." The object is not to hold allegiance to any particular region, so the impression is fresh and exotic from any place on the earth.

Miriam Stockley fortifies these choral ensembles or sings them exclusively with her own overdubs. Miriam grew up in South Africa before moving to the U.K., where she met husband/engineer, Rod Houison... Miriam and Rod are AO's newest members (learn more at www.miriamstockley.com ).
In 2000, Gannaway and Oliver produced their first AO compilation called "Grow Wild." They released it in test markets on NPR radio across North America with excellent reviews.
In 2001, AO teamed up with Frank Mayor of Artist International Management. Frank brought AO to China and introduced them to CRC (China Record Company). Through that encounter, AO was invited to compose music for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The song "On Jai Ya" was written and produced for that purpose and features Miriam Stockley's first recording with AO. Frank also brought the group to Indonesia and introduced them to the gamelon tradition...
First Ever AO Concert in Bangalore, India 2004

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In 2005, Gannaway and Oliver were invited to Sandeep Chowta's studio in Mumbai, India. There, they rehearsed, then performed the first-ever AO concert in Bangalore, India. Sandeep is a well-established film score composer in that region and a new member of the AO production team.
AO's new music collection is called "Twirl" and will be available in the Autumn of 2008... .
CONTACTING AO:
[email protected]