Paul Schwartz
Paul Schwartz
Click Here for a
sample of Veni Redemptor from State of Grace
Click Here for a
sample of Vol de Nuit from Earthbound
Click Here for L.A.P.D MP3 Page
Paul Schwartz has forged a signature sound and style
in his sensuous blend of ambient dance grooves and sweeping orchestral grandeur.
His latest release for Windham Hill – The Paul Schwartz Project’s highly
anticipated Earthbound – is his first entirely self-composed recording, what he
calls “a sensual work based on the imagery of the night.”
The composer/producer’s first two recordings – his 1997 debut Aria and its
sequel Aria 2 blend ambient dance grooves with live orchestra and recomposed
snippets from familiar operatic pieces. The 2000 hit State of Grace featured
more original material, combining some of these same elements with the influence
of religious texts and hymns. After turning his eyes toward the heavens,
Schwartz is back on terra firma with the beautifully eclectic Earthbound, a
richly textured exploration of romantic love and heartfelt loss.
Schwartz has in the past enjoyed creating albums with
what he terms "stylistic smorgasbords," but on Earthbound aims for a deeper
unifying musical experience. "All of the ideas revolve around things that happen
at night," he says. "That's a big element running through many of these songs,
along with the themes of loss. I was in a spiritual place after doing State of
Grace, and was hunting around for unique ideas that would continue in that vein."
His good friend Simon Crow, who wrote the lyrics for the title track on Earthbound,
presented him with a poem by St. John of the Cross called 'Dark Night of the
Soul.' "It's a poem about meeting one's Savior, but also can be interpreted as a
sexy love poem, a hymn to a lover. That was the the matic link I used as a
springboard to explore the different sides of night time, both the passionate and
desolate."