Pianist, Woodwinds Specialist & Composer TOM RANIER's "THIS WAY" Features His Modern Originals

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Pianist, Woodwinds Specialist & Composer TOM RANIER's "THIS WAY" Features His Modern Originals

Pianist, clarinetist, multi-woodwinds player, and composer TOM RANIER, one of Southern California’s finest improvisers, is releasing THIS WAY, his first recording as a leader in 14 years. Ranier is a highly sought-after studio musician, performing regularly at the Grammys, Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes. He has also recorded for artists such as Terry Gibbs, Joe Pass, Buddy DeFranco, Barbra Streisand, and Plácido Domingo, among many others. On THIS WAY, Ranier displays the remarkable range of his musical talents. He composed six of the eight tunes on the disc, and he plays the piano and synthesizer, as well as soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes. He is equally versatile on the Bb, bass, and contra-alto clarinets. Ranier’s music is so compelling because he is a storyteller with a strong visual sense. “You don’t need words to convey ideas or emotions. Like the visual arts, music tells stories through images, ” says Ranier. THIS WAY has been a long time coming. As Ranier notes, “Every recording is a snapshot in time of where the artist is right at that moment. This album is the culmination of all my experiences and musical influences over the last 15 or so years.” Accompanied by some of the finest musicians in Southern California, all of whom are first-call studio musicians with extensive recording experience, the music on THIS WAY is rich and complex, yet eminently accessible and thoroughly enjoyable.

with

TOM RANIER piano, synthesizers, soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxes, and

bass, eb and contra-alto clarinets

TREY HENRY acoustic and electric bass

RALPH HUMPHREY drums

THOM ROTELLA guitar

Arranged and Orchestrated by TOM RANIER except

“Rhapsody” Orchestrated and Co-Produced by BRUCE HEALEY

All songs by TOM RANIER except

“Secret Heart” by Randy Brecker / Eliane Elias

“Desafinado” by Antonio Carlos Jobim / Newton Mendoca

THIS WAY

1. BLUE ARIA 7:12

2. CIRCLE 7:42

3. THIS WAY 5:11

4. YES KLOOSE 5:28

5. SECRET HEART 5:41

6. TRIO VISION 6:10

7. RHAPSODY 5:27

8. DESAFINADO 6:20

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