 |
Omar Akram | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | New-age, Jazz, World music |
| Instrument(s) | Piano |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels | Real Music, Twinbrook Entertainment |
| Website | omarakram |
Omar Akram is an Afghan-American producer, composer, and pianist. In 2013, he became the first Afghan-American to win a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for his fourth studio album, Echoes of Love. [1] He is also an inspirational writer who contributes to The Huffington Post.
Akram was born in New York City. He grew up traveling around the world as the son of a United Nations diplomat living everywhere from Prague to Havana as well as his ancestral home of Afghanistan. [2] He notably met Fidel Castro at the age of 14, who is said to have allowed him to sneak into the local Cuban jazz clubs, the sounds of which influenced his formative compositional style. [3]
In 1993, Akram moved to Los Angeles where he performed in various Mainstream Top 40 bands while also writing his own music.
In 2002, he signed a recording deal with Real Music. [4] His first commercial album release that same year, titled Opal Fire, reached Billboard's New Age Top 15 Chart that same year. [5] His sophomore release Free As A Bird in 2004, produced and arranged by keyboardist Gregg Karukas, featured world class violinist Charlie Bisharat and Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Eric Marienthal. [6] This album also reached Billboard's New Age Top 15 Chart that same year. [7] In 2007, Secret Journey, produced, co-written and arranged by Gregg Karukas, also critically acclaimed, featured Ardeshir Farah. [8] In 2012, Akram was nominated and won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for his album Echoes of Love, also produced, co-written and arranged by Gregg Karukas. This album was followed by Daytime Dreamer in 2013 which featured six new recordings along with tracks previously released from Opal Fire and Free As A Bird. [9] [10]
Akram's most recent album release "Destiny," co-produced with producer Walter Afanasieff, was independently released through his own company, Twinbrook Entertainment, on August 9, 2019.[ citation needed ] Afanasieff also contributes vocals to the first single release from the album, "Here I Am". An accompanying official music video was directed by Erik White. Shardad Rohani arranged and conducted the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra on two tracks. [11] The album was mixed by four-time Grammy winner Dave Reitzas at Westlake Studios in Hollywood, CA.
Starting from the lockdown resulting from COVID-19 pandemic, Omar Akram has been producing a docu-series titled "Omar's Music Chamber, where he performed a number of songs in his previous albums, as well as some newly written music. "[ citation needed ] From this collection, Omar Akram released a new album, The Light Will Come, on April 23, 2021. [12]
The Moments Of Beauty album was released on July 7, 2023. The album is animated by a spirit of reflection and contemplation that taps into personal cherished memories. As Omar notes, “it reminds me of my first album, Opal Fire, especially with its feeling of simplicity in the melodies and the simple truths they convey." [13] Moments Of Beauty was nominated for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in November 2023. [14]
Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for Echoes of Love in 2014. [15]
Grammy Nomination for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant Album for Moments Of Beauty in 2024. [16]
Real Music (Album Release Date: September 3, 2002)
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sugar Coated Love" | Omar Akram | 4:38 |
| 2. | "Morning Rain" | Omar Akram | 3:52 |
| 3. | "A Vision Of You" | Omar Akram | 4:34 |
| 4. | "Last Dance" | Omar Akram | 5:03 |
| 5. | "Waves Of Emotion" | Omar Akram | 3:23 |
| 6. | "Farewell For Now" | Omar Akram | 4:21 |
| 7. | "Unity" | Omar Akram | 3:39 |
| 8. | "Innocence Lost" | Omar Akram | 3:29 |
| 9. | "So Far" | Omar Akram | 3:39 |
| 10. | "Gypsy Woman" | Omar Akram | 3:53 |
| 11. | "Longing" | Omar Akram | 3:19 |
| 12. | "Opal Fire" | Omar Akram | 4:48 |
Real Music (Album Release Date: April 27, 2004)
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Free As A Bird" | Omar Akram | 5:05 |
| 2. | "Passage Into Midnight" | Omar Akram | 4:23 |
| 3. | "A Day With You" | Omar Akram | 5:09 |
| 4. | "Falling Through The Rain" | Omar Akram | 4:48 |
| 5. | "Beauty Unveiled" | Omar Akram | 4:27 |
| 6. | "Dancing With The Wind" | Omar Akram | 4:53 |
| 7. | "Surrender" | Omar Akram | 6:42 |
| 8. | "Riding The Current" | Omar Akram | 4:00 |
| 9. | "Never Let Go" | Omar Akram | 3:35 |
| 10. | "Trust Unspoken" | Omar Akram | 4:01 |
| 11. | "Flight Of Mystery" | Omar Akram | 5:04 |
Real Music (Album Release Date: September 25, 2007). Secret Journey peaked at #12 on Billboard's New Age Chart.
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Run Away With Me" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 5:08 |
| 2. | "Secret Journey" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 6:05 |
| 3. | "Nomadic Rhapsody" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 3:37 |
| 4. | "Passage Of The Heart" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 3:32 |
| 5. | "Gypsy Spirit" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:28 |
| 6. | "Stargazers" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 3:56 |
| 7. | "Seven Secrets" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:47 |
| 8. | "Whispers In The Moonlight" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:38 |
| 9. | "Mirage" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:32 |
| 10. | "Shimmering Star" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:41 |
| 11. | "Caravan" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:35 |
| 12. | "Angel Of Hope" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 3:30 |
| 13. | "Desert Flower (Bonus Track)" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 4:05 |
Real Music (Album Release Date: June 5, 2012). Echoes Of Love was awarded a Grammy for Best New Age Album.
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Echoes Of Love" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 4:46 |
| 2. | "Take My Hand" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 4:52 |
| 3. | "Lovely Day" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 4:43 |
| 4. | "Miracle" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 4:11 |
| 5. | "Finally Home" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 4:15 |
| 6. | "Draw Me Close" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 3:48 |
| 7. | "Free Spirit" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 3:42 |
| 8. | "My Hope Is You" | Omar Akram, Gregg Karukas | 3:33 |
| 9. | "Rejoice" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 2:42 |
| 10. | "Cry For Love" | Gregg Karukas, Omar Akram | 4:41 |
| 11. | "Open Skies" | Gregg Karukas | 4:56 |
| 12. | "Merry" | Omar Akram | 2:37 |
Real Music (Album Release Date: September 24, 2013)
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Downpour" | Omar Akram | 4:16 |
| 2. | "Dancing With The Wind" | Omar Akram | 4:52 |
| 3. | "Searching" | Omar Akram | 3:59 |
| 4. | "Surrender" | Omar Akram | 6:42 |
| 5. | "Passage Into Midnight" | Omar Akram | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Daytime Dreamer" | Omar Akram | 3:31 |
| 7. | "Love Of My Heart" | Omar Akram | 3:39 |
| 8. | "The Promise" | Omar Akram | 4:27 |
| 9. | "Morning Rain" | Omar Akram | 3:53 |
| 10. | "The Last Dance" | Omar Akram | 4:41 |
| 11. | "My Desire" | Omar Akram | 3:30 |
Twinbrook Entertainment (Album Release Date: August 9, 2019)
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Take Me Away" | Omar Akram | 4:23 |
| 2. | "Destiny" | Omar Akram | 4:01 |
| 3. | "My Promise To You" | Omar Akram | 4:20 |
| 4. | "Nomad" | Omar Akram | 4:22 |
| 5. | "Mystery Train" | Omar Akram | 3:47 |
| 6. | "Coastal Drive" | Omar Akram | 4:24 |
| 7. | "Lotus Flower" | Omar Akram | 3:41 |
| 8. | "Celebrate New Life" | Omar Akram | 3:41 |
| 9. | "Regenerate Love" | Omar Akram | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Matters Of The Heart" | Omar Akram | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Secret Place" | Omar Akram | 4:30 |
| 12. | "Here I Am (featuring Walter Afanasieff)" | Omar Akram | 4:46 |
Twinbrook Entertainment (Album Release Date: April 23, 2021)
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Light Will Come" | Omar Akram | 6:09 |
| 2. | "For George" | Omar Akram | 8:29 |
| 3. | "Hear My Heart" | Omar Akram | 7:10 |
| 4. | "For Merry" | Omar Akram | 4:36 |
| 5. | "Waterfall" | Omar Akram | 5:17 |
| 6. | "Since I Met You" | Omar Akram | 7:37 |
| 7. | "Wish I Could See You" | Omar Akram | 6:43 |
| 8. | "Pressing On" | Omar Akram | 4:30 |
| 9. | "Caught Dreaming" | Omar Akram | 9:21 |
| 10. | "New Morning Sun" | Omar Akram | 5:53 |
The second track of the album, For George, is dedicated to the memory of George Floyd. [17]
Twinbrook Entertainment
(Album Release Date: July 7, 2023). Moments Of Beauty was nominated for Best New Age, Ambient or Chant album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in November 2023. [18]
| No. | Title | Composer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Moments Of Beauty" | Omar Akram | 3:27 |
| 2. | "Passage Of Time" | Omar Akram | 3:24 |
| 3. | "Dancing On My Own" | Omar Akram | 3:34 |
| 4. | "Sorrow" | Omar Akram | 2:09 |
| 5. | "Falling In Love" | Omar Akram | 3:25 |
| 6. | "Promises" | Omar Akram | 3:50 |
| 7. | "Special Gift" | Omar Akram | 3:22 |
| 8. | "Mystery" | Omar Akram | 4:35 |
| 9. | "Someday" | Omar Akram | 3:13 |
| 10. | "Walking Free" | Omar Akram | 4:01 |
The 38th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 28, 1996, at Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles. The awards recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Alanis Morissette was the main recipient, being awarded four trophies, including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men opened the show with their Record of the Year nominated "One Sweet Day".
Steve Roach is an American composer and performer of ambient and electronic music, whose recordings are informed by his impressions of environment, perception, flow and space. His work has been influential in the trance and new-age genres.
Enigma is a German musical project founded in 1990 by Romanian-German musician and producer Michael Cretu. Cretu had released several solo records, collaborated with various artists, and produced albums for his then-wife, German pop singer Sandra, before he conceived the idea of a new-age, worldbeat project. He recorded the first Enigma studio album, MCMXC a.D. (1990), with contributions from David Fairstein and Frank Peterson. The album remains Enigma's most successful, helped by the international hit single "Sadeness ", which sold twelve million units alone. According to Cretu, the inspiration for the creation of the project came from his desire to make a kind of music that did not obey "the old rules and habits" and presented a new form of artistic expression with mystic and experimental components.
Deep Forest is a French music project that originally began as a duo consisting of Michel Sanchez and Éric Mouquet. They compose a style of world music, sometimes called ethnic electronica, mixing ethnic with electronic sounds and dance beats or chillout beats. Their sound has been described as an "ethno-introspective ambient world music".
Walter Afanasieff, formerly nicknamed Baby Love in the 1980s, is an American record producer and songwriter. He was a collaborator with Mariah Carey on her first six studio albums. He won the 1999 Grammy Award in the Record of the Year category for producing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, and the 2000 Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical.
Gregg Karukas is a smooth jazz pianist from Bowie, Maryland who first gained notice in Washington, D.C., then moved to Los Angeles in 1983. He backed Melissa Manchester before he co-founded the Rippingtons in 1985.
Eliane Elias is a Brazilian jazz pianist, singer, composer and arranger.
Celine Dion is the eleventh studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion, and her second English-language album. It was released by Columbia Records and Epic Records on 30 March 1992, and features the Grammy and Academy Award-winning song "Beauty and the Beast", and other hits like "If You Asked Me To" and "Love Can Move Mountains". The album was produced by Walter Afanasieff, Ric Wake, Guy Roche and Humberto Gatica. It reached numbers one in Quebec and three in Canada, where it was certified Diamond for shipments of over one million copies. At the 35th Annual Grammy Awards, Celine Dion was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The album has sold over five million copies worldwide.
Peter Kater is a German-born American pianist, composer and Grammy Award winner.
Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the official soundtrack album to the 1991 Disney animated feature film, Beauty and the Beast. Originally released on October 22, 1991, by Walt Disney Records, the album's first half – tracks 2 to 9 – generally contains the film's musical numbers, all of which were written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman, while its latter half – tracks 10 to 14 – features its musical score, composed solely by Menken. While the majority of the album's content remains within the musical theatre genre, its songs have also been influenced by French, classical, pop and Broadway music. Credited to Various Artists, Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack features performances by the film's main cast – Paige O'Hara, Richard White, Jesse Corti, Jerry Orbach, Angela Lansbury, Robby Benson and David Ogden Stiers – in order of appearance. Additionally, the album features recording artists Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, who perform a pop rendition of the film's theme song of the same name, which simultaneously serves as the soundtrack's only single.
Michael Brant DeMaria is an American psychologist, author, and musician.
Tamara Diane Wimer, known professionally as Tamara Gee, is an American pop singer and songwriter. She grew up singing and performing from the age of 5, and was a professional vocalist by the time she was 12 years old, winning various singing competitions throughout her adolescence and adulthood, as well as a beauty pageant. Gee opened for vocalist Tony Bennett and his orchestra after being the featured vocalist on various albums throughout her teen years. She released her debut album Hidden Treasure with Universal Music in 2007, while living in Poland. Her single from the album, "For Life", was voted unanimous winner of Piosenka dla Europy, the Polish final for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest. Tamara and her song "For Life" was the first Polish entry in history to qualify out of a semifinal. A portion of Gee's Eurovision performance was shown on The Oprah Winfrey Show on "The World's Got Talent" episode with Simon Cowell where Gee sang with former participants Celine Dion and Julio Iglesias. In 2007 Gee co-wrote and performed "Fate" on DJ Schiller's album Sehnsucht. The album went triple platinum and was nominated for a Grammy. She released her solo EP Christmas Angel in 2009. On November 27, 2014, Tamara released a new highly anticipated album "Love, Tamara" of which she wrote with and was produced by Multi Grammy Award winning producer/songwriter Walter Afanasieff.
Paul Costa Avgerinos is a Grammy-winning music composer, performer, and producer who works in the genres of ambient, space, world, electronic, and drone. Avgerinos has worked with Deana Carter and The Celtic Tenors. Avgerinos is a member of ASCAP and his music has been used in motion pictures, television shows, and commercials.
Jeff Pearce is an Indiana-based ambient/new age musician. He has been called "one of the top two electronic guitarists of all time" by Allmusic, while reviewer John Diliberto wrote in Billboard magazine that Pearce is "one of the best" guitarists to follow the solo electric guitarist concept. Pearce started playing guitar at age 13 and discovered the music of Brian Eno and Harold Budd while in college.
Al Conti is a Grammy-nominated New Age composer, arranger, producer, and multi-instrumentalist.
Echoes of Love may refer to:
Jeff Oster is a Grammy-nominated American musician who specializes in trumpet and flugelhorn in the New Age music genre. He is a member of the four-piece band Flow. Oster's style has been described as "Miles Davis meets Pink Floyd." He is three-time winner of the Independent Music Awards and ten-time winner of the Zone Music Reporter Awards. He was featured on the Laura Sullivan's Grammy-winning album Love's River. Flow's debut album reached number 4 on the Billboard New Age Albums Chart in 2017.
Tom Eaton is a Grammy-nominated American multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, and mastering engineer. He is known as the composer of multiple albums, and as a producer and engineer who works with Grammy Award-winner William Ackerman.
| International | |
|---|---|
| Artists | |
