California multi-instrumentalist and composer Rachel Flowers will release her brand new studio album, Bigger On The Inside, on October 1. You can listen to a trailer for the new album below.
Flowers was one of the highlights of the 2016 Keith Emerson tribute concert and the subsequent Fanfare For The Uncommon Man: The Official Keith Emerson Tribute Concert release.
“I was inspired by composers and bands like Ambrosia, Frank Zappa and Keith Emerson while writing the songs on Bigger On The Inside," says Flowers. "Some songs were inspired by or even heard in dreams. Others were improvised during the recording process. Sometimes just hearing a new piano sound can lead to inspiration. Some of my lyrics just come from my imagination and others come from real experience.”
“I’ve always wanted to create music that had those big sounds that I love. I was excited to incorporate more of the organ on this album, using my Nord C2D and Electro 4D as well as pipe organ sound libraries to get that iconic tone I was looking for. There is also a lot of electric guitar on this album. I was inspired by Steve Vai, John Mayer, Steven Wilson, and of course Adrian Belew, who was a direct inspiration for the opening track.”
Flowers began classical piano when she was only 4 years old. At 9 she discovered jazz and was immediately transfixed by the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, and Ella Fitzgerald. As varied as her musical background had already been, hearing Emerson, Lake & Palmer proved to be a turning point. Rachel was captivated by keyboardist Keith Emerson's innovative integration of classical and jazz elements in a rock setting, and he became a musical role model.
While her favourite instruments continue to be piano and organ, she is also classically trained on the flute and plays the guitar, bass, saxophone, and Chapman Stick.
“The message I would like my listeners to come away with is that there will be darkness, but you can fly, you can love, you can be loved, and the darkness is only temporary.”
Pre-order Bigger On The Inside.
