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Flow (American band)

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Flow
Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Fiona Joy, and William Ackerman
Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, Fiona Joy, and William Ackerman
Background information
OriginU.S.
GenresNew Age
Years active2017–present
LabelsLMB Music
Members
Websiteflowthegroup.com

Flow (stylised as FLOW) is an American New Age music group consisting of pianist/vocalist Fiona Joy from Australia, guitarist Lawrence Blatt, trumpeter and flugelhornist Jeff Oster, and guitarist Will Ackerman, all from the United States. The band's name is an anagram of the initials of their names.[1]

History

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In 2015, Blatt invited Joy and Oster to record with him at Ackerman's Imaginary Road Studios to create an album emblematic of past iconic Windham Hill ensembles, with Ackerman and Tom Eaton serving as co-producers. Once the trio began recording, it became clear that Ackerman could be an essential part of this group as an artist as well as producer. The group was launched as a four-piece group when Ackerman agreed to take a more foundational role.[2]

The formation of Flow was cited by New Age music expert Stephen Hill as an example of renaissance in the genre: "in the last few years, the New Age genre has seen a critical reconsideration, with carefully curated compilations of historical material, while both veterans and descendants of the genre are creating new music that merits serious attention. A good example is the group FLOW, which includes none other than steel string guitarist Will Ackerman, in a kind of New Age 'supergroup.'"[3]

Flow released its debut album on October 6, 2017. Accompanying Blatt, Joy, Oster, and Ackerman on the album were Marc Shulman, Tony Levin, Jeff Haynes, Sam Bevan, Eugene Friesen, and Tom Eaton. The album has received critical acclaim by Zone Music Reporter,[4] Contemporary Fusion Reviews,[5] World Music Central,[6] All About Jazz,[7] and Ambient Visions.[8] Coincidental with the album's release, Flow debuted the album at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. Performing with Flow were Eugene Friesen (cellist), Vin Downes, guitarist, Jeff Haynes, percussion, and Eaton on bass and keyboards.

Inaugural tour

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Flow's 2018 tour Arrival included performances at The New Orleans Jazz Museum, the 14th Annual ZMR Awards show, in Seattle, Oregon and Marin, California and concluded at Los Angeles' Grammy Museum.[9]

Awards and honors

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The album received New Age Album of the Year at the 16th annual Independent Music Awards show at Lincoln Center in New York City on April 3, 2018.[10]

The album held the No. 1 position on the ZoneMusicReporter's (ZMR) Top 100 Radio Airplay Chart for two months,[11] was nominated for and won two ZMR's awards, Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, at 14th Annual ZMR Awards show on May 12, 2018 at Loyola University's Roussel Hall in New Orleans.[12][13]

In 2019, the group's song "Last Light" was nominated as the Best New Age Song by the Independent Music Awards.[14] It also released the album Promise.[15]

Discography

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  • Flow (2017)
  • Promise (2019)

References

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  1. ^ "FLOW, featuring Will Ackerman, Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt & Jeff Oster at Royal Room May 15". NorthWest Music Scene. 2018-05-12. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  2. ^ "New Age Music Veterans Fiona Joy and Lawrence Blatt – Members of the Group Flow – Receive Key 2016 ZMR Award Nominations". PRWeb. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  3. ^ "PGM 1182 'Flowing Into Spring 4': May 25-June 1". Hearts of Space. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  4. ^ "New Age/Ambient/World Music Reviews". www.zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  5. ^ Metcalf, Dick (2017-08-15). "Imaginary road excellence fiona joy lawrence blatt jeff oster will ackerman". Contemporary Fusion Reviews. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  6. ^ "Flow's Timeless Comforting Music". worldmusiccentral.org. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  7. ^ "Flow: Flow". All About Jazz. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  8. ^ "Ambient Visions Music Reviews". www.ambientvisions.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  9. ^ "FLOW Wins Album of the Year at ZMR Music Awards, Preps for GRAMMY Museum Concert Tonight, May19". EIN Presswire. 2018-05-19. Retrieved 2018-05-27.
  10. ^ "The 16th Independent Music Awards Winners Announced- Independent Music Awards". Independent Music Awards. 2018-04-02. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  11. ^ "Flow ft. Will Ackerman, Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt & Jeff Oster". New Orleans Jazz Museum. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  12. ^ "2017 ZMR Award Nominees". www.zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  13. ^ "2017 ZMR Music Award Winners". www.zonemusicreporter.com. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
  14. ^ "The 17th Independent Music Awards Nominees Announced". Retrieved 2019-04-16.
  15. ^ "Ambient Visions Music Reviews". ambientvisions.com. Retrieved 2019-09-07.
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