ALBUM REVIEW OF " THE CHRISTMAS DREAM" by Sea of Tranquility

Wizards Of Winter, The: The Christmas Dream

The Wizards Of Winter have been brightening up the Christmas season since 2009. The band formed in response to a need in the community to provide food for the less fortunate. You know, giving something back to those in need. It seems to be in short supply these days, especially if one listens to all the rhetoric floating around the internet. But alas, that’s a story for another day. The band, comprising of members of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Ted Nugent’s band, Blue Oyster Cult, Def Leppard and others, have released three albums thus far, their latest titled The Christmas Dream.

 

Like their first two albums, the band continues their love of everything Christmas and generating some fine rock/metal music in the process beginning with the bombastic and super catchy “Secrets Of The Snow Globe”. This is wonderful progressive metal with a seasonal flavour. The shredding keyboards and guitar fireworks are particularly impressive. More dramatics can be heard on “Handel’s Torch” with its swirling guitar and keyboards and some pretty tasty flute. The female lead vocals in the upbeat and catchy “Gonna Snow”, a mixture of hard/symphonic rock are spot on. I love how the band seamlessly incorporate snippets of Christmas classics, in this case “Jingle Bells”. Reminds me a little of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The lead vocals in “Polar Eve” are absolutely lovely and the staccato rhythms are loaded with drama. With “The Four Kings” the sound is more blues and jazz while “Christmas Dream (Salzburg Carol)” is a heavier instrumental. Throughout the album the melodies, musicianship and songwriting is top notch stuff.

 

The Christmas Dream is highly recommended for fans of bombastic metal, Christmas music and hard rock. In a word…excellent.

 

The players:
Scott Kelly (keyboards)
Sharon Kelly (flute, vocals)
Fred Gorhau (guitar)
Greg Smith (bass)
Jon O. Reilly (drums)
Vincent Jiovino (vocals)
Karl Scully (vocals)
Shawna Mehall (backup vocals)

 

Track Listing:
1. Secrets Of The Snow Globe (5:04)
2. Handel’s Torch (4:37)
3. Gonna Snow (4:19)
4. Polar Eve (5:21)
5. Midnight Noel (4:03)
6. The Four Kings (4:42)
7. The Happy Song (3:06)
8. In Plain Sight (5:12)
9. Christmas Dream (Salzburg Carol) (4:07)
10. A Toast To Time (Farewell) (3:48)

Added: February 21st 2020
Reviewer:
Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link:
Band's Official Site
Hits: 72
Language: english

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PRESS RELEASE: NEW MUSIC FROM THE WIZARDS OF WINTER

The Wizards of Winter’s third album titled “The Christmas Dream” contains 10 new original songs. The material is a rocking Holiday sleigh ride that crosses many musical boundaries from Prog Metal to Contemporary; making it appealing to a broad and diverse audience.

While the album will officially release and ship later this month, the group wanted to provide a small taste of what is to come by offering up one of their new songs today.

Founder/Keyboardist, Scott Kelly states:
“It is often said that Prog Rock music is the Classical Music of our day. The band thought it would be fun to put a rock spin on one of the great classical tunes associated with Christmas. “Handel’s Torch” is a nod to the Hallelujah Chorus. If you listen closely you will hear several other classic melodies woven through the piece as well. We think it rocks and is a blast to play. We hope our fans think it rocks too.”

As a show of appreciation to our fans, we have created a special pre-release offer for those that are interested in purchasing the new album early.

The offer can be found in our online store at https://www.thewizardsofwinter.com/store
All purchases will ship later this month.

Enjoy --- " Handel's Torch"

https://youtu.be/CcLOh53WEk0

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Wednesday 5/29/19

 

Holiday rock ensemble the WIZARDS OF WINTER – featuring former members of the Trans-Siberian OrchestraRainbow and the bands of Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent – are thrilled to add  another world class member to their talented midst! The WIZARDS OF WINTER are pleased to welcome lead guitarist Steve Brown to the ensemble performing on their upcoming 2019 tour.

Steve Brown was born and raised in New Jersey and destined to live a life submersed in music. The self-taught artist picked up his first guitar at 8 years-old and never looked back. Steve began his life-long love affair with live performing at the ripe old age of 12, when he became a regular on the voltaic NJ rock scene of the ‘80s. At 12 years-old, he began writing music, lyrics and founded his first band, TRIXTER. It wasn’t long before Steve led the mighty TRIXTER to massive arena shows, a record deal and transcontinental tours with the likes of KISS, SCORPIONS and POISON.

To date, TRIXTER has over a million records sold, 3- #1 MTV videos and 3 TOP 100 BILLBOARD SINGLES, all penned by Brown. From personal endorsements by Eddie Van Halen to churning out original music for some of television’s most popular hits , to regularly hitting the stage with an ever-growing list of rock and roll greats, Steve Brown is in constant demand. Most recently, Steve has played with DENNIS DeYOUNG (formerly of STYX), JOE LYNN TURNER (formerly of RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN), and on BROADWAY in the hit musical “ROCK OF AGES”  In 2013 and again in 2018,, Steve was invited to be the vicarial guitarist for the legendary DEF LEPPARD, which led to him joining the band at the historic Wembley Stadium along with many other Arena and Stadium shows throughout North America.

Steve Brown says, “I’m really excited to be joining the WIZARDS OF WINTER this coming holiday season! They are a great bunch of talented musicians and the chemistry so far is excellent. I am looking forward to seeing you all on the road!”  

 

WIZARDS OF WINTER founder and keyboardist Scott Kelly adds, “Steve is the real deal. His long list of credentials speaks for itself. We are excited to have him join the band and greatly look forward to rocking with him on this year’s  Winter tour.”

 

The WIZARDS OF WINTER are an ensemble performing classical and progressive-influenced rock music woven throughout a theatrical holiday-themed show, performed in an intimate setting.

 

Each night on tour, the WIZARDS OF WINTER evoke the spirit of Christmas, weaving a story entirely based on their latest full-length album, The Magic of Winter, and new music from their up coming album, The Christmas Dream. Each WIZARDS OF WINTER performance showcases soaring vocal harmonies, precision string instrumentation, outstanding guitar leads, powerful percussion and stunning keyboard work – taking the listener on a musical “sleigh ride”, covering many genres from pop to progressive rock. Previous tours have seen the WIZARDS OF WINTER performing their brand of theatrical yuletide rock to tens of thousands of attendees and has grabbed the attention of mainstream media such as Entertainment Weekly and Yahoo Music.

 

Stay tuned for more information coming soon on the WIZARDS OF WINTER‘s 2019 touring schedule, and listen to their latest single, “Salzburg Carol” – an enchanting medley featuring segments of the classic holiday tunes “My Favorite Things” and “Carol of the Bells” – here.

 

The Magic of Winter, which features the unforgettable single, “The Spirit of Christmas” (watch the music video here), can be ordered in physical format here or purchased digitally via iTunes.

 

THE WIZARDS OF WINTER are:

Scott Kelly – Music Director, Keyboards

Sharon Kelly – Flute, Vocals

Fred Gorhau – Guitar

Steve Brown– Guitar

John O. Reilly – Drums

Greg Smith – Bass

Kornelia Rad- Violin

Alexis Smith- Vocals/ Aux. Keys

Karl Scully– Vocals

Vincent Jiovino – Vocals

Tony Gaynor – Narration

 

To learn more about the WIZARDS OF WINTER, please visit www.facebook.com/TheWizardsofWinter and www.thewizardsofwinter.com

 

WIZARDS OF WINTER - Holiday Rock Ensemble Announce 2018 Holiday Season Tour Dates, Plus New Members

September 26, 2018

Holiday rock ensemble the Wizards Of Winter - featuring former members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rainbow, Blue Oyster Cult, Ted Nugent and The Irish Tenors - will begin their annual holiday tour on Friday, November 16th in Westbury, NY. The tour will visit cities and towns across North America, coming to an end on December 29th in Derry, NH. See below for a full listing of tour dates. All dates are on sale now, and tickets can be purchased via individual venues.

Wizards Of Winter founder and keyboardist Scott Kelly says, "We are looking forward to bringing the spirit of Christmas across the nation again this year. We have such an exciting lineup and we can't wait to get out there and share the magic with friends, both old and new!"
 
Tour dates:

November
16 - Westbury, NY - The Space at Westbury
17 - York, PA - The Strand Theatre
23 - Peekskill, NY - Paramount Theatre
24 - Morristown, NJ - Mayo Performing Arts Center
30 - Jackson, MI - Potter Center

December
1 - Winona, MN - St. Cecelia Theatre
2 - Mitchell, SD - Corn Palace Theatre
3 - Winnipeg, MB - Centennial Concert Hall
6 - Suquamish, WA - Clear Water Casino
7 - Shelton, WA - Little Creek Casino
8 - Longview, WA - Columbia Theatre
12 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
13 - Tucson, AZ - Fox Tucson Theatre
15 - Las Vegas, NV - Cannery Casino
18 - Ponca City, OK - Poncan Theatre
19 - Terre Haute, IN - Indiana Theater
20 - Peoria, IL - Peoria Civic Center Theatre
21 - Elkhart, IN - The Lerner Theatre
22 - Akron, OH - Akron Civic Center
23 - Easton, PA - State Theatre Center for the Arts
28 - Staten Island, NY - St. George Theatre
29 - Derry, NH - Tupelo Music Hall

The Wizards Of Winter are thrilled to announce the addition of several talented new members to their ensemble. The ensemble is pleased to welcome drummer and former Trans-Siberian Orchestra member John O. Reilly, Baritone/Tenor lead vocalist Karl Scully, lead vocalist/auxiliary keyboardist Rebecca Graae and lead guitarist Chris Green.

Drummer John O. Reilly says, "I'm proud and excited to be joining the Wizards Of Winter this coming season and beyond! There are great things ahead for the Wizards and I am truly honored to be a part of it and looking forward to seeing you on the road."

John O. Reilly has recorded, performed live, and appeared on video with some of the best, including Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh (Eagles), Richie Cannata (Billy Joel), John Anderson (Yes), Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Tommy Shaw (Styx), Blackmore's Night, West World, Jane Mangini (O'2L), Joe Lynn Turner, Blue Oyster Cult, Al Pitrelli (Megadeth), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Randy Coven (Yngwie Malmsteen), Zack Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne), TM Stevens (Steve Vai), Steve Morse (Kansas/Dixie Dregs/Deep Purple), Alan Holdsworth, Stanley Jordan, Reb Beach, Jeff Watson (Night Ranger), Rod Price (Foghat), Peter Noone, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Bobby Sherman, Yoko Ono, Richie Havens and more. Reilly performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for over 15 years.

Lead vocalist Karl Scully says, "I am thrilled to be joining the Wizards Of Winter! Throughout my classical career I've rocked out to this kind of music, so I am so excited to now be able to join such an incredibly talented group and bring this full-throttle music to audiences everywhere! It's amazing to me how easily this music sits on my voice, and how much fun it is to use the full range of my voice with this powerful band. I am honored to be included with these world-class instrumentalists and singers this year, and I know the tour with them is going to be a blast!"

Karl was a member of The Irish Tenors and performed with them and as a soloist in Europe and the USA. He kick-started his career in 2000 when he played the role of Count John McCormack in the cinematic film "Nora", by Pat Murphy and Gerard Stembridge, starring Ewan McGregor. He followed his on-screen success by performing operatic roles such as: Don Jose in "Carmen" by Bizet; The Witch in "Hansel and Gretel" by Humperdinck; MacHeath, in "Beggars Opera" and Albert, in "Albert Herring" by Benjamin Britten; King Ouf in "L'etoile" by Chabrier; Paolino, in "Il Matrimonio Segreto" by Cimarosa; Ferrando, in "Cosi Fan Tutte" by Mozart; and Arturo in "Lucia di Lammermoor" by Gaetano Donizetti. During his time in Italy, Karl was a permanent artist in the Teatro Carlo Felice Opera House in Genoa. While there he performed solo roles alongside world-famous artists including Samuel Ramey, Robert Brubaker, and Dwayne Croft.

Lead vocalist/auxiliary keyboardist Rebecca Graae holds a degree in vocal performance, and has been featured as a lead soloist on Viking Ocean Cruises since 2016. Rebecca has also performed in several theatre productions. Rebecca comments, "I'm so excited to tour with the Wizards this season! As a classically trained theatre performer, getting to work with rockers is an exciting challenge and an amazing opportunity that I am honored to have been given. I've already been warmly welcomed into a new family of incredible musicians, and celebrating Christmas is the best job anyone could ask for! Let's get this show on the road!"

Lead guitarist Chris Green has performed with the likes of Jeff Scott Soto, Firehouse, Nelson, Scrap Metal (with Eric Martin, Mark Slaughter and Kip Winger), Furyon, Pride and Rock N' Roll Fantasy Camp, and is currently the lead guitar player for Tyketto. He is also a songwriter and has released solo albums. Chris Green adds, "I'm incredibly proud to join the ranks of the Wizards Of Winter. Rehearsals have been fantastic and I'm really looking forward to getting out on the road this winter as part of the team. The level of musicianship in this band is incredible, so I'm honored to be part of this Christmas extravaganza. I look forward to meeting you all on the road, see you soon!"

For Immediate Release

June 19, 2018

 

Christmas Holiday Rock Ensemble WIZARDS OF WINTER Announce New Drummer, Former Trans-Siberian Orchestra Member John O. Reilly

 

2018 Holiday Tour Information Coming Soon!

 

John O. Reilly

 

 

 

Holiday rock ensemble the WIZARDS OF WINTER – featuring former members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Rainbow and the bands of Alice Cooper and Ted Nugent – are thrilled to add another former member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra to their talented midst! The WIZARDS OF WINTER are pleased to welcome drummer John O. Reilly to the ensemble performing on their upcoming 2018 tour.

 

John O. Reilly has recorded, performed live, and appeared on video with some of the best, including Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, Bruce Springsteen, Joe Walsh (Eagles), Richie Cannata (Billy Joel), John Anderson (Yes), Geoff Tate (Queensryche), Tommy Shaw (Styx), Blackmore's Night, West World, Jane Mangini (O'2L), Joe Lynn Turner, Blue Oyster Cult, Al Pitrelli (Megadeth), Robin Zander (Cheap Trick), Randy Coven (Yngwie Malmsteen), Zack Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne), TM Stevens (Steve Vai), Steve Morse (Kansas/Dixie Dregs/Deep Purple), Alan Holdsworth, Stanley Jordan, Reb Beach, Jeff Watson (Night Ranger), Rod Price (Foghat), Peter Noone, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Bobby Sherman, Yoko Ono, Richie Havens and more. Reilly performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra for over 15 years.

 

John O. Reilly says, “I’m proud and excited to be joining the WIZARDS OF WINTER this coming holiday season and beyond! There are great things ahead for this band, and I am truly honored to be a part of it and looking forward to seeing you on the road!”  

 

WIZARDS OF WINTER founder and keyboardist Scott Kelly adds, “Besides being a really nice person, John is the consummate professional. His long list of credentials speaks for itself. We are extremely excited and honored to have John join the band and greatly look forward to what the future is going to bring.”

 

The WIZARDS OF WINTER are an ensemble performing classical and progressive-influenced rock music woven throughout a theatrical holiday-themed show, performed in an intimate setting.

 

Each night on tour, the WIZARDS OF WINTER evoke the spirit of Christmas, weaving a story entirely based on their latest full-length album, The Magic of Winter, and new music. Each WIZARDS OF WINTER performance showcases soaring vocal harmonies, precision string instrumentation, outstanding guitar leads, powerful percussion and stunning keyboard work – taking the listener on a musical “sleigh ride”, covering many genres from pop to progressive rock. Previous tours have seen the WIZARDS OF WINTER performing their brand of theatrical yuletide rock to tens of thousands of attendees and has grabbed the attention of mainstream media such as Entertainment Weekly and Yahoo Music.

 

Stay tuned for more information coming soon on the WIZARDS OF WINTER’s 2018 touring schedule, and listen to their latest single, “A Christmas Dream” – an enchanting medley featuring segments of the classic holiday tunes “My Favorite Things” and “Carol of the Bells” – here.

 

The Magic of Winter, which features the unforgettable single, “The Spirit of Christmas” (watch the music video here), can be ordered in physical format here or purchased digitally via iTunes.

 

WIZARDS OF WINTER is:

Scott Kelly - Music Director, Keyboards

Sharon Kelly - Flute, Vocals

Fred Gorhau - Guitar

Chirs Green - Guitar

John O. Reilly – Drums

Greg Smith - Bass

Rebecca Graae- Keyboard, Vocals

Ellie Krasner- Violin

Karl Scully – Vocals

Vincent Jiovino - Vocals

Shawna Mehall - Vocals

Tony Gaynor – Narration

 

To learn more about the WIZARDS OF WINTER, please visit www.facebook.com/TheWizardsofWinter and www.thewizardsofwinter.com.

 

 

 

 

 

The Wizards...Giving Back