Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford to Lead World-Class Musicians

 On 9-City Concert Tour of Theaters and Performing Arts Centers Starting Oct. 6

In celebration of their 1969 formation, English "classical rock" pioneers Renaissance are embarking on a special 40th Anniversary Fall Concert Tour to re-introduce to new generations the lush, orchestral favorites that made them a staple of 1970's progressive rock radio.

Led by Annie Haslam and Michael Dunford, the voice and principal songwriter, respectively, of the band’s most popular lineup, RENAISSANCE 2009 will mount a nine-city East Coast tour of theaters and performing arts centers that kicks off Oct. 6 in Annapolis, MD, and includes New York, Philadelphia and Washington, home to the nation’s top progressive rock stations during the classic Renaissance era.

"I'm thrilled to be performing these truly unique masterpieces again," says Haslam, whose five-octave voice is one of the most legendary in rock history. “These songs are a big part of my life and I will sing my heart out."

Joining Haslam and Dunford in RENAISSANCE 2009 are keyboardist Rave Tesar and bassist-vocalist David J. Keyes, both of whom were previous members of Renaissance and the Annie Haslam Band, plus keyboardist-vocalist Tom Brislin (Yes, Debbie Harry, Meat Loaf, Francis Dunnery) and drummer-percussionist Frank Pagano (Bruce Springsteen, Smashing Pumpkins, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow). Together, these world class musicians will revisit the symphonic textures, stunning vocals and poetic lyrics that embody the band’s hauntingly compelling international themes, with fresh interpretations of their most admired compositions. “Carpet of the Sun,” “Ocean Gypsy,” “Mother Russia,” "Ashes Are Burning," “Running Hard,” “Prologue,” and "Northern Lights" are central to Renaissance’s most prolific period (1972-78), which produced the albums Prologue, Ashes Are Burning, Turn of the Cards, Novella, Scheherazade and Other Stories, and A Song for All Seasons, as well as 'Live' at Carnegie Hall (1976), the deluxe two-disc set recently reissued.  

Renaissance originally rose from the ashes of the Yardbirds, with Haslam and Dunford joining at the dawn of the 1970's to define their work with folk rock and classical fusions, including quotations from and allusions to, such composers as Bach, Chopin, Debussy, and Rachmaninoff. It wasn’t long before influential progressive rock FM stations like WNEW (New York), WMMR (Philadelphia) and WHFS (Washington) were turning on America to Renaissance, while the band was thrilling concertgoers on the world’s most distinguished stages, from Carnegie Hall in New York City to the Royal Albert Hall in London.

"We've wanted to bring these songs to American audiences again and now with these great musicians," adds Michael Dunford, "I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation."

RENAISSANCE 2009 40^TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR DATES:

October 6       Annapolis, MD              Rams Head Onstage

October 8        Rochester, NY                        German House Theatre

October 9        New York, NY              Concert Hall at New York Society for Ethical Culture

October 11      Glenside, PA               Keswick Theatre

October 12      Alexandria, VA             The Birchmere

October 13      Albany, NY                   The Egg – Center for Performing Arts

October 14      Harrisburg, PA            Whitaker Center

October 16      South Orange, NJ       South Orange Performing Arts Center

October 17      Atlantic City, NJ           Xanadu Theater at Trump Taj Mahal

http://www.myspace.com/renaissanceofficial - -

www.anniehaslam.com

www.nlightsweb.com