James Reynolds

The new age composer and multi-instrumentalist James Reynolds is featured on a great deal of material released in a little more than a decade beginning in the late '80s by the Miramar label. Based out of Seattle, activity at this publishing firm was largely initiated by David Lanz and Paul Speer, fellow performers in this meditative genre. During the Miramar heyday in the mid-'90s, top performers in new age and electronic music were putting out projects on the label, including the renowned Tangerine Dream. Reynolds, a classically trained percussionist, created his own series of projects including Mind's Eye. This award-winning composition really must be experienced in video form, as it allowed the composer to work with images created by hundreds of computer animators. In addition, Reynolds contributed on instruments such as synthesizer and percussion to sides by other Miramar artists including Lanz as well as the prolific duo of Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel. Despite the popularity of this genre, Miramar went under prior to the new millennium. Some Miramar artists have taken legal steps to reclaim control of their works; otherwise, this extensive and respected new age catalog remains out of print. ~ Eugene Chadbourne