Renaissance's current resurgence coincides with the 40th anniversary of the classic English band's formation. 2009 saw singer Annie Haslam, whose five-octave voice is one of the most distinctive in rock history, reconnecting with longtime bandmate Michael Dunford, Renaissance's guitarist and principal composer. Haslam's soaring vocals and Dunford's evocative acoustic guitar work were cornerstones of the group's sound during its most prolific era, 1972-1978. During that period, Renaissance's pioneering fusion of rock, folk and classical elements attracted a devoted worldwide fan base that continues to support the band to this day.
Renaissance's lush, orchestral approach, incorporating symphonic textures, poetic lyrics and a free-spirited sense of experimentalism, has always been particularly popular in America, where the band's classic '70s albums Prologue, Ashes Are Burning, Turn of the Cards, Scheherazade and Other Stories, Novella, A Song for All Seasons and Azure d'Or, as well as "Live" at Carnegie Hall became staples of progressive album-rock radio. So it's appropriate that the group launched its return to active duty with a series of intimate concerts in Fall 2009 for its loyal American fans.
Renaissance's new lineup finds Haslam and Dunford joined by four world-class instrumentalists whose talents provide new creative blood, while maintaining the band's traditional standards of sterling musicianship. Keyboardist Rave Tesar and bassist/vocalist David J. Keyes are veterans of prior editions of Renaissance as well as several Haslam solo projects, while keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin's resume includes work with Yes, Debbie Harry, Meat Loaf and Francis Dunnery, and drummer Frank Pagano has collaborated with artists as diverse as Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, Barry Manilow and Smashing Pumpkins.
Renaissance was originally formed in 1969 by former Yardbirds Keith Relf and Jim McCarty. By 1971, though, a series of personnel shifts had resulted in a completely new lineup, and it's that incarnation of Renaissance that would continue successfully through the end of the decade. The visionary approach of their albums soon captivated American listeners, and the band experienced considerable success as a touring act, thrilling concertgoers on such prestigious stages as New York's Carnegie Hall and London's Royal Albert Hall.
In the 1980s, Haslam and Dunford took Renaissance into new sonic territory, exploring a more electronic sound on the albums Camera Camera and Time Line as well as performing with an all-acoustic version of the band. Following an extended hiatus (during which they worked on individual musical projects, and Haslam pursued her passion for painting), Haslam and Dunford reactivated Renaissance for the 2001 studio effort Tuscany and the in-concert release In the Land of the Rising Sun: Live In Japan.
Now, Renaissance begins an exciting new chapter, while honoring its beloved body of vintage work. Haslam and Dunford promise that the new six-piece lineup will perform the band's timeless classics with the same care with which the material was originally crafted, while utilizing technological advances to reproduce the music's original symphonic textures like never before. They're also enthusiastic about introducing the music to a new generation of listeners as well as longtime fans.
"I'm thrilled to be performing these songs again, and to be performing them with Michael Dunford and a great group of musicians," Haslam states. "These songs are a big part of my life, so I'll be singing my heart out."
"We're very excited to be playing for American audiences again," adds Dunford. "With these great musicians, I'm expecting the songs to sound better than ever, and I'm looking forward to it with great anticipation."
