Reviews - Ascend To Love

"Emmy award-winning New Age recording artist Ray Leonard is a soaring to new heights with the release of his newest CD, Ascend to Love. The new album follows the success of Leonard’s popular CD, Ethereal Journey. Both CD’s are now available through Ray Leonard Records and New Age specialty stores.

Leonard, who is currently working on his third album, said his newest release represents the culmination of his dream to create music for hope and healing. “I’m truly trying to reach market for people who are stressed,” said Leonard, adding that his music can be actively listened to or simply played as background music.

“The music is meant to be multi-dimensional and can be experienced in many ways,” said Leonard, a recording engineer and post production sound mixer who has mixed records for Tom Petty, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, the Pointer Sisters and many other big names in the music industry. “My music is a healing art. It’s very melodic and you can hum along with it,” said Leonard. “It has a lot of love and my aim is to heal the world in a small way through my music.”

Leonard, who composes all of his own original music on synthesizers, said inspiration for his music comes from a variety of sources, but most especially by his son. “When I got married and had a child, my attitude changed. As a result of raising a child, I’ve become more nurturing and far less critical,” said Leonard, who established a home studio after settling down to raise a family. “My son teaches me as much as I teach him.”

Leonard’s entry into the New Age music world has taken the three-time Emmy award winning musician on an interesting journey. His interest in music was sparked at an early age growing up with spiritual music. As the son of a minister, Ray was playing guitar and singing in the church by the age of six. “I saw time and again the magical moments that can occur when people are enveloped in spiritual music,” said Leonard adding that his observations left a lasting impression that still remain vividly intact in his memory.

In helping to bring a little peace into the lives of his listeners, Leonard is looking forward to creating live shows complete with an eclectic assembly of collage imagery to create virtual audio environments. He does this by combining sounds created on his synthesizer. Adding to the mix, Leonard adds organic sounds, as well sounds from his own guitar. For his live shows Leonard plans to add the imagery of Hubbell space photos and other elements to create a surreal effect. “You can hear a little wind chime or a waterfall. My music has a very calming effect on people,” Leonard said.

Prior to developing his calling into the world of New Age Music, Leonard toured the United States as a rock performer with a group called “Shadow.” After a successful seven year run with the band, Leonard moved to Los Angeles where he became an in-demand recording engineer working with numerous hit-making producers. His talent garnered the musician a Gold Record Award for a recording with Dio. He won a Platinum Award for albums with Stevie Nicks and the Pointer Sisters. He went on to win a Double Platinum Award for his work with Ratt.

After a decade of engineering records, Leonard moved to post production for television where he made a name for himself as a top sound engineer in the area of animation. Leonard won an Emmy Award for his work on Disney’s “Aladdin.” He went on to win two more Emmys for his work on “Back to the Future.” Leonard has been nominated for a total of 11 Emmys. He has also served as a sound mixer of such popular animated films as “101 Dalmations,” “Spiderman”, “Pink Panther,” Jumanji” “The Land Before Time,” Godzilla,” Buzz Lightyear,” “All Dogs Go Heaven” and “Star Ship Troopers.

Leonard’s fascination with synthesizers began while attending college after moving to Washington. The highlight of Leonard’s college experience came while he was performing in the stage production of “Godspell at the college.” He also found inspiration in  the music of Tangerine Dream. However, his interest in experimenting with sound via synthesizer was postponed when the success of his rock band, Shadow.

The offer of a record and movie deal with The Cannon Group brought Ray and the band to Los Angeles in the late 1970s, where he continued to perform rock music. Eventually, his uncanny sense of sound guided him toward a profession as an award-winning sound engineer.

For now, Leonard is eager to reach more people through his music. “It’s a labor of love and I want help people heal through my music,” said Leonard, adding that his music is featured in many yoga classes as well as health spas, hospitals and banks. “My music is all about trying to teach people to find a little peace and people need to make time for it,” Leonard said. “Everybody is so rushed, but I think it’s important to have a moment of peace in your life.” —Margie Anne Clark, Signal, February 2003

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