Baltimore Musicians Take On Pink Floyd: Artists Citywide Reinvent Dark Side Of The Moon On Album's 40th Anniversary

BALTIMORE, Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Baltimore musicians are reimagining classic Pink Floyd with a huge arts project entitled Mobtown Moon. The uniquely Baltimore-led musical collaboration and Floyd tribute enlists dozens of musicians from different musical genres to celebrate the upcoming 40th anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon with concerts and a recording.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121205/PH24293-a )

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121205/PH24293-b )

Unlike the many note-for-note cover projects of Floyd in existence, Mobtown Moon features a compelling new arrangement of instruments, rhythms, and sounds expected to please longtime Floyd fans and raise a new audience for the classic rock recording. This iteration highlights the sheer beauty and depth of the album's songs, taking them out of their stadium-rock context and focusing on their well-crafted lyrics and intense emotional content. 

Mobtown Moon is the brainchild of pianist/vocalist and former Baltimore City Paper columnist Sandy Asirvatham and award-winning singer-songwriter ellen cherry. "Smalltimore," as the city is sometimes called, is large enough to support many styles of music, but small enough to spark cross-collaboration. Their memorable duet on "Breathe" illustrates the eclectic, genre-defying approach guiding the project.

The two introduced Mobtown Moon with heavily attended events in early 2012. In a town known for Poe and Mencken, but better known for Blue crabs, The Wire and "Honfest," it was downright fashionable to hold an early fundraiser in a rowhouse setting. A six-week crowdfunding campaign at IndieGoGo raised nearly $6,000 before a foundation grant and other contributions took the pool of funds up several notches.

The album Mobtown Moon will be released digitally in March. Physical copies go on sale in April. In 2013, the artists will offer satellite shows in surrounding cities, and on September 28, the full ensemble performs at Kraushaar Auditiorium at Goucher College in Baltimore County, Maryland.

The cast of about 70 participating artists demonstrates the breadth and depth of the Baltimore music scene. The project enticed Baltimore Choral Arts Society, led by venerated conductor Tom Hall, and Poulenc Trio bassoonist Bryan Young. Rock guitarist/vocalist Cris Jacobs of jam-band The Bridge is featured along with rap and jazz artists. The final track, "Eclipse," combines the powerful harmonizing of folk rock trio We're About 9 and a children's choir from OrchKids. (Several of these children sang with Roger Waters at Washington, D.C.'s Verizon Center in a 2012 performance of The Wall.)

Non-artists are also involved. Dozens of people contributed recordings of random urban sounds that are layered into the album tracks.

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