Steve Roach (musician)


Steve Roach is an American composer and performer of ambient and electronic music, whose recordings are informed by his impressions of environment, perception, flow and space. His work has been influential in the new-age genre.
Roach has received two Grammy Award nominations for New Age Album of the Year: His 2017 album Spiral Revelation for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards., and 2018's Molecules Of Motion for the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.

Overview

Originally a Motocross racer, at the age of 20 Roach taught himself to play the synthesizer after being inspired by such influential synthesizer artists and groups as Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, and Vangelis. His debut album Now appeared in 1982, followed by Structures from Silence in 1984. In 1986 he released his acclaimed Quiet Music series. In 1988, he released what has been described by critics as his masterpiece, the double-album Dreamtime Return.
As Roach's approach to ambient music has matured, his compositions have typically been beatless. His rhythmic and trance-based groove and tribal-ambient releases, however, are nearly as numerous as his more atmospheric releases. Some recordings are strictly synthesizer-based, whereas others include ambient guitar experiments.
Other pieces, however, cross over with more ethnic and folk influences. Roach learned to play the digeridoo during his extended trips to Australia in the 1980s, and he became an early proponent of its use in ambient music. His work with Mexican musician Jorge Reyes introduced Roach to Prehispanic musical elements, which he has also included in his music. These fusions established Roach as one of the founders of the tribal-ambient sound.
Roach is married to author and equine teacher Linda Kohanov. They live in Tucson, Arizona.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilations

Collaboration albums