ZOLA VAN HIKES TO #1 IN THE NEW AGE CHARTS HERRIN, IL-- Pianist/Composer Zola Van’s second CD release, Paint the Forest Winter, inspired by her backpacking trips in the Shawnee National Forest, hiked all the way to #1 on the Top 100 New Age Charts for December 2002. The CD was reviewed and ranked by industry reviewers and radio programmers across the US, in Canada, Europe and Japan. Paint the Forest Winter, released on her independent label, Really Big Shoes, facing stiff competition from industry label giants Columbia, Sony, Decca, Narada and Windham Hill trekked to #3 in November. The CD ranked above well-known New Age artists including Enya, George Winston, Yanni and New Age crossover, Peter Gabriel. Peter Manzi, editor of the New Age Voice states in his industry magazine’s December review, “…some of the more melodic and visual piano efforts you’ll hear this year from a piano solo release…For the piano solo lover, this release has it all: strong compositions with beautiful melodies, a deep well of interesting harmonies, and fine chops at the keys. Paint the Forest Winter is a fabulous stroll through winter’s timeless moments and open forests.”
The CD is ranked #1 in December because it is that good,” says Ed Bonk, Lazz Promotions of Toronto, Canada. “This ranking proves her work is as good as any in the industry, if not better. The programmers love her music, and they want more. They agree that her music is beautiful and sincere, and they love her creativity,” says Bonk.
Bonk, who only promotes artists he believes will rank in the top of the charts, contacted Zola Van when her self-promoted first release, River to River Trail: The Hike, ranked in the Top 100 for several months. “The competition for pianists is incredibly fierce,” states Bonk. Paint the Forest Winter is one of three piano CD’s to ever rank #1 in the NAV Top 100, and may be the first piano CD to rank #1 without any other instrumentation. “A solo piano CD has to be very good to rank at #1, and Paint the Forest Winter is very good,” Bonk continues.
Zola Van’s music has been reviewed in Backpacker Magazine and she has been in numerous feature articles including Outdoor Illinois and the American Hiker. She has made television appearances and has been featured in syndicated radio programs. Also ranking in the Top 100 is Heartaide Project, a compilation CD including Van’s “Shooting Stars on Trillium Trail: Giant City” from her River to River Trail: The Hike release. The benefit CD includes works donated by seventeen pianists and was released by Springhill Music with proceeds benefiting families of victims of 9/11.
Really Big Shoes continues its “Music for the Journey” with several new projects in the making. For information about Zola, her music, performance dates, ordering CD’s or sheet music, store availability, or to listen to a music sample, visit her website at http://zolavan.com