9/27/06
From Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:

I am happy to announce we now have anew Official Angels Of Venice MySpace page, which is:

www.myspace.com/harpistcaroltatum

Please visit that page for the most current, up-to-date information about Angels Of Venice and Carol Tatum and please request to be our friend! 看Since MySpace gives so much flexibility regarding content (new photos, "what's new", bulletins, fun stuff, etc.), I will be updating that page more frequently than this website. 看Also, I just obtained www.myspace.com/angelsofvenice and that page should be up and running in a month or two.

In the last year, many things have happened! 看Ted and I bought a beautiful 1926 English Tudor home and have spent many months remodeling and updating it - and we still are not finished! 看

Purchasing the home put a big dent in the timeline/production of the new (6th) CD but as of this writing I have five songs in various states of completeness with a release date by the middle of 2007. 看Charles Edward from the band Seraphim Shock has so far put his excellent vocals on one song called "Primitive Kiss," which will be featured on our MySpace page in the near future. 看It's an exciting, powerful and exotic hybridization of tribal/goth/rock and works for belly dancers as well as dance clubs and rock radio.

Also, AOV is signed to a German label, Accession Records, who just released a CD ("Accession Records - Volume 3") with the very first release of "Primitive Kiss (Accession Version)." 看This is a sneak preview of what is to come on the 2007 AOV release and so far the reviews have been fantastic!

Finally, AOV has a song, "The Sins Of Salome" (from our 2nd CD "Awake Inside A Dream") on another wonderful gothic belly dance compilation CD entitled "Strange Flesh" produced by dark world percussionist Jeramiah Soto of the popular world music band Solace (www.eventidemusicproductions.com). 看The description of the CD is:

"Strange Flesh is an eclectic collection of Gothic inspired works, selected to reflect the changing face of bellydance. Artists include Collide, Blind Divine, Solace, Maduro, Shiva in Exile, Knossos, Tim Rayborn, Angels of Venice, The Shroud, Karma Sutra, and Ruben van Rompaey."

You can read a review of "Strange Flesh" below.

So, as I mentioned, please visit www.myspace.com/harpistcaroltatum for up-to-date "everything" on AOV. 看And please support artists by purchasing their CDs and trying to copy as little as possible. 看Musicians and bands have really taken a huge "hit" in recent years and your support is what helps keep music alive.

Many blessings.
Carol Tatum,
Harpist
Angels Of Venice


"STRANGE FLESH" REVIEW:
Eventide Music descripes this album as 'Gothic inspired' works and...tracks like Sins of Salome and Khundas weave an intricate web of layers of beautiful instruments into a sweeping and swirling cloud of music that is wonderful. The more pop style tracks like Honeysuckle Vines and Black still retain their mystery and 'gothic' feel, while also creating a dark and alternative atmosphere. 看In the wake of such dvds as Evolution and Gothic Bellydance, an album like this is certainly welcome. It provides lovely alternatives and introductions for some to what is possible within this huge world of bellydance.

PURCHASE "STRANGE FLESH" AT:
www.eventidemusicproductions.com

PURCHASE "ACCESSION RECORDS - VOLUME 3" AT:
www.projekt.com

www.industrial-music.com

5.1.05
From Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:
 
CAROL ON CH. 7/ABC T.V. MONDAY, MAY 9TH AND IN COUNTRY MUSIC ARTIST TOBY KEITH'S NEWEST MUSIC VIDEO (MID MAY RELEASE)!  

Hello, everyone.  I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Spring when the world becomes new and born again.
 
I have been extremely busy working on the new upcoming CD and appearing on T.V. and in a music video by country great Toby Keith.
 
First, I will be on "Extreme Makeovers:  Wedding Edition" airing Monday, May 9th at 10/9 C.  I was selected to be the harpist for the wedding scene of Kyle, four time cancer survivor, and his fiance, Carrie (see more information on them below).  The wedding set was on the grounds of City Of Hope Medical Center in Duarte.  The set was beautiful with about 1,000 tea lights and rose petals everywhere!  The crew was great and the director said he was really pleased with my performance!  I used my beautiful, large King David harp and wore an ethereal flowing white outfit.  It was great to be a part of the show and the cause.  Here is the link to the website for more information:
 http://abc.go.com/primetime/extremeweddings/

As for the Toby Keith video, WOW!  I was accidentally turned into a stunt woman on set!  Ted and I were bikers (yes, me, as a biker!) on Toby Keith's new video.  We are in quite a few scenes and one scene we were in was during a bar room brawl.  There is a fight going on with about five stuntmen and Ted and I are supposed to be standing against a wall just talking while the fight is going on.  I'm holding a breakaway beer bottle (the fake kind that smashes easily) and the stuntman is supposed to fall back into Ted and I hand him the beer bottle and he lunges forward and smashes another stuntman on the head.  WELL, in one take the stuntman fell back into ME and I hit a wall, then I hit another wall and then fell to the ground, all the while holding the fragile breakaway beer bottle in my right hand and not crushing it!  I was shook up but stayed in character and struggled to my feet, handed the stuntman the beer bottle and he proceeded to smash it over the head of the other stuntman, just as planned.  WOW!!  When the take was finished everyone rushed over to me and asked me if I was all right!  All the stuntmen "high fived" me and said they couldn't believe I stayed in character and didn't break the bottle!  We all had a good laugh and it turned out to be the best take of about seven takes.  So, I hope it is used in the final edit and doesn't end up on the cutting room floor!  I met Toby Keith at the end of two days of shooting and got a photograph with him, with the bikers and with a lot of the stuntmen.  The pictures will be posted soon if not at this reading.  What a great time!  Ted ended up as a stuntman in a lot of the fight scenes.  The special effects make up was fantastic and Ted's two black eyes looked great!  Ted and I had a blast.  It was one of those "life defining" moments, as Dr. Phil would say.  Yeeeee-Haaaaaa!
 
I think this is my longest posting ever so I'll say good bye now.  ...Oops!...two more things...
 
My wonderful friend and cellist, Cathy Biagini, and I are performing for Descanso Gardens Mother's Day Concert on Sunday, May 9th in La Canada, California.  The first concert is at noon and the second at 1:30 p.m.  I hope some of you can come out and see us since Cathy and I rarely play as a duo.  Descanso is incredible at this time of year!  The admission is only 5.
 
Lastly, for those of you who like quality rock bands, please mark your calendar (if you are in Los Angeles) to come see a band Ted and I are working with called Seraphim Shock.  They are out of Denver, Colorado and will be doing a showcase at Bar Sinister on Saturday, June 4th around 10 p.m.  Their shows are excellent, arena-type productions and not to be missed!  And Charles, as I mentioned in my previous posting, is going to be a guest vocalist on one or two (or more?) songs on my new, upcoming CD.  Be Kind...Be Cool...Never Give Up...Love To All...Peace Out.  ~Carol
 
 Here is an excerpt from the ABC website about the "Extreme Makeovers:  Wedding Edition" show:
 Groom Kyle Garlett, 33, is the very face of courage: A four-time cancer survivor, he has spent most of his teenage and adult life in and out of hospital. The toll of ongoing chemotherapy has destroyed his heart, and he is currently waiting for a heart transplant to save his life. Our bride, Carrie Riordan, 29, is a community activist and marathon runner who met our groom when she was training for a charity run for the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society in 2002. Despite their deep love, they've been unable to have a wedding due to costs they will incur with the heart transplant. The couple get the surprise of their lives on the grounds of City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, CA, where Kyle has received medical treatment for the last several years and where the ceremony is to take place. The theme of the reception is "Christmas in New York," to combine the couple's favorite city and holiday -- marking a milestone in Kyle's life as, at one point, he wasn't expected to live past Christmas. Special guest appearances by Olympic ice skating champion Kristi Yamaguchi, Kansas City Chiefs' Tony Gonzalez, celebrity choreographer Cris Judd and a performance by musical legend Liza Minnelli help make an inspirational couple's dreams come true.

2.3.05
From Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:
Hello, everyone!  It's been awhile since my last entry.  After an extremely busy 2004, I am finally starting back working on my new CD, which should be released sometime this year (2005) in the fall/winter.  I am happy to report that I will have a completely new website designed by my friend Tiger Lee (www.tigerleephotos.com ) so no more apologies for this old (albeit beautiful for its time) website.  Lots more work ahead for me this year - less live performance and more recording/studio hermit.  I have waited since 1996 to record this upcoming CD (in the style of "Sins Of Salome" and "Queen Of The Sun"), with it's east Indian/middle eastern influences, percussion, cello, violin and vocals.  Charles Edward, from the fantastic industrial/metal band Seraphim Shock (www.seraphimshock.com ), will be performing male vocals and I continue auditions for middle eastern-styled female vocalists.  My bellydance teacher, the beautiful and very talented Rania (www.raniabellydance.com ) will probably be dancing for a few shows as well.  Lots of exotic new material and visuals are in store for AOV audiences this year!  Until then, I wish you many blessings.  
9.19.04
From Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:
 
CAROL ON TV!  Hello, everyone.  I will be playing harp on the new television show on the Fox Network called "Rennovate My Family."  The show is hosted by Dr. Phil's son, Jay McGraw, and I am playing harp for a wedding scene.  I believe the family is from Dallas, Texas (so am I!), and I had a wonderful time working with the crew - they were the best yet!  Jay McGraw is a very kind person, very calm and serene, and I told him when he got married I'd love to play for his wedding!  Jay just graduated from SMU law school; both of my parents graduated from SMU, too.  So, if you have a chance, set your VCRs or your TiVo (I love my TiVo!).  (Fox Network, Monday, 9-10 p.m., Channel 11 for some of you) 
Also, I am very excited - blown away! - a wonderful, surprise guest musician has offered his services for one song on the upcoming new CD.  I can't wait to get in the studio with him, which should be this December...mums the word for now...
8.30.04
From Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:
"The end of a very busy summer is now ending - August 31st - and I am recovering from five gigs in a row plus my high school reunion, which was intense, soul warming and so, so wonderful!  There is also the ongoing restructing my office with my assistant Nancy, tax preparation, the usual shipping fulfillment, deskwork, bellydance classes and the gym, filming for Fox's new reality show "Rennovate The Family" (which airs Wed., Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. on Fox), helping Ted with his new show on Animal Planet "Who Get's The Dog," finishing editing Lenny Wolf's/Kingdom Come's two music videos, etc.  Whew!  
 
Diving into production of my sixth CD, therefore, has been pushed back although the Winter/Spring 2005 release date remains the same.  I should be able to start the new CD by the second week of September and I am looking forward to getting to work.  This new recording will be especially near and dear to my heart and I am hoping to arrange for touring behind this new album.  So, everyone waiting for it, hang in there!  I hope after you hear it you will feel it was well worth the wait.  Quality takes time.  Thanks for stopping by.  12.16.03
From Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:
Happy Holidays, everyone! It is my wish that this holiday season brings everyone much Peace & Joy! We all know it's not the gifts that count...it's the Spirit of the season. With that said, I'd like to let everyone know that the new AOV Christmas CD "Sanctus" is doing GREAT! The reviews are all fantastic, the feedback from radio stations is superb and it's hard to keep up with the purchase orders! In fact, "Echoes" (echoes.org) syndicated radio program (NPR/PRN) will be featuring "Sanctus" on Christmas Day along with Peter Kater (see below). A few weeks ago I did a concert at Lancaster Performing Arts Center with the wonderful Celtic band Silent Planet and sold 113 CDs just during intermission! So, thank you to everyone who has purchased "Sanctus" or given me such wonderful feedback. If you haven't heard "Sanctus," Amazon.com has some MP3s. http://artist.amazon.com/theangelsofvenice

The new year is fast approaching and I'm going to try to rest during January because in February, I'm starting an exotic new AOV CD that will be one of the most ambitious projects I've ever attempted. This CD has been in my mind to record for the last seven years, since 1996's "The Sins Of Salome" from "Awake Inside A Dream." It will be a new danceable Middle Eastern/East Indian tribal world fusion CD with elements of neoclassical, medieval, gothic and industrial styles. I've been interviewing quite a few new musicians this year for guest performances. This CD will either be released around September, 2004 or early 2005. I spent over a year recording "Sanctus" and relished the lack of time pressure so I've decided to take my time on this next CD as well. If anyone has any questions or comments, please feel free to e mail me at ANGELSVEN@aol.com. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year...Peace On Earth...May Your Life Be Blessed With Grace

12.25.03
CHRISTMAS ECHOES
The perfect music for digesting that Christmas dinner. We'll hear evocative and inventive renditions of Christmas favorites from artists who are staples of the Echoes soundscape, including new seasonal collections from The Angels of Venice, Peter Kater and the new A Windham Hill Christmas 2 http://echoes.org/comingup.html

If you would like to listen to sound clips of "Sanctus," please cut and paste the following URL:

http://www.projekt.com/projekt/product.asp?sku=AOV01004&dept%5Fid=20
OR
http://cdbaby.com/cd/aov4
OR
http://artist.amazon.com/theangelsofvenice

Amazon.com reviews:
FIVE STARS! - The best Christmas album ever made!!!, November 8, 2003 Reviewer: Eowyn from Middle Earth
I was listneing to a couple tracks on mp3.com and was totally amazed-you people will not be disapointed in this album! It is far better than the Christmas pop album crap out there! Thank you Angels of Venice!!

FIVE STARS! - Happy Holidays, November 3, 2003
Reviewer: Mark Buchholtz from Sacramanto, CA
It's been a while since AOV/Carol Tatum provided us with some more music! Sanctus is a well selected collection of pieces that to me is more than just a "holiday cd." I think I'll be listening to this in all seasons. Overall the instruments and blending of sounds are very much "AOV". If you are already a fan, you will like it. But if you haven't heard AOV, this may be a good place to start, because it's a refreshing alternative to "typical" holiday cds out there. It really stands out.

FIVE STARS! - Best Christmas album this year, December 7, 2003
Reviewer: A music fan from Tucson, AZ USA
This is an excellent collection of music! Unfortunately, the sound clips aren't attached to this page. Go here to download some samples from this CD:
http://artist.amazon.com/theangelsofvenice
(NOTE FROM CAROL: Arggghh!! I sent MP3 clips to Amazon but they have not uploaded them onto the "Sanctus" page!)

Here is a comment from someone who bought it through CDbaby.com:
"Moody, evocative, haunting, gloriousÉ definitely the crown jewel in my Christmas CD collection." - Jeffrey Hollis
8.15.03
A Note from Carol Tatum, Angels Of Venice:
As the days flash by like lightening, I find my website is terribly out of date and for that I apologize to all who have visited it! In this past year, I have been working, performing, working, performing, etc. The work is dauntingly endless, albeit fueled by boundless inspiration.

Nevertheless, I am very pleased to announce that the new Angels Of Venice Christmas CD will be released by - fingers crossed - October 1, 2003. It is entitled "Sanctus," or sacred/holy. Listening to the tracks in progress, a slow, deep, BIG smile emerges from my face in the glow of the computer monitor and candlelight. In other words, I think you'll like it. I would describe this CD as one you could listen to during the holidays but also throughout the year. The songs range from Dead Can Dance-ish to Loreena McKennitt to Renaissance to gothic/classical to medieval to traditional. In fact, you can actually dance to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with it's world percussion, sitar, sinuous violin and Zeppelinesque (ala "No Quarter") bell pattern. Sam from Projekt Records (www.projekt.com) will be distributing "Sanctus" for me as well as amazon.com and cdbaby.com. Sam is putting together another holiday compilation for the Hot Topic stores and my "Carol of the Bells" should be on that..."Carol of the Bells" like you've never heard it before!

3.22.02
Carol Tatum, harpist and composer for Angels of Venice, has started laying basic tracks for three new Angels of Venice CDs with longtime engineer Florian Ammon (Rammstein, Pink, Van Halen). Production of a new CD in the style of the second Angels album "Awake Inside A Dream" has begun. In addition, in 1999 Carol carefully hand-picked a selection of medieval songs and will be recording a CD of this music some time in 2002. Carol also has received many requests for a CD of holiday music featuring solo harp, which she will also record in 2002. Carol has also formed a new record company, Trine Records. The word "trine" means harmony, beneficence and easy flow. It also means three-fold, such as sun/moon/stars, the triple goddess, spirit/consciousness/matter and father/son/holy ghost. Please periodically check back to this page for updates.

Los Angeles-based Angels of Venice completed a U.S. tour January, 2000 playing to mostly sold out shows and garnering standing ovations, encores and selling out CDs at almost every show.Their rendition of "O Holy Night" was featured in the DVD/video "Winter Solstice On Ice" (airing on the A & E channel Winter, 1999) with the CD charting in Billboard Magazine's Top 200.Angels of Venice were voted #2 Favorite Group on Echoes 25 Top Requested Bands Listeners Poll (www.echoes.org is a syndicated radio program covering 165 stations in the U.S.).Angels of Venice were featured on the cover of the magazine Entertainment Today Friday, March 10, 2000