On a concert tour through Brazil in 1995 Gandalf had met the English cellist and vocalist Emily Burridge, who had been living with a tribe of Brazilian Indians several times and working with Roger Daltrey, George Michael, Chrissie Hind, Jools Holland, Zero 7, Stereophonics and Hans Zimmer. During a couple of live-shows together with Gandalfs group she proved to be the perfect creative partner for “Gates To A Secret Reality”. Her melodious cello-lines, gently woven into Gandalfs multi-coloured textures of sound and rhythms, and her vocals on three of the tracks give the music a very special note. Peter Aschenbrenner, long-time member of Gandalfs live-band on flute and saxophone, and Gandalf himself on a variety of electric and acoustic guitars, Charango, Saz, Piano, electronic keyboards and percussions also turned “Gates To A Secret Reality” into a unique listening experience in 1996. Today it is as fascinating as it was then.
