THE EMERALD DAWN are a multi-instrumentalist, eclectic, melodic progressive rock quartet, who combine elements from classical music, jazz, folk and rock to produce their own original, distinctive and exciting sound—a sound that is cinematic, epic, experimental and powerful. Usually haunting, often beautifully melodic and always highly atmospheric, the music of The Emerald Dawn paints images or tells stories that stimulate the imagination and takes the listener on unforgettable musical journeys.
The Emerald Dawn have been making huge waves in the UK prog scene over the past couple of years, having gone down a storm at Prog for Peart, A New Day, Fusion, A Sunday in September (London), Danfest, Summer’s End Progressive Rock Festival, and having headlined at Prog the Forest in London. Next year they will be headlining at The Soundle Festival. The band have had a two-page feature in a recent issue of Prog Magazine; and in the Prog Magazine Readers' Poll for the Best Unsigned Band, The Emerald Dawn came third. Tony Colvill of The Progressive Aspect chose the band's 2021 album as his album of the year, as did The Ancient One at Progzilla Radio. That album, ‘To Touch the Sky’, came out on vinyl by Plane Groovy in March last year. Also last year The Prog Mind ranked the band's bass player's performance tenth in the world. The band's keyboard player has featured in The Prog Mind's top 10 keyboard performances of the year for The Emerald Dawn's past three albums and in 2017 was ranked 7th. The band's guitarist has featured in The Prog Mind's top 10 guitar performances of the year for the band's albums 'Visions' and 'Nocturne', and in 2017 was ranked 6th.
Originally formed in Edinburgh but now based in St Ives in Cornwall, The Emerald Dawn comprise Tree Stewart (keyboards, flute, acoustic guitar, and vocals), Ally Carter (guitar, tenor and soprano saxophones, and keyboards), David Greenaway (6-string fretless and fretted bass guitars), and Tom Jackson (drums). The Emerald Dawn was originally formed in Edinburgh by multi-instrumentalists, Tree Stewart and Ally Carter, before moving to the South West, where they were joined by jazz drummer Tom Jackson and, more recently, by bass player David Greenaway.
'As epic and as beautiful as it is possible to get...' Scream Magazine
‘Often gorgeous and sometimes transcendent...potent pastoral-tinged prog flows from the stage.’ Gary Mackenzie, Prog Magazine
'‘the South West's finest prog rockers’ (Chris Franklin, ‘Raised on Rock’, 10Radio 105.3 FM on 20/01/2019),
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UPCOMING LIVE DATES 2023
August 5th, 2023 - The Prince Albert, Brighton & Hove, UK
August 6th, 2023 - The 1865, Southampton, UK
August 7th, 2022 - The Phoenix, Exeter, UK
September 10th, 2023 - A Sunday in September, The Bedford, Balham, London, UK
September 22nd, 2023 - Carnglaze Caverns, St Neot, Cornwall, UK
VIDEOS
Click here to watch videos of The Emerald Dawn
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MUSIC
Click here to listen for free to The Emerald Dawn or to purchase the band's CDs or digital downloads
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AWARDS
The Emerald Dawn came third in Prog Magazine's Readers' Poll for the Best Unsigned Band of 2022.
The Emerald Dawn came sixth in Prog Magazine's Readers' Poll for the Best Unsigned Band of 2021.
Tony Colvill of The Progressive Aspect chose The Emerald Dawn’s 2021 album, ‘To Touch the Sky’, as his album of the year, as did Jim Lawson of Progzilla Radio.
David was rated Number 10 in the top 10 bass performances of 2021 by The Prog Mind. Click here to see the full list.
Tree was rated Number 7 in the top 10 keyboard performances of 2017 by The Prog Mind. Click here to see the full list.
Ally was rated Number 6 in the top 10 guitar performances of 2017 by The Prog Mind. Click here to see the full list.
2020 IPA nominee
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On September 23rd, The Emerald Dawn will be releasing their fifth studio album, 'In Time'. Wild Thyme Records, the brand new label for emerging prog bands, have chosen 'In Time' as their first vinyl release, and pre-orders for the vinyl are now live at https://fairsound.com/artists-labels/the-emerald-dawn/ The reviews so far:
'a very profound and moving musical journey... magical... you will find a veritable pot of gold here. Truly impressive and staggeringly wonderful -- a real joy to behold, I suggest you reserve your copy now and await your time to hear this masterpiece.' John Wenlock-Smith, Progradar
'a deeply impressive concept album. ...a work of genius. ...a work I believe will set the progressive world alight.' Steve Lazenby, Lazland
'“In Time” should consecrate the group among the progressive rock elite... Utterly exquisite...' Thomas Szirmay, Prog Rogue
'Excellent album... sur mon podium 2023.' Philippe Andre, Profil
In March 2021, The Emerald Dawn released their fourth studio album, 'To Touch the Sky', to rave reviews.
'I think I have a contender for my "Album Of The Year 2021"... To Touch The Sky is a magnificent album that seems to provide evidence that The Emerald Dawn are truly on their way... My simple advice is to clear a space on your CD shelves to house this masterpiece.' Prog Rock Music Talk (​full review here)
'One of the finest modern progressive acts and well known for their atmospheric and haunting take on progressive rock, To Touch the Sky, an album consisting of three tracks, is what you play someone when they want to know what new bands to listen to. Evolving their sound (as all the best bands do) To Touch the Sky is an absolute masterpiece in contemporary prog from start to finish and has to be listened to as one whole piece of work, there’s no dipping in and out of here, this is an album that needs your full attention, and one that rewards the listener.' The Spirit of Progressive Rock (full review here)​
​'building on the creative success of "Nocturne" that promised a masterpiece to be delivered next, the St. Ives group serve it up... the group’s greatest glorious achievement... they do touch the sky with their music.' Let it Rock (full review here)​
'After Nocturne it would have been easy for The Emerald Dawn to tread water, they have not and now have two quite different but equally great albums. When not writing and just listening, this album has been a quality rioja, and on a further listen a single malt.' The Progressive Aspect (full review here)
​​'The Emerald Dawn keeps getting better. Their musicianship was never in question for me, but their continued ability to produce interesting, poetic, and ethereal music is obvious on this record. ‘To Touch the Sky is perfectly titled, and I find myself listening to it continuously.' The Prog Mind (full review here)
​'wonderful stuff, and music that is simply made to luxuriate in like a warm aural bath...'​ Velvet Thunder (full review here)
In February 2019, The Emerald Dawn released their third studio album, ‘Nocturne’, to rave reviews:
‘This is a sheer delight to listen to, one of those albums that gets inside your soul and is one that you will keep with you for life. … I love this album.’ The Progressive Aspect (full review here)​
‘A wonderful must have album, full of passion, drama, and majestic instrumentation throughout…’ ***** Progplanet (full review here)
‘“Nocturne” displays musical prowess that will leave your heart in your throat’. The Prog Mind (full review here)
‘…after only a few moments I knew that this album was extraordinary.’ MaÅ‚y Leksykon Wielkich ZespoÅ‚ów (full review here)​​​​
‘…the guitar work is absolutely stunning, emotion and feeling seldom heard anymore.’ Jeffrey A. Czarnecki (full review here)
'...as wondrous as only a near masterpiece can be.' ***** Let It Rock (full review here)
'Nocturne' and 'To Touch the Sky' (current band) line-up:
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​SOCIAL MEDIA
'In Time' ALBUM RELEASE DATE - September 23rd 2023 (Autumn Equinox)
'In Time' is the fifth studio album from symphonic progressive rock band The Emerald Dawn.
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3 track album
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1 Out of Time (23.13)
2 Timeless (14:42)
3 The March of Time (8:17)
Total running time: 46 minutes and 12 seconds
After reaching for the heights in their fourth, and highly acclaimed, album 'To Touch the Sky', in their new album 'In Time' The Emerald Dawn explore the different ways in which time is experienced. The first track, 'Out of Time', is about a moment that is so special in your life that you want it to last forever, but if you could succeed in doing that it might be disruptive to all around you. The second track, 'Timeless', is about the subjective experience of time and its seeming elasticity. And the final track, 'The March of Time', is about no matter how much, you might think that time is just in your head, giving its appearance of elasticity, it is nevertheless relentless, and you are continually getting older, and your end will eventually come no matter how much you try to avoid it.
'TO TOUCH THE SKY' ALBUM RELEASE DATE - March 20th 2021 (Ostara)
'To Touch the Sky' is the fourth studio album from symphonic progressive rock band The Emerald Dawn.
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3 track album
1 The Awakening (11.15)
2 And I Stood Transfixed (15:07)
3 The Ascent (22:17)
Total running time: 48 minutes and 39 seconds
Emerging from the darkness of their previous, and highly acclaimed, album 'Nocturne', The Emerald Dawn take the listener on a journey 'To Touch the Sky'. This album, the band's fourth, is a celebration of the voyage towards one's ultimate goal, including the hardships and dangers faced en route. Beginning with the night, the music depicts the process of waking up and coming to life. A moment of awareness, or the experience of being awestruck, then provides the motivation for each traveller to pursue their quest. In the closing 22 minute epic, 'The Ascent', the metaphor of climbing a mountain can be interpreted as a psychological, spiritual or physical attainment, just as the listener chooses.
