CLOSE

Xyra Music… Verborgen, The_LINE, The XYRA Band, The Banished, Mystic Angels, Flight of Odin

  • Home
  • Music
  • News
  • Press
  • Bios
  • Images
  • Guests
  • Links
  • Contact
  • Events

History

Discover
  
  • Overview
  • Flight of Odin
  • Xyra
  • Andrew Cann
  • Kenny Finger
  • Chelle Fulk
  • Matt Wall
  • Tyler Beddow
  • Andy Paul “GuitarGuru”
  • Dan Kolcun
  • Brian Bukovsky
  • John Wagner
  • Ragnar Ravensblood
  • Mark Jeffrey Campayno
  • Mike Karagiannis
  • Spiro Karagiannis
  • Mystic Angels
  • The XYRA Band
  • The LINE__
  • Verborgen Orchestra
  • Verborgen Trio
  • Event History
  • Media History
  • Discography
  • Producer: Multi-label, Kevin Gutierrez
  • Producer: Multi-label, Jim Ebert
  • Producer: Capitol Records' Marco Delmar
  • R.I.P. Co-Producer: Warner Bros.' Robert Goldstein
  • Muse
R.I.P. Co-Producer: Warner Bros.' Robert Goldstein

Sadly, Robert Goldstein passed away, October 7, 2016. There was no one like Robert in the DC music scene...no one with his talent, warmth, and wit. He touched the lives of many and will not be forgotten by anyone who knew him or heard the wonderfully unique guitar 🎸 style with which he played.

Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Robert began his quest for new music from an early age, playing guitar and listening to many genres. He later found a meaningful niche, while a student at Georgetown University, hosting his progressive radio show on the infamous WGTB FM.

Looking for a musical groove of his own, Robert experimented with various bands. Xyra first met Robert when he answered an ad she posted on a community bulletin board near DuPont Circle, seeking players to form a Roxy Music-like band. On meeting Robert, she was duly impressed with his musical ideas and eagerness to create something outside the norm. This led the two to form a short-lived band called The Look that practiced in the basement of The Hall of Nations at Georgetown University, where Robert studied International Relations. The Look began to look bleak, when another singer was added. So, Xyra looked for other bands.

Of course, fate held much more in store for Robert and his future bandmates. On meeting singer/lyricist, Roddy Franz, synth player Robin Rose, and bassist Linda France, a new force emerged known as the Urban Verbs, circa 1978/79. 'The Verbs' went on to record two albums for Warner Records, working with producers Brian Eno, Steve Lilywhite and Mike Thorne. During their heyday, in the '80s, they shared gigs with Talking Heads, The Cramps, the B-52s, U2 and others. Unfortunately, the Verbs split, mid-European tour, in the early 80's, when plagued by serious health crises. Their cult following continues to thrive.

Besides working on staff at National Public Radio (NPR), Robert toured with Xyra, and acted as music director, co-arranger, and co-producer for Xyra & Verborgen' s1998 CD release, 'Where Glass Birds Fly'. Under his direction, three songs from the CD were recorded at NPR Studios by Terry Knight. The work was completed with Marco Delmar at Recording Arts Studio and mastered by Bill Wolf of Wolf Productions.

Robert continued writing and recording for many years, adding to the many accomplishments already under his belt. A few of of his projects include composition and production of soundtracks featured as follows:

. Cannes Film Festival
. PBS specials
. ABC Television specials
. Art exhibitions at the National Gallery of Art, among others, and
. Background music for Radio Free Asia's worldwide coverage of China's re-appropriation of Hong Kong

Top
Omnipresent drummer and friend, Kenny Finger Tyler Beddow, guitarist Matt Wall, bassist Chelle Fulk: violinist, violist, chin-cellist Dan Kolcun… second guitar Mike and Spiro Karagiannis...Live @ the 9:30 Club 2017 Kevin Gutierrez ~ Mixing Engineer/Producer Contributing visual artist: Jordan Montgomery-Conway Bill Wolf ~ Mastering Engineer Guru Anastasia Ovchinnikova: MASTER ARTIST for Flight of Odin album over "The Only Door" Flight of Odin cover art by Anastasia Ovchinnikova Dec 2010 Dec 2004 Dec 1999 Jan 2000 Dec 1998 &lt;FONT COLOR = 8000800238&gt;Photo � J.Matt Senkow Odin Land &lt;FONT COLOR = 8000800238&gt;The way they were, with &lt;b&gt;Jeff Spencer&lt;/b&gt; playing lead guitar on his custom Ibanez.  &lt;b&gt;Xyra&lt;/b&gt; is seen playing her Diamond Series Schecter, and &lt;b&gt;Andrew Cann&lt;/b&gt; is seen on the far right, playing his Roland keyboard (when he wasn&#39;t on his Ibanez electric named &#39;Jaws&#39;).  &lt;b&gt;Dave White&lt;/b&gt; played bass for the one gig, with &lt;b&gt;Ron Smith&lt;/b&gt; on drums, in the background.  This night, they opened for former &lt;b&gt;XTC&lt;/b&gt; member, &lt;b&gt;Barry Andrews&lt;/b&gt;.  The performance was reviewed by &lt;b&gt;Mark Jenkins&lt;/b&gt; in &lt;b&gt;The Washington post&lt;/b&gt;. <br /> <br />Photo � &lt;b&gt;Tatyana Vishnevsky&lt;/b&gt;  <br />Photoshop effects: Xyra Drums and percussion: Never Lost Forever <br />Photo by Lloyd Wolf Violin, bass, mandolin: Never Lost Forever <br />Photo by Lloyd Wolf Photo by J.Matt Senkow; Frightening Beauty release Xyra at <b>Happinest</b>, looking pensive.   <br />Photo by: J.Matt Senkow <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master drummer/percussionist, <b>Norman Ellsworth Thorne III</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in 1997.  He appeared on all Xyra CD releases and performed many live gigs, including the PMC, Blues Alley, and The State Theater.   Norm is featured on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining', and continues to play and record with Xyra and friends, to date. <br /> <br />Photo of Norm at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki <br /> <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master guitarist/composer, <b>Eric Ulreich</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in 1999.  He completed the guitar tracks for the second CD, 'Frightening Beauty' and continued performing and recording with Xyra and friends through 2012.  Eric plays lead guitar on 'Siren in the Water', track 5 of  'Through the Dark Glass Shining' - XYRA's 2005 release. <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Violinist/composer, <b>Doug Empie</b> joined Xyra and Andrew for a <b>Nico 60th Birthday Tribute</b>, with <b>Rupert Chappell</b>, in October 1998.  In 2000, Xyra, Andrew, Doug and brother Bret Empie formed <b>THE LINE_</b>.  THE LINE_ recorded a home demo that landed on <b>WRNR FM</b>.  Doug performed and recorded with Xyra and friends again, in 2001 and is featured on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining'. <br /> <br />Photo of Doug at Happinest by: Jeff Lewis <br />Frame created by: Tone' Wellington <br />Photoshop effects by: Xyra <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Pianist/keyboardist/composer, <b>Bret Empie</b> aligned forces with his brother Doug Empie and Xyra and Andrew Cann to form <b>THE LINE_</b> in 2000.  Bret later recorded keys and effects for all the tracks on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining'. <br /> <br />Photo of Bret at Happinest by: Jeff Lewis <br /> &lt;FONT COLOR = 8000800238&gt;Virtuoso multi-wind player/orchestra leader/composer, &lt;b&gt;Don Stapleson&lt;/b&gt; joined Xyra &amp; Verborgen in November 1997.  Don finished the wind parts for the first CD, &#39;Where Glass Birds Fly&#39;, appears on all the CD releases and continues to perform and record with Xyra and friends, to date.   <br /> <br />Photo at Recording Arts Studios by: Xyra <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master bassist, <b>Larry Lawrence</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in January 1998.  He performed several gigs, to include Blues Alley, Black Cat and The State Theater.  Larry also completed the bass parts on the first CD, 'Where Glass Birds Fly', and continued performing and recording with Xyra and friends through 2001.  Larry plays all the bass parts on the 2005 release, 'Through the Dark Glass Shining.' <br /> <br />Photo of Larry at Recording Arts Studio by: Xyra <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Master cellist, <b>Fred Lieder</b> was the first to join the Verborgen trio, in 1997.  Fred  performed many live gigs with Xyra & Verborgen, and recorded two demos and three CD releases with them at Omega, NPR and Recording Arts Studio, 1997-1999.  The last gig Fred  played with Xyra was at The State Theater, in February 2000. <br /> <br />Photo at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki Clarinet, flute, oboe: Where Glass Birds Fly  <br />Photo at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki 6-string bass: Where Glass Birds Fly <br />Photo at NPR Studios by: Maggie Kunicki <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Guitarist/composer, <b>Cris Chillura</b>, Xyra and Andrew Cann formed the Verborgen trio in 1996.  Cris is featured on all the Verborgen works.  He continued performing and recording with Xyra and friends through the first 'Frightening Beauty' sessions of 1999. <br /> <br />Photo by: Michelle Chillura
Bios•Music•Press•News•Images•Events•Contact•Guests

Xyra Music © 1998-2025
All songs © Xyra H-Cann, 
unless otherwise specified.