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Xyra Music: Flight of Odin, Mystic Angels, XYRA, and Verborgen

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History

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  • Overview
  • Flight of Odin
  • Xyra
  • Andrew Cann
  • John Wagner
  • Ragnar Ravensblood
  • Mark Jeffrey Campayno
  • Kenny Finger
  • 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
Xyra

Xyra (AKA Angel Xyra) not only photographed, interviewed, and reviewed national and international music artists for print and FM radio, but is also an original music artist in her own right. A prolific lyricist/singer-songwriter, her material can be found on 6 album releases, available worldwide.

Xyra was born to American military parents in Munich, Germany, on the Winter Solstice, under a full moon. At age 6, she showed interest in the visual and performing arts, beginning with piano, dance, and voice lessons. Later, guitar became her songwriting tool, after her mother gave her an electric with small amp for her 14th birthday. At age 15, Xyra joined her cousin’s band, Mach V.

Bands Xyra later joined and/or *founded were *The Look, Overkill, *Verborgen, *The LINE_, *The XYRA Band, *Mystic Angels, and presently...*Flight of Odin.

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An early stint at the Corcoran School of Art inspired Xyra to hone her skills in photography. Eventually, she began photographing a number of various music and non-music celebrities, to include Donald Sutherland, Walter Cronkite, Ed Harris, David Bowie, Roxy Music, The Smiths, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Johnny [Rotten] Lydon, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and many more. In addition, Xyra conducted interviews and programmed music at Georgetown and American universities for FM radio stations, WGTB and WAMU, sometimes accompanied by reviews and feature articles for entertainment and special interest publications. 

Despite her involvement in multimedia journalism, Xyra's muse led her back to her music.

On auditioning for Director of Music Theatre, Charles Williams at the Levine School of Music, Xyra began private lessons, and developed lasting affiliations. At a "Metrognomes" party hosted by Levine faculty members, she met renowned Mezzo Soprano, Medea Namoradze. Medea welcomed Xyra as a private student and coached her on two album releases, "Frightening Beauty", and "Through the Dark Glass Shining". Her 5th release, in 2010, "Never Lost Forever" with the Mystic Angels, followed. 

Presently, Xyra contributes her songwriting and vocal skills to Flight of Odin, aptly applying what she has gleaned from master teachers and experience onstage and in professional recording studios. Most recently, Xyra has written several more songs, also taking up the cello as a sideline. Her main focus is on developing new material with multi-instrumentalist husband, Andrew Cann, and securing advanced artists to play on the upcoming Flight of Odin album. 

Notable venue performances by Xyra include The Philadelphia Music Conference, Blues Alley, Black Cat, The State Theater, WRNR FM live, WOWD live, and the 9:30 Club.

Muse

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Andrew Cann ~ BASSIST for Flight of Odin, pianist for all Xyra projects, 1996-to present John Wagner Ragnar Mike and Spiro Karagiannis...Live @ the 9:30 Club 2017 Kevin Gutierrez: MASTER MIXING ENGINEER for Flight of Odin Bill Wolf: MEISTER MASTERING ENGINEER for Flight of Odin Jordan Montgomery: FINE ARTIST for Mystic Angels and Flight of Odin Anastasia Ovchinnikova: MASTER ARTIST Flight of Odin "The Only Door" Flight of Odin cover art by Anastasia Ovchinnikova Dec 2010 Dec 2004 Dec 1999 Jan 2000 Dec 1998 <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Triple-Platinum Grammy winner, <b>Jim Ebert</b> produced Xyra's 2-CD, Never Lost Forever @ Cue Studios. <br /> <br /><i>(See Jim's personal bio for additional information.)</i> <FONT COLOR = 8000800238><b>Marco Delmar</b> produced 4 Xyra releases, including 'Where Glass Birds Fly', which was co-produced by Robert Goldstein. <br /> <br /><i>(See Marco's personal bio, hereon, for additional information.)</i> <br /> <br />Photo by <b>Craig Fitzpatrick</b> for VOA Television <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>Photo © J.Matt Senkow <FONT COLOR = 8000800238>The way they were, with <b>Jeff Spencer</b> playing lead guitar on his custom Ibanez.  <b>Xyra</b> is seen playing her Diamond Series Schecter, and <b>Andrew Cann</b> is seen on the far right, playing his Roland keyboard (when he wasn't on his Ibanez electric named 'Jaws').  <b>Dave White</b> played bass for the one gig, with <b>Ron Smith</b> on drums, in the background.  This night, they opened for former <b>XTC</b> member, <b>Barry Andrews</b>.  The performance was reviewed by <b>Mark Jenkins</b> in <b>The Washington post</b>. <br /> <br />Photo © <b>Tatyana Vishnevsky</b>  <br />Photoshop effects: Xyra Violin, bass, mandolin: Never Lost Forever <br />Photo by Lloyd Wolf Drums and percussion: 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 /> <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>Virtuoso multi-wind player/orchestra leader/composer, <b>Don Stapleson</b> joined Xyra & Verborgen in November 1997.  Don finished the wind parts for the first CD, 'Where Glass Birds Fly', 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 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
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Xyra Music © 1996-2022
All songs © Xyra H-Cann, 
unless otherwise specified.