Farpoint's
vision is to create melodic and powerful positive music that is
accessible without compromising its artistic integrity. The band's
music can be described as folky art rock with a progressive edge,
drawing inspiration from early Yes material, as well as from other
bands like Pink Floyd, Genesis, Marillion, Jethro Tull, Alan Parsons,
Rush, The Moody Blues, and Kansas. Diversity is the key to the Farpoint
sound, with influences ranging from progressive, metal, and folk-rock
to Celtic, classical, new age and bluegrass. Instrumentation includes
the standard rock instruments (electric and acoustic guitars, bass,
drums and keyboards) augmented by classical guitar, mandolin, flute
and various types of percussion.
Farpoint was formed in Sumter, South Carolina, USA in early 1997
with the musical meeting of guitarist/keyboardist Kevin Jarvis and
drummer/percussionist Rick Walker. Joined in the fall of the same
year by vocalist/flautist Dana Oxendine, the band began writing
and rehearsing. The first live performance was at YESCAMP '98, a
gathering of Yes fans from North and South Carolina. This lineup
included bassist Don Fink and keyboardist Michelle Walker, with
some help from vocalist Clark Boone, who would later join the band.
Farpoint played a variety of Yes covers and originals. A very favorable
review of this performance appeared in the internet Yes newsletter
Notes From the Edge. Shortly after this show, Don Fink left the
band, and was replaced in Spring of 1999 by bassist/guitarist Frank
Tyson. Clark Boone also joined Farpoint at this time. This lineup
recorded several songs, two of which were used on a limited edition
single, "Just Like You," which was released in early 2000
as a part of a fundraiser for the local chapter of the Special Olympics.
Around this time, Michelle Walker left the band, which continued
on as a 5-piece and began playing regularly in the Carolinas. In
summer of 2001, Rick left the band to be replaced by the young and
enthusiastic Johnathan Rodriguez. Farpoint continued playing regularly,
including performing at fundraisers for the Children's Miracle Network
and the Special Olympics, and the band sponsored and performed at
a fundraiser for the New York Fire Department after the 9/11 tragedy.
More recently Farpoint has performed with national recording acts
Seven Nations and Grey Eye Glances.
In
May of 2002, Farpoint released its first full-length album, First
Light, which featured cover art by the talented artist David Frain
of V Motion Picture Lab. Simultaneously, Farpoint acquired a new
member in virtuoso lead guitarist Mike Avins. Mike's aggressive
but melodic style added a new level of energy to Farpoint's sound,
and they immediately began work on a second album, while playing
live regularly. The second album, entitled Grace, again featuring
David Frains imaginitive cover art, was released in April 2003.
In
July of 2003, Farpoint headlined day one of the second annual Rogue
Independent Music Festival in Atlanta, GA, sharing the stage with
a number of progressive rock bands from the southeast and across
the country. Sometimes life has a way of coming full circle, and
in September 2003, Johnathan Rodriguez decided to resign from the
band. As fate would have it, long-time friend, original drummer
and founding member Rick Walker was not doing anything musically
at the time and looking for a band to begin playing with again.
In late September, 2003, Rick rejoined Farpoint.
The
summer of 2004 was a busy time for Farpoint. Between recording a
new cd and playing local club gigs, Farpoint returned to the Rogue
Independent Music Festival in Atlanta, as well as being asked to
contribute a song to the upcoming Mellow Records Moody Blues tribute
cd entitled Higher and Higher. "New Horizons," a beautiful
and moving Justin Hayward composition, was chosen and recorded.
And, the third Farpoint cd, entitled From Dreaming to Dreaming,
was completed and released in November, 2004 and has so far met
with the best response from fans and critics of any Farpoint cd
to date. This album featured Farpoints most dynamic and varied work
to date, as well as some more outstanding artwork from David Frain
on the cover and throughout the cd booklet.
Farpoint
spent 2005 performing live to support the release of From Dreaming
to Dreaming, and played many shows including a third appearance
and Roguefest, the pre-show for Progday 2005, and many other club
and festival appearances throughout the southeast. In the last months
of 2005, due to a combination of internal and external pressures,
Farpoint disbanded. However, Rick and Kevin continued working on
material that had been slated for the next Farpoint release and
they began looking for musicians to help complete the album. By
February 2006, Frank Tyson expressed interest in continuing to work
on the material, and in March Farpoint was complete again with the
addition of vocalist Dean Hallal and flautist/vocalist Jennifer
Meeks.
A
few live performances were booked for the summer of 2006, and the
band enlisted the aid of the talented Joe Driggers on lead guitar
for these shows. Joe's performance so impressed the band that they
asked him to remain onboard for the recording of Farpoint's latest
album, Cold Star Quiet Star, which is due for release in mid-2007.
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