Coreysan

MULTIZAN, Coreysan’s concert on Friday night, was truly a display of creative energy, a memorable show that showcased an artiste truly coming into his own.
Held at Cascadia Hotel, the well-attended event launched Light and Shadow, the second solo album by Corey “Coreysan” Wallace.

Another artiste might have been content, having done the hard work of writing the lyrics and music, recording and programming the tracks at his home based Khongharhee Studios, to simply perform the fruits of nine months’ labour.
But what Coreysan presented to his audience was a full multimedia show, with costume changes and on stage dancers, Dave Williams, Louanna Martin and Rachel Baptiste-Lee; with lighting effects and extensive video by Purple Hill Productions.
At times playing live bass, Coreysan performed Light and Shadows 12 tracks to the accompaniment of his programmed music. His experimental, new age style which includes elements of soul and trance, underpins his unique voice. He has a lovely, soulful vocal tone, and impressive range, inserting falsetto and vibrato runs, most memorably on the album’s title track.

He rendered his songs passionately, dancing in his trade mark, energetic body-thrashing style, and reaching deep to belt out lyrics, especially on Shine Forever.
The video sequences were often illustrative of the songs, with natural scenes and scenes showing Coreysan “acting out” various scenarios. The images and lyrics reflected the highly personal, eastern-leaning philosophies of the artist, himself a Tai chi practitioner and teacher.

The songs examined themes like the duality of existence (Light and Shadow), the divine nature of the human soul (Shine Forever) and matching words with actions (Empty Words). One piece, Lines, featured poet and activist Gabrielle Hosein, and dealt with issues of labeling, inclusion and exclusion.
Although there was a similarity in the structure and arrangement of some of the songs, the multimedia aspects of the show ensured that the concert was engaging throughout.
The show did not appear to have a large budget, but no element was lacking because of it.
All was simply but tastefully executed.

Previous Coreysan concerts have featured some of these elements, but the care and planning that went into this production were obvious.
An exhibition of Coreysan’s hand-made jewelry preceded the show. It was the kind of concert one would hope to see more of, where the artist gave his audience original music, inspiration, food for thought and a heartfelt, well-packaged, creative performance, truly giving his all.
- By Gillian Moor Trinidad Guardian (G-Life pg14) Thursday 30th November 2006

“It’s a weird thing,” says Corey Wallace. “As A child I would be drawing bands in my book. I always knew what I wanted to do. I never knew the martial arts would have flourished into something. I actually teach Tai Chi now. I was always interested in that. All my life I knew I had to do these things. I just didn’t know the how.”
Wallace, a former founding member of the underground band Atheleny, launched his debut CD, Coreysan yesterday at Tasca Latina, Phillips Street, Port of Spain.
Getting back to his initial comment; what does music and Tai Chi have in common? “It’s all movement and dance. Dance is rhythm. Rhythm is music, so it all ties in to me. It’s all balance. Music and Tai Chi are about balance. Music is not all noise, it’s silence. Where you place the silence makes the sound different from other sounds. That creates the balance. Sometimes I use slow drones with fast rhythms.”
For years Corey Wallace, 33, has enthralled fans of local underground music with his callaloo of light effects and sound. As a member of Atheleny the group grew from Wallace simply “fiddling around” with the popular computer music generator Fruity Loops.
The band members have since parted ways. “It was not like any ego clash. We were very cool about it. We all went our separate ways.” This separation has allowed Wallace to work on Coreysan.
Of Atheleny he said: “We did the electronic fusing with light instrumentation and organic elements such as voices and the spoken word. I think this Coreysan project is an obvious evolution of that. It was my first real band where I was an active member. We started experimenting. I’ve played with a lot of bands over the years. I’ve been involved in music for about 17 years.”
After spending time with Mungal Patasar and bands like Kindred and 3 Canal. Wallace has channeled the experiences into this latest project. Wallace said that Coreysan reflects a fusion of different elements akin to that of society. “We are exposed to all sorts of elements no matter which (religion) school we attend. It’s a part of all of us, no matter what people say. We all know something of each other’s culture. My music is a result of that fusion. You don’t find a lot of people bringing that absolutely positive element to the forefront. Even the rock scene has become a bacchanal, jump and wine thing. People not really listening.”
He added: “The Album itself is very dynamic. There is no particular style, It isn’t defined.”
Although Wallace has been known for his creative blend of various instruments, he revealed no preference for non vocal compositions. “I Mix it up. Some of the tracks are collaborations with poets. Not all is singing. There are spoken words too. Some are instrumental, some are duets. There is a piece on the album I did with Remo Fernandes. He did the flute and I did the music.
Everything is done in my bedroom studio. The computer plays the drums and weird sounds. The live instruments- guitar, bass, keyboard.”
Wallace continued: “I like instrumentals and vocals. I like vocals especially when the person has something to say. I’m not into all imagery that doesn’t say anything. I like music with a message. I like to leave with something. Sometimes I don’t feel for somebody telling me what to think. I can just listen to an instrumental and have my own thoughts. I respect both aspects of the music.”
Atheleny released two albums: Soundscapes and Freedom. The latter was released last year.
Of his latest release he said: “I think it reaches out. Anybody could relate to one or two songs on the CD and find something to like in it. That is something that is lost in modern music. People just playing for the money and the bling. Their music sounds like that.” He lamented: “It’s like Mac Donald’s music-mass produced and bad for your heart. There is a lot of real music out there but when it get on MTV it’s the start of a downward spiral. That means America has found a commodity that they can push to exhaustion. Then you’re on ‘Where are they now’.”
- By Sateesh Maharaj Sunday Express, October 24, 2004

It was an evening of guitars, drums and singing as Zantimorph productions presented Coreysan-Acoustic and Electric, at Cascadia Hotel’s Sky view Lounge on Saturday night.
Corey, or Coreysan as he is known to most people, began singing solo last year after the three-man band Atheleny with whom he performed was disbanded.
Corey, who had his first solo show in May last year, said his music could not be put into any one genre.
“ I don’t just play rock or jazz. I take music from everything.” Though Corey was the main act, other artists were featured on the program.
Ashaku kicked off the show, relaxing the atmosphere with his rendition of Amazing Grace. Dean Williams also gave an offering, which was well received. John Hussain on the guitar and Gerard Rajkumar on the drums joined Corey on stage as he performed most of his songs.
For the second half of the show, the sounds of drums, guitars and other instruments programmed on a computer filled the air. Vocalist Bamboo and Ashaku were the opening acts for that segment. “People might look at it and say it’s not a lot of work; you just press a few buttons and it works. But it’s not so,” said Corey.
“I actually have to program the music into the computer; you have to know music to do it.”
- By Ann Marie Henry The Guardian, June 6, 2005

"Coreysan as he’s fondly known in local entertainment circles, proved the face of excellence this past Saturday night in a concert that offered the intimacy that’s often difficult to capture from a musical performance. Radiating energy, good will and love."

"Coreysan rang out a medley of rhythmic melodies that brought genuine smiles and peaceful movements from the audience on hand." - Trinidad Guardian, Aba Luke (02/16/2008)

"Coreysan's mysterious one-man band of multiple instruments, pulsating ambient soundscapes, and indecipherable but surely spiritual lyrics has thoroughly intrigued us." - Mode Magazine ,Night Life, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A (MMC12 exculsive) Gabrielle and Michael Sedor (02/05/2008)

One of the last times I saw Coreysan perform live was at the Attic Bar – Bristol, and I was captivated by the sheer intensity of emotional expression; an experience shared by everyone in the audience, which was simply out of this world.
I talked to many people afterwards, who told me that his performance was one of the most deeply moving they had seen for a long time. - Zcene Magazine, Sasha Baynes (12/01/2015)