Today, composer/arranger Kitt Wakeley released An Adoption Story, his new orchestral album (see a teaser video HERE). An Adoption Story is Kitt's personal musical voyage that explores his time in the foster care system as a young child where he was separated from his half-sister, Tasha, his subsequent adoption into a loving family, reuniting with his sister decades later, and to the present where Kitt and his wife, Melissa, adopted three siblings to keep them from going through the same trauma of separation he suffered.
An Adoption Story is available to purchase at https://lnk.to/
Kitt said, “This album is a musical interpretation of my journey as someone who lost my parents, entered the foster care system, and was separated from my sister. These circumstances eventually led to me being adopted by two wonderful parents. The story comes full circle as I reunite with my sister 30 years later, who was living within one mile of me for 15 years. Through life's serendipity, my wife and I had the opportunity to adopt three siblings to help them avoid the trauma of being separated.”
Three years ago, Kitt and Melissa adopted Chris (9), KJ (7), and Nia (6) to add to the four children they already shared together. He explains in the thematic summary (see HERE) to the song “Sacred,” “There is a myriad of responsibilities we have in order to raise children who’ve suffered trauma. We also have cultural responsibilities as Caucasian parents with three African American siblings.”
A year after the adoption of Chris, KJ, and Nia, Kitt’s story about finding Tasha was first reported by Oklahoma City’s KFOR news, but quickly spread nationally (see HERE). Kitt was just 5 and Tasha only 4 when they were separated. When they reunited, Kitt and Tasha were shocked to discover they had been unknowingly geographically close as they lived just a mile from one another for years.
An Adoption Story features the London Symphony Orchestra recorded at the famed Abbey Road Studios, plus stellar featured guests, including Grammy Award-winning South African flautist Wouter Kellerman; lauded composer, pianist, conductor, arranger, music director, Starr Parodi; 15-time Grammy Award-nominated guitarist Joe Satriani; among many other talented musicians. The album was co-produced by Kitt with Jeff Fair and Parodi, along with additional production by three-time Grammy Award-winner Tre Nagella; mixing by Eva Reistad; and mastering by four-time Grammy Award-winner Gavin Lurssen.
Kitt’s orchestral rock album Symphony of Sinners & Saints (Vol. 1) was released in May 2021 by Studio Seven Media. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's “Classical Albums” and “Classical Crossover Albums” charts as well as at the upper reaches of numerous rock and hard rock singles charts. With Wakeley on synths and piano, the album featured Satriani on two tracks as well as the talents of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Cliff Masterson (Little Mix, Kylie Minogue, Il Divo, Oasis), Grammy-nominated pianist Paul Loomis, guitarist Andy Timmons (Danger Danger, Pink), the London Voices choir and many more talented musicians.
Symphony of Sinners & Saints Vol. II The Storm, Kitt’s upcoming orchestral rock album, will be released Jan. 6, 2023. The album features Satriani, Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Nita Strauss (Demi Lovato, Alice Cooper), Orianthi (Alice Cooper, Richie Sambora, RSO), Kenny Aronoff (John Cougar, Joe Satriani), the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Voices choir (Paul McCartney, Luciano Pavarotti, the Hunger Games series), the Macedonian Symphony Orchestra, and the Macedonian Choir.
For more information, visit www.kittwakeley.com
For more information on the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, visit www.davethomasfoundation.org/
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