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by PJ Birosik |
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This month's column is dedicated to music of the millennium: sounds that serve to align our consciousness to new opportunities, help foster understanding between cultures and ignite the spirit of celebration in our hearts. As always, if you have trouble finding these or any music recording reviewed in The Monthly Aspectarian at your local retailer, please call 847-966-1110 and ask for the record company's phone number for the title(s) you desire. |
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Various
Artists This unique collection is a delightful musical journey into the heart of the holidays. Putting an appealing new spin on de riguer seasonal chestnuts, the album reflects a diversity of styles and smooth instrumentation. From the traditional sounds of classical music and medieval Gregorian chant to lively Spanish rhythms and the soulful musings of a five cello ensemble, listeners are guaranteed a joyful listening experience from first note to last. Especially tantalizing tunes include a brilliant world music excursion by Eduardo Del Signore, "We Three Kings," that features truly inspired improvisations, and "The Little Drummer Boy" as performed by noted flamenco guitarist Manual Iman and his very talented daughter, young vocalist Lucia Iman. Familiar names like spacemeister Jonn Serrie and acclaimed pianist Michael Whalen are joined by new EverSound artists, including drummer/guitarist Geoff Bridgford (Bee Gees) and former Motown soloist, singer Kim O'Leary, for smooth instrumentals and several vocal interpretations that sparkle like snowflakes. INSTRUMENTATION: vocals, keyboards, guitars, flute, bell tree, cello, percussion, oboe, French horn, recorder, drums, bass, chime harp, viola, fluegel horn, pennywhistles. CELTIC CHRISTMAS
HARP Light some candles and a glowing fire on the hearth, put on this enchanting music, and celebrate the holidays in a relaxed and tranquil mood. Merry ol' England's most popular concert harpist has arranged delightfully new-to-you and comforting familiar seasonal tunes for harps, flute and cello. French, Basque, Irish, Medieval English, Chinese, German and Bohemian instrumentals plus popular carols are artfully arranged to brighten even the darkest winter night. The Celtic harp is about half the size of Spero's celebrated concert harp, and has 54 strings with single section levers to change the pitch of the strings. This smaller harp has less tension in the strings than a full-size instrument, making the tone much softer and sweeter. This is especially noticed on tunes like the Irish "Christmas Eve Jig" and Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." Lesser known selections such as the traditional Chinese celebration, "Stars of Ice," and the Basque "Gabriel's Message" are also perfect vehicles for the gentle strains of Celtic harp. It's the rare seasonal album that can be played after the holidays, but this wondrous outing deserves to be savored all year round. INSTRUMENTATION: Celtic harp, flute, cello, keyboards, percussion. Gabrielle
Roth & The Mirrors, Chloe Goodchild, Jai Uttal, more Yoga is hot, and the hottest place to experience its benefits is at New York City's Jivamukti Yoga Center. Celebrities, supermodels, professional dancers and athletes flock there to experience the highly aerobic power yoga for which the spiritual temple is justly famed. But for those of us who can't get to class, this exciting music album is just the thing! Packaged with a diagram of 21 postures, SUNDARI sequences the sounds heard in an actual Jivamukti yoga class, helping to create an atmosphere of conscious movement and greatly enhancing the practice. Music has long been an aspect of traditional paths, and yogis have been moving to the music for generations. Now, we can, too, in order to help the mind turn inward, deepen concentration and increase stamina during yogic movements. Some purists believe that yoga should be performed in complete silence; but an increasing majority of practitioners are using music to initiate surrender to the discipline, and help them feel part of the class even when doing postures at home. Yoga fans, this is the Christmas present for which you've been waiting! INSTRUMENTATION: hand drums, bells, seashells, rattles, didgeridoo, violin, tabla, guitars, bass, flute, piano, vocals. Coyote Oldman This spacious, deeply ambient music is the perfect backdrop for when the first glimmer of light peaks over the horizon on the inaugural day of the new millennium. By morphing the naturally organic melodic scales of ancient wooden flutes within a virtual acoustic environment, Barry Stramp and Michael Graham Allen synergistically give birth to deeply moving music that is "fed by the light of the past and the promise of the future." Beginning with a warm, velvety darkness on "Into the Vast," the duo slowly gain "Strength" to move towards "Light and Mist" as the "Sweet Morning" begins to break, guiding the listener to blissful "Emergence" as the symmetry between humans and nature, earth and sky finally rests in perfect balance and harmony. It is an epic journey and an ultimately inspiring one. No other artists push the envelope so well or blend archaic instruments with cutting edge ethereal sonics so beautifully. Coyote Oldman delivers here what may be the most fitting tribute to the dawn of a new age. INSTRUMENTATON: flutes, pan pipes, textural ambience.
Nusrat
Fateh Ali Khan One of the greatest artists of this or any millennia is Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who single-handedly introduced a world of music lovers to the spirituality and beauty of his homeland's centuries-old tradition, Qawwali. Sadly taken from us at the height of his career, Khan's music lives on in this live recording of his final public performance… coincidentally, the only concert ever documented in his homeland, Pakistan. As that country and India now sit on the threshold of mutual nuclear annihilation, it is only fitting that the divinely inspired and inspiring sounds of Khan's now-silent voice ring out in truth and tolerance one last time. Those new to Qawwali singing will be captivated by its hypnotic energy, by the intoxicating blend of passion and delicacy that graces the exotic arrangements as ethnic instruments play. From the trance-like invocation "Allah Hoo" to the wholly joyful "Afreen Afreen," these mystical lyrics transcend language barriers to evoke a sense of hope for the future of mankind. Described as a "voice from heaven," Khan's talent is still unmatched, his vision still eternal, his voice the means of accessing true union with the deepest part of the soul. INSTRUMENTATION: vocals, harmonium, tabla, percussion, guitar, bass, drums, saxophone, keyboards. Jay
Begaye and Everitt White The Dine (Navajo) concept of walking in beauty has rarely been presented in such heartfelt and magnificently simple fashion as when Begaye and White sing about the necessity of practicing traditional ways and always honoring Mother Earth. Most of these songs are sung in the duo's native language interspersed with English, and adhere to time-honored forms such as round dance and pow-wow styles. The exception is "Roller Coaster," which was composed by Arlie Neskai and is dedicated to "all homeless children, now and forever." Its unusual rhythmic structure is designed to emulate the upward-downward motion of the roller coaster, and features vocal accompaniment by Begaye's ten-year-old daughter, Tiinesha. Also notable are the dance tune "Where I Walk, Long Life" and "Tradition Began," a prayer for beauty in everyday life. Exceptional singing and playing by these clan brothers characterize the entire album, one that will surely strike a chord with all who have faith in the future. INSTRUMENTATION: Native American flute, drums, vocals. Various
Artists Sometimes a recording will come along and completely change the way you listen. It cleans out the cobwebs of preconception and tunes you into previously unimagined possibilities. This two-disc compilation is one of those releases. It will enable you to understand the secret language of birds, the quiet words of plants, the very voice of the earth itself. For here, 19 of the world's premier environmental sound recordists craft surprising and engaging soundscapes that make one ponder on the nature of music itself. One listen to Jean Roche's amazing frog choruses or Hildegard Westerkamp's symphony of old growth forest, Bernie Krause's delicately nuanced gorilla musings or Jean-Luc Herelle's water story and you finally realize an essential truth: all nature sings! In addition to ambient tone poems gathered from the four corners of the globe, this package also includes an illuminating 48-page booklet that conveys these visionaries' (audiosionaries'?) unique philosophies of sound, and how we can all listen better to the endlessly fascinating musical world around us. More than mere entertainment, these selections are auditory quests for primal comprehension and union with Gaian consciousness. Listen and be amazed, enlightened and humbled. INSTRUMENTATION: nature sounds, silence. Kevin
Locke Between 1911 and 1914, ethnomusicologist Frances Densmore traveled to the Dakotas to preserve traditional Native American flute songs, recording them on wax cylinders in fields, on hills and within the camps of the performers. Re-creating these time-honored tunes by recording them in similar settings are noted flutist Locke and producer David Swenson, whose attention to detail includes the preservation of bird song, insect rhythms and other natural sounds along with the hauntingly beautiful instrumental melodies. In Lakota mythology, the first flute was created by woodpeckers and given to a young man as a spiritual gift meant to be shared with all in his village. This "First Flute Song" serves as a fitting introduction to the love songs ("Gossiper Song"), prayers ("Grandfather, Look At Me"), healing and honor songs included. Of special note is "Sitting Bull's Medicine Song," originally sung by his nephew to Densmore and said to be the song the famed leader sang when administering to the sick. INSTRUMENTATION: Native American flute, vocals, nature sounds. Ayman,
Hisham & Mars Lasar This prettily packaged presentation compiles older tracks penned by the above artists individually in such a way that they document a complete mystical journey to a metaphoric Mecca of the mind. On "Pegasus," light and lively guitar strains accented by sizzling synthesizer, snazzy percussion and hypnotic sacred poetry make Hisham's music irresistibly enchanting. The more upbeat "Pioneers" by Lasar and Winslow Crockwell is a refreshing rhythmic excursion fueled by wordless choral vocals, beautifully bent chording and spicy keyboard noodling that blends jazz and Middle Eastern styles seamlessly. Ambient-trance afficianados will savor the sonorous spaciousness of Ayman's "Night Traveller," with its soaring oud and ney-like elements, and deliciously dramatic and deviously dark electronic hues. Other tracks offer plenty of pomp and majesty for those desirous of seeping into symphonic sand dances and emerging - re-energized and renewed - into an ecstatic oasis of sound. Great for reverie. INSTRUMENTATION: vocals, keyboards, percussion, nature sounds.
Submissions for review consideration may be sent to: PJ Birosik, MUSIK INTERNATIONAL CORP., 154 Betasso Road, Boulder, CO 80302-9606. Since 1977, Birosik has been a music industry consultant specializing in marketing, promotion, publicity and A&R/foreign licensing; she is a member of NARAS, NARM, NAIRD, CMC, IMA, and a past Board of Director of Los Angeles Women In Music who has been profiled in 11 international editions of Who's Who. Calls may be placed to her at (303) 444-9575 between 9:30am - 5pm MST regarding review criteria, consulting services for signed & unsigned musicians, and data list rentals. |
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