MUSIC Reviews
Reviewer: Bill Binkelman
Awakened Earth
Mirabai Ceiba
Spirit Voyage Records
When I read that Awakened Earth (a fantastic chant album) was produced by Jamshied Sharifi, I just knew I would be writing a favorable review of it. It helps, of course, that Mirabai Ceiba (the duo of Angelika Baumbach and Markus Sieber) are the artists and that they are joined by some amazing instrumentalists, including Sharifi himself. The duo’s vocals and performing on harp, piano, harmonium, and guitars are, as usual, sublime. The seven tracks blend a contemporary folk-like sensibility, anchored by Sieber’s exquisite guitar playing, with traditional elements. The CD contains some of the dreamiest chant music I’ve heard in a while.
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Relaxing Melodies of Nature
Kenio Fuke
Real Music
It should come as no surprise that Real Music would find another recommendable New Age music keyboardist to add to its already formidable list of artists. Kenio Fuke’s debut on the label, Relaxing Melodies of Nature, presents 12 gentle soundscapes on which the artist’s piano melodies are accented by orchestral and solo string textures, a touch of woodwinds, and an occasional subtle layer of textural electronic ambience. Assorted nature sounds further enhance the soothing aspects of the music. Kenio Fuke is bound to be another jewel in Real Music’s crown, so get in on the ground fl oor with this artist’s debut release.
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2 Cellos
Luka Sulic & Stjepan Hauser
Sony Masterworks
Do you remember the old commercial tag line, “This isn’t your father’s Oldsmobile” ? Well, 2 Cellos, featuring the talents of Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser, is not your father’s (or your mother’s) cello album! While some classically-oriented acoustic instruments lend themselves naturally to pop/rock song improvisations, the cello is not one that normally springs to mind. Nonetheless, these two young, incendiary artists light up the skies with their startlingly original takes on wellknown works from U2, Guns ‘n Roses, Nine Inch Nails, Michael Jackson, and Sting. Absolutely not for the timid, 2 Cellos explodes like a sonic boom of creativity and unquestioned artistry. Play it loud and play it proud!
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Journey Around The Sun: A Mayan Odyssey
Bill Wren & Frank Ralls
Ponder Dust Publishing
Bill Wren and Frank Ralls have become a powerhouse musical duo after just two albums (their debut was One Day in a Life). Journey Around the Sun: A Mayan Odyssey continues the pair’s success, once again featuring a blend of expertly arranged and performed, meticulously engineered and produced New Age and adult contemporary instrumental music, while this time also injecting some world beat infl uences. Sprung from Wren’s fascination with the Mayan culture and 2012 prophecy, the CD is graced by many talented artists playing Wren’s and Ralls’ entertaining compositions, which alternate between the dramatic (“Between Heaven and Earth”) and the pensive (“Mayan Moonlight”).
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Eventide
Jeff Elstad
Jeff Elstad
Jeff Elstad is a little-known but extremely talented guitarist hailing from my hometown of Minneapolis. If you have customers who appreciate superb finger-style acoustic guitar, you ought to introduce them to this “hidden gem” of an artist. Eventide is his second album, and it aptly showcases Elstad’s astute command of both technique and artistry as he traverses a wide expanse of styles and moods. From the opening refl ective “Night Kite,” to the driving intensity of “Nickel,” to the subtle jazziness of “NYC” (featuring saxophonist Doug Kuehn), Elstad guides the listener on a most pleasurable musical excursion.
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Migration of the Soul: A Meditative Journey
Gera’s Migration of the Soul: A Meditative Journey showcases a variety of Native American fl utes, including the seldom heard bass and contra-bass flutes. The expressive deep tones of these two instruments, as well as Gera’s sensitive, minimalist style of playing, elevate these sparse tone poems (some of which feature nature sounds) to a special, truly meditative place. Gera also plays percussion and is joined by T. M. Dubas on synthesizer and percussion. The overall mood of the album could best be characterized as “ambient Native fusion” owing to the textural application of synths and the sparseness of the flutes themselves.
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Kundalini Remix: Yoga Mantras Revisited
Various artists
Spirit Voyage Records
Remix albums are tricky beasts. Done right, the remixes enhance and expand the original artists’ visions, but done poorly, the results are a butchering of the intended essence. Thankfully, the DJs/re-mixers tasked with taking these chants and revisioning them performed their appointed duties with skill, talent, and respect. The 11 tracks on Kundalini Remix: Yoga Mantras Revisited bristle with contemporary energy and technology but retain the ancient spirit of the chants. This album bridges the gap between the old and the new in exciting and energizing ways. Kundalini Remix could open up a new doorway to chant for clubbers and chill-out fans alike.
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Carried Away
Janice Faber
Janice Faber
Janice Faber describes her music as “artistic solo piano,” and one listen reveals plentiful artistry at work in her soulful playing of these gentle and unassuming melodies. Deeply influenced by her religious beliefs, these are intensely personal pianoscapes—warm and openly friendly, yet devoid of faux sentimentality. Faber’s sincerity of musical vision comes through loud and clear within the first several songs, which have an engaging gentleness and flowing melodicism yet are never overly pop-ish. In-store play is almost guaranteed to generate interest, as Faber has a defi nite knack for drawing the listener in within just a few bars of a track’s starting point.
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Harp Music for Healing
Sarajane Williams
Sounds True
If one explores harpist Sarajane Williams on Google, it’s immediately obvious that she is a strong proponent for the healing qualities of harp music, which her latest CD’s title makes evident. Indeed, these 19 harp “meditations” are relaxing and soothing. The album contains both originals and, in some cases, ages-old traditional compositions. When solo harp is played as beautifully as Williams does, it elicits a palpable sensation of calm and repose. If one listens attentively to the album, one can’t help but be impressed with Williams’ gentle, nuanced playing. Steer new mothers to this album for its sleep-inducing qualities for their newborns.
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Logical Drift
Logical Drift
NYCM Music
Graced with a stunning cover, the eponymously-titled release from the duo Logical Drift (John Matarazzo, who wrote and performed the music, and Logan Strand, who engineered the release) is visually and musically impressive. A thematic album about journeying to the legendary oasis at En Gedi, the music flows gently, featuring an assortment of electronic keyboards played in the style of classic New Age music but with a wholly contemporary vision and execution. Synth washes, bell tones, subtle rhythmic bass pulses, and wonderful keyboard melodic textures abound. Prominent shelf placement and lots of in-store play for this all-around winner!
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Spiritual Piano: Message Music
Steven C
Steven C Music
Steven C’s Spiritual Piano breaks away from his usual musical motif in several ways: One is the abundant presence of accompanists (on mandolin, violin, fretless bass, percussion, and guitar), and the other is the music’s instantly engaging accessibility, almost approaching the breezy New Age pop sound of Wayne Gratz. Some of Steven C’s recent offerings were more anchored in a neo-classical style, so this new direction should open up his fan base considerably. According to the liner notes, the CD is quite personal to him and is aimed at helping listeners take their own spiritual journey. This particular journey is rich and rewarding indeed. Spiritual Piano is an exceptional piano and ensemble album!
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Jazz
Various artists
Putamayo
While Putamayo is best known for releasing great world music, on the simply-titled Jazz the label shows uncommon taste in selecting tracks for this masterful collection of jazz standards featuring stellar talent: Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, and many more. If you have customers who have only dipped their toes in this uniquely American music genre, this is the album to recommend to them, especially if their taste runs toward the vocal side of music, since vocals dominate the CD. Worthy of special mention are the copious and educational liner notes and the jaw-dropping mastering job on the older material.
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