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Awareness Magazine
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Music & Media Reviews By Michael Diamond Ann Licater Invitation from Within The flute has to be one of
the most soothing instruments of all, and in the hands of a sensitive
multi-talented artist like Ann Licater its sound is a gift to the body, mind,
and spirit. On her latest release, Invitation from Within Ann plays silver and alto
flute, as well as Native American flutes. The album features solo, duet, and
multi-instrumental compositions. Accompanists include co-producers Peter
Phippen on bass and percussion, and Ivar Lunde on piano, as well as some of my
favorite artists like vocalist Lis Addison, and Jeff Oster on trumpet, among
others. Ann’s interest in spirituality and the healing qualities of music is
evident on this recording and this album provides a deeply relaxing listening
experience. I have greatly enjoyed Ann Licater’s previous releases, and
Invitation from Within is no exception, in fact it is my new favorite. Darlene Koldenhoven Tranquil Times On her new “all-instrumental”
release Tranquil Times, Grammy-winning vocalist Darlene Koldenhoven rests her
golden voice and draws on other aspects of her professional talents. Hearing
Darlene’s piano playing exposed like this without being in the background of
her vocals was a revelation. While Darlene’s skills on piano and synthesizer
are formidable to say the least, I really can’t emphasize enough how impressed
I am with her work as a composer, orchestrator, and arranger. Darlene’s
compositions feel exquisitely crafted and expertly produced. In this regard,
the music exudes a polished elegance as well as deep feeling and passionate
delivery. There is a cinematic quality to her music, which could easily lend it
to being used in a film soundtrack. While “Tranquil Times” provides a rich
experience for the ear, it is equally evocative to the mind’s eye, stimulating
luminous inner visual imagery from one track to the next. Although Darlene has
the voice of an angel, it is wonderful to see her spreading her wings to reveal
her other equally impressive musical gifts. Get Tribal God of Drum In my more than 30 years as a
new age music journalist, I’ve written about a number of albums specifically
created to attune the energy centers or chakras. However, God of Drum by Kari
Hohne, who records under the name of Get Tribal, is certainly one of the most
unique. She describes the recording as “a collection of percussion-based tribal
music inspired by the thunder deities of world mythology.” According to Kari:
“Each track was composed based on an archetype and shamanic drumming pattern
from different parts of the world.” These reflect Native American, Norse,
Celtic, Chinese, African, Mayan and more. As can be expected, there is a broad
spectrum of ethnic instruments, while her parallel interest in electronic music
brings in synthesizers, samplers, and other contemporary sounds. Although
meditation music is generally soft and soothing, Kari purposely sought to
unlock energy, and this album certainly does that. School of Irish Music Winter Air While a recording of Gaelic
or Celtic music is not unusual to find, one performed by children is. However,
you would never guess by listening to it that the instrumentalists and
vocalists range from age 9 to 18. All of the songs are traditional Irish tunes
representing Christmas, New Years, and the winter season. The students spent
hundreds of hours practicing. Randy and Pamela Copus of the new age ensemble
“2002” provided their professional studio for the recording, and their
9-year-old daughter Sarah is featured on harp, tin whistle, and vocals. In addition
to students, a few tracks include the school’s Irish Heritage Advisor,
world-renowned and award-winning fiddler James Kelly. With all the
technologically-enhanced superficial teen pop music flooding the market these
days, it is gratifying and encouraging finding a project with depth and
substance such as this. David
Helpling And Jon Jenkins Found The new release by David
Helpling and Jon Jenkins marks the third and final chapter in a musical trilogy
that began six years ago. On this one, they “felt a major responsibility to
make something bigger and deeper, both musically and emotionally.” The music
blends cinematic electronics with rock power and spacemusic sensibilities.
While all of the tracks are deeply atmospheric, some are grounded by a powerful
rhythmic foundation. It’s hard to overstate how incredibly dreamy this music is
with its fusion of lush synth textures, intimate pianos, shimmering electric
guitars, and percussive elements, that at times brought to mind the music of
Patrick O’Hearn. There is also a special guest appearance by virtuoso vocalist
Miriam Stockley on the title track. Not only is this a triumphant masterpiece
for the duo, but is another in a long string of innovative ambient albums from
the southern California-based Spotted Peccary Music label. Michael Diamond is a music producer, recording artist, and music
journalist in the San Francisco Bay area with over 30 years of experience
writing for nationally-published magazines and more recently worldwide on the
internet. He currently has five CD’s including two with new-age music pioneer
Steven Halpern. For additional reviews of CD’s, DVD’s, and more, please visit:
www.michaeldiamondmusic.com |