The Whole Music Experience

Fred Clarke Alvarez Tuning the Andes & Nature as Sound Scape I met the multimedia artist and sound healer Fred Clarke Alvarez on my Linked In group, Musical Healers. His work with healers, musicians, and teachers from the Andes possesses both a compassionate and adventurous patina. Fred builds instruments that hail to further back than the Incan Empire. They include a variety of flutes, lutes, and percussion instruments that most westerners, at least in pop culture, have never encountered. Fred's approach is to heal others in a more or less shamanic-conscious way that blends the healing power of sound with frequencies found in the natural world. Prior to venturing into music and sound healing, Fred's background is in photography and film making. I personally believe that visual as well as, musical expression have the power to transform society when used correctly and with conscious intention of healing. With no further ado, here's my e-mail interview with Fred...

Thai Elephant Orchestra Dave Soldier & Richard Lair Mulatta Records (2000) Thai Elephant Orchestra Dave Soldier & Richard Lair Elephonic Rhapsodies Mulatta Records (2003)     Thai Elephant Orchestra Dave Soldier & Richard Lair Water Music Mulatta Records (2010) Never in my wildest imagination did I ever expect to review CDs by elephant musicians.   True elephants play music differently than humans, but when we consider that they are limited to a trunk and their front feet, the music they do make seems extraordinary.   Little did I know ten years ago, living in Seattle and testing recordings out on squirrels and crows that musicians with a scientific bent in New York were actually playing music with birds and elephants.   While there are likely animal advocates who will think that human musicians encroach upon the non-human’s space for ego gratification, I would disagree.   The musical interaction and interludes...

Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI Istanbul—Dimitrie Cantemir (1673-1723) Aliavox (distributed by Harmonia Mundi) I have never heard medieval or renaissance Turkish music before, though I have heard Turkish music played on traditional instruments as well as, Armenian and the music of Sephardic Jews. When I received Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI’s Istanbul in the mail, with its booklet and gorgeous music, I knew that reviewing the recording would require a steep learning curve, but with each pleasurable listen, I heard both familiar and unfamiliar instruments, familiar and unfamiliar modes. The experience was not totally new to my ears since I have attended my share of Oriental music concerts over the years and it seems that my DNA is predisposed to these modes because I never experienced an adjustment period coming from the West. Savall leaves his viol de gamba behind for this recording and plays a rebab (type of fiddle played vertical while resting on the lap, a vièle (another...