The Whole Music Experience

Thomas Zehetmair Niccolo Paganini--24 Capricci ECM New Series I became a fan of Niccolo Paganini back when I took a history of Western music class in college. The fiery and bombastic qualities of the Romantic Era composer and violinist's work dovetailed with my rebellious late teen personality of that time. And throughout the years I remained a aficionado of Paganini. I recall hearing a line from Kate Bush's Violin referring to Paganini and later, watching the Canadian film, The Red Violin , again I felt goosebumps listening to the Paganini-like soundtrack. Paganini had a reputation of being a devil with an enchanting fiddle. True to the era in which he performed music, he certainly knew how to work emotions with a bow and strings. Mostly I have heard the 19th century composer's concertos, so it is refreshing to hear his solo violin work performed by Viennese conductor/chamber musician Thomas Zehetmair take up this challenge. And this collection of caprices f...

Benjamim Taubkin, Sergio Reze, Zeca Assumpcao and Joatan Nascimento Trio + 1 Adventure Music Trio + 1 marks another splendid release on the Adventure Music label. Brazilian pianist Benjamim Taubkin hooked up with drummer Sergio Reze, bassist Zeca Assumpcao and trumpeter Joatan Nascimento, the +1 in the group, resulting in a sizzling Brazilian jazz recording with a global signature. The opener, The Desert is Here comes with an ironic title because there is nothing dry or vacant on this lush track. A lilting piano riff is eventually picked up by trumpet, developing into a gorgeous musical conversation. Arabic tones mesh with Latin American ambiance on this long- play track. Baianinho features swinging bass and drums with a New Orleans-style trumpet motif. It is a real challenge not to stand up and dance to this piece. In the liner notes, Taubkin described the recording process. The musicians recorded 3 takes of 2 tracks for each session then the tracks that sho...

Oran Etkin Kelenia Motema Music I have been fortunate. I have received many recordings fusing traditional West African music, mainly from Mali, with American blues, jazz and now the swirling sounds of Jewish clarinet. Israeli reedman Oran Etkin (clarinet, bass clarinet & tenor sax), teamed up with Balla Kouyate (balafon), Makane Kouyate (calabash & vocals) and Joe Sanders (bass). An array of guest musicians also bring in cello, violin, guitar, djembe and bass. The end result is Kelenia -- a multicultural jazz stew with a warming effect. Etkin cites in the liner notes, "The music you hear was not created in a studio--it developed over the course of a decade as I was working with various African musicians in the US and Mali and then through the years of performances and rehearsals with wonderful musicians on this record." And sure enough this seamless fusion feels completely natural to my ears. The opener, Yekeke bubbles like champagne with its efferv...

The Healing Powers of Music and Anger Issues One of the issues regarding music awareness that comes up in my life a lot is use of dark, fear-driven lyrics and music that feels like an assault on the nervous system. While I understand that a lot of people feel powerless, especially women, children and young adults, I do not believe that listening to music performed by another angry person will heal or empower anyone. If anything the listeners will identify too strongly with self-righteous anger and end up in a dualistic situation. I have experienced this first hand and know the results. I believe strongly in the power of words, intention and sound. I also believe that a fearful and angry person can infect an entire room. I am not blaming a person for their emotions, nor am I asking anyone to repress their emotions. A person who comes from a fearful and angry place needs love and support, but in a way that enables the person to evolve as a human being and travel through their emot...

Cheick Hamala Diabate Ake Doni Doni (Take it Slow) Grigri Discs I imagine that we Americans need a West African griot and n’goni player advising our government representatives. Malian n’goni player and musical diplomat has exchanged culture and I hope humanitarian ethics with members of the U.S. Congress and “hobnobbed with American string and blues legend Bela Fleck to Corey Harris…” According to the press release, “As the resident griot of DC, Diabate happily take on a very traditional role of in his adopted home where he has lived since 1995. He still earns his living the old fashion way—praising notables and legitimizing leaders and garnering generous rewards for his songs.” However, the songs on Ake Doni Doni also teach politicians, the media and other Washington DC dwellers how to be better parents, better leaders and to heal themselves of a “grab fast” mentality which Diabate addresses in the titular song. Take a listen to Astou Diabate’s fiery vocals on Oude Diall...

WM Tapping into the Healing Powers of Music: Conversation with Stanley Jordan Guitarist and composer Stanley Jordan easily falls into that category of musician-healer-shaman, even though he might not refer to himself as a shaman. Known for his pioneering tapping technique for guitar and his intriguing recordings, Jordan is also an advocate for music therapy and a practitioner in his own right. A visit to Jordan’s website provides viewers with information about his the twists and turns of his music career, his discovery of the healing powers of music and an article about music therapy that promises to leave tears of compassion in your eyes. His 2008 release, State of Nature reveals Jordan exploring the healing connection between the natural world and music. While I have yet to hear this recording, you can find information about the project on Jordan’s website. I was fortunate to have caught up with the busy musician. A short interview follows. WME: I think it was ab...

The Music Instinct Science and Song DVD Public Broadcast Station Many years ago I discovered the healing power of music. I was attending WOMAD USA and felt myself merge with everything around me when I listened to music played by world musicians. That epiphany led me on a journey that has only been validated by a small group of people, thus far. PBS just released a DVD and broadcast of The Music Instinct: Science & Song , directed by Elena Mannes and hosted by Bobby McFerrin and Neurologist Daniel Levitin . A bridge is built between science and the arts, music in particular and a lot of questions are probed, but some not answered to their full extent. On one hand, the director and her crew seem to have crunched too much information into the 120 minute film, but on the other hand, some of this information seems repetitive such as the presentation of brain scans activated by music listened to or performed. Neurologist and music lover Oliver Sacks who appears in t...

Oliver Sacks Musicophilia Tales of Music and The Brain hardback: Alfred A. Knopf (2007) I spent a good part of the weekend reading about the effects of music on the brain compliments of Neurologist/Author Oliver Sacks' book, Musicophilia (Tales of the Music and The Brain). While I do not come from a science background myself, I have read in the past about music therapy for people with autism, Parkinson's, clinical depression and dementia. I have also read a little about the renowned hearing and speech specialist Alfred Tomatis as well as, Joshua Leeds work with psychoacoustics. Sacks book delves deeper into diseases, injuries and birth defects of the brain. In the synopsis for his book found on his website, the description of this book reads "how music heals and haunts us" or something to that effect. Sacks explores music hallucinations, brainworms, epilepsy and fear of music (because some types of music can bring on seizures and convulsions in list...

James DeMars Guadalupe, Our Lady of The Roses (opera) Canyon Records Opera, oratorio and music for mass present a variety of challenges to composers and performers. American composer James DeMars, who is no stranger to Canyon Records or indigenous music has combined structure from opera, oratorio and mass with his opera, Guadalupe, Our Lady Of The Roses . He brings in R. Carlos Nakai (Native American flute) and Xavier Quijas Yxayotl (flutes, whistles of the Aztecs) to represent the indigenous people of Mexico at the time of of the Renaissance and conquistadors in the New World. The opera vocalists, chorus and orchestra represent the Spanish, the Indians, The Virgin of Guadalupe and the Catholic Church. The brief synopsis reads, "A story of the three apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe on the hills of Tepeyac above Tlatelolco in 1531, the appeals of Juan Diego-Cuatlatohuac to the Bishop Zumarraga for a temple at the site of the visions, the revelation of the mirac...

Daniel Santiago Metropole Adventure Music Composed and arranged by Brazilian guitarist Daniel Santiago, Metropole explores urban Brazil. Joined by Josuè on tenor and soprano sax, Vitor Goncalves on piano, Guto Wirtti on acoustic bass as well as, Edu Ribeiro and Marcio Bahia on drums, these musicians perform warm and breezy instrumentals. The 12 tracks with titles such as, Gregorian Samba , Salamandra and Traveling provide uplifting acoustic arrangements. Santiago has performed in the mandolinist Hamilton de Holanda’s quintet. He has performed with internationally acclaimed Brazilian musicians, Joao Bosco, Ivan Lins, Djavan and Seo Jorge. Metropole marks the guitarist’s second recording with Adventure Music. His debut On the Way received kudos from Jazziz magazine. Metropole has some relaxing moments, but overall, the jazz feels upbeat with some John Coltrane type solos on Letter to the World and plenty of soloing on the various instruments throughout the recording. The ...

Tom Lellis & The Metropole Orchestra Skylark Advenure Music Jazz crooner Tom Lellis teams up with the 52-piece Metropole Orchestra of the Netherlands on Skylark -an album with a classic jazz sheen. Lellis offers a top-flight performance as his passionate vocals interpret Hoagy Carmichael's Skylark , Chick Corea's Straight Up And Down , Herbie Hancock's Tell Me A Bedtime Story , Tonhinho Horta's Mountain Flight and Antonio C. Jobim's Falando De Amor/Tema De Amor sung in sensual Portuguese. Lellis penned his own lyrics to the instrumental classics and included original material on three tracks. The orchestra does more then lend its beautiful tones, timbres and colors. The arrangements soar, swirl and shoot stars around Lellis. Just listen to the use of woodwinds and brass on Carmichael's forlorn Skylark . Together the vocalist and orchestral musicians create a romantic and passionate atmosphere that could easily find itself as a soundtrack for Go...

Louie Gonnie with Branson Emerson Rhythms Within a Turquoise Dream Peyote Songs of the Native American Church Canyon Records Rhythms Within a Turquoise Dream is the third CD by Louie Gonnie that I have heard and reviewed. I feel that Gonnie possesses some wonderful spiritual and musical gifts to share with the rest of us, and on his latest recording, he shares uplifting emotions from one of his dreams. He wrote in the liner notes, "The idea for this album came from a dream I had. I wanted to convey that dream through these songs. The dream made me feel good and that is why I made this recording." Gonnie, a Zuni-Dine tribal member and traditional musician grabs his inspiration from the natural world that surrounds him. On previous albums, mountains in four directions, and other natural elements inspired him. The peyote songs that appear here sport titles such as, Hopes and Dreams , Humming bird's Gift (I saw my first hummingbird of the year two days ago), ...

Eleni Karaindrou Dust of Time (music from a film by Theo Angelopoulos) ECM New Series It seems like yesterday that I reviewed a collection of movie soundtrack music, Elegy of the Uprooting by Greek pianist/composer Eleni Karaindrou. But in actuality that was over two years ago. Karaindrou's delicate melancholic music goes beyond moving scenes forward and evoking the emotions of the film's characters. Karaindrou lends an expert hand at orchestration and musical arrangements that would leave French Impressionistic composers such as Ravel and Debussy green with envy. On the soundtrack music for Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos' Dust of Time , once again Karaindrou brings her musical awareness to each piece of music, from the lilting Waltz by the River with its combo of harp, violin and accordion to a Eastern European tinge throughout. Oboe, harp, French horn, accordion, piano, bassoon and other instruments pepper strains of orchestral strings, you might even ...

New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Book One World Village New Orleans,also known as the Crescent City has a long tradition of jazz and other genres of music. In fact the city's music scene could be called a multicultural spiced stew. While the wake of Hurricane Katrina which hit ground in New Orleans in 2005 curtailed the club scene and the lives of thousands of people, including musicians, these same determined and tenacious musicians helped the New Orleans residents to bounce back. Musicians have been at the heart of the rebuilding effort through giving benefit concerts, producing fund and awareness raising albums, as well as, Terence Blanchard's Requiem for Hurricane Katrina (A Tale of God's Will). The music coming out of the Crescent City simmers on the front burner and Irvin Mayfield, Jr., Artistic Director of New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, composer and trumpeter is among some of the hottest New Orleans musicians. In fact, Book One , which features New Orleans jazz,...

Sequentia Voice of Blood Hildegard von Bingen Deutsche Harmonia Mundi/BMG Anyone interested in the healing powers of music must include at least one recording of the medieval Benedictine abbess Hildegard von Bingen's inspired chants in his or her collection. While I personally have not experienced any healings from Hildegard's repertoire, I am inspired by this beautiful music nonetheless and have read of others experiencing personal healing from Hildegard's divinely channeled music. Others have told me of mystical experiences associated with these sacred chants. Hildegard would in our time be considered an energy or alternative healer. With no training or certification, Hildegard channeled directly from God information on healing with plants, nutrition/diet, sacred art such as mandalas she created and the sacred chants that are still being recorded today by such ensembles as Anonymous 4, Sequentia and other vocal groups. And similar to many healers and mys...

Maria del Mar Bonet Raixa World Village I am quite pleased that labels such as World Village have been releasing and distributing traditional Spanish music recordings in North America. I recently reviewed albums by Uxia from Galicia and Marina Rossell from Barcelona as well as, penning an article on Galician music for World Music Central . I also have a personal connection to Spain which flows in my blood and seeps through my temperament. When we preserve traditional music, we also preserve dances, languages, instruments, poetry and history. We honor our ancestors when we listen to this old music and we find our roots too that help us feel secure in an unstable world. I have listened to the music of my ancestors on both sides of my family and have been enriched by the experience, though I have not heard much traditional Filipino music during my lifetime, I have delved into Finnish, Spanish, and Puerto Rican musical traditions. I find these quests healing and enlivening. ...

The Sound of Music DVD 20th Century Fox The Sound of Music The Original Soundtrack RCA BMG If it's not already in every sound healer and musician's library, the 1965 movie production of The Sound of Music , either on DVD or CD should be. First of all, The Von Trapp family in which the original story represented a musical family from an Austrian city steeped in musical traditions, both classical and sacred. I had not watched the movie in years and last time I watched it, I was not on the music awareness path. Then a few years ago I read Ted Andrews' book Sacred Sounds in which he mentioned both the Austrian meistersingers, musical initiates who used music with intention and he mentioned music from The Sound of Music , even going as far as using the Do-Re-Mi song to clear chakras. Andrews book planted seeds in my mind and heart. Recently I agreed to teach a music awareness class to theatre youth and I decided to focus on musical theatre from the inside out, wit...