The Whole Music Experience

I Love You said to anyone in any language. Say these words and sing these words often.

Marta Topferova, World Village WME Top 20 Folkloric/Traditional Women Vocalists 1. Mariza (Portugal) 2. Cristina Branco (Portugal) 3. Cesaria Evora (Cape Verde) 4. Lura (Cape Verde/Portugal) 5. Savina Yannatou (Greece) 6. Oumou Sangare (Mali) 7. Rokia Traore (Mali) 8. Lila Downs (US/Mexico) 9. Monica Salmaso (Brazil) 10. Tania Libertad (Peru) 11. Mariana Montalvo (Chile/France) 12. Barbara Luna (Argentina) 13. Marta Topferova (US) 14. Sui Vesan (Czech Republic) 15. Jenny Wilhelms (Finland) 16. Julie Fowlis (Scotland) 17. Uxia (Spain) 18. Marina Rossell (Spain) 19. Estrella Morente (Spain) 20. Omara Portuondo (Cuba) Women or Mixed Voice Ensembles 1. Faraualla (Italy) 2. Kitka (US) 3. Corou de Berra (France) This wasn't an easy list to compile.  Many fabulous vocalists weren't included, such as Native American, Indian classical, jazz, blues, bluegrass, or American folk artists.  I'll compile ...

Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon Soul Call Om Namo Narayanaya Self-Release When I first heard about vocalist Chandrika Krishnamurthy Tandon’s Soul Call , I thought I’d received a kirtan CD in the mail. So I felt surprised when I received a famous healing chant set to Indian pop music. Krishnamurthy Tandon sings the same chant throughout the nine tracks that appear on the invigorating CD. It’s not surprising that the overall feel compares to a Bollywood soundtrack since the producer and musicians recorded it at a soundtrack studio, with orchestral arrangement duties handled by Tejendra Narayan Majumdar. The Grammy-nominated album has received a devoted following at the Soul Chants website (site listed at the end of the review). Visitors cite the healing effects the chants have had on them. According to the liner notes, “The powerful healing mantra translates to, ‘I surrender all to the Divine Protector; I salute the Divine Maintainer of all; I belong to the Divine Grace that ...

I'm compiling a list of songs with references to the moon or have moon in the title.  I can use your help.  Genres I'm looking at are: World, traditional, classical, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, jazz, and blues. I'll get us started: "Clare de Lune," "Moon River," "Blue Moon,".... Please leave a comment with the song titles.  Thanks.

Holiday Recordings (In My Collection) I gave most of my holiday recordings to my parents. And the list you’ll find here features Christian and pagan music. I have not received any holiday recordings from other spiritual and religious traditions, but I'm open to recordings featuring music for Kwanza and other religious traditions. But on this list, I’ve included Corsican polyphony, Nicoise and Provencal polyphony, early music, early colonial music from Latin America, polyphony and carols from the United States (early music), choral music from Eastern Europe, and some unique small ensemble music. Of course you’ll also find a recording of Handel Messiah , which is also featured during Easter season. I realize that these recordings don’t comprise a comprehensive collection, (Tchaikovsky’s incidental music for the ballet The Nutcracker is missing from this list). However, the loving spirit of all the recordings comes through loud and clear, especially on a good stereo syst...

Healing with Holiday Music; Practicing Cultural and Spiritual Diversity Depending on your cultural and spiritual perceptions, holiday music can provide healing through nostalgia, relaxation, and joy. However, this includes a few caveats. An overdose of holiday music (heard in shopping malls, banks, and post offices), could lead to overkill and brainworms (a song hook repeating itself incessively).  Nostalgic elements work best with people who have happy memories of the holidays, but those individuals who lost love ones or suffered a tragedy during the holiday season won't find holiday music particularly healing.  They might avoid it entirely. Don't make the mistake of thinking that everyone practices the same religious rituals as you do. Holidays from a variety of religious traditions, including Judaism (Hanukkah), Christianity (Christmas), South African (Kwanza), Islamic, and pagan (Solstice) are practiced by people among us.  Each of these traditions ha...

Gregory Porter Water Motema Music As the flood waters recede in western Washington, debut jazz artist Gregory Porter’s Water plays in the background. Similar to the stormy weather alternating with the sun peeking through thick clouds, Porter’s recording, rides a wave of emotions too. From tender love ballads like the opener, Illusions and  Pretty to the bombastic socio-political 1960 What? that recalls Martin Gaye’s What’s Going On , Porter covers all the bases here. Porter composed and co-arranged the bulk of the recording and his lyrics cut straight through the heart. The arrangements with passionate horns, and saxophone anchored down with piano, bass, and drums, wed to Porter’s visual text. Porter’s vocals hit the spot too, again portraying a palette of emotions, outrage on 1960 What? and sensual on Pretty , when Porter sings, “Her hand strokes the drum. She plays so fast I can’t find the one…” On Magic Cup the musicians introduce Latin jazz funk and Wisd...

1. Jovino Santos Neto, See the Sound, Adventure Music 2. Mario Romano Quartet, Valentina, Alma Records 3. Catherine Russell, Inside this Heart of Mine, World Village 4. Benjamim Taubkin, Piano Masters, Vol. 1, Adventure Music 5. Roberto Occhipinti, A Bend in the River, Alma Records 6. Marcos Amorim Trio, Portraits, Adventure Music 7. Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu, Bernstein, Gershwin, Novacek, and d’ Rivera, American Music for Clarinet, Harmonia Mundi 8. Ricardo Silveira, ‘Til Tomorrow, Adventure Music 9. Estun-Bah (Native American), From Where the Sun Rises, Canyon Records 10. Gregory Porter, Water, Motema Best Folkloric Retrospective: Mike Marshall, An Adventure, 1999-2009, Adventure Music

Happy Holidays from Whole Music Experience!

My article regarding music for early childhood development has been published in the Skagit Food Coop newsletter. http://www.skagitfoodcoop.com/newsletters.html  (click on December 2010), p. 6 & 12. The article features Oran Etkin, Hilary Field and Gary Kvistad of Woodstock Chimes.

Top 10 Classical of 2010 1. Javier Perianes, Blasco de Nebra Piano Sonatas, Harmonia Mundi 2. Valery Gergiev & The London Symphony Orchestra, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, London Symphony Orchestra label 3. Jon Manasse and the Seattle Symphony, Mozart and Spohr Clarinet Concertos, Harmonia Mundi 4. Anna Prohaska, Bernarda Fink, Akademie Für Alte Musik Berlin, Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater, Harmonia Mundi 5. Dino Saluzzi, El Encuentro Live, ECM 6. Staier and Sepec, Robert Schumann Sonatas for Piano and Violin, Harmonia Mundi 7. Christophe Rosset, Louis Couperin, Harmonia Mundi 8. Stephen Hough, Chopin Late Masterpieces, Hyperion 9. Imani Winds, Terra Incognita, E1 Entertainment 10. Stile Antico, Puer Natus Est, Harmonia Mundi Best Crossover Recording , Altan, 25th Anniversary Celebration, Compass

Adam del Monte Asì lo siento yo Self-release I’ve found over the years that flamenco music must possess authentication, either the musician was born into an Andalusian family of flamenco origins or lived in Andalusia at some point and studied with the flamenco masters. Years of listening, observing and practicing flamenco follow until the flamenco musician is ready to strike out on his or her own with enough passion in tow. Flamenco more than anything revolves around feelings and emotions. A musician might have the chops, but if he or she can’t take you to that place called duende, then the musician loses the heart of flamenco. Today you will find both old flamenco with its rustic pastiche and nuevo flamenco pioneered by Tomatito, Paco de Lucia and others. You’ll even hear flamenco fused to Cuban son, rock and jazz music. So how does someone such as me, not trained in flamenco, review a flamenco album? I’ve probably journeyed to the place of duende several times as a music ...

Best Artist of 2010 Jovino Santos Neto For his vision and versatility

Best Music DVD: Marina Rossell, Classics Catalans..., World Village Best Children's Album: Randall Paskemin, Goodnight Sweet Dreams, I Love You, Canyon Records Best Book on Music: The Cello Suites, Eric Siblin, Grove Press/Atlantic Press

Heal Me with a Latin-Jazz-Classical Vibe You wouldn't think I'd find the soundtrack music of Westside Story healing with its jagged edges, slight dissonance portraying teenage angst, and sarcasm (both in the music and the text), but I do.  Similar to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony , the music from this Broadway musical and feature film, works through anger, frustration, and then ultimately triumphs.  The love songs in both the text and music (with its vaulting melodies), possess a sense of destiny and toy with metaphysical elements.  The text revolves around the theme of belonging somewhere, to someone, and to a community.  The melodies too combine ethnicity such as American jazz of the 1950s, mixed with Puerto Rican elements, and even European classical elements, after all, Leonard Bernstein composed this famous music.  The song, America for instance provides a poignant contrasts between immigrants who assimilate into a new culture, and those wh...

Top 10 for 2010 World-traditional-Folkloric 1. Lokua Kanza, Nkolo, World Village 2. Ana Moura, Leva-Me Aos Fados, World Village 3. Salif Keita, la difference, Universal Music 4. Rahim Alhaj, Little Earth, UR Music 5. Huun Huur Tu, Ancestors Call, World Village 6. Mayte Martin, Al Cantar A Manuel, World Village 7. Sierra Maestro, Sonando Ya, World Village 8. Susanna Owiyo, My Roots, Kirkelig Kulturverksted 9. V.M Bhatt and Matt Maley, Sleepless Nights, World Village 10. Sondre Bratland and Annborg Lien, Alle Vegne, Kirkelig Kulturverksted Best Folkloric Album: Michèle Choinière, La Violette, independent release

Lifting Off (Employing Music to Relieve Melancholy) I've felt my share of melancholy.  And I'm thankful for the gift of sadness because without experiencing it, I wouldn't have experimented with music to uplift my mood. And of course, I understand that the music that uplifts my mood, might not uplift someone else's.  Clinical depression and other mental illnesses are out of my domain so please read this essay with that in mind. When I'm in a cranky or depressed mood, I back away from life for a short period to find my center.  I practice yoga and meditation during these times, and I catch my breath.  I've found that specific types of music uplift my moods and transform my thoughts from negative to positive.  I have a small stack of Brazilian bossa nova and Mozart CDs for this purpose.  But Bob Marley's greatest hits or Exodus work just as well in getting me back on track. I don't suffer from seasonal affective disorder, however, living in the ...

Annalivia Barrier Falls 5-String Productions I don’t know how many Irish ballads I’ve heard with the title John Riley since I began covering world music, but a few. And since each ballad has its own distinct signature, I visualize Irish phonebooks containing pages of John Riley. The version that appears on Boston-based Celtic quintet Annalivia’s Barrier Falls , delights my ears. Lead vocalist/guitarist Liz Simmons possesses one of those voices, clear, immaculate, and chockfull of delicate emotions that does the Irish tradition proud. Annalivia with its Celtic chamber sound comprised of banjo, dual fiddles, acoustic guitar, double-bass and vocal harmonies, hits the spot on this rainy Sunday afternoon. The band performs both melancholic love ballads and heartwarming jigs and reels, hailing from Cape Breton, the British Isles, and the US. The musicians polish each track, adding a few twists and 3-part vocal harmonies in the opening and closing tracks. I envision this band pla...

Rhythm: Gotta Have It For many years I felt self-conscious about keeping rhythm with other musicians. I thought I lacked a sense of rhythm because a male musician had spread ugly innuendos about me in regard to rhythm, which I won’t describe here. Then I met a woman at a new age shop who wondered why I mentioned that I had no sense of rhythm. Impossible, she said. Then she asked, do you breathe, does your heart beat? We all have a sense of rhythm. Every creatures on this earth from the dog wagging his tail to the rhythms of Bob Marley’s reggae to the squirrel running in staccato up and down the tree. The fish swimming slowly in the murky pond has rhythm, and as we know, George Gershwin got rhythm too, so did Fred Astaire. If you breathe, if you have a heartbeat, brainwaves, and if you walk, talk, sing, dance, run, crawl, or eat, you do so with rhythm. Back in the mid-1990s I came across Gabrielle Roth’s five rhythms, which included among them, “flowing” and “staccato,” to na...

Did you know that animals enjoy human music? Yes, I realize that you probably already know that various creatures enjoy their own music.  Wolves and coyotes enjoy howling, whales sing their songs, and we can add crickets, bees, birds, and frogs to this list. I often wondered about a connection between human musical expression and the animals themselves.  Then I started observing birds and squirrels, especially around various types of music.  For instance, when I lived in my last apartment in Seattle, I befriended a family of squirrels.  These squirrels would find delight in listening to Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #3. At first, I thought hmmm, what a coincidence.  But every time I played that piece of music on my CD/cassette player, the squirrels would run back and forth on the roof and even let out gleeful cries, if no better words to describe the experience. They also like traditional guitar music from the Dominican Republic. The music matched the ...

I'm already looking at 2011 and what I seek regional music of France (and Corsica), Italy, Spain, Finland, Norway, and the Americas (especially Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina). I encourage labels that release this regional music to contact me by e-mail and then we'll go from there. I look forward to exploring this music. By the way, I'm always interested in acoustic music from Mali, Senegal, and Cuba. WME

I found the Film Movement series movie, The Wind Journeys at my local library.  Directed by Colombian Ciro Guerra and featuring accordionist Marciano Martinez, a road flick marries music exploration. While the Colombian rural music, vallenata takes centerstage, other regional musical traditions appear in the movie.  Highly Recommended. (Especially for the students who enrolled in my Songs of the Americas course). http://www.filmmovement.com/

Mario Romano Quartet Valentina Alma Records Opening with the chestnut, Night in Tunisia , Mario Romano Quartet brings a “Latin tinge” to the debut album, Valentina . It’s hard to imagine that a man who runs a construction company in Toronto, Mario Romano also possesses an extraordinary gift as a pianist. In fact, the press notes cite that Romano waited 40 years before following through on his passion for music. In a way that ‘s a shame, given that jazz audiences waited 4 decades to enjoy Romano’s musical gift.   But on the other hand, he brings maturity, grace, and elegance to his debut album. Sometimes we just have to wait. Romano’s Latin-style piano playing is immersed in Pat LaBarbera’s stunning tenor saxophone, Mark Kelso’s syncopated drumming; and held down by Roberto Occhipinti’s bass. The four musicians travel through mostly jazz standards such as Dizzy Gillespie’s Night in Tunisia , the Beatles’ Norwegian Wood , Jacques Pervert Autumn Leaves (perfect timin...

Jon Manasse and Jon Nakamatsu Bernstein, Gershwin, Novacek, D’Rivera American Music for Clarinet and Piano Harmonia Mundi The clarinet either rubs people the wrong way or in the right hands, enchants its listeners. The reed instrument finds itself in the right hands with Jon Manasse when he pairs up with pianist John Nakamatsu, performing compositions by Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, John Novacek and Paquito d’Rivera. On the recording, American Music for Clarinet and Piano , listeners (even those who don’t enjoy the clarinet), find themselves immersed in a diverse range of musical genres, from blues to nuevo tango, jazz, and of course, American classical. Bernstein and Gershwin of course need no introduction unless you’re reading this review from a remote part of the world. But outside of Pan-Latin jazz, Paquito d’Rivera might be new to listeners’ ears (though hardly new to mine), and John Novacek (the youngest composer on the recording, in his 40s), actually waxes...

Suzanna Owiyo My Roots Kirkelig Kulturverksted Skruk and Mahsa Vahdat In the Mirror of Wine Kirkelig Kulturverksted The Norwegian label Kirkelig Kulturverksted champions women and has been doing so for decades. In the few years that I’ve been reviewing recordings produced by KKV, I’ve come across several compilation albums that brought women musicians from around the world together to fight injustice and celebrate their womanhood. The women that appear on the label lean towards community organizing, championing worthy causes, and employing their musical gifts to better the world, especially their corner of it. I’m thinking of Palestinian vocalist/composer Rim Banna who visits the refugee camps and loans her talents to furthering peace for the Palestinians, and I’m thinking of the Iranian sisters Marjan and Mahsa Vahdat who defied the ban on Iranian women singing in public and gave a concert at the Italian Embassy in Tehran ( Songs from a Persian Garden )....

Marina Rossell Clàssics Catalans… Gran Teatre del Liceu de Barcelona World Village Only an accomplished vocalist/folkloric interpreter could open a concert with a fragile love song sung a cappella ( Touch Me ) and nearly bring the house down. However, Mariana Rossell, a Catalan folkloric specialist delivers a commanding performance ripe with heartfelt emotions. On her CD,  Gran Teatre Del Liceu  from the concert released in 2009 on World Village, I could already hear Rossell’s immaculate phrasing, and felt amazed at the life she breathed into 100 year old songs. The DVD concert offers an hour and half of sheer pleasure as the collection of songs reflecting about love, death, patriotism for Catalonia, and defiance. And if that’s not enough, Rossell treats each story as if they’re her own and she’s a consummate storyteller too. The DVD, Clàssics Catalans provides the entire sold-out concert along with a 30 minute documentary about a handful of the songs Rossell perfo...