The Whole Music Experience

Cheevers Toppah Renewed Spirit Harmonized Church Hymns of the Kiowa Canyon Records Louie Gonnie Breathe Deep the Dusk Fall Songs of the Native American Church Canyon Records Antonio Woody Old Style Native American Peyote Songs Canyon Records I wrote an in depth article on the Native American Church and peyote songs several years ago which you can find on this blog (see links at the end of the review), so I’m not going into scholarly detail here. However, Kiowa Cheevers Toppah, Dinè Louie Gonnie represent the more prominent younger generation of harmonized peyote song singers recording these days. In fact, they’re prolific releasing at least one recording per year that showcases their talent and spiritual devotion. Antonio Woody, also from the Dinè people brings us the Native American peyote songs of his ancestors, performing them in the old style. While I’ve never ingested peyote myself or attended a Native American Church service, I will attest to the psychedel...

Paulo Fresu, A Filetta Corsican Voices & Daniele di Bonaventura Mistico Mediterraneo ECM A lone lyric jazz trumpet, an Italian bandoneon, and Corsican vocals combine to create a haunting soundtrack for Mother Earth on the album Mistico Mediterraneo . In my opinion, this gorgeous recording will likely appeal to sensitives (which comprise only 30% of the population), and sophisticated music audiences. It’s not going to appeal to the average music listener who prefers the jangles of pop music. Corsican polyphony alone has the power to stop a listener in his or her track, but I’ve noticed that only more evolved humans gravitate towards this music. It’s as if you need to listen with an inner ear to fully comprehend it. Sadly, much of what I review on this blog fits into this category because the most powerful healing music scrubs the soul clean, leaving it bare and vulnerable to daylight. Not everyone enjoys this type of musical journey. Too bad because this type of purging ...