The Whole Music Experience

The Afro-Semitic Experience Further Definitions of the Days of Awe Independent Release Outside of the Klezmer tradition, I know little about Jewish music and culture. I think music from any religious tradition reaches more people when it undergoes modernization and innovations. This is no exception with The Afro-Semitic Experience recording Further Definitions of the Days of Awe which incorporates musical styles outside the Jewish realm such as tango, rock, Afro-funk, and salsa.   However, with so many diverse styles traipsing in and out of the studio and live performances featured on this recording, in my opinion, the overall production feels cluttered at times. The musicians bring passion and enthusiasm to this collaboration which includes old school cantors jack and Daniel Mendelson and in the live performances, cantors Lisa Arbisser and Erik Contzius along with horns, percussion, woodwinds, and keyboards.   The opener Ashrie, Part 1 sounds haunting ...

C.J. Chenier Can’t Sit Down World Village The title of C.J. Chenier’s new zydeco recording, Can’t Sit Down sums up my body’s response to this rousing music.   The first time I listened to the CD, I popped it into my portable player while riding the bus.   While I didn’t get up and dance the boogie woogie, my feet were tapping so hard that other bus riders turned around to see who was causing the commotion.   They responded to my large grin with gawks and puzzled looks. So I’d like to thank the son of the legendary Clifton Chenier for waking my body up after a long and exhausting day. If you seek traditional zydeco in its purist acoustic form, you won’t find that here.   C.J. blends rhythm and blues (listen to Timothy Betts electric guitar solos on most tracks) with zydeco accordion and rhythms.   The oddest instrument that appears on the recording is an African kalimba which opens the Tom Waits’ classic Clap Hands and the most familiar in...

Howard Shore’s The Lord of the Rings Symphony Performed by 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus Kaitlyn Lusk, Soprano, Ludwig Wicki, Conductor Howe Records/BR Klassik I’m a closet fan of The Lord of the Rings series, both the movies and the books. When I saw a CD for a symphony, adapted from the film score for LOTR , I jumped at the opportunity to review the CD. I’m listening to disc 2 at the moment, and listened to the entire symphony yesterday. Memories from the movie in the form of emotions flood my brain as I listen to the score. Similar to another fantasy classic, Star Wars , J.R.R Tolkien’s classic promotes the triumph of love over fear or good over evil. Innocent characters (Hobbits) go on a quest for a power object that had fallen into the wrong hands. This quest goes on through a series of books, or for those who just watched the movies, 12 hours of cinema with a glorious music soundtrack. And it amazes me just how powerful this score is since I’m sure it...