The Whole Music Experience

World Yoga Putumayo   I felt surprised when I received this soothing gem in the mail.   I expected to hear a series of Kirtans sung in a variety of languages, but instead ambient world music greeted my ears when I played Putumayo Presents World Yoga .   The compilation opens with Sona Jobarteh from Gambia humming over a warm acoustic guitar and this short piece invokes our hearts to enter the yogic experience.   Quentin Dujardin (Belgium) follows with more acoustic guitar played slowly with shimmering notes lingering in the air.   It’s funny because until today, I thought the two first tracks represented one song. And if you’re going to listen to World Yoga while practicing your daily yoga (not a bad idea), you would want the 15 tracks to flow into each other, as you flow from one asana to the next.   Surprisingly, most of the songs hail from the African continent, but also Germany (Deva Premal & Miten), USA, Mexico, Tibet, Sweden,...

Arcanto Quartett w/ Olivier Marron Franz Schubert String Quintet op. 163 Harmonia Mundia When I began listening to classical music for healing purposes several years ago, I heard and read little about Franz Schubert, except for a short radio documentary about Schubert during one of his anniversary years.   I had heard snippets of his work, but only recently did I sit down and listen to an entire composition, String Quintet op. 163 performed by the innovative Arcanto Quartett and musical guest Olivier Marron who rounds out the European quintet.   And since Schubert represents a Romantic Era composer, you will hear little restraint, but bursts of passion alternating with tender moments. I have heard this quartet perform before on previous recordings and I’ve also reviewed cellist Jean-Guihen Queyras’ solo efforts, especially his Vivaldi Cello Concertos (Harmonia Mundi), which I feel fondness.   And similar to some of Vivaldi’s pieces, Schubert’s string...