The Whole Music Experience

The Beatles, Wikipedia, All You Need is Love If you practice metaphysics or consider yourself new age then you are familiar with the power of words.  Similar to music, words contain vibrations and those vibrations shape our perceptions of reality.  I have also noticed that when you listen to a particular song, you carry the vibration of that song in your body, not to mention the effects are amplified each time your brain repeats the melody and words of the song. Some people don't care about the "reality" they create and they also don't wish to take responsibility for what they create with their words, thoughts, emotions and perceptions.  I'm not addressing that crowd.  I prefer to address those of you who are on the road to mastership of co-creating and prefer to empower yourself with words, music, and sound vibrations.  Most of us may never reach mastership, but why not take the journey anyway and grow more conscious each day on the journey? As a musici...

Mary Poppins movie, Wikipedia We have many tools to deal with stress when it comes to musical vibration.  One way to deal with stress is to temporary distract ourselves by allowing us some playtime.  As adults we are usually bent out of shape by matters of consequence and matters of no consequence as the Little Prince character once told us.  And recently,  intuitive life coach Sonia Choquette and her daughter reminded us of how important fun and play are for our lives (in a e-newsletter). So with all that in mind, I'm bringing you some childhood music gems from bygone eras.  By the way, you can listen to this music with adults, alone or with children.  You can sing along, whistle or dance to the songs if you prefer.  Whatever you decide, engage with the music beyond just listening to the songs.  And then when you have had your fun listening session that will no doubt keep you surfing YouTube for a good plus hour, write down the physical, em...

Wikipedia Anyone who has been involved with new age practices with a focus on the Law of Attraction already knows about the power of words.  But do you know about the power of words playing in the background such as with songs that play in the stores you shop or on your favorite radio station or during those trips to YouTube? While we lacked awareness about the power of words in former decades such as the 1950 through 1980s, we can no longer claim that ignorance.  We have witnessed and experienced how the words of popular songs have affected our lives collectively.  Words that transformed into twisted mantras backed by programmed drum beats and loud guitars that blasted through our chakras bringing us unease and imbalance. I listen to a lot of songs from various genres during my visits to YouTube.  Often times, I find myself wanting to understand why a certain song plays on the repeat mode in my brain when I haven't heard that song in years.  I ask mysel...

Best Newcomer, Brianna Lea Pruett, Gypsy Bells, Canyon Records Top World and Traditional Album Ana Alcaide, La Cantiga del Fuego, Arc Music 2. Vieux Farka Toure, Mon Pays, Six Degrees 3. The Idan Raichel Project, Quarter to Six, Cumbancha 4. The Henry Girls, December Moon, independent release 5. Mario Adnet, Villa Lobos, Boranda 6. Maria Ana Bobone, Fado and Piano, Arc Music 7. Nitanas Largo, Serenity, Canyon Records 8. R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman, Awakening the Fire, Canyon Records 9. Vasco Hernandez, Luz de Otro Manana, Arc Music 10. Techung, On the Road, Arc Music Honorable Mention: Cheevers Toppah, A Good Day, A Better Tomorrow, Canyon Records

Top Album Best of Ravi Shankar, Arc Music  2. Javier Perianes, Debussy Meets Chopin, Harmonia Mundi 3. Godwanda Dawn (South African and Indian), Arc Music 4. William Byrd Ensemble, In the Company of William Byrd, Scribe Records 5. Angela Hewitt and Andrea Oliva, Bach's Flute Sonatas, Hyperion  6. Stile Antico, The Phoenix Rises, Harmonia Mundia 7. La Nuova Musica, Handel/Vivaldi Dixit Dominus, Harmonia Mundi 8. Ballake Sissoko, At Peace, Six Degrees  9. Jerusalem Quartet and Sharon Kam, Brahms Clarinet Quintet, Harmonia Mundi 10. Orchid Ensemble, Life Death Tears Dream, independent release

TOP CD #1 Virginie Teychene, Bright and Sweet, Jazz Village 2. Deborah Latz, Fig Tree, June Moon Productions 3. Mark Winkler, The Laura Nyro Project, Cafe Pacific Records 4. Nilson Mattas, Black Orpheus, Motema  5. Joe Barbieri, Chet Lives!, Le Chant du Monde 6. Hector Del Curto, Eternal Piazzolla, Green Parrot 7. Ahmad Jamal, Saturday Morning, Jazz Village 8. Joe Locke, Lay Down My Heart, Motema 9. Ablaye Cissoko and Volker Goetz, Amanke Dionti, Motema  10. Mulatu Astatke, Sketches of Ethiopia, Jazz Village Coming up Top 10 Classical Albums and Top 10 World Music Albums...

Final CD Review World   Kevin Seddiki and Bijan Chemirani   Imaginarium   World Village    Sometimes we need to lose ourselves in our imagination and often time music provides us this avenue as fodder for fantasy.   For anyone with the desire to escape to somewhere truly exotic, the percussionist and lute duo Kevin Seddiki (guitars and percussion) and Bijan Chemirani (saz (Iranian/Turkish long-neck lute, Persian/Arabic drums and percussion) provide the soundtrack on their CD, Imaginarium (try getting that word past spell check). The mix of music genres ranges from Persian classical with improvisations to Arab-Andalusian and classical guitar.   The guitars along with the drums/percussion provide snaky rhythms, but even so, the music leans towards revelry and not foot-tapping.   La Bohême takes us on a Spanish guitar flight in all its lushness and warmth.   On Saturn’s Rings has a distracting raspy vibration which...

World / Native American   Wayne Silas, Jr. Infinite Passion   Canyon Records Hey everyone, it’s that time of year for Native American round dances--a merry cycle of socializing, dancing, drumming and singing personal as well as, humorous songs.   A regular performer on the pow-wow trail and round dance circles, Wayne Silas, Jr. (Menominee/Oneida) brings us his newest collection of round dance songs, lullabies, and traditional women’s songs on Infinite Passion .   One minute he’s singing at the top of his lungs, another a moment he sings from the bottom of his heart with songs so sweet, intimate and tender that I feel like I’m eavesdropping on his family.   On the other hand, when his group of talented friends joins Silas, I feel like I dropped into a party. My favorite songs lean on the slower melodic side such as Tha Mash Up which features polyrhythms, chimes, and vocal harmonies.   Pray , a duet with Veronica Keeswood also hits th...

World   Toninho Ferragutti O Sorriso da manu   Borandá When I think of South American accordion music, my thoughts usually gravitate towards Argentine tango and the late Astor Piazzolla.   However, many wonderful South American folkloric music centers on the accordion brought to Latin America originally by Italian and German immigrants.   Brazil certainly has its share of folkloric traditions in which the accordion plays a key role.   Brazilian accordionist Toninho Ferragutti and his quartet (accordion, clarinet, percussion, and bass) team of with a chamber ensemble of strings and piano as they explore forró and choro dance songs along with an abstract version of flamenco on the recording O Sorriso da manu. Delightfully playful and contemplative in turns, listen to Flamenta with its lively castanets and the titular track with its klezmer-style clarinet.   When I listen to this recording, I’m reminded more of Finnish accordionist an...