The Whole Music Experience

The Joe Locke Quartet Lincoln Symphony Orchestra Wish Upon a Star Motema When I was in second or third grade, the music teacher introduced me to musical timbre and I fell in love with musical instruments as well as, instrumental arrangements.   Enters jazz vibraphonist Joe Locke and his collaboration with the Lincoln Symphony Orchestra on the lush recording Wish Upon a Star and I remember those early days of my love affair with music. When music audiences think of jazz or pop musicians recording with symphonies, they usually recall walls of strings arrangements from the 1960s and early 1970s, but this recording offers a lot more musical flavors, jazz grooves, and musical twists than those 1960s collaborations.   In fact, this partnership shows us where enchantment meets with adventure.   I would use the adjectives beautiful and exciting to describe the six arrangements that appear on the CD, including two originals penned by Locke, Avai...

W orld /Folkloric Zadashe Intangible Pearls   Ancient Polyphony from the Republic of Georgia Electric Cowbell Records Traditional and sacred music from the Republic of Georgia carries with it a rich history of wine making, migration and exile, as well as, its connection to the Russian Orthodox Church.   The songs possess complex polyphonic harmonies that similar to the polyphonic vocal music from Sardinia (Italy) and Corsica (France), blow people’s minds or at least cause its listeners to experience deep emotions while listening to these songs.   The arrangements on Zadeshe’s Intangible Pearls feature mixed-gender vo ices singing traditional work, friendship, religious, feasting, wine making, and battle songs. However, the musicians treat their listeners to choral a cappella songs as well as, providing instrumental accompaniment on the traditional lutes, harp, drum and accordion.   And while those instruments add a certain charm to th...

Balancing Chakras and Doshas I first encountered Javier Ramon Brito when he joined my LinkedIn group Musical Healers.  Metaphysician/sound healer/musician/music producer/energy healer all rolled into one person, Javier represents a modern renaissance healer.  A visit to his website (which I listed at the end of this interview) reveals a wide array of recordings, articles, services, and shared wisdom.   When I first came up with the idea for the new Whole Music Experience feature Music-Sound-Healing, Javier came to mind.  I’m especially fascinated with his knowledge that correlates specific compositions or types of music to meridian and chakra systems in our bodies.  I had asked a question in Musical Healers (and not the first person to ask this question), “If Ch opin 's and Mozart’s music is so healing then why did the composer suffer from ill health?”  See Javier’s complete response to this question in this interview.  I also encourage y...

World Orchid Ensemble   Life Death Tears Dream Independent Release (Canada)  I first encountered the Orchid Ensemble at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in 2003.  That same summer a publicist representing several Vancouver-based ensembles and bands, sent me Heartland (the ensemble's 2000 CD), then in 2004, I connected with Lan Tung, the founder of Orchid Ensemble and the erhu (Chinese fiddle) player.  She sent me the CD, Road to Kashgar .  Both recordings, world music with an emphasis on classical Chinese songs and instruments left an impression on me.  Now, almost a decade after the ensemble’s second CD, I received Life Death Tears Dream in the post. While Heartland featured Chinese songs and Road to Kashgar featured Silk Road songs, the latest recording melds western and eastern music thus presenting world music in the broadest sense.  For instance, you might wonder about the Spanish titled song, Ay La Llamo which spotlig...