The Whole Music Experience

photo by Patricia Herlevi Ever so often I wake up with an idea for a new blog post for working with sound and music.  Today while meditating, I started paying attention to how my body responded to the songbirds outside my window.  Then I pondered the question, what constitutes music? Since I have listened to music from around the world in a variety of modes, scales, and structures, I understand that when even 3-notes are repeated in a pattern, this constitutes music.  Since all of this music came from humans there was no question as to its status as music.  But when we deal with nature do we consider the frog and bird songs actual music? And what about the frequencies contained in these nature songs, how do they affect our health and well-being? Do you ever wonder? To indigenous musicians and people this is a no-brainer.  To them of course nature provides music and healing frequencies.  Indigenous people the ancients believe that the world is made...

Jazz/Big Band   The Michael Treni Big Band   Pop-Culture Blues   The Bell Production Company   When I think of big band, my mind wanders back to the swing era and the likes of Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.   I’m ready to join a chorus of Stevie Wonder’s Sir Duke commemorating the big band era.   Today, big band is less about swing and more about encompassing the history of jazz played on brassy horns, sultry winds and a big drum sound.   On Pop-Culture Blues , the title says it all, and trombonist and bandleader Michael Treni play jazz with blue notes with finger-snapping rhythms.   Expect high-octane solos on this instrumental album and a variety of blues, including Summer Blues, Smokin’ Blues , Mr. Funky Blues and of course, Pop-Culture Blues which reflects on weariness to pop culture and blues reflecting popular music styles.   I’m enjoying BQE Blues at the moment with sassy horns.   On Minor Blues ,...

World   Yungchen Lhamo & Anton Batagov Tayatha   Cantaloupe Music In 1998, I attended WOMAD USA and witnessed an entrancing performance by Tibetan vocalist Yungchen Lhamo on a small stage.   I witnessed a second performance by the vocalist, equally mesmerizing but on the main stage at WOMAD USA in 2001.   Although I acquired Lhamo’s recordings 2nd and 3rd), on the Real World label, I didn’t care for the musical production on the recordings which buried Lhamo’s vocals underneath high-end guitar washes and programming.   Lhamo has one of those voices that works best in an a cappella setting or lightly framed by a single musical instrument. Fortunately for us, the vocalist paired up with Russian classical pianist Anton Batagov on the recording, Tayatha where the musicians read each others' instincts.   Batagov’s piano though light on the keys possesses shades of virtuoso and waxes musical poetry.   The piano and vocals show up...