Instrumental Jazz-New Age-Ambient Review: UMA-Wishing Well

Release Date: July 16, 2021

Label:  ‎ myndstream

Website: https://www.alekseisaks.com/uma/ 

http://robertjyrjendal.com

UMA are the project of two Estonian musician’s guitarist Robert Jürjendal and trumpet/corno da caccia player Aleksei Saks.

The duo came together at the beginning of 2007. The name UMA comes from the South Estonian Seto dialect and it means ‘own.’

The cover of Wishing Well, their latest release, gives a potential listener a soft and pleasing image before the music starts. Imagery is everything, particularly with instrumental music. Even though most listeners will see their own pictures in their mind’s eye, the soft blue color and singularity of the tree on a hill and its shadow on the ground brings you instant solace. The gentle guitar and horn are all these two gentlemen need to create a delectable array of sounds.

Now the idea from this point is to offer a selection of tracks to take that one image to the next step in the process. This is exactly what Robert and Aleksei do with the offering of 10 beautifully done tracks. The music has many elements that intersect including jazz, smooth jazz, new age, ambient, and all of them blended into each individual track. The combination is very effective and quite pleasant.

As you move from track to track the horn and guitar lead the way as well as the unique corno da caccia which is a piccolo horn. If you have any interest or particularly enjoy any of the genres that are part of this music, you will most definitely appreciate what you hear on Wishing Well.

This is duo is very skilled and precise in their presentation and the flow, overall sound, and engineering values of this recording are superb. Sometimes when you put on certain music, it is exactly what you need to hear. In this case that applied 100% for me on this listen. In fact, I would listen any time of day or evening because this is the kind of music I can appreciate. It is warm, inviting, and most of all, the enjoyment you can obtain from beginning to end is notable.

You can have your own private Wishing Well with a click or the push of a button. As all the wonders of modern technology merge with exceptional musicians, the chances of creating something special are always possible. In this case, it became a reality and I am glad I had the opportunity to discover and enjoy all the amazing music on this recording.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
July 19, 2021

Tracks:
01. Wishing Well
02. Old Diaries
03. Pilgrim’s Path
04. Lightness of the Soul 3
05. Petite Ouverture à Danser
06. Lost A Dream
07. Longing
08. My Days
09. Deep Sea
10. Beyond Skylin

Instrumental World-New Age Review: Kelly Andrew- Revelation

Release Date: May 14, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

It has been over four years since I heard the music of Kelly Andrew. 2016’s Rendezvous was my introduction. It was quite an introduction as I recall and the music was very cinematic. Judging by the first track and title track “Revelation,” I was in for another journey to instrumental music nirvana.

 

Kelly creates music that stirs the soul and makes your heart beat faster, in a good way. This music can also invigorate and relax all within the same song. So, if you are the type of listener that is looking for all that moving and emotional music then you will love Revelation.

 

As the music progressed onward to the third track “Spark of Life,” you are engulfed in its awesome energy and sound. It is so picturesque. The track title is spot on. I envisioned a person climbing Mt. Everest and getting to the top to plant their flag. This is a typical journey one can take while listening to this music. For my enjoyment and listening experience, that is perfect and the music plants visions inside my head and gets me excited. This is not a meditative state by any means, it is just too beautiful and exhilarating for you to get to that plane of existence. I would keep in mind that there are elements of the music that can get you focused and relaxed enough to get into the healing phase. That is a different state of mind and a place that exists in our consciousness as well, that is activated right at the start of the music, whether you realize it or not. I am grateful for that awareness and all the power the music holds for me.

 

“Escape” is another very cinematic one that could be used in a particularly exciting action scene in a film. Also, I believe there are certain documentaries where this music would fit, think of Planet Earth or something along those lines, in the same line of thought, films that exhibit the power of mother nature at work is a thought that comes to mind.

 

On the other side of that is the world new age track “Onagar,” with its irresistible tribal beats, sounds, keyboards, synths, and breathy nonword vocals. It is what you would expect and want to hear in a track that fits the world new age genre. The entire album is that genre, it just comes at you from different places, styles, and persuasions. In any case, whatever the way it hits you, you know it and find yourself part of the story very quickly. Now to me, that is very cool, it’s like reading a great story without having to read any words. 

 

“Arrival” is another energy-packed track with some great lead guitar, and I mean rocking. It fits well but only lasts for 2:45 minutes and I could have listened to twice or three times as much with what that track had to offer. It is because I love to hear great guitar lines. That very fleeting disappointment ends with “Manifesto” that comes at your bursting with all the color and energy that life can offer in one song.

 

For some listeners, I think artists like Yanni or Rick Wakeman will come to mind with their fabulous on-stage presentations with full orchestras all around the main instrument, keyboards. Those big productions like Journey To The Center of The Earth were my first thought. I could not help but have those thoughts and images go through my head.

 

I give full credit to Kelly Andrew for a magnificent and exciting instrumental production that brings you all the color, textures, various sounds, and inspirational voices that are tied into all this music to give it that final touch, that push that makes you feel like anything is possible and life is good because we are alive and well to enjoy it. And in the end, it will be a Revelation. 

 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

July 18, 2021

Tracks:
01. Revelation (3:39)
02. Times Untold (3:23)
03. Spark of Life (3:34)
04. Humanity (4:38)
05. Escape (3:56)
06. Onagar (4:32)
07. Arrival (2:45)
08. Manifesto (3:11)
09. Rebellion (4:34)
10. Days of Van (2:27)
11. The Garden (3:19)
12. Material Sons (2:37)
13. Regret (5:16)
14. Veil of Tears (3:52)
15. Samaria (2:45)
16. Sage of Salem (5:42)
17. Divine Embrace (3:39)

 

New Age Instrumental Review: Dean And Dudley Evenson-Monet’s Garden

Release Date: April 21, 2021

Label:  ‎ Soundings of Planet

Website

Dean Evenson (Silver & Cedar Flutes, Keyboards, Field Recordings) and Dudley Evenson (Harp, Hand Harp, Singing Bowls, Chimes) released Monet’s Garden in April this year. This duo creates music to match the beautiful scenery of the background on the cover of this recording.

To present what went into this effort...they took their dream trip to Monet’s world to gather footage after a lifetime of admiring and studying his life and paintings. From that lifelong journey, 12 tracks emerged.

By using their chosen instruments, the recordings encompass natural sounds such as birds in all their happiness, and with the harp and flute as the main instruments, and the addition of keyboards, singing bowls, and chimes, a musical garden is created. Some may call it nirvana, it felt that way to me and I believe based on what I garnered from reading about these two profound artists, they successfully created their garden of delights merging art with music.

Every listening experience is something new for me. In this case, this was my introduction to the music of the Evenson’s. And what a way to start. I found this music beautiful and so deeply relaxing and meditative. I find several different pathways to where I need to be through music like this. I found it was all easily assimilated. The reason why was the flow of the entire recording. To my senses, it was like one journey or path, in essence like one song. I find it more difficult to mention any single track as a key because the entire album was a doorway for me. For my interpretation, that is the highest compliment I can give an artist. To command my attention and appreciation in such a way that I was totally focused and listening intently, that is the ultimate for my ears. I would think that is what any recording artist would want and the desired result for many listeners.

I love the sound of birds and there is one singing sparrow in my backyard I hear every day. My life would be incomplete without it. There is a lot of that interlaced in this music, which gave me an immediate level of comfort and acceptance. That is the organic touchpoint that I got from Monet’s Garden.

One of the things mentioned in the information I received was that this album Contains Earth Resonance Frequency for deeper relaxation and a heightened state of peacefulness. It certainly has that effect, and all of the instrumentation is excellent as well as the engineering and sound values.

Monet’s Garden is a storybook music experience, page by page you enter a garden in your mind’s eye with all the colors and beauty that Monet could capture in his paintings, with the light of the day dancing through the trees, the sun shining brightly and the birds showing their appreciation, this is a listening experience you need to have whether you want to meditate or just relax.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
July 12, 2021

Tracks:
01. Water Lily Nymphs         
02. Wisteria Foot Bridge       
03. Golden Tones                   
04. Splendid Irises                  
05. Water Garden                    
06. Spring Impressions           
07. Enchanted Garden Path     
08. Field of Flowers          
09. Pond Reflections              
10. Cascading Willows       
11. Play of Light
12. Evening in Giverny 

New Age Music Review: Chakuna Machi Asa - Auroral Magic

Release Date: June 11, 2021

Label:  Independent

Website

I am always in search of something different and inspiring when it comes to my listening experiences. That is something I do not expect before any listen but when it happens, I am filled with joy and anticipation throughout the entire listen.

I felt blessed once again when Chakuna Machi Asa started singing the first track “Blood of Our Ghost” on her recent release Auroral Magic. I understand the title of that track is not typically new age, but then again this is not your typical new age recording.

There is tremendous creativity and variety on this album. From new age, chill, meditation, piano-based, ambient, and everything else, like sounds of nature, comes together splendidly. It is primarily instrumental for focus although hearing vocals is a nice change at times.

The opening track got my interest and attention right away. That is exactly the way to start an album. As I mentioned earlier, I found the title quite striking and prolific at the same time. Chakuna’s voice is very effective and you will warm right up to it. It is a very catchy tune.

I particularly liked the way “The Wind” was so relaxing and natural and how ethereal and mysterious “Time Womb” was. Now that is another thought-provoking title. Are you in your own “Time Womb” or can you create a new one while listening to this music? I suppose each individual has to find out for themselves. I believe that music is a very personal experience and if it is good enough, it can heal you and become your own story.

Keep in mind what the artist is trying to accomplish with her music. She wants to invite all listeners to take a deep dive into their spirituality and to discover our gifts. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses and music such as this can bring you to more realizations regarding your humanity and capabilities. The key to the kingdom here is to allow the sounds, vibrations, colors, and atmospheres to guide you down the necessary path to your enlightenment. Again, it is an individual thing for each listener as it should be.

This album comes exactly as advertised, magic, Auroral Magic, for all its colors, complexities, simplicity, beauty, and wonderment. For many listeners, including myself, these wonderful sounds will be a journey of discovery and awakenings. I would think that is exactly what the artist would like you to experience once you have enjoyed this powerful musical creation and artistic statement.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
July 14, 2021

Tracks:
01. Blood of Our Ghost (4:03)
02. Elven Magic (3:07)
03. Planet Xeron (6:19)
04. Dancing Reflections (2:41)
05. The Wind (6:40)
06. Time Womb (5:45)
07. Blue Moon (6:20)
08. Space Shift (5:02)
09. Our Escape (7:46)
10. The Whale Song (5:45)
11. John (7:28)
12. Auroral Magic (4:51)

New Age Meditation Review: Yuval Ron-kids sanctuary (Volumes 1, 2 ,3)

Release Date: May 7, 2021

Label: Metta Mindfulness Music

Website

Metta Mindfulness Music and Yuval Ron have joined once again to release kids sanctuary. This set comes in three sections.

These three albums make up this comprehensive group of tracks:

Album 1: Healing Music For Your Child and Your Inner Child
Album 2: Guided Mindful Listening and Sound Remedies
Album 3: Mindfulness Practices With Healing Soundscapes

With Yuval Ron are master musicians Radha Prasad (Bansuri flute,) Adam del Monte (guitar), Marcia Dickstein (harp), and Brien Engel (glass harmonica). The combination of these enlightened spirits is very effective.

This is a brilliant production carefully crafted to engage your youngsters in listening, focusing, and a meditative reflective state of consciousness. For a child certainly, the level of attainment in these areas is quite different with each individual and nothing like an adult experience. And to that point, it is created to reach that demographic.

The point here I believe is to introduce your child to a different experience other than computer games or television. It is a paradigm shift for the parents and the children without a doubt. The age group that I would consider introducing this to would be toddlers to as high as the sixth-grade level.  

To start the journey the music is the focus on Healing Music For Your Child and Your Inner Child. This is a good way to get comfortable and familiarize yourself with all of the sounds, textures, and colors that being created for your own healing process.

The second segment Guided Mindful Listening and Sound Remedies, can be an awakening for the child and adult while listening. The key here is your inner child, which in retrospect can apply to any age as far as I am concerned. This is perceived through my own listening experience and lens if you will. We are unique individuals that respond differently to sounds, vibrations, and colors. This music is full of all three attributes to engage a new audience that finds encouragement from their parents. One of the key components is the child’s voice leading the way with an introduction to what sounds to listen for and then a sample of that particular sound. In other instances, with the third volume, Mindfulness Practices With Healing Soundscapes, the lovely adult voice of Ms. Alicia Goyal of the BBC, provides the same instruction but this time regarding colors to look for.

If you go to the website, you will find many options and opportunities to expand upon this body, mind, and spirit sojourn. There is a 15-day kids sanctuary course, videos, and French, Hebrew, Mandarin, and Spanish versions. So, there you have it, wonderful music and diversity and inclusion a part of the entire presentation.

Listening through this set I found peace, enlightenment, and a great relaxing experience in all the music being offered on the three sets. I could understand how this could work very well with developing children and how it would be an effective method of sparking their neuropathways. The people involved with creating and producing this impressive project know what they’re doing and the musicians are superb. It is a collective partnership that has an amazing result and the people that will benefit from this are all the parents and children looking for an alternative method of learning, relaxation, and the mindful listening experience that can be so important before they go to school and when they are already there.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
June 16, 2021
 

Tracks/Notes From The CD:

1. Kids Sanctuary

Healing, soothing and relaxing music to cultivate inner peace, and help children self-regulate.

Based on the wisdom of Chinese and Ayurvedic traditions and recent advances in modern neuroscience,
this track was crafted for children’s wellbeing.

2. Sleepy Time

Mesmerizing and soothing sounds, perfect for deep relaxation, nap time, or before going to bed.

3. Enchanted Waters

A track to cool down, unwind and be invited to relax with the magical sounds of kalimbas.

Four different kinds of water sound: bubbles, creek, rain, and ocean waves, create a cooling down experience, to wash away stress and anxiety.

You can play it before bedtime or during your child’s cool down routine.

You might even let it play in the background when you feel your child is over activated, to help their body regulate.

4. Bye Bye, Belly Ache

This flowing and bubbly music track is an invitation to relax, let go, and move the blocked air in your body and your life.
It can be especially helpful for children with tummy aches or for colicky infants and toddlers.

The main instrument featured in this track is a glass harmonica, chosen for its flowing qualities, representing the element of air.

5. Focus Pocus

A relaxing track created to nurture the flow of creativity and concentration.

The sweet and flowy sound of the harp promotes the stimulating and sharpening of the senses.
A great track to play in the background while your child is studying or playing.

Track Feature: The Song Gardeners-Harmony of Contrast

"Harmony of Contrast" is the latest musical seed flowering and blooming to perfection for The Song Gardeners. Their music and positive vibes picks up where the last single track release left off.All of the beautiful lead and backing vocals of Mary Gospe and the backing vocals of Corrie Dunn (piano) give their sound a warm invitation to any listener. David  Scheibner steps in to provide the guitars on this outing. 

The words this group provides are always thought provoking and enlightening. 

They get their point across with impactful lyrics like:
Wouldn't life be dull and gray, if we all looked the same way?
Wouldn't life be dull and gray, if we all thought the same way?
Wouldn't life be dull and gray, if we all lived the same way?

The message does not get any clearer and more concise than that. And with the truth flowing through the music and words, you end the listen with a new perspective. Where would we be without "Harmony and Contrast?"

Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck

 

 

Buy/Streaming Link: https://dashgo.co/debndvb

Harmony of Contrast (Official Lyric Video) - https://vimeo.com/565052884 

Visit The Song Gardener's Website: https://www.thesonggardeners.com

The Song Gardeners is a musical duo from the San Francisco Bay Area featuring singer/songwriter Corrie Dunn (vocals, piano, guitar) and singer/songwriter Mary Gospe (vocals, guitar, percussion).

Their original songs are filled with positive, empowering messages and beautiful harmonies.

New Age Review: 2002-Hummingbird

Release Date: June 11, 2021

Label: myndstream

Website

https://myndstream.fanlink.to/Hummingbird-2002 

 

A little over a year ago I covered the 2002 album Celtic Fairy Dream. Now at the beginning of June Hummingbird will be released. There are no coincidences in life and I have always loved to watch birds. And hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures. Friends of mine have a feeder for them and I was thinking about getting one. This was a mere two weeks ago. So now I am sitting here listening to an album dedicated to those very birds. 

2002 is a wonderful family group and immensely talented. They are the mother, father, and daughter team of Randy Copus (guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals), Pamela Copus (flutes, Celtic harp, keyboards, vocals), and Sarah Copus (Celtic harp, vocals). They are totally in sync and their productions bear out that synchronicity time after time on Hummingbird.

”Gathering the Clouds” is a good example of the great music this family can create, engineer, and then produce. The orchestrations and wordless vocals on the track are gorgeous. It swept me away into their cloud of sounds and I just floated away with them. What more could a hardworking, anxiety-ridden, stressed individual ask for at the end of the day? Yes, I can fit that profile some days. I tend to be highly self-motivated, focused, and push too hard at times. This takes a tremendous amount of energy and I need a space to call my own to step outside that realm. Even knowing this, at times I have a hard time leaving my conscious mind behind for a reprieve.

I do need to climb the “Sacred Mountain” for relief. But don’t we all? This track featured some nice ambient keyboard layers and flute. The underlying orchestrations are always the key to this music. They give the tracks a meaningful foundation to build on and you cannot help but feel some elation and the profoundness of this music. This is new-age music at its very best. All the right combinations come into play to set your mind and spirit at ease amidst all of the elevating sounds and textures that create all the colors and visions in your mind’s eye.

Everything about Hummingbird speaks to the sacredness of life and nature and our interdependence and connection. Each track takes you to a different place and it’s all about the beauty and pureness of nature and all its bounty. The music expresses that fully in a very distinct way. On “Through the Rainbow” you can hear the gentle fluttering of the hummingbird’s wings through the sounds of the instruments and the lovely inviting acoustic guitar lines.

These are some examples of the many facets and talents of the Copus family and how many sounds three people can put together. At times it sounds like a choir accompanied by an orchestra. The clean and crisp recordings having some fine production values and this team utilizes all of their talents to great advantage to make Hummingbird one of the best new age releases of 2021. I would count on it receiving a lot of praise and some awards for its efforts and contributions to humanity. This is musical meditation for a new age and universal healing for the world. Welcome to Galactic Playground Music.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
June 11, 2021
 

Tracks:

01. Rainbow Cove (5:39)  
02. Walela (4:12)  
03. Gathering the Clouds (5:04)  
04. Sunlight in Rain (4:20)  
05. Sacred Mountain (4:46)  
06. Through the Rainbow (5:02)  
07. Courting the Moon (5:37)  
08. Jasmine Rain (4:09)  
09. Wind Dancer (5:19)  
10. First Day of Spring (4:57)
 

New Age Acoustic Review: Ryan Michael Richards-More Than Time

Release Date: February 20, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

 

Ryan Michael Richards started playing guitar at 14 and was influenced by artists on Will Ackerman’s Windham Hill label like Ackerman himself and Alex De Grassi. The acoustic guitar performances of the EP More Than Time, echo those influences in a most profound and appealing way.

I enjoyed all of that Windham Music myself back in the early 90s so have some familiarity with the artists he references on his bio and in his approach and style. For this listen that is a door I willing walked through without any hesitation. Not to say I knew exactly what to expect but had some idea.

The five tracks on the EP are beautifully presented with Ryan Michael’s precision acoustic guitar playing.

“Moving Forward” starts off the proceedings with a warm introduction to the acoustic bliss you are going to experience from beginning to end. A little over 3 minutes gets the atmosphere set with some very nice and infectious notes. The sound of one man playing acoustic guitar and sounding like two is an amazing thing to hear. I most certainly appreciated his abilities straight away and anticipated more of the same.

“At Your Leisure” continues with the relaxing ambiance and the exquisite addition of Premik Russell Tubbs (Lyricon) and Michael Manring (Bass). The additional instrumentation is added layers of serenity that are easily created by the joining of all three instruments. Ryan’s guitar permeates the track and invites the other sounds to intermingle with his acoustic guitar like it was simply meant to be. In case anyone was wondering, the Lyricon is an electronic wind instrument that sounds similar to a flute. The track is the longest on the EP clocking in at 5:18. It was my favorite track.

Charlie Bisharat (violin) and Jill Haley (English Horn) join Ryan on “May I Have This Dance.” The title is very insightful into the question being asked of a prospective dance partner. I think what brings that element out more than ever is Charlie’s violin. It sounds elegant and with the appropriate addition of Jill’s English Horn, the track takes on a very majestic aspect, like watching the King and Queen dancing in the ballroom to start the coronation of the new prince in the castle.

“Friday At Five” is quite different than all the other tracks. It has a distinctly different rhythm to it, as all the others do, however, this one caught my ear as a different style of picking than what I heard previously. It is very purposeful and succinct but once you hear it, it definitely feels like a step away from the flow you heard prior.

“Timeless” which is the second-longest track at 4:01, closes out the EP. Premik returns to play but this time a lovely “quiet storm” saxophone gives the track a nice acoustic new age jazz feel. This I absolutely love and have appreciated for many years now. The interface of the genres, Ryan’s beautiful playing, and Premik’s lovely sax make this one a real gem and superb way to close out the album.

Although More Than Time is a brief excursion of acoustic ear candy, it is enough to satisfy any musical palette. It was done well by all involved including the unbeatable production team of Will Ackerman and Tom Eaton.

So, grab your favorite comfy chair, pop in the CD “At Your Leisure” and enjoy every second offered on More Than Time. I know I did.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
June 2, 2021

Tracks:

1. Moving Forward
2. At Your Leisure
3. May I Have This Dance
4. Friday At Five
5. Timeless