Indo Jazz Fusion Review: Ray Spiegel Ensemble-Moksha

Release Date: 2014

Label: BMI

Website

Ray Spiegel began his journey into music when he was but a lad of thirteen years. Transfixed by the Indian performers he heard playing, he burned to learn more and thus began his voyage into the deep and churning waters of the music industry. Moksha is his newest release. Artists and special features in this album include: Stephen James (violin, sarod), lra Coleman (bass, electric bass and Hodu), Tani Tabbal (cajon, drums), Ramesh Misra (sarangi), Ray Spiegel (tabla drums, manjira, marimba, percussion), Melanie Richeson, (harp), Junior Gabo Wedderburn (djembe, wood bongo, congas), Stan Scott (harmonium), Hansa Veena (Hindustani slide guitar), Robert Levin (talking drum, percussion), Frank Velardi (drums) and sounds of nature recorded at Simla House, West Hurley, NY.

Filled with sounds of Classical Indian music blended with a modern fusion sound, Moksha is an album full of surprises. The title track, “Moksha” trickles to life with string instruments and sounds of water.  These quickly morph into a catchy percussive elements complete with sarong and tabla weaving in and out of the flawless composition. Sounds of nature bring crispness to the piece, making you feel that you are standing in the middle of a land of magic and mystery.

“Wild Mushrooms at Telluride” is one of my favorite songs on the album. A heavy downpour brings the piece to life. Thunder clashes. Birds chirp in the aftermath of the storm. Plunking little sounds intersperse with the musical backdrop, so you aren’t sure if you are hearing a cacophony of frogs, or something else. You turn your ear and cock your head. Yes. It is a forest of mushrooms bursting wild from the soil. The joyful popping sounds fall in line with the classic Indian instruments, weaving with modern day fusion techniques to give this piece a fresh and intoxicating experience for the listener. It is the longest track on the album, but it so enjoyable I did not mind it in the least. String instruments blend with the popping sounds and it began to remind me of a manic episode of a body snatcher movie-with happy little mushrooms taking over the world one pod at a time. Excellent melody. Instruments included in this unique piece were: sarod, sarangi, harmonium, percussion and more.

“Farewell” is the final piece on the album. Tinkling bells, the swaying lilt of a harp and the soothing and sensual moves of the Hindustani slide guitar make this one of the most beautifully crafted tracks on the album. I found myself closing my eyes and drifting into a place of peace, never wanting the song to end. Tabla, percussion and a variety of unique instruments helped to make this piece a remarkable one.

All of the artists contributing to Moksha should be very proud of what they have put together. An album of rich culture and diversity, it speaks to Classical Indian techniques and instruments, but goes one step further in breaking down the barriers between the past and present. Jazz infusions blend with classic sound to create new landscapes for listeners to enjoy. Elements of Bollywood and street pieces intersperse with Afro-Cuban, Indian Folk and more. I for one feel privileged to have come across this remarkable album. If you will excuse me, I think I want to go listen to those popping little mushrooms again. Catchy little things. If you enjoy a window into world music at its best, try Moksha. 

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Wild Mushrooms At Telluride, Once Around, Farewell

Tracks: 
1.Moksha
2.Once Around
3.Soul at Sunrise
4.Tal Sawari
5.Wolfy’s Dream
6.Connect the Dots
7.Wild Mushrooms at Telluride
8.Farewell

DanaWright, Sr. Staff Writer

August 8, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Recording your amp at home - Part 1: Gear

In this day and age, it is no longer necessary to go to your local studio in order to do some quality guitar tracking. Sure, they have lots of expensive gear and much more recording experience, but with some time, patience, and money (trust me, not a lot of money!), you will be well on your way towards learning how to capture those amazing tones you've been coaxing out of your setup. READ MORE!

New Age Instrumental Review: Steven Vitali-Language of the Soul

Release Date: June 10, 2013

Label: Vitali Music Entertainment Corporation / Dream Music Publishing

Website

Steven Vitali began his musical journey with an upright piano and a dream. Thirty five years later he is still making music and sharing his gift of emotionally intuitive soundscapes. In his album Language of the Soul, Vitali has seventeen original instrumental pieces he composed, arranged and produced himself. Each one holds a resonance of time, space and memories reaching out to the listener, providing a tranquil moment in a hectic world.

“Everything Happens for a Reason” was a piece inspired by Vitali’s friend Larry Dunn. Elegant keyboard fans out and encapsulates the musical landscape. Electronic elements span out across the background, bleeding into the picture like a watercolor stretching across a paper canvas. Rife with color and texture, this piece is joyful and spontaneous. Vocals pop in at the last segment of the song, highlighted with glittering percussion. The composition and arrangement of this piece is very well done and it captured my attention immediately. 

“A Sign of the Dragon” begins with a foreboding Asian flare. Like the soundtrack for a beautifully costumed drama set in the Far East in the time of ninjas and warring dynasties, this piece holds wisps of the past. Electronic keyboard components pop and bring the track back to modern times. Chanting and a spiraling percussive element add layers and complexity to the song. Sounds of wind, water and elemental magic stir the imagination as the listener bear witness to the mystery and majesty of a being lost in the mists of time. If you listen closely, you can hear the brush of the dragon’s wings.

“Hope’s Theme” was written in memory of Vitali’s dog, Hope. Keyboards send the song whirling to life with a light romping arrangement. A dog lover myself, I can see the feeling he had for his furry child in every note. From the ethereal twinkle of the bells, to the voices calling out love and greetings from behind the veil, the piece also calls back the times of playful wandering. The simple things are the ones we miss when they’re gone. The velvet touches of a dog’s face as she lays her cheek against yours at night. The soulful eyes that see into your soul and love you even on your worst day. Those are the moments frozen in time…in memories. This song brings back Hope and I can see her bounding along having a carefree moment in the company of her master. Those are the times that make life worth living.

Steven Vitali has a way of grasping the emotional energy of a memory or situation and giving it life within a few notes of well-orchestrated music. Language of the Soul is exactly what the title claims it to be. This album is a window to the inner life of an artist. Instruments include keyboards, piano, guitar, drums and percussion.  From a song for a friend to memories of his mother and canine companion, this album is a relaxing soundscape of eloquently put together electronic sound and classical improvisation. I enjoyed it immensely and it is a perfect way to end a very busy day.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Everything Happens for a Reason, A Sign of the Dragon, Hope’s Theme

Tracks:
01.Everything Happens for a Reason
02.Guitar of Soul
03.Stephanie
04.Be the Miracle
05.Creative Soul
06.Human Race Humanity a Runner in Motion
07.A Sign of the Dragon
08.Forever Germaine
09.Soul and the Senses
10.Maritime Shores
11.Red Piano
12.Believe
13.Soul Healing
14.Tomorrow Starts Here
15.My Father My Prayer
16.Hope's Theme
17.Piano in Paris

Dana Wright, Sr. Staff Writer

July 18, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Get Your Song Ideas from Symphonic and Heavy Metal Music

Russ Suereth

Last week we discussed getting music ideas from new age and ambient music. This week we’ll discuss getting ideas from symphonic music and heavy metal.

It’s hard to find two types of music that are more different from each other than heavy metal and symphonic music. But they are also similar, because both can excel at musical passages that are simple and hard to get out of your head.

Case in point is Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor. Written around 1805, this composition starts with the famous ta-ta-ta-daa, ta-ta-ta-daa. These eight notes are part of our ordinary music knowledge, and have been used by modern groups such as the Electric Light Orchestra.

The point here is that these eight simple notes can be used as a basis for your eight-note or ten-note hook. Sometimes it’s the simple things that are memorable and that catch a person’s ear.

The same goes for heavy metal music. There have been a lot of great hooks in heavy metal for years. Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album is full of powerful hooks. For instance, the beginning of the song “Ironman” has a great guitar hook that feels like a giant metallic beast stomping across the countryside. That piece still makes me smile today.

Other heavy metal examples, of course, can be found in Led Zeppelin tunes. The song “Good Times Bad Times” starts off with a great riff from Jimmy Page that is simple and memorable.

Just because Beethoven and Page were, and are, great artists does not mean you should be intimidated. Just focus on the notes, and forget the rest of the song, and everything else. Start playing some notes on the keyboard or the guitar, and find something you like and that sounds catchy. Keep it simple. And then embellish it a little with your style and tone. Or embellish it a lot. It’s your riff!

New Age Instrumental/Solo Piano Review: Roger Davidson-Temple of the Soul: Rhapsodies & Meditations for Solo Piano

Release Date: June 10, 2014

Label: Soundbrush Records

Website

People like Roger Davidson receive a gift from a higher power or a superior intelligence at a very early age. At four years old he was drawn to the piano and began playing and improvising. He continues on to this day bringing the solace and joy of the ivory keys through his compositions.

The recently released Temple of the Soul: Rhapsodies & Meditations for Solo Piano is a gorgeous collection of solo piano works. The tracks range from classical to new age and on to jazz-infused piano throughout, in any combination of all the genres. This is an album that eases your mind, body and spirit. Yes, the triangle of life receives a surge of energy by absorbing this powerful yet serene music.

On the artist website it states the following: The solo piano pieces on this CD show what happens when Roger, in a reflective mood, simply lays his hands on the keys. The influences of a lifetime flow through him. You may hear nods to Gershwin, Jobim, and Ravel, and to the wealth of styles he has absorbed in his travels. The album, he says, is “not just a journey of the spirit; it’s an intuitive journey around the world. When you have the right color and the right kind of brush to express a feeling or a quality of life, it instinctively comes up and becomes part of the fabric of each piece.”

That puts everything into proper perspective. The simplicity of one man sitting at a piano and creating such beauty is a wonder to me. I listen to many forms of music and some of it is very complex. This kind of experience allows you to appreciate artistry in its finest form. You bear witness to an enlightened soul letting the music do all the talking. I think that is much more difficult than singing along to a tune. Davidson has the ability to make it all seem so natural and flowing; it’s comparable to a river running down a mountainside, giving life wherever it may go. In essence this perception, as the title of the album would indicate, literally feeds the temple of soul.

I found myself not only appreciating the sheer beauty of the music, but what each piece was communicating to me. “Temple of the Soul” breaks the ice, ever so sweetly, while the majesty of an “Ethereal Ocean” of sound sweeps you away with tides of peace and introspection. “Blessing” holds beauty, proud and strong at the outset, then it allows for tranquility to prevail as it moves along. If your ears are open there is so much to take with you while paying attention to this music. Every track is a special journey that can be translated to your own understanding.

Temple of the Soul: Rhapsodies & Meditations for Solo Piano is a good listen for any time day or evening. Simplicity and beauty abound through the fingers of this talented man, Roger Davidson. This recording comes highly recommended from this listener.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Temple of the Soul, Ethereal Ocean, Blessing

Tracks: 
01. Temple of the Soul
02. Ethereal Ocean
03. Forest Prayer
04. Blessing
05. From the Rising Run
06. In the Eye of the Storm
07. Desert Light
08. Blue Voyage
09. Freedom From All
10. Journey of Wisdom
11. Waves of Reflection

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

July 16, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

New Age Instrumental Review: Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman-Winds of Samsara

Release Date: July 2014

Label: Listen 2 Africa

Website

If you are looking for an album of peace and positivity, look no further than Winds of Samsara. Over one hundred and twenty stellar musicians went into the making of this epic album of love and light. Featuring tracks highlighting the lives of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi amongst others, Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman have created a pattern of starry skies and moonlit wonders as vast as the heavens. 

Some of the contributing artists are: Wouter Kellerman (flute, fife), Ricky Kej (bass, keyboard), Ciro Hurtado (guitar), Prakash Sontakke (vocals, Hawaiian guitar), Vanil Veigas (keyboard, Santoor), Keerthy Narayan (keyboard, orchestral arrangements, synth), Cochin Chamber (string section), Manoj George (choral arrangements), Bangalore Women’s Choir (choir), Varsha Gowda (percussion), Lamine Sonko (vocals), Janine Maunder (vocals), Angela Librandi (vocals), Joe Creighton (vocals), Tholsi Pillay (keyboard), Gopi (Indian vocals), Mauritz Lotz (guitar, programming), Vinnie Henrico (drums), Veena Biju, Chaithra HG (vocals), Gayathri Suresh (vocals), Denny Lalouette (bass) and many others. This album is chock full of amazing performers who light up the album with their talents. If I could give a higher score than 5/5 I would in a heartbeat. 

“Heaven is Here” begins with eloquent meditative flute sounds paired with atmospheric spaces and chanting. The keyboards bring balance, as do the Santoor, bass flute, Sitar and percussive elements. The highlights for me were the soothing feminine vocals from Alexis D’Souza and scat vocals from Jyoti Venkatraman. Kej and Kellerman are simply rapturous in this piece. Heaven could not sound any more soothing or in tune. The textures layer and weave in amongst themselves to band into a cohesive sound fit for the ears of the angels themselves.

“Remembrance” also named “Greensleeves” is a classic we have heard many times before. Just not quite like this. Edgy flute blended with hollow sounds and ethereal landscapes brings this piece to life. Synth, guitar, bass, piano, cello, the magical Sitar, drums and soothing vocals twist and wind around you like a vine from a village hidden in time. This piece brings to mind the elegant ladies of medieval days and Renaissance fairs. 

“Nocturne” is the final track on the album and features classical pianist Michael Lewin. Kej, Kellerman and Lewin have quite the reenactment of Chopin’s composition. There is a fusion here of flute and piano with vocals drifting in and out like cloud formations. Emotionally infused, this piece will take you back in time to memories of things loved and lost and found again. It is simply breathtaking.

Winds of Samsara is a breathtaking effort by hundreds of artists and it stands out in a crowd. In many New Age albums, one track leads into another without much to distinguish between the pieces. This is not the case here. Each composition stands for something and is audibly different. From a tribute to Nelson Mandela to a resurgence of Chopin’s magnificence, this album captures classic sound and infuses it with Indian influences; World Music, unique instruments and vocals that will make your heart sing or weep as the emotion takes you. I have listened to it for over a week and have not gotten tired of it once. Let this album wake you up in the morning and tuck you in at night. It is a soothing cup of tea for the soul and I highly recommend it.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Heaven is Here, Remembrance, Nocturne

Tracks:
 01. Mahatma (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
02. New Earth Calling (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
03. Crystal Moon (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
04. Madiba (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
05. Longing (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
06. Heaven Is Here (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
07. River of Time (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
08. Eyes of Wonder (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
09. Remembrance (Greensleeves) (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
10. Journey to Higher Grounds (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
11. Mountain Solitude (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
12. Desert Wind (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman)
13. Grace (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman featuring Fiona Joy)
14. Nocturne (Ricky Kej and Wouter Kellerman featuring Michael Lewin)
 

Dana Wright, Sr. Staff Writer

July 10, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Get Your Song Ideas from New Age and Ambient Music

Russ Suereth

I like to listen to different types of music. They provide me with different perspectives, and they fit the different moods that I have. But I also like different music because it gives me different ideas for creating new music.  That’s the topic of this article, borrowing aspects of different music to incorporate into your own music.

When you think about creating a song there are two main areas you can consider.

     
1. The song’s foundation or chord structure

2. The melody

I’ve always felt that a great source of ideas for a song foundation can be found in new age and ambient music. Those styles often focus on the atmosphere of the song. Lush pads and eerie landscapes can last for several minutes. During that time, an occasional string pluck or keyboard tingle helps provide focus.

Of course, you just can’t steal someone’s work. But you can take chord progression ideas and modify them to suit your style and taste.

When I’m listening to new age and ambient music, my mind usually embellishes the sound. It inserts a few notes here and there to fill in where it thinks something is missing. After a while into the song, I’ve created a basic melody. The song provided the foundation and I’ve added a little melody, sometimes without even noticing.

It’s the same with the rhythm. The song may have a distant repeating bell in the background, or a pulsing drone. Many times my mind will add a low bass drum to emphasize a rhythm.  Maybe even add some toms to fill in a transition.

You could even record all of this on your cell phone so you can retain it. Without even realizing it, you can have the start of a new song.