7D Media Presents Solace, a New Ambient Jazz Album by Jonathan Crossley, David Kollar and Lukas Ligeti

Special guest: Arve Henriksen

Watch the video for ’They Are Coming’: https://youtu.be/6xCPODJPi3A

Release date: September 11, 2026 | Cat# 7D2602

Genre: Ambient Jazz

Secondary genres: Electroacoustic improvisation, Experimental jazz, Fourth World / post-Fourth World

Santa Fe, NM — 7D Media is proud to announce Solace, a dynamic new set of wholly improvised works from Jonathan Crossley, David Kollar and Lukas Ligeti. Recorded in June 2024 during an artistic residency at the University of Liverpool, the project captures three singular musical minds in deep, real-time dialogue.

On this recording, the digitally enabled guitar practices of Crossley and Kollar intersect with the polymetric, Africa-inflected drumming of Ligeti, generating environments that move between ambient, pulsating and rhythmically intricate states. Crossley's playing fuses guitar, synthesis and real-time digital control into an expanded, gestural improvisational language, while Kollar treats the guitar as a vehicle for expansive, genre-defying expression, ranging from tonal abstraction to avant-garde interplay. Ligeti's drumming draws on experimental, jazz, contemporary and world traditions, weaving overlapping polyrhythms and cross-cultural influences into a percussive approach that is both grounded and exploratory.

On the title track, Solace, the trio are joined by Arve Henriksen, whose haunting trumpet work paints a picture of melancholy and openness within this improvised setting, adding an expansive, textural dimension that underscores the album's emotional and sonic breadth.

The tracks Solace and They Are Coming are already available for purchase/streaming.

Track Listing
1. Solace (10:04)
2. Interlude (2:16)
3. They Are Coming (6:45)
4. Freedom to Choose (3:28)
5. Imagining Marrakesh (3:47)
6. Games to Play (3:08)
7. You Don't Know What to Do With Your Life (4:11)
8. Coda (8:17)
9. Dub Ephemeral (7:52)

Personnel
Jonathan Crossley – Guitar, Synth-Guitar, Bass
David Kollar – Guitar, Synthesisers
Lukas Ligeti – Drums
Arve Henriksen – Trumpet

Production
Recorded live at the University of Liverpool by Phil Almond-Higgins, 27 and 28 June 2024.
Additional recording by Jonathan Crossley and Arve Henriksen.
Mixed by Jonathan Crossley.
Mastered by Andrew Larrabee.
Artwork and design by Michal Kořán.
Label: 7D Media — 7dmedia.com

To pre-order: https://7dmedia.com/solace

For more information:
https://www.lukasligeti.com/
https://davidkollar.com/home
https://www.jonathancrossley.uk/

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Daniel Reyes Llinás Releases New EP ‘From Nothing’ May 29, 2026 on 7d Media

From Nothing is an EP in three movements that explores the relationship between acoustic and electronic matter across a latent dramaturgy shaped by minimal gestures and granular dialogues. Within a shifting sonic landscape rich in morphological nuances, each sound carries a trace of transfiguration as a plurality of patterns aggregate and dissolve in a shared search oriented toward continuity and transformation. Out of this open dynamic, guitarist and composer Daniel Reyes Llinás gathers a new ensemble together with violinist Madeline Hocking, violist Hannah Selin and cellist Clara Cho. Through frictions and suspensions, the quartet gradually unfolds luminous spaces, where each element redefines and supports the balance of the others. Moving through a circular temporality of instants, From Nothing, Imagen Dos and Diálogos simultaneously inhabit a space open to presence and to the possibilities of sound. - Anita Soukizy

Track List
1. From Nothing…  — 10’47” (Ravi Kittappa)
2. Imagen Dos — 5’10” (Daniel Reyes Llinás)
3. Diálogos — 11’43” (Hocking-Selin-Cho-Llinás)

Credits

• Madeline Hocking  — Violin
• Hannah Selin — Viola
• Clara Cho — Cello
• Daniel Reyes Llinás — Electric Guitar & Electronics

Recording & Production
Recorded by Aaron Nevezie at Bunker Studios, Brooklyn NY
Additional recordings at Page St Sound Lab by Frankie Piacentini - ReAmp by Nicolás Diaz Lucas.
Mixed by Natán Idé Pizarro - Mastered by Amy Dragon at Telegraph Mastering - Portland OR.
Artwork by Sophie Knox Peters
Produced by Daniel Reyes Llinás

Release Date - May 29th on 7DMedia

For more information: http://www.llinasmusic.com/

To purchase:
https://llinas.bandcamp.com/album/from-nothing
https://7dmedia.com/album/4004865/from-nothing

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Asai Kastan Duo Releases New Ambient Jazz Album Earth Travelers

Earth Travelers is a new album by Asai Kastan Duo, consisting of Takeshi Asai on piano and Brian Kastan playing fretless bass. Together, they create an atmosphere of space and texture with an ongoing gentle flow of energy. This album is like waves on the ocean; waves are constantly flowing creating tension and release, as a wave gently rises and breaks then forms another wave. Together, the piano and bass are like the wave as the musical tension and release is an ongoing state of flow.

Earth Travelers offers the listener a chance to take a deep emotional journey and tap into an imaginary world. Earth Travelers covers several musical directions, from ballads, jazz blues, open grooves, short abstract moments, to open ambient spaces.

Released April 23^rd, 2026.

The concept behind Earth Travelers is to create dialogue between acoustic piano and fretless bass. At times the bass plays the melody, sometimes it plays the groove, and vice versa with the piano. Earth Travelers offers a unique sensitive listening experience as the piano and fretless bass keep offering each other new musical ideas to interpret and develop into new energy. Often the album is ambient and mellow, sometimes swinging, sometimes grooving, and anything in between.

Earth Travelers was composed and recorded live at Takeshi Asai studio at DCT productions in New York City.

Asai Kastan Duo tour dates will be announced soon.

Takeshi Asai

Traditional yet modern, lyrical yet dramatic, jazz pianist Takeshi Asai has been a one-of-a-kind voice in New York’s jazz scene for more than ten years. His performance combines the melodic lyricism of Bill Evans with the feverish blues of Thelonious Monk, all enriched by the sophisticated improvisational style and the classical piano roots.

What makes Takeshi Asai’s music unique and aesthetic are his multitude sources of inspiration. He sees beauty in 12th-century French troubadours, Gregorian chants, Baroque and Romantic traditions, 20th-century music (i.e. Janáček, Takemitsu), religious music (Faure, Poulenc), the Beatles, Irish and Japanese folk music, as well as modern electronic music.

Besides his constant club engagements in NYC with talented contemporaries and legends, Takeshi Asai has a hugely successful international career; touring in Poland, UK, France, Germany, Egypt, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

He currently lives in New York, where he runs his own production company.

Brian Kastan

Brian Kastan is a prolific composer and improvisor.

Brian has recorded 100 albums under his Space 2 Groove record label and recorded 11 albums with 5 different Grammy-winning jazz artists such as Mino Cinelu, Rachel Z, Scott Petito, Leo Genovese, and Miles Griffith. Brian has completed European tours with the Brian Kastan Freedom Trio and Transatlantic Concept with Urbuli Baba. Plus, Brian toured in China headlining Lincoln Center Shanghai with the Brian Kastan Quartet.

Brian also has composed soundtracks for TV and Film:

Movie: American Criminal, Blue Lives Matter

TV Show: Hospital Arrest with acclaimed movie & TV director Dylan Bank. Starring Robert Loggia, Jimmie Walker, Martin Kove, Gilbert Gottfried, Michael Winslow, Todd Bridges, Jewels McCollough

Side Projects: Played guitar on Rhys Chatham’s A Crimson Grail (Nonesuch Records), played guitar for MTV Rock the Vote, composed songs with Emmy-nominated composer recording engineer Marc Solomon.

To purchase: https://space2grooverecords2.bandcamp.com/album/earth-travelers

For more information:
https://www.space2grooverecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/brian.kastan.9
https://www.facebook.com/TakeshiAsaiJazz

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Multi-Instrumentalist & Chapman Stick Maestro Tom Griesgraber To Release New Soundtrack Album The Split (Music From The Motion Picture Prairie Prophecy) March 6

Tom Griesgraber is releasing a new album called The Split. The album is currently available as CD and multi-format download on tomgriesgraber.com, with a wider release planned for March 6 including Bandcamp. The Split is Tom Griesgraber's soundtrack album from the feature length documentary film Prairie Prophecy. It includes all nineteen tracks from the film, along with two bonus tracks. The music features Tom Griesgraber on Chapman Stick, analog synths and samples. Tom's California Guitar Trio bandmate Bert Lams also makes a guest appearance on acoustic guitar.

Watch the trailer for The Split:
https://fb.watch/ETuAVHBc7O/
https://youtu.be/skNQfhEP0XQ

While Tom Griesgraber is primarily known in progressive rock circles, The Split leans more towards ambient music than much of his other work.

Says Tom, “I tried in writing it to have recurring themes for the subjects being discussed in the movie. The album tracks are in the same order they appear in the movie, with themes and motifs that develop as the album progresses.”

“I tried to also have something thematic with the instrumentation. Generally, when topics being discussed are more about the problems of industrialization the analog synths become more prominent, and when the discussion is more about natural things or the progress scientists are making, the Chapman Stick and orchestral strings are more prominent.”

The film Prairie Prophecy is an engaging exploration of natural systems agriculture and its potential to address some of today’s most urgent environmental challenges. Anchored in the work of The Land Institute, the film traces how perennial farming systems—modeled after native ecosystems—could help restore soil, conserve water, and build resilience in a changing climate. Both educational and hopeful, the program offers a forward-looking perspective on the future of food and land stewardship.

The movie is currently playing at screenings and festivals across the US and will be available to all Public Television stations starting in April 2026.

For more information about Prairie Prophecy: www.prairieprophecy.com

The Split Track list:
01 - At A Moment
02 - The Split
03 - Paradox
04 - Cassettes
05 - A Species Out Of Context
06 - Prairie Suite
07 - Planting Prairie
08 - A New Worldview
09 - I Just Wanted Kansas
10 - A Big Idea
11 - Land Institute
12 - Perennial Plants
13 - Junkyard
14 - Geologic Time
15 - Perennial Pantry
16 - Seeds
17 - Partners
18 - Love In Action
19 - The Tree Of Life
20 - Asked Of Us
21 - This Land

About Tom Griesgraber:
Tom Griesgraber picked up the Chapman Stick in 1997 after graduating Summa Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music as a guitarist in 1995. In late 1998 he began performing around San Diego County as a Stick player doing both solo shows and performances with his group Agent 22. In 2000, the group won a year-long local battle of the bands at the Belly Up Tavern, beating about 230 other groups. From there venues started having Tom or the group open for nationals. In 2001, he opened for the California Guitar Trio (CGT) at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. The next year Tom attended a Guitar Craft course taught by Robert Fripp with CGT members Bert Lams and Paul Richards assisting. Afterwards, CGT asked him to go on the road as their opener for about 100 shows over the next few years. Bert Lams from the group and Tom started doing duo tours as well and eventually two albums. In 2021, Bert and Paul Richards asked Tom to join CGT as a regular member.

To date, Tom Griesgraber has also released two other solo albums, one with CGT recorded while opening for King Crimson, two with Agent 22, and a duo album with drummer Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel) with whom he also toured internationally for several years. He has performed four times for Grammy events, toured as an opener for The Tony Levin Band, opened multiple times for Carl Palmer, Adrian Belew, Steve Morse and the Dixie Dregs, Al Dimeola and Stick Men and opened shows for Bill Bruford’s Earthworks, Andy Summers, Alan Holdsworth, Stanley Jordan, Steve Hackett, Larry Carlton, Steve Lukather, Paul Stanley, Paula Cole, Tuck and Patti, Asia and dozens of others. Tom has also performed on, produced and/or engineered dozens of albums for other artists including two with RyMo (of Slightly Stoopid), CGT, guitarist Peter Pupping and Dübh.

The Chapman Stick, Tom’s primary instrument is a combination of twelve guitar and bass strings, played in both hands with a technique closer to playing piano than guitar. Multiple outputs allow for simultaneous guitar, bass and keyboard-like sounds but with a unique timbre and unusual musical structures.

For more information:
https://tomgriesgraber.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TomGmusic/
https://www.youtube.com/user/thossounds
https://cgtrio.com/
https://tomgriesgraber.bandcamp.com/

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Billy Yfantis Celebrates a Decade of Cosmic Soundscapes with the Album “2015–2025 The First Years in Space”

Experimental electronic composer Billy Yfantis proudly presents his new double-length anthology album, “2015–2025 The First Years in Space.” Spanning a full decade of sonic experimentation, this 30-track release represents Yfantis’ artistic evolution through ambient, electronic, and noise-based soundscapes inspired by the mysteries of the cosmos.

The album compiles highlights from Yfantis’ previous releases along with nine previously unreleased compositions, forming a complete chronicle of his creative journey across the past ten years. Each piece reveals a unique approach to sound design, mixing music technology with conceptual art and a fascination for scientific exploration.

Among the most distinctive pieces:
• “The Electric Drill Session” features real sounds of an electric drill, turned into rhythmic, industrial elements that blur the boundaries between man-made tools and music.
• “Landing” incorporates authentic NASA spaceship sounds, carefully edited and arranged to recreate the sensation of landing onto an unknown planet.
• “Dust Not Found” includes real vacuum cleaner recordings, turning the chaos into an experimental metaphor for the emptiness and silence of space.

Other highlights include the meditative “Ionosphere Reverie,” the expansive “Cosmic Noise” and “Planetary Noise,” and “The Universe Collapses (Live at Norcal Noisefest 2022),” a 15-minute improvisational performance recorded at one of the world’s leading experimental music festivals.

“I am pleased to present you my compilation which is a fair synopsis of my recordings (8 full albums and 5 singles) between 2015 and 2025. This is a reference point on the evolution of my music.”— Billy Yfantis

The second part of the album introduces nine previously unreleased tracks, including “The Journey,” “Dreaming Among Planets,” and “Behind the Eye of the Universe,” which explore new territories of analog synthesis, lo-fi atmospheres, and ambient acid tones.

Watch the Official Video Teaser

YouTube (Shorts): https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4jSajQY4Gzs

Listen to the New Album

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/4IL0S3CN6QYVn77seqENqc?si=oMDWcRTFSNy2YSSzyX_vUQ
• YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_k2XhV-8YDvbWGHULUpbixaCxydMUO02BA
• Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/2015-2025-the-first-years-in-space/1825805358
• Bandcamp: https://billyyfantis.bandcamp.com/album/2015-2025-the-first-years-in-space

Album Details

• Title: 2015–2025 The First Years in Space
• Artist: Billy Yfantis
• Release Year: 2025
• Format: Digital Album (30 Tracks)
• Genre: Experimental / Ambient / Space Music / Noise
• Label: Independent

About Billy Yfantis

Vasileios (Billy) Yfantis holds two master's degrees in computing science and a Ph.D. in the field of e-government. Billy has been working on music since the late 1990s by experimenting with tape mixing and sound design. Billy is playing digital keyboards but prefers to express his artistic dream through the electronic sounds that come from unusual machines. He has experimented with the recording of vacuum cleaners, electric blenders, and other strange sounds that have resulted in musical releases. Moreover, Billy has authored books on music, business, and science, and from time to time he speaks about electronic governance at scientific conferences all over Europe.

More Music: https://billyyfantis.bandcamp.com

Books: https://www.amazon.com/Vasileios-Yfantis/e/B00JNNL306

Contact Details

Email: Byfantis@yahoo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billy.yfantis
Twitter: https://twitter.com/billyyfantis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billyyfantis

Press inquiries: Keith James, Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Track Feature and Interview: Monster Taxi-Japanese Onsen - Chill-New Age-Ambient Instrumental

“Japanese Onsen” is a track by Monster Taxi, the innovative creativity of Miami composer, producer, and musician Jason Klein. It was inspired by a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan with his son.

The video presented here is a unique blend of music and visuals that recreates a special time together. It also reminded me of watching the animated series Samurai Jack as my son was growing up, which touched a special place in my heart.

First, gaze at the cover art. It begins to form that journey in your mind’s eye and flips that internal switch to enter a different, engaging reality.

The music is not just beautiful; it’s a personal journey. The strings induce a walk through a Japanese garden of tranquility and beauty. The underlying layer of synths, where the strings float, is like a vision of yourself walking across the clouds —a dreamlike experience. The melody traces each step forward, mirroring the journey of life.

Monster Taxi has created a visual and audio diary of his trip to the Far East, giving his son and listeners a treasure to hold for eternity.

Take a few moments to immerse yourself in this multimedia short story. Watch and listen as it transports you to where it all happened —the beauty of Japan.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Review Founder

October 21, 2025

https://www.monstertaxi.com/

In addition to electronic dance music, Jason (Monster Taxi) is heavily inspired by artists such as Vangelis, Air, Massive Attack, Khruangbin, Radiohead, and Lana Del Rey.  He is currently composing several Trip Hop, New Age, Downtempo, and Cinematic songs, of which two, Reflect and Field of Dreams, are in heavy rotation on Sirius XM’s SPA Channel and other radio and streaming programming.  He has over 1.8 million streams on Spotify and over 115 playlists in the chill, new age, trip hop, and deep house genres.

Classical/New Age/Ambient/Chant Review: Kevin Keller-Evensong

Release Date: October 6, 2023

Label: ‎ City Hall Records

Website 

Kevin Keller comments on his journey in music… “I’m always pondering these big questions of life and death and how we fit into this vast universe that we’re in. Questions like ‘Where are we from? Where are we going? What does it all mean?’"

I can relate to that statement as much as many of his listeners can.

Kevin Keller composed and produced all the music on his most recent release, Evensong. Other contributors included Katherine Wessinger, †Danya Katok, Elisa Singer Strom, and Wendy Baker, sopranos; Sarah Zun, violin; Angela Pickett, viola; and Laura Metcalf, cello.

In his journey from conception to the end of life, Keller combines a classical foundation of strings, organ, piano, and modern sounds and sequences. All the transitory periods we humans go through can be wrought with confusion and fear. At other times, revelatory experiences appear before us, pushing our consciousness and spirituality to different maturity levels. Music such as this has provided growth for many individuals for our existence here on the physical plane.

Note that this recording has eight tracks with duplicate titles, steadily maintaining the primary concept. Most importantly, each segment varies in pace, rhythm, colors, tones, and vocal accompaniment. I found this very intriguing, with the instruments and the vocalizations sounding like these women with gorgeous voices in a church choir. This is the church of music, though, the kind of headspace that can pull the mind in a different direction than worship in a building.

Think of music like Kraftwerk, Jean Michel-Jarre, or Tangerine Dream backed by a large choir. That is the best way I could explain it. It was a magnificent experience for these ears, and I highly regard and respect all of the artists involved.

Evensong combines ancient beliefs and new technologies into something so different and unique that you would be hard-pressed to find something exactly like it. I don’t mean this has not been done before in some way; it is simply distinctive in its sound and approach. It comes together quite nicely if you can imagine going through the different stages of your life while listening. Concerning separating the music from the vocalizations, you really cannot; they fit together so perfectly, like they were meant for each other. If you separate the two, then you are missing the whole point.

That is what any artist would want to impress upon its listeners: the whole package and perception of the presentation.

Kevin Keller, you have created a beautiful group of tracks that most people could use as a spiritual or meditation tool with Evensong—well done!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder

March 14, 2024

Tracks:

1. Evensong 1 (7:07) 

2. Evensong 2 (4:42) 

3. Evensong 3 (5:08)*

4. Evensong 4 (5:38)† 

5. Evensong 5 (4:13)

6. Evensong 2 (4:42) 

7. Evensong 3 (5:08)* 

8. Evensong 4 (5:38)† 

Featured Artist Track: Monster Taxi-Reflect

 Genre: Chill-Ambient

Release Date: August 4, 2023

Label: ‎ Independent

Website

Some artists enjoy creating alter egos or clandestine bands to pursue something different. Jason Klein is one of those people, but I don’t think he will be undercover for too long with his latest track, “Reflect” as Monster Taxi. You may think with a name like that, it would be something that rocks, right? Well, think again and have a listen.

 

When I loaded the MP3 in iTunes, it came up as trip-hop. As we all know, that program can be way off at times. In this case, some of those elements are on the track and, more importantly, the essential rhythm and movement that drives everything along nicely.

 

“Reflect” has an exciting melody with a terrific bass line. The keyboards/electronics are as ambient and chill as it gets. The sounds did make my ears very happy, and there was a good feeling inside, like when your heart and soul smile. I listened a few times and wondered why it had to end. Is this a precursor to more of the same at some point? I sure hope so because this is fantastic music with a nice groove.

 

The track already has over 7k monthly listeners on Spotify, with an upward trajectory that must be very pleasing to Mr. Klein.

You can read more about Monster Taxi here https://www.monstertaxi.com 

and learn where this man is coming from and where he is going. From what I can see, it looks like the right direction!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Founder

August 30, 2023

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 New Age /Ambient/Jazz Review: Jeff Oster-Reach

Release Date: October 5, 2018

Label: Retso Records

Website

Three years ago, I covered Jeff Oster’s Next album. If you do a search on my New Age Music Reviews site it will show several other artist reviews as well. The reason is that Jeff is in demand to play on other people’s albums. There is a very good reason for this. He is one of the few Flugelhorn and Trumpet players in the genre that plays a chill ambient type of music that new age recording artists and listeners alike want to hear. He also is able to interject jazz and funk elements into his recordings. Besides that, it is a great partnership. Jeff is masterful with his instruments and with the new album out now titled Reach, he is in great form and so are the folks that accompanied him on the album.

Reach has nine tracks in total and it is a great mixture of sound and textures that will do many things to you while listening including relaxing, feeling energized and wanting to move, becoming contemplative, just about everything one person can think of or do during the listen of one album really. It invites you in at the outset and you never want to leave that “musical comfy chair.”

I love new age music when it combines jazz and world rudiments. “Le Caveau” is a great example of those sounds and atmospheres getting in sync. The music and sound clarity are amazing. The following track “Five Great Mountains” is just hypnotic. Jeff’s horn is superlative and the bass is incredible, in fact, I thought it might be Tony Levin, who seems to show up on everyone’s albums. It is, in fact, Benjamin J. Shepherd, who plays a huge role in the track, and the entire sound of the album actually. His rhythm and musical leadership in the track are exemplary. That kind of preciseness allows the star of the show to shine even brighter, so hats off to Benjamin for doing such a great job with his instrument. Everyone involved in this project is outstanding so I felt the need to list the credits below.

Some of the other instruments on this recording, besides the horns of course, that give it an overall world-jazz flavor, are the Erhu and Indian Flutes. Then there are very calming spiritual tracks like “The Lotus Within.” In my estimation, the reference would be the Lotus flower, a symbolically important aquatic Asian plant also known as the Indian or sacred lotus.  The emphasis is on sacred for this magnificent composition. 

To keep things fresh and on your “listening toes,” Jeff follows those two critical tracks with an upbeat jazz and funk-filled number titled “Troppo Y Boffo.” The Latin percussion and bass pulsate and drive the number while Jeff just glides through with his horn putting the veritable icing on the cake. It is Latin bliss, wonderful and colorful as it gets. This track could find a home on any good (worthy) jazz album.

Jeff Oster puts it all together on Reach. Every track is solid and consistent throughout. The combination of instruments, musical style and artistry of every contributing musician make this album one of the best in the genre this year. This comes as no surprise to me as everything I have ever heard from Jeff has been superlative from his own recordings to being a guest on other recordings. He is in a groove that keeps him at the forefront of the music industry and I can see that influence growing more all the time. In conclusion, I think that he will Reach a much larger audience with each successive release

Artists:

Jeff Oster – Flugelhorn, Trumpet

Ruslan Sirota – Piano, Keyboards, Guitar, Vocals

Robyn Ghosh – Guitar

Benjamin J. Shepherd – Bass

Tamir Barzilay – Drums

Pete Korpela – Percussion

Jenni Asher – Erhu (Track 4)

Ravichandra Kulur – Indian Flutes (Track 9)

Drew Allsbrook – Vocals (Track 4)

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

October 14, 2018

Founder of:

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Tracks: 
1. Onward
2. Far Rockaway
3. Le Caveau
4. Five Great Mountains
5. The Lotus Within
6. Troppo Y Boffo
7. How Familiar
8. Velvet and Smoke
9. The Pink City
 

New Age/Classical/Ambient Review: Karen Olson-SongPath

Release Date: July 13th, 2018

Label: Soundview Records

Website

SongPath is Karen Olson's 8th CD release and is a companion to her soon to be published book entitled, SoundPath: Using the Power of Sound and Silence for Health, Harmony, and Happiness. Notably, SongPath is in the top 10 on four Billboard charts including Classical and #3 as the Highest-Ranking Debut New Age Album so far in 2018.

According to Karen’s website:  She combines her unique background as a Violist, Recording Artist, Composer, Author, and intuitive Holistic Healer, to make a positive difference in the lives of others through interactive programming, events, and concert performances that are fun, inspiring, and transformative.

Karen Olson is a respected healer, practitioner, and musician. With SongPath she adds to her already incredibly impressive resume of releases and has reached the pinnacle (thus far) of her musical achievements for variety, depth, and healing. 

I think after listening to her latest offering I can agree with that statement. I covered A Hero’s Journey in 2016 and was quite impressed. It is nice to find out 2 years later that I feel the same about her music. 

SongPath is very wide-ranging. One of the tracks that caught me completely off guard was “New Ways.” It is an electronic-R&B- rap style song. I think it was titled appropriately considering I never expected to hear such a big change in direction on this album. Olivia Meihofer provides the excellent vocals as she does on other songs as well. I give Karen credit for stretching out musically and taking a chance. I enjoyed the song because it was so different and done very well. I imagine there will be new age fans that will probably not appreciate it but that is ok. All the rest of the album is more along the lines of what you would expect from Karen.

With her “New Ways” you will find “Inspiration” and “Serenity” and an “Adventure” inside the music. All of that is wrapped in a nice package for the prospective listener. 

Personally, if I can find pleasure in any type of music, it is healing. It doesn’t necessarily have to have a certain tag on it for it to work, but that is for me. In this case, the label of new age, classical and ambient certainly fits. What you will discover is joy, healing and quite a range of sounds and styles that would satisfy any musical palette. 

SongPath is a prolific release from my viewpoint mainly based on the fact the lead instrument is a viola. That my music loving friends is not an easy task to accomplish, yet Karen Olson makes it sound like it is all very natural, with very concise musicianship and a flow that syncs with your inner voice and soul.  That covers it all as far as I am concerned.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

September 9, 2018

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Tracks: 
1. Ever Peace
2. Why Not
3. Adventure
4. Moving Higher
5. Reminding
6. Inspiration
7. New Ways
8. Gaining Grace
9. Serenity
 

New Age/Ambient/Electronica Review: David Arkenstone-Colors of the Ambient Sky

Release Date: July 13, 2018

Label: Dream Palace Publishing / BMI

Website

David Arkenstone is about to make the summer brighter with a new release in July titled Colors of the Ambient Sky. He is the author of an astounding 65 recordings!

David is primarily a keyboardist, plays the guitar, mandolin, flute, cello, percussion, and many other instruments. He utilizes all the tools of the music trade, including the computer to provide orchestrations that provide beauty and texture. On this album it is all David, there are no guest musicians. You soon realize what an amazing accomplishment this album is once you hear it for the first time.

If you look closely at the CD cover it is like lying on the ground looking up at the treetops and star-filled skies. The music fits well with the album cover. It takes you to a higher place of consciousness like the one beyond the treetops. What you hear is music that could easily be used for soundtrack or other media deliveries, but more importantly it gives you an outlet for relaxation. As the artist suggests, it is like dreaming with your eyes open.

I have been hearing much more of this type of ambient music lately and have thoroughly enjoyed it. As a matter of fact, it has prompted me to seek out other similar artists. Tracks like “Blue Lightning” reminded me of one of my favorite Tangerine Dream albums titled Le Parc. Colors of the Ambient Sky has pleasing spacey and relaxing ambient sounds with the hints of technology swirling around it. For me, there is just enough of all of that Colors of the Ambient Sky to keep me interested and quite satisfied.

I would expect Colors of the Ambient Sky to be one of the more popular releases of 2018 in the ambient and new age genres. I really appreciated the overall consistency and textures of the music from track to track. I was envisioning an artist painting with many different colors and taking the time to put them in the right place on the canvas to create another masterpiece. I felt like it was ear candy that was transformed in my mind’s eye into colors and images. For my musical tastes, this is the kind of experience I truly enjoy. I do not go into a listening experience with anticipation, it would ruin the birth of new thoughts and feelings it could possibly create. That is a good policy for any listener actually.

As the closing track “Ascension” brings the curtain to a close, you realize just how positive and uplifting a musical journey can bring. Your skies will be colored with a broad musical brush that will touch you in so many ways. That is all any listener could ask for.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 11, 2018

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Tracks: 
01. Parallel World
02. Red Sun
03. Starlight Starbright
04. Darkness Descending
05. Rainbow Galaxy
06. Blue Lightning
07. Lonely Satellite
08. Visitors 

Progressive Instrumental/Ambient Review: Trevor Gordon Hall-Late Night with Headphones Vol. 1

Release Date: August 1, 2016

Label: Independent

Website

Trevor Gordon Hall is a prolific guitarist.  His legacy will continue to grow long after the release of Late Night with Headphones Vol. 1.  His sound reminds me fondly of some of the California Guitar Trio’s work I used to enjoy so much. The variety of sounds and tones afforded the listener make this recording a real keepsake.

“Roots and Branches” is quite a finger picking workout. The sound has a definite jazz flavor to it and is very progressive, shifting and changing every few minutes. The title of the track is a perfect explanation of where the song goes from beginning to end. The focus is the ever changing progression of chords presented by the artist.

“The Comfort of Doubt” is a fast moving track, the drums kick it in to push it all along right from the start. What I can picture in my mind’s eye is a train rolling down the tracks and finally reaching its destination. The slide work is a thing of beauty and the lightning fast fingers of Trevor keep it going nonstop. It sounds like a real country barn burner that gets you in a very uplifting mood even though the subject is about living on the edge and being comfortable in that frame of mind, at least that is how I would interpret it.

“Embracing the Lack” is a beautifully done tasteful instrumental, the kind that I always love to hear. It reminded me of the phase I went through in the 90s with instrumental surf music (although it does not sound like surf) then moving on to the more complex pieces from the likes of Danny Gatton and similar artists that caught my ear. The melodicism and rhythm in the track is amazing and it’s the kind of music that makes you want to keep hitting repeat. It has a magical aura to it that is irresistible to my ears and I am sure it will be for many others. Again Hall provides some incredibly diverse guitar playing that would grab any aficionado’s ear and hold on until the song was finished.

The closer is “Himinn,” which steps away from the flow of the album and presents another side of the performance with an ambient new age sound that serves as a nightcap. It is that final relaxing number that pulls you into another state of consciousness just before going to sleep. The music is light and airy and it kind of floats you to another place. All of this happens after hearing more upbeat tracks with precise guitar work that got all the good endorphins flowing, then it sets you up to call it a night. It is the perfect ending to an all too short venture into instrumental paradise. I certainly did not want it to end but I guess I will have to wait until Volume 2 arrives.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Roots and Branches, The Comfort of Doubt, Embracing the Lack

Tracks:
1. Uthaf   
2. Roots and Branches
3. Cerebral 3.0
4. She's Almost Here
5. The Comfort of Doubt
6. Embracing the Lack
7. Himinn

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

September 8, 2016

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