Instrumental Piano/New Age/Classical Review: Tim Neumark-Storm

Release Date: April 2014

Label: Indie

Website

Tim Neumark creates a Storm of emotions with his piano on his recent release. The CD includes 12 tracks that were released as singles from 2013 to 2014. The artist has released four previous albums and now introduces a beautiful tapestry of emotions and tastes through his talented fingers. 

Neumark’s focus is the range of emotions that include anger and heartbreak and all of the situations that arise during those feelings. The list is long for the human condition and although the atmospheres created have a laid back sad tone to them, the beauty of each track is easy to recognize. This man is tremendously talented. His special touch and classical new age sounds will soothe and heal a soul just waiting for that moment to arrive.

As Neumark explains on his website…There is a different mood than previous albums, Storm contains almost all minor tracks, reaching a deeper emotional depth including both anger and heartbreak. In an era where individual tracks are the norm, Storm was composed as a single project that's meant to be experienced from the first track to the last, while also providing tracks that are memorable enough to stand alone.

I felt using that passage encapsulates what you will get while listening to Storm. Right from the door opener to your soul “Anticipation,” it sets the mood instantly. Anticipation eventually leads to “Transitions” then to the solace and grace of the heaven sent “Meditation: Calm.” Every track gently nudges you in the right direction while inviting the healing process to begin. 

What I enjoyed most about this album was its utter simplicity. The effect is direct and stunning. This is indeed a most beautiful Storm that you will want to experience over and over. Neumark’s classical influences are everywhere on this recording yet he is able to introduce it all with a new age flare and precision that serves a higher purpose. Music so expressive and elegant definitely can be your own private Chicken Soup For The Soul.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

5/5 Stars

Tracks:
01.Anticipation
02.Ice
03.See You Soon
04.Setting Sail
05.Stolen
06.Transitions
07.Meditation: Calm
08.Storm
09.Waiting
10.Adrift
11.Forgiveness
12.Peace

Key Tracks: ALL

May 7, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

New Age Instrumental Review: Peter Calandra-Inner Circle

Release Date: May 1, 2014

Label: pcm

Website

Peter Calandra is a New York based keyboardist, composer and producer. His talents range from soundtracks in film, television and several Broadway productions, teaching Masters level music classes in music technology and he has several albums to his credit. Inner Circle is a tribute to the fans and family that have been with Calandra through his long and highly successful musical career. Contributing artists on the album include: Joy Askew (vocals and vocal sampling), Tom Barney (acoustic bass), Ralph Farris (violin, viola), Kathy Halvorson (oboe), Kathleen Nester (flute and piccolo), Peter Prosser (cello), Stomu Takeishi (fretless electric bass) and Peter Calandra (piano, electric keyboards, percussion, as well as all digital sequencing, composition and programming).

 “Inner Circle” is the title track to the album. Working with the son montuno and tumbao rhythms of Cuban music, Calandra combines them with String Quartet writing, using the harmonic language of Debussy to paint a timeless tapestry of sound. I could not have picked a clearer example of this artist’s stellar musical vision and application. The light and airy quality of the textured layers is a phenomenal mix of whimsy and resolute beauty.

“Nightwatch” is a piece drafted from memories of Calandra’s job as a night watchman at the small village public marina near his home in Long Island when he was a teenager. Playing his Fender Rhodes in the booth in between his duties, he was able to get hours of practice, managing his time and pushing toward his goals. As he made his rounds, he left the classical or jazz music playing and loved to hear the sounds of the docks intermingling with the music. It is a sound he has captured in this piece. Piano, percussion elements, a feeling of walking a beat with purpose all come to life in this glimpse into the window of Calandra’s past.

“Chorale” has inflections of baroque and sacred music. Vocals wrap themselves around you in a rapture of angelic proportions. This is the picture you see in the fine art galleries of angels reaching into cloudless climbs. The first time I heard this piece I had to close my eyes and just experience the grand visualizations it brought out. Voices of loved ones greeting you after your earthly toiling is done combined with light multi-instrumentation to craft a masterpiece fitting to be the last song on this monumental album.

Peter Calandra is a composer, teacher, keyboardist and producer. His music was in large part inspired by jazz greats from the 1960’s like Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett. Inner Circle was started in 2013 in the Catskills studio and completed in 2014 in the NYC studio with live players, mixes and sound engineering. The album ranges from classic, jazz, Cuban and more. Calandra improvises, he composes and he finds the best medium for his musical voice whether that is a fellow artist or his own tremendous talent at the keyboard. For any fans out there, this album is worth the wait. (And on a personal note, the best birthday present a girl could have. So, I am going back to listen and find myself a cupcake.) Peter Calandra is an artist seen and unseen. You have probably heard his work in film, on television or if you take in a Broadway show. Just make sure you check out this album. It is worth every star in the sky and more…

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Inner Circle, Nightwatch, Chorale

Dana Wright

April 28, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Tracks: 
01. Clyde and the Pearl
02. Dine's Waltz          
03.The Wayfarer          
04. Better Angels         
05. Inner Circle
06. Faith
07. So Much to Say     
08. A Quiet Spark        
09. Nightwatch
10. The Dreamer
11. Whispers in the Dark          
12. Reflections
13. Chorale

 

New Age Instrumental Review: John Luttrell-The Dream Exchange

Release Date: May 1, 2014

Label: Independent

Website

John Luttrell is a composer, singer-songwriter, producer, and performer. His original compositions range from ambient instrumentals to solo piano and guitar to progressive rock. He is the founder of OtterSong Records and Atmospheric Music and he has a series of solo releases as well as group projects that has released over the years. John has written the score and created original soundtrack music for several films, documentaries, and multimedia projects. 

The Dream Exchange is his new release and the best way to describe what you will hear is auditory bliss and atmospheres to set the mind, body and soul at ease, a literal musical cloud of beauty and grace. All tracks are composed, performed, and produced by John Luttrell, except “Interstellar Dust” co-written by John Luttrell and David Veirs and the album mastering is by Bryan Carrigan.

For those interested in gear here is a list of what John used on the recording: 

Guitars - Fender Strat w/Roland GR-55 Guitar Synth and Digitech RP7, Line6 Variax 600 w/Line6 Pod XT, Gibson SJ Kristofferson acoustic, Aria AK-75 classical acoustic, Alamo Fiesta electric, various mandolins and ethnic stringed instruments.

Keyboards - Alesis QS7, Arturia KeyLab 61, Sequential Circuits SixTrak, Moog/Realistic MG-1, Alesis Quadrasynth S4.

Effects - Zoom Studio 1201, Behringer Composer Pro-XL, Boss Flanger.

This is new age instrumental having one of its finest hours. As an individual that appreciates many types of instrumental recordings I was easily drawn into this music. The other factor that I find very appealing is the ambient soundscapes he creates with keyboards and guitars accentuated by many other sounds that color the music so beautifully. The relaxing tones and colors give you immediate pleasure and provide a release valve for any tension or stress that you may be feeling. Any negativity that may be surrounding you or taking space inside your head will melt away like butter dripping off a hot muffin right out of the oven.

In and around the tracks are the sounds of nature as well - tweeting birds and the whispering winds beckoning you away, anywhere your heart may desire. You are invited to a place of peace and rest for your soul as your ears are enveloped in sound, the mind and body follow in short order. “The Orange Sky” begins the album with pictures of soft light and beauty as the artist paints broad strokes of sound on his ever growing multicolored canvas. From that point forward the journey of blissfulness continues unencumbered by distractions of everyday life. It comes as no surprise to this listener how Luttrell creates film scores. “On Gossamer Wings” is the perfect track to furnish light airy sounds that will just pick you up off your feet as you float away on a cloud of delicate sounds and pleasure. The title track adequately describes without words what this album is about with its ambient keyboards, gentle guitar enunciations, which act as an open invitation to aural paradise.

This is music for the senses, the kind of listener experience that will lighten your load and give you freedom. Your spirit is free to fly away on The Dream Exchange. The title says it all; you exchange your worries and cares for a dream like ride above it all, like a vacation provided by sound so effective that you actually can be somewhere else. That is music that is doing what it is supposed to do, transporting you to where you really want to be right now.

Throughout our lives we share our dreams with family and friends, and they share their dreams with us. If we're lucky we're able to help them activate and achieve their dreams and also work on achieving our own. How wonderful it is to experience and share in this Dream Exchange. - John Luttrell, April 2014

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: On Gossamer Wings, The Orange Sky, The Dream Exchange

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder

April 23, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Tracks: 
01.The Orange Sky
02.The Sphere
03.Dreamcast
04.On Gossamer Wings
05.Interstellar Dust
06.The Dream Exchange
07.Somnambulistic Journey
08.Ethereal Raga
09.Away
10.Wandering
11.Inland Returned
12.With You

New Age Instrumental Review: Peter Kater & R. Carlos Nakai-Ritual

Release Date: April 1, 2014

Label: Mysterium Music

Peter Kater's Website
R. Carlos Nakai's Website

Nine time Grammy nominee and platinum artist Peter Kater and renowned flutist and multi-platinum selling artist R. Carlos Nakai has 10 Grammy Award nominations to date. They have joined forces for the first time in ten years to bring us Ritual, an album of introspection. The musical talent in this transformative journey is Peter Kater (piano), R. Carlos Nakai (Native American flute, Eagle Bone Whistle, Chanting), Paul McCandless (Soprano Saxophone, Oboe, English horn), Jaques Morelenbaum (Cello) and Trisha Bowden (vocals).

Opening up with “A Meeting at Twilight,” I sat back and closed my eyes, letting the peaceful ebb and flow of the piano and flute lull my senses into a relaxed state. Some days that is hard to come by. Balancing a day job and a full time writing career can make a girl tense. Schedules, life obligations…we all have them. Sometimes it just takes an album like Ritual to break the chains and refocus your energy on the inner workings that really matter. Piano and flute lead the way to the metaphorical bonfire in the middle of the field. The epic meeting of the soul with the creator.  Nothing is between you and the night sky, the stars winking down and the music flowing from the buds in your ears. Nirvana. 

Earthy flutes take flight in “Invoking the Elements.” Piano treads on the light as air landscape. Trees sway in the distance as you call the quarters. North, South, East and West. All four elements accounted for. Each sentiment brought to life with the subtle notes of music so artfully composed and rendered into living, breathing art. Jazzy elements infuse the moment, gauzy clouds of bright energy. The elements combine and bring you back to yourself. You are the earth, the air, the sea and the fire. You. Are.

“Dream Dances” is the last piece on the album. It bubbles to life with elements of air and fire, the trickle of water weaving through the heat. Piano sequences in the midst of whispers. Horn and flute meld together with ethereal sounds, giving voice to the longing in the soul. Peace. I have found my place of tranquility. Breathe in. Breathe out. Cello and flute. Voice and key. The harmonies roll over you like a wave. Haunting chants bring the language of my ancestors to life as arms reach up to embrace the infinite. This piece is the crowning achievement of an album crafted for greatness at the onset.

Ritual is a walk into the heart of what instrumental music should be. Kater and Nakai, combined with McCandless, Morelenbaum and Bowden have crafted an album of transformative joy. Elemental in nature, it invokes peace no matter how busy you are. Take a moment. Just listen. Just be. From the haunting vocals to the ancestral chants and Native American flute rendered so artfully, it resonates. Side by side with piano sequences and multi-instrumentation, this is an album you will come to treasure. Make it your cup of tea after a long day and you find your center. 

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Dream Dances, Invoking the Elements, a Meeting at Twilight

Dana Wright

April 6, 2014

Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Tracks: 
1. Meeting At Twilight   
2. Standing as One       
3. Invoking the Elements        
4. Offering        
5. Space Within        
6. Envisioning   
7. Dream Dances
 

Instrumental Review: Bob Ardern-Craftsman

Release Date: March 2014

Label: Independent

Website

Bob Ardern is a guitar master whose music reaches across many genres. If you listen, you can hear a sampling of roots music with a dash of Celtic, Jazz and Americana thrown in for good measure. His unique sound arose from English folk music and the finger style guitar playing has stayed with him. In Craftsman we see a lot of old style instrumentation blended with the best of modern technology. Guest musicians include Alyssa Wright (cello), Don Bray (engineer), Dave Findlay and Kev Corbett (percussion, bass). The vast arrays of instruments used are: guitar, cello, trumpet, Glockenspiel, bodhran, pipe organ, Celesta, Spider Capo, Dragon’s Breath, bells, Synth pad, percussion and bass. The album features a special bonus track of “Paso Doble Solo Guitar” that is sure to whet any Classical guitar aficionado’s appetite.

“Tiddlywinks” is the opening track for the album and features Kev on percussion and Dave on the Hi Hat. It is a merry little tune, filled with elements of acoustic guitar that bumps along happily to a different sort of beat. The piece makes me think of walking along a path with butterflies popping along on a spring afternoon. Happiness and joyful play are the central feelings here. The music is festive and leads you into the open air of springtime.

“Back to Basics” Percussion, bass, piano and Dragon’s Breath synth pad are featured on this fun little composition. Playful, it is running on the beach and kicking sand into the air. It is splashing through small waves as they rush upon the shore. Finding joy in the simple things, remembering the happiness of discovery-of the realization that the best things in life are at times unexpected. Rattles of percussion intertwine with acoustic guitar and bass to create an evocative piece filled with emotion and awakening.

“Keep It Simple” begins with elegant guitar work that twists and winds its way along a textured path of artful instrumentation and composition. The melodies that flow from this piece are restful and if you close your eyes, you can see the colors burst inside of your imagination. If this song were a drink, it would be a velvety white chocolate mocha going down to warm your soul. Every finger movement is captured in minute detail, allowing the listener to fall into the music and just be.

“Paso Doble Solo Guitar” is the bonus track on the album. Deliberate and fluid, the fingering of this piece is a landscape of melody with an acoustic guitar gone solo. Whereas the original piece had the synth pad, bass, percussion and trumpet, this piece is solely guitar. You know the saying, less is more? I can’t think of a better example. (I loved the first version too, but this one was wonderful.) The pure sound churning out with every pluck and strum is like manna from Heaven. This track is pure bliss for the acoustic lover’s soul. 

Bob Ardern’s classic finger picking guitar style is epic. This Canadian artist has gathered some of the best guest musicians and producers together to craft an album worthy of spending time with. Seven capos and six strings brings us twelve tracks of instrumental guitar with flavors of Jazz, roots music, Americana, Classical and a bit of Celtic to mix things up a bit. Craftsman was exactly what the name of the album suggests. Each track was wrought with skill and intent to bring out the best of each instrument and artist performing. You won’t want to miss this one. Bob Ardern has made my must listen list and I look forward to his next album. 

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Tiddlywinks, Back to Basics, Keep It Simple, Paso Doble Solo Guitar

Dana Wright

March 22, 2014

Review Provided By Write a Music Review

Tracks:
01.Tiddlywinks
02.Pipe Dream
03.Capo Breton Lullaby
04.Schrödinger's Cat
05.Keep It Simple
06.Nova Scotia New Age Blues
07.Back To Basics
08.Bellringers
09.Still Waiting
10.Winding Down
11.Paso Doble
12.Paso Doble Solo Guitar

New Age Instrumental Review: Minstrel Streams-New Horizon

Release Date: January 10, 2014

Label: Independent

Website 

Minstrel Streams is the joint effort of husband and wife team Matt and Rebecca Stuart. Both began their music careers at a young age. Joining forces after meeting for a burger to discuss Rebecca’s composition, the two became irrevocably entwined as musicians and life partners, marrying six months later. Searching for the name of their band, a friend told them their combined sound was like two streams converging in a river and the result was Minstrel Streams. Now releasing their fourth album after being inspired by the legendary Will Ackerman, New Horizon is their finest work yet to date. Filled with classical elements with delightful improvisation, this album hooked me from the very start.  Guest artists on the album include Eugene Friesen (GRAMMY winning cellist); Jill Haley (English Horn); Paul Kochanski (string bass); Matt Heaton (Bodhran drum); Noah Wilding (vocals); and Tom Eaton (percussion and accordion). 

“Ancient Mariner” awakens the listener to the magic of New Horizon and the versatile talents of this amazing duo. Cello, piano, flute, bass and background vocals sing a siren’s song of the ocean’s vast and eternal beauty. Cascading piano movements carry the listener over the waves and into the open waters. Glimpses of a shimmering tail and a flash of red hair drift by as the ship crests a swell. A mermaid winks and you are captivated by the enchantment in a world that tempts you to dip your toes in the water and be free.

“Golden Treasures” is a lively piece. Piano, flute, cello, bass, and percussion swirl together like the rich melty flavors of a salted caramel mocha. Smooth going down and just when you think you have discovered all the rich flavors, there is another one hiding in the middle. The flute flutters delicately to the top as the cello rises to greet the listener with deep resonating string movements. The streams cross together to create a perfect blend of sound. There just in the center of the piece you can hear a bit of acoustic guitar that sounds remarkably like a harpsichord, adding further texture to this already splendid track.

“Celestial’s Rainbow” is a joyful song. Acoustic guitar, flute, accordion, bass, Bodhran drum, and percussion weave a piece that invokes a summer’s dance around the Maypole. Ribbons ride high on the wind as emotions run free. Breathe in the heady pulse of life and the heightened senses that come from blood pumping wild in your veins. Dance. Let you hair down and let the magic of the summer season take flight. See the twinkle in your lover’s eyes and smile. The steady percussion raises the beat and just there, the flute takes flight.

Minstrel Streams is a duo that I now have on my must hear list. Classical movements whip and whirl with improvised compositions that took my mind to distant lands the moment the album began to play. The distinct element of water was throughout this album. Whether a ride with an ancient mariner or a treasure hunt, or even a voyage home, it all centered on the majesty and mystery within the waves. New Horizon is indeed a new step forward for Minstrel Streams and is an album destined for greatness from the onset. With guest musicians and the art and skill of Matt and Rebecca Stuart, this album was inspired and recorded in Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont. New Horizon is a journey and one that I will be taking often. In a humorous moment my mind went back to a line in the movie Ghostbusters when one of the men is told not to cross the streams. Matt and Rebecca—you chose the road less traveled by and it did make the difference. I hope you will be crossing streams together for a very long time to come.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Ancient Mariner, Golden Treasures, Celestial’s Rainbow

Dana Wright

March 14, 2014


Tracks:

01. Ancient Mariner

02. Come to the Waters

03. Dawn Rising

04. On a Distant Shore

05. Golden Treasures

06. Voices of the Wind

07. New Horizon

08. Passages

09. Celestial's Rainbow

10. Coming Home to You

11. Memories of Kyoto

12. Visions for Tomorrow

13. Simple Pleasures

New Age Instrumental Review: Peter Phippen, Enrique Rueda, Rahbi Crawford-Sacred Spaces

Release Date: January 1, 2014

Label: Promotion Music Records

Websites: http://www.rahbicrawford.com/

http://www.enriquerueda.com/

http://www.peterphippen.com/

Recorded live in a studio session, Peter Phippen, Enrique Rueda and Rahbi Crawford have captured the essence of peace and tranquility with their unique blend of New Age instrumental music. Grammy Award nominee and three time Native American Music Award nominee, Peter Phippen is best known for his prowess with many styles of flutes. Enrique Rueda crafts his own instruments and his work is devoted to the communication of man and musical object. He works internationally specializing in traditional cultural music. Roberta (Rahbi) Crawford is an international instructor and musician. Her work is entirely devoted to deeper spiritual experience. The combination of these three highly talented musicians has given way to an exceptionally beautiful album. Sacred Spaces is pure inspiration. It is a sound experience that once I began to listen to; I didn’t want it to end. 

Opening up the album, the first track to greet you is “Poet’s Reverie.” Lilting flute sequences and multi-instrumentation lull you into a state of relaxation.  Like a fog rolling in from the coast, the song surrounds you in a blanket of tranquility, urging you to leave the concerns of the world behind you. Phippen’s bursts of passionate flute playing resonate against the backdrop of string instruments and the echoing sound of eternity.

“Autumn Memories” flutters to life. A crisp orange leaf falls to the ground and the season of change is upon us. Walk in the open and feel the span of time surround you. Memories of days long past come to mind. Running through the piles of leaves, your breath hard and fast in your chest as you speed up before a pile of wet leaves is thrown down your back—it is life. A tender kiss on a hay ride. The shy glance of a new puppy as it awakens in your arms. The exuberant force of a child’s joy as they see the leaves in their fiery glory for the first time. Images float by, slower than they were in reality. A slide show echoing span of mind and memory, the flute and multi-instrumentation capturing the poignant moments with those of loss and victory—these are the memories of a lifetime drifting like leaves in our minds eye. 

“The Dreaming Tree” features Rhabi Crawford. Crystal bowls and pyramids provide an ethereal depth to this piece. The echoing sound of the crystals reaches out, blending with the flute to ensnare the listener with a deep spiritual experience. Haunting and vast, this track is haunting.

“Lascaux” features Enrique Rueda and his traditional style instruments. Handmade with the knowledge of a master craftsman, Rueda’s style compliments Phippen’s flute making it a solid performance with a traditionally classic feel. This is one of my favorite pieces from the album. 

Peter Phippen, Enrique Rueda and Rahbi Crawford have created an album that gets back to the basics. It brings you to a basic elemental level, showing you what true musical artisans can create in the span of a few hours in a studio setting. Thirteen tracks were created and ten were hulled into the bounty of song in Sacred Spaces. Some instruments used in creating this album were: Shakuhachi, Patrick Olwell bamboo flute, Enrique Rueda quena and Native American flute, Michael Graham Allen Mojave flute replica, 1848 William Hall and Son boxwood flute, antique Egyptian kawala flute, Columbian Andean bandola, Renaissance harp, sail harp, kantele, tambor con paticas, crystal bowls and crystal pyramid. If you enjoy a musical journey as well-crafted as the finest tapestry, then you must listen to this magnificent album. It will truly take you away.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Poet’s Revere, Autumn Memories, The Dreaming Tree, Lascaux

Dana Wright

February 27, 2014

Tracks:

1.Poet’s Reverie
2.Ashes of Love
3.Violet Etchings
4.Ribbons of Darkness
5.Autumn Memories
6.The Dreaming Tree
7.Lascaux
8.Vast Fields of Forever
9.So Many Stars
10.Whispered Visions

 

New Age Instrumental Review: Darlene Koldenhoven-Tranquil Times

Release Date: September 6, 2013

Label: Timeart Recordings

Website

Darlene Koldenhoven is a Grammy Award winning artist with three Grammy nominations. Her work has reached the top of the charts worldwide and the song “Lucid See” on her newest album Tranquil Times has been nominated for Best New Age Song in the Independent Music Awards. This new album is purely instrumental with original compositions and arrangements. 

“Lucid See” is the opening track on the album. A piano piece with some atmospheric background sounds at the onset, it marries with light percussion and a steady rhythm to keep the listener diving deeper into placid waters. This track will seduce the soul, bringing a much needed element of peace. It is easy to see why this is an award winning piece.

“Eternal Love” is an awakening. A warm touch of morning sun on the brow, this piece trickles over the listener in soothing waves. Multi-instrumentation blends string, percussion and thoughtful piano compositions, unleashing a bouquet of audible blooms to bolster the spirit. This piece is one of my favorites on the album. It is full of hope, fairy lights and infinite possibility. If you close your eyes, you can envisage a love so infinite it transforms all it touches, much like this music.  

“Surrender” winds its way around, leading the listener into the forests of the night. Sweet and succulent as a night blooming jasmine, the flute playing is full of harmony and as the title to the album suggests, tranquil. Beautiful and full of mystery, this piece is indeed a surrender. The music takes you by the hand, leading you into the paths less trodden, marking passage by wisps of sweet harmony and elegant composition.

Darlene Koldenhoven is an award winning vocalist, composer, lyricist, keyboardist, producer, actor, author, speaker and pianist. Her work can be found in hundreds of movies, commercials, recordings and television shows. Tranquil Times is her newest accomplishment and the purely instrumental elements of the album are refreshing, especially after a particularly stressful holiday season. Playing the album for a week practically non-stop, I find myself at loath to move on to the next project, having grown attached to this lovely body of work.  For any writer out there, this album is wonderful to write to, the flowing sounds crafting a marvelous backdrop in which to create. With original works and arrangements, this album is auditory nirvana. I highly recommend it.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Eternal Love, Lucid See, Surrender

Dana Wright

January 15, 2014

Tracks: 1.Lucid See 2. Eternal Love 3. Greensleeves 4. Hypogeum 5. Surrender 6.Drifting With Bach 7.A Walk in Paradise 8. Atmosphere

New Age Instrumental Review: Michael Barry-Rec-Continuum

Release Date: February 18, 2014

Label: Independent

Website

Michael Barry-Rec began his musical career at a young age. Fascinated by the guitar, he has pursued his dream pushing the boundaries every step of the way. Four days in the Montrose Recording studio with one of the last five functioning Flickinger analog consoles and an all-star supporting cast of guest musicians brings us the newest Michael Barry-Rec album, Continuum. Elements of acoustic and steel lap guitar cover blues, Americana and everything in between. Contributing musicians include George Winston (piano), J D Foster (bass), Johnny Hott (drums) and Adrian Olsen (hammond organ).

Opening up with “Rendezvous” I was immediately transfixed by the strumming old fashioned growl of the guitar and the roll your eyes back in your head composition. Slow and deliberate, like a rendezvous with a lover, this piece is all about exploration. It is dynamic and full of vision. You know that saying about anything worth doing is worth doing well? Barry got the memo. This piece was the perfect lead in and had me hooked for a good solid week of listening in a trance. “Sanctum” features the piano prowess of George Winston. If you close your eyes and just see the music in your mind, you can imagine walking into an inner sanctum where all you hear is the essence of sound. No worries. No schedules to keep, no traffic deadlock, no anything. Just music. A sanctuary of audio euphoria, it took me away from my hectic day when I needed it most. The execution of this piece was flawless creating a focused musical experience.

 “Shake Rag Shuffle” is a fun piece that shakes its rhythm out with a funky bluesy beat. Rattling percussion, bass and some gritty guitar playing spin this track into hot house life. Rock and roll takes a bite out of this tune, smoky flavors giving it a tangy essence that is full of life and texture. This piece falls in the Americana rock range of the spectrum and I enjoyed it immensely.

“Buried in the Sky” is the last piece on the album and a fitting way to cap off the experience. The plucky guitar sequence purrs against a backdrop of multi-instrumentation that is both inspiring and soothing. The finely constructed composition is like a finely carved instrument, eloquent and artful.

If you enjoy a blend of acoustic and steel lap guitar then you need to give this album a try. Michael Barry-Rec surrounds himself with stellar talent, creating an ambient listening experience that speaks to the love he has for music. This album is infectious with pure musical joy and one you won’t want to miss.

5/5 Stars

 

Key Tracks: Sanctum, Buried in the Sky, Shake Rag Shuffle, Rendezvous

Dana Wright 

February 25, 2014

Tracks:

1. Rendezvous

2. Cause and Effects

3. Clockwise

4. Sanctum

5. Fields That Never Die

6. Shake Rag Shuffle

7. Labyrinth

8. Lotus

9. Mystified

10. In Visible

11. Beckon

12. Two Way Dream

13. Buried in the Sky

 

S