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Music
Reviews Eager,
devoted fans will certainly welcome New Age icon Enya's latest
CD, A Day Without Rain. This recording, her first release
in five years, simply radiates with the unmistakable harmonies and celestial
voice of the artist. Enya seldom tours, preferring to lead a somewhat
reclusive life in her castle south of Dublin (who wouldn't want
to stay there?). Instead, she spends much of her time penning and recording
gorgeously crafted, resplendent songs. Her angelic voice and peerless
collection of material make this recording a welcome addition to any
fan's CD library. As with her previous releases, Enya teams with
producer Nicky Ryan and lyricist Roma Ryan. The songs “Only Time”
and “Pilgrim” are classic Enya, while the stormy “Tempus
Vernum” is surely destined to be used on a motion picture soundtrack.
In an age of lengthy CDs bloated with innocuous “filler” tracks,
Enya's latest effort, only 37 minutes long, serves to remind appreciative
listeners of the adage that less is often more. Six
years ago the CD Sacred Spirit was released. Combining
traditional Native American ceremonial chants with contemporary instrumental
compositions, this important recording was widely acclaimed and spawned
a whole series of copycat releases. Sacred Spirit II: More Chants
and Dances of the Native Americans follows the successful path
forged by its predecessor. Ancient chants, sung by Native American performers,
are seamlessly interwoven with evocative instrumental melodies. This
cycle of songs celebrates wisdom, rebirth, and reverence for all life.
It also blends the musical genres of New Age, Ambient, World Music,
dance music, and traditional chants. A portion of the profits made from
the sale of Sacred Spirit II will be donated to the Native
American Rights Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the restoration
of the legal rights of the Native American peoples.
The ensemble MegaDrums, founded by musician Reinhard Flatischler,
brings together some of the world's leading percussionists. Terra
Nova, the group's new recording, is a masterful journey
through many diverse musical landscapes and influences. Imagine the
sinuous, sensuous rhythms of Middle Eastern music married to the primal
sounds of an Australian Aboriginal didgeridoo. Add in some smoky jazz,
and some evocative, haunting chants, and you have the musical recipe
for an incredible listening experience. Flatischler doesn't just
arbitrarily throw together various musical styles of the world. He first
identifies elementary percussive rhythms that can be found in all cultures.
These core rhythms then form the framework for a more labyrinthine musical
pilgrimage. From the initial meditative track, “Terra Profunda,”
to the unusual, spirited concluding track, “Rei Da Mata,”
Terra Nova provides listeners with a deeply satisfying musical experience.
In their latest CD entitled Paradise, Narada musicians
Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel offer listeners a collection
of quiet, masterfully crafted, seemingly simple pieces. Longtime fans
of these artists will certainly appreciate their newest offering. In
fourteen varied selections, Tingstad's sonorous acoustic guitars
are graced by Rumbel's oboe, English horn, and ocarina. From the
pastoral sounds of “The Man from Stratford” and “The
Lowcountry,” to the unusual inspiration for “The Lawnmower
Song,” Paradise is indeed an acoustic oasis for listeners. In the
CD liner notes, the artists emphasize their music's “. . .capacity
to allow people to reconnect with hearing silence.” They pride
themselves, as they say, “. . .in being able to create musical
spaces for people to listen and relax.” Sometimes listening to
quiet and reflective music - or to the passages of silence within music
- can be a tonic to living in our ceaselessly noisy, clamorous world,
a world filled with cell phones, pagers, sirens, and the other sounds
of 21st century life. Paradise is an ideal selection for meditation,
yoga, bodywork, or for simple relaxation.
Annie Haslam's luscious voice lights up her new release,
The Dawn of Ananda. Haslam, known as the lead singer of
the English rock group, Renaissance, triumphed over breast cancer
in 1993 and credits “the support of angels” for her healing.
In gratitude, she organized a benefit performance, along with 20th Century
Guitar Magazine, for the unfortunate children of Sarajevo. Performing
along with a dozen great names in rock, Annie's benefit was a huge
success. She has also designed a line of gold and silver angel jewelry,
and the proceeds from the jewelry sales will be donated to children's
charities around the world. Plans are for the jewelry line to be sold
through stores, along with an Ananda (the Angel of Bliss) doll. Her
new album, The Dawn of Ananda (Hindu for 'bliss'),
draws from the angels for inspiration. The track called “Summon
the Angels” and five other songs from the album have been selected
for Rick Korn's video program that trains people in the art of mediumship.
Her five-octave voice soars in these majestic, spiritual melodies. Haslam's
heavenly magic will appeal to any angel enthusiast.
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