Can you picture yourself in swirling scarves and tiny bells, dancing in wild, gypsy abandon? Chris Spheeris may bring such images to mind with his new CD, Dancing With The Muse. Although the arrangements are contemporary, there are many traditional elements drawn from Greek, Middle Eastern, Spanish, and East Indian culture. The sparkling clarity of Spheeris's keyboard work and the warmth of his guitar are highpoints of the instrumentation, which also includes (by various artists) autoharp, bazouki, hand drums, oud, ney, tablas, snares, cello, English horn, electric guitar, flamenco guitar, canta onda, other percussion instruments, and vocals. This wide range of instrumentation reflects Spheeris's love of world music and ethnic sounds. Atmospherically, Muse is sensuous, mysterious, and magical. There are songs that will haunt you, like "Magaya," with its flamenco flavor and lyrical tablas. "Marionette" has that sort of unreal quality of a circus midway late at night - just a touch of darkness and... danger. Dancing With The Muse is an adventure not to be missed!
- KS

      Cool, sophisticated, sexy - these are the first words that come to mind to describe Take Out, by the Hong Kong Dragon Club. Contemporary jazz and world music meld seamlessly in this collection, which is made up of contemporary interpretations of classic Chinese folk songs, some of which are 4,000 years old. Producer K.K. Wong assembled a group of Hong Kong's most experienced studio musicians who play for pop, rock, jazz, film soundtracks and even advertising jingles to create this disc, using both European and traditional Chinese instruments. The music was arranged and conducted by British-born David Packer, who also plays harmonica, keyboards, and percussion on Take Out. Guy Barker, a trumpeter who has worked with Ornette Coleman, offers two songs, as well. It's fascinating to hear these familiar instruments combined with Hsin Hsiao - Hung's erhu, Cheng Man's guzheng, Li Tak Kong's yangqin, Choo Boon Chong's di, and Wong Ching's pipa. Drummer Nick Ledesma and bassists Rudy Balbuena and Nilo Aristorena are a strong contribution to the overriding jazz feel of the disc. As tricky as it might sound to combine pentatonic Chinese melodies and jazz, they not only pulled it off, but the Chinese musicians improvised, on traditional instruments, in the truest expression of jazz.
- KS

      "An ancient Hindu technique suggests repeating a mantra in 108 successions for 40 days to secure the mantra's vibration in the body. If any of the days are missed, it is important to start again at the beginning of the 40 day period," so begin the liner notes of Magical Healing Mantras by Namaste. Mantras, demonstrating the power of thought, each have a specific purpose, and combined with intention, can have a profound and lasting effect on practitioners. Sangeet, who plays sitar, tarang, and fretless guitar on Mantras, found that "... psychic and emotional distress can be healed or calmed through longer chanting, while shorter chanting enhances emotional contentment and inner peace." The lyrics for each mantra are included in the liner notes, but sadly, there is no translation. Even if you don't actually practice chanting the mantras, this CD is lovely to listen to and enjoy. The spiritual nature of the heartfelt mantras is unmistakable; the voices are warm and the arrangements intimate. Bhola and Shantam play soulful flute solos; Chaitanya, Gopal, Parijat, and Sangeet all contribute enchanting guitar work, and Martina Singh's tablas are truly magical. The atmosphere of Magical Healing Mantras is dreamlike, soothing, mesmerizing - highly recommended!
- KS

      More than a century ago, a slave ship crashed near the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent. The fortunate Africans took the opportunity to escape, and settling on the island and marrying the natives, they created a new language and culture called Garifuna. Throughout Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala, you can still hear their music, called Paranda. The new recording, Paranda: Africa in Central America, is an authentic recording of this most rare and intriguing music. Paranda is both a Garifuna rhythm and a genre of music. This spirited music is completely acoustic, with guitar, wooden Garifuna drums known as Primero, segunda, shakers, scrapers, and turtle shell instruments. The songs are often call-and-response in African tradition, but there is also the Latin and Spanish influence demonstrated in rhythm and guitar styling. The artists, known as Paranderos, are few and far between - with only one or two living in each village. This disc features the best of the living Paranderos, many of them in their 60's, 70's, and 80's: Paul Nabor, Jursino Cayetano, Junior Aranda, Gabaga Williams, Dale Guzman, Lugua Centeno Petio, Teofilo Centano, and Aurelio Martinez. The Paranderos used their music as a form of social sanction: if someone in the village offended, the Paranderos wrote a song about him, and even made fun of him, instead of fighting. Aranda has written about ex - girlfriends, former employers, and people who owed him money, and if you doubt that revenge is sweet, you ought to hear the laughter after one track! These guys may have something, here. Imagine gangs putting violence aside, and settling disputes with wit and music, instead!
- KS

    "The world we live in can be the 'Garden of the Gods,' since it is up to us to make it into a place of fulfillment and play, of love and gratefulness... I dedicate this music to everybody who has the courage to go a step in the direction of love, silence and truth to make this place a Garden of the Gods," writes C.G. Deuter in the liner notes of his new release by the same name. Featuring the wordless and lovely voice of Annette Cantor, Garden of the Gods is ethereal, peaceful, and sublime. Cantor's vocals are the songs of an angel, rapt with the sheer, breathtaking beauty of creation. Chaitanya G. Deuter accompanies Cantor on guitar, flute, sythesizer, drums, and vocals and both Deuter and Cantor composed the music. Their inspiration was drawn from "nature and the vast skies of New Mexico;" the poet Rumi; wind in the trees; Gaia, the Earth Goddess; and the stirrings of their own hearts. This music is peaceful, comforting, spirit-filled, and quite beautiful. It would be the perfect accompaniment for meditation, yoga, Reiki, or crystal healing.
- KS

      "I sing my first phrase into the open hatch. I listen. A mysterious, shimmering reflection of my voice returns." This quote from the liner notes of Water Birth is a perfect introduction to the music of Lee Ellen Shoemaker, The Tunnel Singer. Recorded in a two - million gallon cistern at Port Townsend, Washington, Shoemaker's hauntingly beautiful voice is enhanced by the cistern's 45-second natural acoustic reverberation. The music is purely her voice, with no electronic enhancement of the reverberation. There are no recognizable words. Shoemaker's only accompaniment is a flight of geese and a few raucous ravens. The result is unlike anything I've ever heard - eerie, introspective, lovely. The closest thing to this sound that I can imagine is a solo by a young soprano in the Vienna Boys Choir, sung with the acoustics of a cathedral. However, the reverberations add a whole new dimension. Water Birth would be lovely for ritual, meditation, healing, or yoga. The CD ranks in Top 20 Lists on many New Age stations and has received extensive airplay on radio and Internet broadcasts. Bill Binkelman of Wind and Wire says, "... it's sublime." For a most unusual listening experience, try the otherworldly, spiritual sounds of Water Birth.
- KS

      This month, the Atlanta Opera presents its new production of Cosi Fan Tutte, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.Often translated as "women are like that," this opera gives us two young suitors testing their lovers' fidelity in a comic tale of deception, doubt and devotion. Dates for Cosi Fan Tutte are June 8 at 8:00 pm; June 10 at 7:30 p.m; and June 11 at 3:00 p.m. For ticket information, call 404-881-8885 or 1-800-35-OPERA.

      The Atlanta Opera would like to extend a special offer to Aquarius readers. By calling 404-881-8801, and mentioning Aquarius, you will receive a complimentary copy of the Opera's 2000 Season Preview CD, The Face of Emotion, narrated by Atlanta Opera Artistic Director William Fred Scott and featuring arias from Rigoletto, Cosi Fan Tutte, Lucia DI Lammermoor and Turandot. You may also receive the CD by emailing your name and address to atlopera@mindspring.com and mentioning Aquarius. Offer good while supplies last.