Play List
Music reviews by Bill Binkelman
 The Sands of Time
Peter Sterling Harp Magic Music, www.harpmagic.comThis is harpist and keyboard player Peter Sterling’s ninth release, and it’s his best yet. Surrounding himself with a crew of superb accompanists (including brothers Brian and Bruce BecVar, as well as flutist Richard Hardy), Sterling has crafted instantly engaging music. This is one of those CDs that your customers will gravitate toward as soon as you start playing it in-store. From the opening subdued chill-out tempo of “Forever and a Day” to the calming serenity of the closing “The Distant Shore,” Sterling and company take the listener through a variety of musical lands: sensual (“Come with Me”), romantic (“ever After”), playful (“To the Moon and Back”) and haunting (“10,000 Nights”). The Sands of Time is one of the better New Age albums released recently and guaranteed to please harp music lovers.
 Twilight Serenade
David Tolk North Star Records, www.northstarmusic.comWhether it’s during dinner, in front of the fire, or while reading a book on a Saturday afternoon with rain softly falling, Twilight Serenade from keyboard player/guitarist David Tolk (accompanied by several others) is just the kind of easy, relaxing music that many people are looking for. Featuring originals, traditional tunes (“Amazing Grace” and “Simple Gifts”), and cover tunes (such as Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” Jim Croce’s “Time In A Bottle,” and Dan Fogelberg’s “Leader of the Band”), Tolk and company plug into the classic New Age acoustic vibe of artists such as Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel with considerable success. Music like this is partly why I fell in love with the genre in the first place. Since synthesizers are used only as occasional shading here, this album should appeal to acoustic music lovers and those seeking something nostalgic and “north woodsy.” It has that feel to it—in fact, I can hear the loons on the lake as I write this!  ReflectionsMark Holland and Cory Edwards Cedar N Sage Music, www.autumnschild.comUnlike the albums from his more up-tempo world fusion ensemble, Autumn’s Child, Reflections showcases a softer, more meditative side of Native American flute player Mark Holland. Working with pianist Cory Edwards (although the CD also features tabla, cello, and upright bass), Holland retains the characteristic sound of the wooden flute while playing music aimed (for the most part) squarely at contemplation and relaxation. All 13 tracks were, per the liner notes, created “‘in the moment’ as spontaneous songs in the studio,” but you wouldn’t know it—this music has a wonderful flow and a just-right feel to it. While some songs do feature tabla rhythms, I’d still classify this as relaxation music. The track “Clouds” is indicative of the unique hybrid sound of Holland’s Native flute and Edwards’ New Age piano, a mixture that, in these two artists’ hands, proves to be a winning formula.
Celtic
 King Raven, Volume 1-3
Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning Ark Records, www.arkmusic.comJeff Johnson (keyboards, percussion, vocals) and Brian Dunning (flutes, whistles, accordion, bodhran, vocal percussion) have been recording Celtic/Celtic fusion music for a long time. One look at their discography shows they are obviously doing something right! Their latest album brings together the tracks from the two previous King Raven EPs along with four new songs (hence the CD’s title). Inspired by the legend of Robin Hood, the two artists, joined by four other players on guitar, bass, viola, violin, and cello, work their musical magic throughout the album. Their take on contemporary Celtic music is one of the more unique and enjoyable being released today. Whether spirited (“Elder World,” “Raven Dance”), orchestral (“Black Arrows”), romantic (“Merian’s Theme”), or haunting (“The Forest”), these artists are clearly at the top of their game. Recommend this one to fans of the well-known ensembles Nightnoise or Clannad.
Chant
 Beyond DoubtFrancesco JaYA PraNaya Unlimited, www.francescojaya.comSurely one of the more jubilant and fascinating chant albums I’ve ever heard, Beyond Doubt takes the genre and injects copious amounts of passion, joy, and sheer love of the music itself. The CD is energizing and celebratory. Francesco JaYA is the man driving the project with his powerful singing voice—rich with resonance and emotion—but he is assisted by more than 20 others, particularly the various members annotated as “choir” in the liner notes. Using such modes as “call and response” (commonly associated with gospel music), as well as vocal stylings that hew closer to blues, gospel, and rock music (even though these are mantras), Beyond Doubt holds one surprise after another throughout its eight songs, including an English-language, straight-up, Gospel-inflected number, “I Have a Dream.” Many, but not all, songs start off as a solo mantra by JaYA and build into powerful massed choral efforts, while the music itself features subdued, traditional instrumentation anchoring explosions of unbridled joy, such as on “Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya,” which pulses with rock-like power. This is one powerful album! |