Fred Thrane from Sandpoint Idaho has incorporated those fact based linear notes on the inside CD cover of his debut album Angels of the Sun, but in a related topic much closer to home and easier to picture is the like a grain of sand approach in which he composed and launched his first instrumental album. Presenting his exclusive talents on CD for his first official introduction, Angels of the Sun yields an expansive diversity in what you would expect to hear on a debut album, so it is a release that can be appreciated by a variety of people.

Angels of the Sun features diverse styles ranging from New Age, Flamenco and Contemporary, which likewise ascertain his aptitude as an accomplished guitarist of various styles. Relying on his strong background as both a student and music educator, I thought Fred Thrane has released a wonderful first album. Everything began when he picked up the guitar for the first time during his teen years studying Classical and Flamenco guitar.

The next phase of his education was Classical Guitar instruction during college years at UC Santa Barbra. Fred later transferred to Cal State Hayward, where he majored in guitar and earned a master’s degree in music, with a specialty in Classical Guitar. For the next 5 years he took lessons from distinguished guitarist Rey de la Torre. Fred Thrane then reached a turning point when he began his teaching career as Professor of Music at San Jose State University and Foothill College while educating students in Classical Guitar. It was during this time period he had composed some of the melodies for this release.

Angels of the Sun features 9 engaging songs, and brings with it the foresight and experience of a music professional that has devoted much of his life acquiring the skills needed to produce an album which is singular in its existence yet further reaching in its appeal among many.

Dennis Murphy and Jim Norris are two performers who provide accompaniment on this release. While Denis plays bass and Jim contributes the variety of percussion parts, both complement the nucleus of Fred’s composition by magnifying his melodic theme and then adding a good measure of vibrant harmony of their own.

The more extravagant Flamenco styled songs Big Sur, Fandango in Four, Farruca & Moraga Raga were among my favorites. Like most songs on this contemporary instrumental album, you will find they are quite lively and up-tempo with great percussion enhancements which are in harmony with the energetic atmosphere one would expect to hear on Flamenco music. The Title Song, Dawn Dancer & The Third Heaven are more serene in tempo and rhythm, but they too are engaging and consistent in theme.

Finding a forte in blending New Age, Flamenco and Classical styles into a single orchestration, Fred Thrane is a music professional who shines on his first release by his diverse experience as a guitarist. More than capable of arranging a select number of music influences into a single improvisation of wonder, I can see where Angels of the Sun will please a wide variety of musical tastes. In the end, this makes his first release seem more like a universal commodity.

Visit the fredthrane.com homepage to find out more. Sample or purchase at his CDBaby.com page & Amazon.com page.

Hubble Telescope cover image courtesy NASA, B.D. Moore and J.J. Hester.

Jon Anderson, former lead vocalist and lyrical messenger for the group Yes, is while I write this review, standing on a stage entertaining audiences during tour venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which is in support of his concept album – Survival & Other Stories. What I find most impressive about Jon Anderson is the fact he has been not only capturing, but keeping a firm grip on audiences with his music for the past 5 decades, and so it goes without saying that Jon Anderson is a wonderfully gifted vocalist with a exciting message people truly want to hear over and over again.

It was during my 2011 interview with Jon Anderson where he specified that while on stage, concert goers would hear original Yes songs, along with Jon & Vangelis songs. In addition he articulates the biographical aspects about his life to an audience, what the songs mean and how they were created, along with singing songs from his newest release – Survival & Other Stories. Jon also acknowledged the importance his fans are to him, which are of course the lifeblood for any artist.

Jon Anderson is a music superstar, even to those other than his loyal fans who regard him as one of the greatest music icons past and present. While true he is best known as the former lead singer and key lyricist of the Progressive Rock band Yes, his prolific solo music career continues to be as positive and significant today as it was years ago, when people like myself were buying his vinyl records!

Jon Anderson’s influence and starring role in music over five decades is legendary, and one can say Jon’s divine voice and lyrical message is as clearly unforgettable. Presently, it is estimated over 38 million records were sold during his years as the dynamic lead vocalist with Yes, and his successful solo career to date. Even today people are discovering the earlier works from Yes, in addition to his numerous collaborations with other top artists, and personal solo projects.

Survival & Other Stories is a concept album Jon created after he nearly perished from a serious illness. The silver lining began after his recovery when this unique project began to take shape. During this time Jon published a message on his website inviting artists to submit their music for this new endeavor.

When musicians from all corners of the world turned in their ethnic music over the internet the substance of something beautiful was born. Jon then mixed, composed, and co-produced with wife Jane Anderson the first of three concept albums, Survival & Other Stories which has a collection of 11 songs with wonderful orchestrations unified with Jon’s heartfelt vocal energies clearly articulated both musically and lyrically as optimistic and positive.

The first song New New World which opens with bold drum cadence, snare taps, and dancing strings makes a clear distinction this release is like no other yet his lyrical propensity and alto tenor range vocals reassure the listener this release will be just as impressive as the melodies he released decades ago. Unbroken Sprit is a moving piece with a light percussion backed melody, while Love Of The Life & Big Buddha Song touch upon politics and religion with spirited instrumentals backing verses of inspiration.

The blend of harmonic ethnicities continues in the moderately arranged melodies Understanding Truth, Effortlessly, Love And Understanding & Sharpening The Sword. All songs are identifiable in a sense by vocal recognition, yet each has a varying metrical rhythm and unique melody which gives every song a singular timbre and atmosphere. Gentle introspective moments are prevalent qualities in the more serene songs Incoming, Just One Man & Cloudz.

Jon Anderson without a doubt has a wonderful story to tell, and in the auditory sense, his new release has a personalized point of view that comes across as musical magic. And while many artists have abandoned their music careers or quietly faded away by stepping off and never returning to the stage, Jon Anderson is an expert at entertaining his audiences both onstage and in the studio. As it turns out, 2011 now appears to be an exciting year for everyone.

On the 10 page CD cover booklet are all song lyrics and a memoir style narrative from Jon. The musicians listed on specific songs are; Jamie Dunlap, Peter Kiel, Jann Castor, Dan Spollen, Kevin Shima, Stefan Poddell, Steve Layton, Jeremy Cubert, Christophe Lebled, Ryan Fraley, Daniel Reinker, and Paul Quinn.

Visit jonanderson.com for music news and concert info. Survival & Other Stories can be pre-ordered from Gonzo Multimedia and Amazon.com prior to June 6 release date. Read our 2011 interview article on our pages dedicated to Jon Anderson.

Concert photo courtesy jonanderson.com. Big Stock Photo – dws.

Keith Driskill has created an acoustic guitar album that gives one the impression of those lighthearted days by gentle guitar melodies of inspiration. His release A Time of Innocence is an acoustic guitar album that momentarily shuttles the listener to a relaxing state of mind by its peaceful down to earth purity.

Keith Driskill performs superbly on acoustic guitar using the fingerstyle technique, and as it turns out, he is well versed in articulating the emotional imagery of those carefree days, and does so with amazing clarity. Finding an early fascination in learning how to play the guitar at age 10, Keith began to explore and develop his own skills during the early years as a youngster growing up in Kentucky. This may have had something to do with the present day Utah resident’s abilities at expressing the more simplistic period of our youth, during a time when hopeful dreams of our future first originate.

A Time of Innocence is a New Age, Solo Guitar album with traditional Folk music elements. The 9 songs are best defined as serene and peaceful, yet there is a broader modulation of warmth and depth, which makes A Time of Innocence something rather unique and special. On the surface you will find light guitar rhythms comingle and reside in time with more complex tracings of depth and refinement which is a nice counterpart to the lighter more serene qualities.

The song Lover’s Farewell is the melody I felt best compliments this adaptation, in words I will phrase as refined serenity. The equally relaxing Moonlight Lullaby & Fireflies each convey an elevated atmosphere of inspiration. It may be less important how I word or phrase the description of Keith Driskill’s acoustic guitar music, just so long as my earlier viewpoint of wonderfully uplifting music is incorporated when summarizing his solo guitar endeavors.

While true none of us can return to the carefree days of our youth, Keith’s guitar melodies offers a moment to reminisce about those lighthearted days of our past that ironically turn out to be important to the majority of us during our adult years. It’s an easygoing acoustic expression about A Time of Innocence.

Visit the driskillmusic.com homepage and then sample / purchase on his music page or visit his amazon.com page.

Photos courtesy driskillmusic.com.

Shambhu is the proficient guitarist asserting in his website news pages his first album has truly been a “ labor of love “ while composing, performing and co-producing with Will Ackerman, along with his time spent working beside other top music professionals. This I can believe since at the end of the day, Shambhu and his insightful selection of collaborating musicians has paid off rather handsomely, and by their collective time spent together, have helped convert this debut release into an readily available commodity of premium value.

Sacred Love – Feel The Journey is New Age Fusion, Contemporary Instrumental, and Jazz, having East, West, and World elements which facilitate the conversion of artful melodies into solid gold entertainment that requires only simple involvement for the rest of us to easily acquire the appreciable benefits of this grand endeavor. Sacred Love has already achieved a quantifiable amount of success, where at present Sacred Love – Feel The Journey is # 1 for the month of October 2010 in ZMR’s Top 100 Chart, but I also have a feeling this album will appreciate in value even more over time.

Shambhu is truly an esteemed musician in his own right performing concerts or on albums with top music entertainers like Bob Hope, Carlos Santana, Jon Anderson and on Whitney Houston’s multi-platinum album titled simply Whitney. The long list of talents go on since Shambhu has also been involved in projects with many of the respected musicians I continually write about like Will Ackerman, Jeff Oster, Eugene Friesen, Ann Licater plus many more.

Sacred Love – Feel The Journey on the Acoustic Shine label has an impressive cast and crew since many have toured or recorded with top musical groups themselves. Some of these artists on Shambhu’s album include Tony Levin of Peter Gabriel on bass, Jeff Haynes of Pat Metheny on percussion, George Brooks of John McLaughlin on saxophone, Celso Alberti of Steve Winwood on drums, and Premik Tubbs of Santana and John McLaughlin on flute.

Together is the first of 12 songs total and what a memorable impression it creates. The center stage guitar and violin pairing established securely alongside flute and reflective instrumentation is magnificent, plus it is easy to visualize this song and others in a Cinematic role since the warm, sincere, and dynamic atmosphere echo the characteristic essentials for a multitude of made for the big screen movie settings.

Natural Moment is a warm and casual song that positively takes off and ascends to new heights. First expressed during the initial sequences, xylophone and numerous percussion enhancements become the lively components that merge into a free spirited narrative complete with smooth and graceful electric guitar rhythms which intensify and progress neatly into a picturesque arrangement.

Maiu Breeze is refreshing by exhibiting a jazzy tropical presence. First conveyed by acoustic guitar highlights, the integral xylophone rhythms and harmonious vocals filled with energy and vitality are a natural accompaniment to the guitar arrangement. Together they merge perfectly to bring out the compositional fascination of this album and its entirety, creating a dynamic atmosphere that leaves one with an impression of total harmonic refinement.

This first release by Shambhu will always be termed a debut as one might expect, but when you consider his proficiency as a guitarist, the impressive number of outstanding talents on this extraordinary album, and their combined lifework totaling a significant number of decades as esteemed music professionals, then this masterful first album by Shambhu truly does amount to a rewarding and appreciable “ labor of love. “

Full musician credits are Eugene Friesen – cello, Charlie Bisharat – violin, Ravichandra Kulur – flute, Michael Manring – bass, Jill Haley – English horn, Claytoven Richardson – lead vocal, Jeff Oster – flugelhorn, Noah Wilding – vocals Todd Boston – sarod, mixed and engineered by Grammy Award winning Corin Nelsen.

Visist shambhumusic.com to sample / purchase or at his CDBaby.com page and Amazon.com page.

Big Stock Photo – rkasprzak

Tomas Michaud from Alameda Californiahas accurately termed the phrase New World Flamenco Jazz and this precise terminology tells a lot, but more importantly it is about the sensations you feel and the affirmative imagery acquired from his world blend of contemporary instrumentals and Latin acoustic guitar designs in new World Fusion music. These elements are also the fine attributes that create a new category of music from his various contemporaries like Ottmar Liebert, Govi, or Johannes Linstead.

Tomas Michaud defines his unique singular style in World Fusionhaving the fundamentals of Nouveau Flamenco, New Age and Smooth Jazz, but with Latin and South American rhythms that embrace Middle Eastern and Spanish music, along with Caribbean and Mediterranean harmonies. This may sound way too complex, and I am sure it is for the guitarist, but for any music aficionado it translates into charismatic melodies that turn an empty white canvass into a masterful portrait complete with colorful designs that are pleasing to the heart and mind of a broad audience.

Drawing his harmonious inspiration from Central and South American travels, the lengthy list of beautiful travel destinations recited on this album include Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, France, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Singapore. Knowing his lengthy list of travel destinations across many continents and categorical guitar inspirations, then the terminology of New World Flamenco Jazz is definitely an accurate description.

Beauty and Fire has 12 original compositions by Tomas Michaud and it becomes clear his precision Flamenco styled performance on nylon – string guitar is a leading component of professional beauty, but the distinguished musicians in accompaniment is another attractive element that makes this album flourish.

Beauty and Fire ( Title Song ) is an adventurous retreat into paradise by a peaceful East meets West cultural blend and this first song does make a meticulous statement about his singular New World Flamenco style with marvelous certainty. Two Hearts Into One & Night Into Day are pleasingly balanced by relaxing melodies, along with another elaborate reflection in the moderate timed but equally rhythmic Embrace In The Mist & Morning Grace.

Tango In Paradise has deep melodic strides with tantalizing refrains while Gipsy Heart is quite breezy by the casual atmosphere an of accentuated guitar strides shared with violin. Living On The Wind retains a wonderful fascination by the amicable melody that can also be identified by an air of lively sophistication set in motion by magnificent guitar and piano rhythms backed by light instrumentals with plenty of quality percussion accents.

Thomas Michaud has a singular music style is a point I wanted to make today, so when selecting your album purchase at music outlets and you don’t find a New World Flamenco Jazz category try searching under New Age, World, Flamenco, Jazz, or Contemporary Instrumental sections. That is until the day retail outlets introduce a fun in the sun music category.

The musicians joining Tomas Michaud on Beauty and Fire are Don Turney on Grand Piano and keyboards, David Margen on Bass and Kai Eckhardt on Fretless Bass. Strings include Lila Sklar on violin and Michael Knapp on cello with Aharon Wheels Bolsta on Tabla and Thomas Perry, Celso Alberti, and Brian Rice on percussion.

Visit the worldmelodies.com website to sample / purchase or visit his CDBaby.com page and Amazon.com page.

Album art courtesy Elena Ray. Big Stock Photo copyright ersler.

Provence is the name of this admirable new release by Luna Blanca, along with the region of Southeastern France highly prized by a warmer climate, gourmet cuisine and regional quality vineyards, creating the picture-perfect setting for Luna Blanca’s new release that greatly succeeds at intertwining these luxurious qualities of refinement into their own creation of beauty.

Luna Blanca selected the nearby locality of Provence for a good reason since many famous authors, poets, and painters like Vincent van Gogh & Pablo Picasso had acquired inspiration for their artistic masterpieces.  After reading more about this region of Europe it became clear to me why Luna Blanca members regularly travel to Provence for their creative inspiration, and it appears everything was well designed during their masterful adaptation.

Luna Blanca is prevalent on an international level and where founding lead acoustic guitarist Richard Hecks, first trained in classical music initiated his crossover to New Flamenco and began writing the vibrant original compositions we hear today.  Helmut Graebe is a principal member with spirited piano and organ rhythms and on Provence, Hecks and Graebe each had an equal hand in composing their parts, along with the instrumental compositions of talents Bino Dola on rhythm guitar, Clemens Paskert on bass, percussions, and added keyboards.  Juan & Carolina provided some vocals and guest musician Uwe Gronau is featured on two songs playing organ and accordion. 

First song Driving sets the contemporary surroundings in motion for this pretty as a postcard destination in Nouveau Flamenco music and where everyone will be able to perceive their picturesque connection to the region of Provence during the first few measures.  Colorful in every way, Driving like each of the 12 songs are unique by their united but singular identity.  

Gipsy & Francoise exemplify this changing diversity since each have passionate melodies and charismatic rhythms which vary noticeably but interblend conclusively from song to song, representing one of many progressive attributes of this album in entirety.  Mistral has a fascinating groove based melody with organ and keyboards exhibiting many fine upbeat runs in parallel time with exciting acoustic guitar rhythms.

Café has a tantalizing setting by trumpet and accordion refrains among progressive guitar and piano melodies which introduce an alluring arrangement to the surroundings.  Sunset & La Maison Bleue likewise have great instrumentals plus the dynamic percussion rhythms heard on every song do more than merely lay the timing foundation for band members to build their melodies upon, so it is quite noticeable the percussion contributions are a lively component into the complete note by note Nouveau Flamenco atmosphere. 

Crème Brulee is an inviting song given the serene impression and one that resembles Siesta, where moderately timed guitar melodies with piano accompaniment establish a comfortable mood of relaxation while conveying a fine impression akin to white tablecloth elegance and the accordion composition in Camargue introduces an elevated amount of European ambience by the intriguing sentiment.

Rosé is a song named after the house wine regularly served with the cuisine at local cafés and proportionate to the regional vineyards and fields of lavender, Rosé is an aromatic song for the senses too and while presented in more moderate time, the guitar and piano melodies fluently bring a fragrant bouquet of light ambience to the table.  

Cote d’Azur is a majestic song finely poised by graceful half step guitar chords and piano counter melody which paint a romanticized picture of the French Riviera, concluding this song with the sound of coastal waters moving across the Mediterranean seashore, and with everything considered I wonder if anyone could ask for anything more.

Provence by Luna Blanca is an exciting new release, where admirable guitar and keyboard melodies express an anytime occasion for celebration.  Together in unison, every member gives a brilliant performance and the spirited festive theme this new release portrays has the perfect entertainment setting.  Casual and inviting by an open air sensibility, the members of Luna Blanca deserve every glass to be raised high in a toast of salutation.  Cheers !

Visit lunablancamusic.com to sample / purchase.  You can also visit their CDBaby.com page or Amazon.com page.

Cover art copyright Anke Baugatz – Picture Copyright BigStockPhoto – klenova

Sample the album here:

The Landing ( Special Edition ) is polarizing by this balancing act of multiple influences and is simply a wonderful feat of artistry from beginning to end, plus The Landing in original form with 6 songs has achieved worldwide airplay while catching the attention of not just the buying public, but some music retailers too after landing directly onto their best sellers section.   

 David Clavijo from Seville Spain seems to have a natural inclination of what multi influential New Age music is all about and I felt his performance on acoustic & electric guitars along with piano & keyboards are a fine line balance that blends together quite nicely by having these diverse instrumental strengths.

The compositions of David Clavijo likewise have universal appeal after featuring in television commercials, soundtracks, festivals and cultural events held in Spain.  In addition, his music has acquired a global audience by extensive radio airtime having also collaborated with many international labels in the Ambient & Chill Out categories, so there are additional compilation projects you can find featuring his original scores.

The Landing ( Special Edition ) has 10 songs and is a natural acquisition for those who like lively instrumentals with wonderful upbeat rhythms since every songs carries at least a moderate or upper tempo with liberal percussion accents.   Another point of interest is almost every song exhibits piano and electric guitar harmonies with appealing vocals which nicely enhance the music environment.

Dancing on the Moon features a nice orchestration for the beginning song, where piano, oboe and violin weave a bold and dynamic theme into a colorful interblending that instills a cosmopolitan touch of class.  Light soprano vocals with excluded lyrics also regulate this effect on several songs like Distant Love, where electric guitar runs revolve into a memorable Rock styled rendition that is in direct contrast with a lighter piano melody. 

One of the more unique methods of exploration is the usage of upper register notes on piano which inscribes a lighter perspective while comingling the stronger melodic guitar runs and deeper tenor vocals.  Es Vedra likewise paired mid register piano notes with upper range octaves backed by guitar runs and deeper tenor vocals, making an admirable blend by this interchange.

Sailing in my Dreams projects a more mysterious presence given the deeper keyboards and piano melody accents suspended in moderate timing by bass percussion.  The longest song Nowhere gives a wonderful mood to relax with by the lighter arrangement.  The World influences in African Spirit are moving by an ethnic choir of children vocals set to a nice percussion rhythm and turns out to be a pretty colorful song.

Las Dunas is the first of 4 new bonus songs added to the original The Landing lineup and like most songs, carries an upbeat tempo and has a modern groove feel with soprano vocals backed by saxophone and guitar.  East Winds has a far reaching atmosphere by long extended electric guitar long notes, where Uttara Kanda blends exotic influences from the lands of India and with indigenous percussion, brings a spice of life presence into the picture. 

Promises with an orchestra blend is the last song on The Landing ( Special Edition ) and while the Original album was indeed a success, this latest release with the 4 bonus tracks holds even greater expectations for this promising new multi influential release that really is quite special.

Visit davidclavijo.com to sample / purchase or at his CDBaby.com page and major retail outlets.  Learn more about David Clavijo at his website profile page.  You can connect with David Clavijo on his social network sites MySpace page & FaceBook page.

Picture copyright BigStockPhoto – Copestello

Bruce Kaphan is easily recognized in the music industry since he began an early career as a studio technician, engineer and producer for many highly recognized artists in other genres and had either played a role with the recording production of their album or performed with artists such as REM, Jewel, The Black Crowes, Thomas Dolby, John Lee Hooker and a vast selection of popular musicians.

The list of popular artists Bruce has encountered as a musician and during his tenure as a recording artist is quite lengthy and will surprise you as it did me when you visit his website. During the early days while living in San Francisco he was also a member of Indie / Alternative band American Music Club plus his music has been featured on many film scores and television broadcasts.

Hybrid is his current album that I recently wrote a review about here at New Age Music World. The 12 original compositions show pedal steel guitar as an appealing choice while clearing a new path of creative improvisations in light ambience and emerges as a natural contender in the vast field of music.

Bruce Kaphan and his music is described below in my review quote, along with the song video of Oregon Fire from the Slider album. This is a nice selection of Bruce performing on pedal steel guitar behind a backdrop of beautiful photography by Nick O’Kelly. Visit brucekaphan.com website to sample / purchase his music or visit his CDBaby.com page. Read his biography page and view his collective discography page. Read my review of Hybrid on our page dedicated to Bruce Kaphan. Studio photo copyright Bruce Kaphan courtesy of James Saxon

Bruce Kaphan makes a bold statement on Slider and current Hybrid album which features pedal steel guitar as the primary instrument. You will find his music is a unique blending of unrivaled beauty freshly harvested from another cross section in the vast field of music. It quickly becomes apparent this new emerging beauty will remain a lasting entity in the world of music.

Devin Rice & Erin Aas are seasoned musicians already recognized by their proficient styles as individual artists now emerging as a team that writes and performs original piano / guitar and finger styled guitar duet compositions with hand selected musicians adding polished accompaniments on their new release titled Arrival.

Residing in the state of Washington, Devin & Erin had also traveled to Imaginary Road Studios in rural Vermont to enlist the expertise of Grammy Award winning Will Ackerman, so the level of quality on the album’s production retraces their visit to a highly specialized destination.

Arrival is an album where Devin plays piano in addition to guitar along with Erin, showcasing their 15 song compilation that is adventuresome and symmetrical from the first song to the last.  After meeting for the first time several years ago, I felt their earlier mainstay as professional soloists has been doubled and enhanced using simple math, along with their broad variance in individual styles.

Devin Rice & Erin Aas, have selected skilled artists along with Grammy Award winning producer Will Ackerman, to emerge as a fortified musical team, and by virtue of each artist’s specialized skills, has attained a winning strategy with Arrivial.

Thyn Ayre is the crisp beginning song that sounds like a down to earth journey put to sheet music, like Procession, where a wonderful just right feel becomes the standard atmosphere.  These folk styled narratives flourish during the piano and guitar duets set in a moderate tempo like most of the 15 songs.

Borderline is a breezy guitar duet by Erin and Devin, while their Tribute to Robert Frost expresses a more stately approach that includes percussion rhythms backing majestic piano melodies with subtler acoustic guitar highlights.

Lively acoustic guitar and percussion rhythms are heard on the memorable song Nevada, while Something About A Harbor has piano lead in for guitar, with rich melodic tones showing depth in a natural way.  Perdido En Granada, Lullaby For Now & For JB are gentle and more introspective songs with English horn and cello support that compliment the pleasing atmosphere.

Whiskey In The Watertower is truly spirited and a nicely coordinated guitar duet, featuring Will Ackerman on the final guitar solo that resembles Pulborough Spring by taking an up-tempo direction from the primarily moderate paced piano and guitar duets with instrumentals.

Rich cello harmonics are the scenic backdrop in songs, Morning With Annie, Southern Breeze, & Stars of Winter, with the latter song taking an adventurous free flight expression during the melody and refrains that gently lands with guitar, cello, and piano uniting in an ensemble.

Although solo albums are a mainstay and pleasing source of enjoyment, Arrival is a nice departure from singular solo albums given the enriching instrumentals and contrasting styles of the two principal soloists. 

This departure notably doubles the harmonic value for the listener, along with Devin & Erin who have doubled their musical achievements together as a team, and as individuals.

Additional musicians include Derrick Jordan on djembe with Eugene Friesen & Traci Hoveskeland giving cello performances on several tracks.  Jill Haley lends her talents on English horn and Will Ackerman is featured in the final guitar performance.

Visit devinriceanderinaas.com to sample / purchase or at their CDBaby.com page.  Click on their biographies page to read about their backgrounds and how it all began.  If you would like to visit the Imaginary Road Studios go to williamackerman.com right here.

Picture copyright BigStockPhoto – MelMcNaughton

Johannes Linstead is an Award Winning Canadian guitarist and multi instrumentalist proving his acclaimed talents once again by his current release.  Showcasing his lively artisanship on Spanish guitar, Mistico becomes the well centered focal point and international meeting place for dedicated music professionals uniting from Canada, Spain, Cuba, Greece, Iran, and Venezuela.

Recently winning Best World Album & Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic in ZMR’s 2009 Awards, plus ranking #1 at eMusic.com’s World Music & Jazz / Blues charts, gives the few people not familiar with the quality of his work a little more insight.

Mistico is the successful album that commands much respect, not only by the heart beating origins of another chart topping project by Johannes and his extraordinary Contemporary Latin guitar rhythms, but Mistico becomes an extravagant music festival with top international artists performing by his side. 

Listing just the highlights of his music career, Johannes was recognized in the Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards as Guitarist of the Year, had 4 Top Ten charting albums at Billboard, Best World Album JUNO Awards nomination, and 4 Best Album awards at NAR & NAV.  With over 500,000 albums sold worldwide, the long list of awards, nominations, and credits in entirety reaches a length most artists strive to achieve in a lifetime.

Johannes Linstead has a musical style not easy to categorize since Contemporary, Latin, Flamingo, Mediterranean, and World are just some of the essential New Age influences that when synchronized with a vast array of percussion instruments, seamlessly integrate into stylish musical scores that could be more easily categorized using the word festive.

The Happy Song ( Felicidad ) begins this rare international festival of  11  original songs with up-tempo flare, neatly tailored to the elevated atmosphere of the occasion while giving Johannes his first opportunity to sport the masterful guitar melodies for which he has become famous.  The accordion composition smoothly introduces a heightened amount of ambience to the opening number with much fanfare, while groove rhythms in Rico ! move gracefully in counter beat with beautiful electric guitar runs, congas, and bongo drums to interlock in dramatic fashion.

Leisurely strides in Night Dance rely on a crisp Latin styled melody with moderate vocals to generate a nice distinction to a more casual Twilight, where the sheer beauty of guitar melodies lend themselves to a veiled feel of lively sophistication.  Otros Mundos embraces percussion claves, congas, bongo and timbale while playing rhythmic intermediary companion with guitar melodies expert runs through well defined chords.

All She is ( Ella Es ) brings a light breeziness into the storyline, while Coconut Girl outlines positive imagery of the spirited occasion making up this festive album.  Rhumba styled Santa Maria with accordion harmony extends a tantalizing impression of solidarity to the sunny and joyful affair.

Durango brings the talents of many artists into the lively exotic mix, where dejembe, doumbek, and bongo percussions dispense the glitter, while guitar and accordion intermezzos engrave the melodic sparkle.  1000 Veils conveys energetic rhythms and palmas ( hand clapping ) to make a striking contrast to violin’s and Spanish guitar’s well structured verses.

Mistico ( Title Song ) enters an extravagant linage of passion where violin and doumbek perpetuate the energetic tempo and warm festive atmosphere, uniting with resolute harmony while synchronizing to become positively dazzling. 

Much like the territorial borders the world musicians in attendance encountered during the album’s production, Mistico crosses many borders itself, achieving an extravagant repertory for everyone who listens to this celebratory fiesta of music.  Viva Mistico !

The global musicians uniting to form this international festival alongside Johannes Linstead include Anastasios Bigas, Frank Marcos Aular, Jalidan Ruiz, Jordan Abraham, Geoff Hlibka, Yosvani Castaneda, Sina Khosravi, and Laura Fernandez.

Visit johanneslinstead.com to sample / purchase or visit his Amazon.com pages here.

Middle picture copyright Bigstockphoto – Siart. Below picture copyright Johannes Linstead

Today I have a present for you all

I have read artist biographies, I have seen movies and documentaries – but never have I come across such a tasteful, straight-to-the-point video presentation that just captures the very essence of this remarkable person’s artistic expression. In the video Will Ackerman tells about how he became an artist – and what a surprise it was for him to become successful. It also briefly tells the story of the Windham Hill label.

The video presentation and quality is spotless, and the songs performed to perfection. Both old and new fans will for sure find a lot to enjoy here. Bookmark it!

You’ll find it here. Also take a look around, and sample Will’s many great albums.

Ciro Hurtado is one skilled solo guitarist or guitarrista from California, whose performances include Traditional Latin, American Folk, World, Fusion, Latin Jazz, and many more popular genres, becoming adapted to many forms of personal expression.

His natural talent, along with studies at the Guitar Institute of Technology have placed him in a well recognized stature as a musician, highly regarded for his artistic technical abilities and versatile rhythms for many years now.

Ciro’s musical compositions on guitar are not limited to specific categories since his adaptable styles also range from more traditional Jazz, Flamenco, Classical, Pop, Blues, and Rock, so versatility does play an important role in his music.

Guitarrista  is the  5th  album to explore his talents as a guitarist, where many rhythms and sub rhythms on this project are abundant, in a solo album that finds many points of interest during this thoughtful encounter with individualistic expression.  Latin influences play an important factor during his many changes in style too, as both hands connect with the strings in a well versed manner.

Performing without percussion, brass, or winds, his solo touch of the strings give multiple layers of well versed melodies and nicely done sub rhythms, giving me the impression that any added musical accompaniment would be unwanted sound that just gets in the way of his unique approach to this solo guitar album.         

John P. Olsen

The intricate patterns, along with a relaxed atmosphere, greatly emphasize his individual composing and performance skills, while also telling a beautiful story to his audiences.

Some of the pieces in this album were written a few years back and others were composed specifically for this project.  Each piece has a story, a place in my life, a part of who I have become on this long  journey.         

Ciro Hurtado

Besides his solo projects, and performing with Strunz and Farah, he founded the popular group  Huayucaltia,  touring in the U.S. and other countries while opening for Sting, Jackson Browne, Carlos Vives, and other highly regarded artist. His numerous movie and documentary musical score credits are recognised in the film industry as well, since producers have also taken note of his versatility as a guitarist.

Ciro Hurtado’s prior albums  In My Mind  &  Tales From Home  both have accompaniments that blend just right with acoustic guitar, and expert performances are shown in all of his albums. 

This comes from a person who recognizes that the guitar is really just a pretty instrument, and that a beautiful outcome is always dependent on whose hands the guitar is placed.

Visit cirohurtado.com to sample here, and cdbaby.com to purchase here.

Picture Copyright Bigstockphoto.com – devulderj

Something to consider is how much more pleasurable this extraordinary vacation stay could be with some great island music to enhance and complete the experience.

New Age artist Kika Kane, residing in Maui is a lifelong resident of this state of islands, atolls, and islets, composing music in the land of what most would consider paradise.

While Kika does enjoy an active lifestyle, much of his time is spent playing the easy to recognize, but harder to perfect style of Slack-Key guitar with the island sunsets as his perpetual source of inspiration.

Slack-Key is a unique finer style that originated in Hawaii during the 19th century and was developed for dancing and entertainment, only recently becoming more popular when the Hawaiian dance craze began during the 1960′s.

Kika Kane has become pretty popular with his 2 projects that are an adaptation of Slack-Key guitar. Ocean Girl is his first project, while his second release, The Sunset Sessions was nominated for Best Slack-Key album of the year at the Hawaii Music Awards.  National Public Radio’s Echoes programming has had several of his songs airing on a weekly basis for some time now.  Local television and radio have also tuned into Kika’s music too, playing many of his songs as background scores in TV commercials and airing in many resorts and hotels on the islands.

The Sunset Sessions is a nicely done blend of Tropical, Ambient, and New Age, with a pleasant mix of mid tempo guitar instrumentals that reward you with pleasant thoughts of island life or in some cases, pleasant memories of your last vacation, if you have ever had an opportunity to visit the islands.

The Slack-Key guitar technique can be loosely defined as a finger style where the musician loosens or slackens the guitar strings by tuning one or more strings, most often upward on the scales until the strings form a single cord, most often in G major.

First on the song itinerary is Here Comes The Rain.  This song’s welcoming melody makes one feel like the approach of an incoming rain event should always be taken in stride.  The carefree feeling of island living is shown in this song by a fluid back and forth movement of strumming guitar, that will likely have you swaying to the rhythm.  Even if it does rain, brief changes of tempo turn the rain event into positive thoughts, taking into consideration the colorful rainbow and magnificent sunset display that will follow a brief period of rain.

The song   A Place In The Sun translates into every fun  attraction available to you during your audible visit to the islands by an energetic opening, blending guitar rhythms in a positive upbeat mood, taking well timed breaks during each refrain to allow everyone to soak in the sun.  The Sunset Sessions reflects the positive feel, relaxing mood, and welcoming atmosphere, for which this island state is highly prized.

Hawaii naturally offers every form of music, ranging from symphonies, orchestras, and every popular genre of music under the sun,    but there is just something special about the authentic home style approach to New Age music Kika has to offer, so be sure to make your next vacation or honeymoon to the islands of Hawaii a memorable one.   Aloha !

Visit kikakane.com - sample the album on CDBaby

Picture copyright Jennifer Keller (above) - and  Bigstockphoto.com – Laurzo (below)

The label give this description of the album:

Like a child’s favorite toy or a warm summer’s stroll, unadorned, gentle guitar songs bring a comfort that nurtures the soul. Inspired by the nature of the Welsh national park where Mike Howe lives and works as an ecologist. His gorgeous first album offers fifteen original compositions that will be a welcome pause in any day… a respite when time truly stands still.

And more:

Mike Howe has come to music creativity relatively late in life. With no formal musical training and no background in the industry, this sudden outpouring of musical compositions has come as bit of a surprise.

The cover looks like this:

We all sometimes need a time out, a place where time stands still. So yes, this debut album is more than welcome!

Xavier Boscher is a very productive musician.

Hydrologic is the name of his most recent album. It is a collection of laid back songs that simply crawls under your skin and relaxes your soul.

In a genre where the piano it the most frequent instrument, a fresh guitar lead is always welcome. One could perhaps compare Xavier Boscher’s music to Pink Floyd’s more ambient segments, where the analogue synths intertwine with gorgeous guitars, but a better comparison is with art rock like Yes or Tangerine Dream. The main ingredients are a foundation of larger-than-life synths and steely guitars on top. It is as beautiful as it is relaxing.

Hydrologic starts with the track Serenity. Within 15 seconds the listener is introduced to Xavier Boscher’s powerful guitar, which adds colors to every song on the album. The thing I like the best is the way the atmosphere changes from track to track; some are positive while other are darker and more complex (like the long closing track, Mind Therapy, which really has is therapeutic qualities).

Hydrologic is, apart from the general heaviness of the synth pads, quite minimalistic in style. I am sure that rock fans who normally don’t like new age music will enjoy Hydrologic. In many ways it is prog rock meets chill out and new age; it is as good in the background as it is for active listening. The strong guitar makes it interesting, and the variation in sound gives it almost endless replay possibilities. And – best of all – it has a quite liberating no-nonsense approach to dreamy music; let’s call it guitarlogic.

It is a collection of laid back songs that simply crawls under your skin and relaxes your soul.

Sample the album on CDBaby.