Few new age artists are presented or reviewed by the highly influential jazz magazines, even though many of them produce music that is borderline jazz in style. It seems like the only way for new age music to be a topic there is when a famous jazz artist suddenly releases a new age sounding album – like when Jack DeJohnette won the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album for Peace Time.

But luckily, there are some exceptions. The jazz critic Robert M. Sutton on Allaboutjazz.com has recently reviewed Edward Dowrick’s meditation album 12 Beats Per Minute. Sutton writes:

The slowly unfolding glow of Futuring the Inner Courts (nearly every title recalls ’70s prog rock) captures the transparent loveliness of rainfall, with Dowrick’s playing lush and dreamy. It’s one of those moments on the album where Dowrick seems to be lost in another zone. Who said a New Age artist can’t jam?

Now that something, right? Finally something positive from the jazz reviewers! But look what comes next:

While Dowrick’s piano style is brimming with New Age textures, it expresses genuine emotion. Dowrick doesn’t employ the colorless detachment that the genre is sometimes slagged for.

That’s a relief, don’t you think? Only sometimes slagged for. Not every time, though. And then this:

On the closing Knowing That It’s There, Aud Wilken contributes lyrics and vocals over Dowrick’s once-wordless piece, making a surprisingly accessible New Age effort even more appealing to the uninitiated.

Some negative comments there, but still I think new age in general and 12 Beats Per Minute in particular got some rather positive vibes from the jazz page. Read the complete review here, and check out 12 Beats per Minute on CDBaby.

To all artists; next time label your new age music release as a smooth jazz album, or even free jazz, and no one will ever think that you cannot jam.