Wood Songs By Mad Dog Friedman

 

Wood Songs

By

Mad Dog Friedman

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Back in the year 2005 I was literally entranced by a 14 piece solo flute album called Dartmoor Roundhouse by Nigel Shaw, it brought me great solace, here some 18 years later Mad Dog Friedman recreates that mood and time for me once again, his 15 track compilation of solo flute tracks is a stunning reminder that there is so much beauty, peace and tranquillity to be had from the flute as a solo instrument.

Wood Songs takes us on a journey for a wonderful 48 minutes plus, and as listeners we will get lost in the ambience of the moment through pieces like Red Cedar and Olive, or Walnut and Honey Maple, two blissful, deep and resonating flute performances utilising the different woods of nature.

We can also enjoy the reveries of pieces like Flicker Fantasy, a composition that seems to swirl around the listener from all directions, creating an all-encompassing warm energy as it does so, whilst pieces like Lacewood, Red Cedar and Olive, manifest a mysterious mood for us to literally float within, this one would be one of my personal favourites from the album.

There is so much to choose from on this release, so much so, that one is literally spoilt for choice, songs like Willow Basket offer us an abundance of tone whilst raising the energies of the moment, while creations like Stumped manifest a musical narrative of calm resignation.

All in all, here is a release that is hard to break free from, and why would you want to, I am now on my third listen, and as in 18 years past, this album also gives me great contentment and peace, I enjoyed the reveries of tracks like Dance of the Drunken Forest, or the concluding arrangement, Song of the Woods to only enhance my tranquillity and meditative energies further, a fine last composition that sums up in tone and vibration all that has gone before it.

Wood Songs by Mad Dog Friedman is a fine example of a solo flute album played really well, the artist is clearly in the zone with this recording and it shows, and the resultant conclusion and final product is one of total satisfaction and serene peace, and that with regard for such an artistic creation cannot be a bad thing at all, a sure fire hit is completely on the cards for Wood Songs by Mad Dog Friedman.