Thursday, October 10, 2024

Air by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

 


Air

By

David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have a feeling, an honest feeling, which whilst listening to Air by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie that I may have just listened to the best single of year thus far, and there is not much of it left. Air brings Bach back, where it should be, at the fore front of all that in the land of music is good and great.

There are several luminaries within this composition that make this song a veritable Cullinan Diamond of a composition, the remarkable Emmy winning arranger Kurt Bestor, the phenomenal Danish guitar master Lars Hanibal, and someone who I would never have dreamed of writing about, the legendary and still stunning Matthew Fisher, the original keyboardists of non-other than Procol Harum, a band I used to worship as a teen.

From the very first breath of this song it becomes obvious that we are listening to something so magnificent, something so glorious, that if Apollo himself had been listening he would have moved the sun across the sky backwards in honour of it. David Lanz is without doubt one of the greats on the piano, but with his wife Kristen Amarie and her powerful and quite breath taking vocals,  they become two undeniable twin powers of the neo classical music genre.

On this latest single Air, this sublime super group of talent and artistic class, create a whole new realm of brilliance and style, and the performances by all involved has to be one of the most outstanding of the year, maybe even the decade with ease, surely if any song was guaranteed a number one slot and award it must be Air by David Lanz and Kristen Amarie, it is one that you dare not miss!


Walking Mojo By James Filkins

 


Walking Mojo

By

James Filkins

Written by

Chrissie Sheppard

 

I adore the gypsy style of guitar playing, so listening to this latest release, Walking Mojo by James Filkins was an absolute delight, and the addition of violin and accordion just added to that vibe perfectly.

Listening to this arrangement, I could visualise a group of friends sitting around a campfire together, playing music, dancing and simply just having fun. In reality, the arrangement is about Filkins rescue dog Mojo, and the daily walks that they take together. You can just imagine the fun they have as they walk through nature.

James Filkins is known for his guitar playing, sometimes melodic, sometimes vibrant and sometimes with a new age feel, but always for his style and talent. I must also give a shout out to Valentin Štante for his violin playing, and the refined accordion touches from Alex Somov, they just add the right motifs to this release.

Walking Mojo by James Filkins is the perfect release to get you moving around, and I can see this doing well for all lovers and seekers of good music!


Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Beloved By Rachel McGarry

 


Beloved

By

Rachel McGarry

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The genre of devotional music within what is loosely called the New Age music genre has seen a steady growth in the last few years, this year particularly so, but the quality of musicianship, tone, timbre and heart felt energies seem to be increasing week by week, another fine example of that comes from Rachel McGarry and her brand new single entitled Beloved.

The song itself is inspired by both Radha and Krishna and is a beautiful voyage not only of self-discovery, but of love itself, the biggest motivator in our lives. Here McGarry’s textured vocals weave a pathway of tenderness and honesty throughout all six minutes plus of this quite outstanding opus.

The piece itself is deeply emotional and one can feel that through the structure of the composition, the lyrics, but more so the amazing vocals of the artist, I can still hear my favourite line from the song run through the meadows of my mind “Dance with me in a field of flowers” simply exquisite and utterly beautiful.

The musicianship and performances by Chris Gartner (bass & percussion) and Jason Fowler (guitar) it must be said were exceptional, and I haven’t enjoyed music from this genre as much as I have this song since Deva Premal gave us The Essence in 2001. This is a guaranteed hot hit for the charts, and a manifestation that is likely to resonate in a timeless musical fashion for many years to come, simply exceptional indeed.


Tuesday, October 8, 2024

The Quest By Keith Fiala

 


The Quest

By

Keith Fiala

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

My love for all things Jazz has grown over the years, I think of it has as a multi-legged musical octopus, its many arms and tendrils form into a multitude of sub genres, perhaps my early induction came thanks for my undying love of progressive rock, some of the same times signatures found in Jazz can be found in prog, but here today in 2024, I sit and listen to the beautiful tones of one of the finest soulful trumpet performers of his day in Keith Fiala, and his latest album The Quest. How times have changed, but of course truly good music lives on forever, and that’s exactly what we have her with this explorative new release from Fiala, captivating music in motion.

The album itself is a vast body of work containing some 12 unique and enticing musical narratives. That voyage of plenty starts with the almost funky reggae styled opus called Always With Me, a fine hook of a composition that eases you into a blissful ride of smooth jazz and beyond.

The album itself is somewhat of a cathartic journey for the artist too, as three of the beautiful compositions inside this creation are inspired by the artists passed mother, the opening and aforementioned track being the first, with Remembrance and Song For My Mom being the other two, all are deeply emotive and reflective arrangements, and so they should be.

The Quest as a title track takes the entire collection of compositions and manifests an energy deep within, to create an effervescent energy to thoroughly enjoy, whilst manifestations like Behind Your Eyes flowed like a fresh autumn spring from a vast mountain of tone and timbre.

For me one of the most fascinating tracks off the album was Spirituale Regnum, I cannot recall a Gregorian chant being used on a Jazz based album before, but it worked in a stunning fashion, adding in the electronic vibrations and wizardry on one of the most unique starts I have heard, this made for me a track that is one of the most artistically clever pieces I have heeded from a Jazz artist in decades.

I remember listening and reviewing Fiala’s last album New Beginnings and I believe that the musician has climbed the ladder of uniqueness one step more with this enjoyable new release, tracks like Midnight Rain thrilled me completely, I was also grateful for the natural sounds at the start, but that probably more due to the lack of rain over the last 6 months in my village, but indeed with the electric piano, the bass and a bluesy guitar, combining that with Fiala’s trumpet gave me a musical experience that was so good, I had to listen to it in total three times before I could even write a single word.

Tips of the hat on the previous track must go to other musicians known to us at here at OWMR, with bassist Sean O Brien Smith, and that steaming guitar of Billy Denk. Every Jazz fan can find something they like on this album, perhaps the beautifully paced On My Way Home, or the concluding narrative Uncle Bob's Campfire Stories, regardless there is a tale to be told here on this album that is deeply compelling and one that really needs to be listened to.

The Quest by Keith Fiala is an album that will hook you in, sit you down and will not let you go until the last ember on the camp fire has gone out. Keith’s intelligent performances, superb musicianship have brought to us ever eager listeners a Jazz album that contains a storyline, an explorative nature, and unexpected twists and turns along the way, and thus is a release that is both captivating and enthralling and of course incredibly enjoyable, with all that in mind, surely another huge hit must be on the way for Keith Fiala and The Quest.


Waves By Eddy Ruyter

 


Waves

By

Eddy Ruyter

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Solo Piano is a genre that is packed with performers, presenters, or as if more commonly used today, content creators, it’s truly a battle to get your music heard in that realm nowadays, but every so often a very classy individual will come along, one who has an abundance of talent and skill, and is able to paint musical pictures of great colour and texture, today we look at one of those said pianists in Eddy Ruyter, and his latest release Waves.

This is a sparkling new project from the composer, one that starts with a full flowing narrative of a track called Shatter. The performance here by Ruyter is both charismatic and full of energy; the composition itself has such effervescence about its construction it is undeniably addictive and exciting to enjoy.

Ruyter follows that power play up with the calmer creation entitled Waterfall, this soft pastiche of tone and timbre falls like rain from the artist’s piano, or perhaps like the drops of the river that pour over the aforementioned Waterfall. There is a magical quality to this track that is so encapsulating and utterly charming, wonderfully flowing images spring to one’s mind whilst listening to its artistic refrains.

The mid-section of the album you will find a delicious offering entitled Broken Waltz, the opening of this manifestation is a reflective tapestry of ambience and character, the latter half of the composition is wonderfully descriptive with its higher vibrations and trickling motifs, ones that in my view go to making this specific piece one of my favourites from the release.

Starlit is our penultimate offering, imagine standing on a balcony in the early hours of the morning and gazing up with gratitude at the amazingly star filled skies above, apart from the fact that I was doing just that at half past five this morning, the composition here represents that moment of magic when one can feel a part of it all, and through one of the most amazing ambient piano compositions I think I have listened to for decades.

The last creation of this exciting new release is of course the title track Waves. This exploratory manifestation combines the softer touches from the artist with the more flourishing narratives, giving the listener a sensitive and reflective composition to depart the album with, and a timeless reverie of a composition that will still flow through our minds long after the music has ceased playing.

Waves by Eddy Ruyter is one of those albums that you will not be able to stop playing, it has imaginative fluency all of its own, it will allow you to cast off the cadence of the day and just enjoy the precious moments of reality. Music is indeed a wonderful panacea to cure most ills, and I believe that Eddy has brought to our musical tables something very pleasurable, entertaining and soothing with Waves.


Thursday, October 3, 2024

The Isle of Innisfree by Shere Fraser & John Hamilton

 


The Isle of Innisfree

By

Shere Fraser & John Hamilton

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It is always wonderfully blissful when a suggested duet comes up trumps and delivers a sublime composition for the listeners to revel within; the two musicians in question are flautist Shere Fraser and pianist John Hamilton, both of which I have written about on separate occasions with their own compositions, here they combine flute and piano and bring us a delightful Celtic refrain on their latest single The Isle of Innisfree.

This is indeed a beautiful part of the world as is Ireland itself, the combination of a gentle piano narrative by Hamilton paints the sky and clouds with a tonal fluency, whilst Fraser’s lush flute draws us into the entire locational environment with one of the most charming performances ever.

I have a lot of respect for the work of both artists and listening to this pairing they certainly suit each other’s styles, and it is also a pleasure to hear a little Celtic lilt in a single these days. The land, the country, its legends and its stunning beauty has led to many a colourful, musical composition over the decades; here Fraser and Hamilton bring their A game to the table with this new composition.

The Isle of Innisfree by Shere Fraser & John Hamilton maybe diminutive in duration at just over two minutes, but it is without doubt one of the sweetest and most heart-warming new singles I have heard in this style for simply ages, and thus I have a feeling that a big hit could well be on the cards for The Isle of Innisfree by Shere Fraser & John Hamilton.

Blissful and Beyond By Sharon Chen

 


Blissful and Beyond

By

Sharon Chen

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Sharon Chen is an instrumentalist who with each passing measure has improved, grown and expanded her world view of the genre, here on both piano and strings, she gifts us, the ever eager listener, her best release thus far with the album Blissful and Beyond.

Chen’s sublime touch on both violin and piano can be felt here with such a warm radiance of mood and energy, the opening piece alone is enough to literally raise you from any gloom that the day has dragged you into, and the title of that charm filled opus is beautifully called Beyond the Clouds.

Here the listener will find delicate and sensitive arrangements like the touching and pristine composition entitled Blissful Enchantment, whilst offerings like Sun Never Sets, will take you far deeper than you would have ever imagined, those plunging notes on the piano are so vast and all-encompassing, so much so that when the melody full engages, we are taken towards the sunset itself, to watch the glory of the moment on a true anthem of an arrangement.

This 8 track collection of fluent and heart felt musical narratives is summed up perfectly by my favourite piece off the release called River Runs Through. This melodic slice of reflective instrumental music has a tempo that is deliciously paced, whilst the main segment of the piece takes one on a ride down the river of reflective memories.

That easy on the ears manifestation brings us to our penultimate offering Waves of My Heart, where we can also remember our journey through pieces like the new age piano styled  In Your Heart I Stay, or the positivity of compositions like Hello Love Goodbye Rain.  Sharon then brings the project to a conclusion with her final offering to us entitled Eternity Tonite, this concluding short form narrative with its memory palace of a melody, is the perfect final piece for her extremely beautiful album, one which she should be extremely proud of.

Blissful and Beyond by Sharon Chen is a delightful collection of harmonious creations from the artist, combining synth sounds, and her trusty piano and violin, all of which bring to the listener a release of great colour and texture, one that any serious musical seeker should not miss out upon at all costs, and revere as a little something very special indeed.


Tuesday, October 1, 2024

12th - Treasures by Rada Neal

 


12th – Treasures

By

Rada Neal

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There are few pianists around in this genre today that are as descriptive and fluent as Rada Neal, her ability to manifest soothing musical narratives on her piano are palpable, and I can speak volumes about this encapsulating performance after having listened to the entire album and being totally spellbound by its creative beauty, so today we journey through the realm of 12th – Treasures her latest release.

I have known of Rada’s work now for some near on 20 years now, the first release I came across back in 2005 called Timeless Third still lingers long in my mind to this day. Here on her brand new creation she manifests comforting reveries like Come What May, a gentle narrative of acceptance perhaps, this is followed that up with the stunning eloquence of In the Silence, a track I could gaze out of the window in the middle of a quiet day too and simply lose all knowledge of time.

There is warmth to Rada’s style that reminds me of the late but great Annie Locke, she like Annie, brings a comforting cuddle along with her music, compositions that give such a feeling of tender warmth for me were Floating and Sweet Dreams, the latter’s sublime melody was truly special also.

Here fans of solo piano will find 12 tracks of absolute delight and pleasure, offerings like Time Stood Still will add a slight air of mystery into the proceedings, whilst the composition Passages added a dramatic flavour onto the plate of our musical table, perhaps an escape has been made from an unsavoury circumstance.

Rada then concludes the project with the penultimate offering entitled Story of the Night, a powerful performance can be found here, this was a personal favourite of mind, in an almost Phantom of the Opera moment, whilst the endeavour itself is brought to a close with the last piece called Sledding, something I haven’t done for too many years to count!

12th – Treasures by Rada Neal was one of the most pleasurable listens I have had of any album recently, its soothing pastiche of solo piano music was both enchanting and captivating, in my view this album contains some of her best work thus far, and fans of this genre worldwide really shouldn’t miss it.  12th – Treasures by Rada Neal is a musical panacea, a cathartic journey of tone and timbre to be truly valued. 


Ontogenesis By NTHNL

 


Ontogenesis

By

NTHNL

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This is interesting; when I first heard Ontogenesis by NTHNL I was immediately struck by its meditative nature, I am the type of writer who likes to actually listen to the entire project first before setting my sails to compose, and as always I am glad I did, this is a wonderful body of work, one that reminded me in parts of Llewellyn’s Journey To The Temple at the turn of this century, with its aspect of working through the bodies Chakra system, but here is an album that is different and goes much further.

Here NTHNL (aka) Jacob Rudin delivers the first album based on Ontogenesis. Ontogeny (also ontogenesis), this is the development of an individual organism or anatomical or behavioural feature from the earliest stage right through to maturity.

The beginning of this breath taking compilation of stunning music is Welcome Procession, a mood of an increasing awareness can be found within this piece, offering the true beginnings of the one, this multi-instrumental moment is the foundation of the journey we are about to enjoy.

There is much about this release that reminds me of when I give myself a Reiki treatment, working from the bottom up, bringing balance and harmony to the body, the following musical narrative flows with a precise nature and is called Straightening, Dispersing. At this point we can allow our posture to be straighter, thus allowing the energy to flow naturally; the tones here are deeper in nature, the electronic vibrations create a sanctuary of sound to drift into, and the flute is our guide along the way.

The natural sounds of the ocean at the start of our next piece entitled Nourishing, Holding are a welcome addition; I could do with an oceanic voyage right now, bathing in the healing waters of our existence, the textures here are simply beautiful, and once more that meditative sense of tranquillity washes over me, in the same way as Temple in the Forest by David Naegele did back in 1982.

We now swim within the safe harbours of the album, and as we do so we come across the track Reaching, Striving, Praying. It is as if we have found a thermal to glide on within this sparkling composition, the energy here is invigorating and most assuredly palpable, an arrangement of breath, and focus. The electronic tapestry weaved here in combination with the artists flute is both compelling incredibly uplifting.

Approaching the tor of our musical delights, we now reach the mid-way juncture of the album; the keyboards manifest a dreamy sound, whilst NTHNL’s flute hovers like an early misty September morning. Processing, Detoxifying is our current port of call, and its warming and comforting musical caress is delightful.

The return home starts with the piece Assurance, Rising, here the artists gifts us the vehicle to gain determination and strength for what may be ahead, the swirling nature of the electronic elements here are beautifully held in an informal energetic structure by the flute, and the natural ambience of the piece manifests an arrangement that is utterly transcendent.

The depth on Heart is felt to the core, the keyboards drift after manifesting the initial tone and intent of the piece, from the engine room of the body here is a composition that pumps a true sense into life, creating its own musical tidal structures, the vocalisations within this track and the natural sounds most certainly keep the listener grounded.

This album works on many levels, on pieces like Aerating, Billowing, energies of drifting on the thermals of life can be felt, the meditative ambience here is felt with such serenity in the performance of the composition, a light and tranquil pastiche of peace and serenity is so very much appreciated.

We found ourselves in the deeper waters of the album now, and as the vibrational structures alter and increase in intensity, they are beautifully portrayed by the electronic wizardry of the composition entitled Transmitting, Unravelling, Communing. The synth work here adds a layer of pace and energy into the proceedings, whilst later pulling back like a departing tide, from the tones of the composition it feels like we are in the area of the throat, the release of speaking ones truth can be felt here, and the freedom to do so is also wonderfully catered for by this inspiring and invigorating arrangement.

Our penultimate piece is called Synthesis, Memory. A track again filled with multi-instrumental flavours, the flute of the artist brings an opportunity to reflect, acknowledge and most importantly let go. The higher we go the more ethereal and contemplative the creations become, this piece raises the vivacity of the moment in a most caring and expansive way.

Whilst here now on our concluding offering called Return to the Cloud, Thank You, a moment of gratitude can be felt through the tone and timbre of the piece. This is an all-encompassing last composition, one that is born from the electronic, bathed in meditative keyboard structures, and manifests a feeling of once more being grounded in one’s own personal reality.

Ontogenesis by NTHNL is an album that will become a timeless constant in a listener’s collections; there have been many of who compiled great works using the chakra system, or various healing modalities, but this is a unique collection of thoughtful intelligent unconstrained compositions, all which go to creating an exclusive experience for anyone sensible enough to purchase it, a thoroughly glorious release that will remain on my playlist of choice for many years to come.