New Age Music World

Archive for the ‘2012 Album Review’ Category

Mannheim Steamroller has a “best of the best album collection” in their newest Fresh Aire Music series, which turns out to be an outstanding newer album addition for the millions of Mannheim Steamroller album collectors worldwide.

The Fresh Aire music on this 2 CD collector’s edition does revisit earlier songs, but with specialized reproduction enhancements, next generation digital sound on this release is extraordinary. You can have your favorite songs in one neat little CD package!

The Fresh Aire Music of Mannheim Steamroller is the title of this 2 CDs special collector’s best album edition. Even if you already have some of the previous albums, or own the entire 8 CD album collection of the Fresh Aire series, I discovered there are several advantages to purchasing this particular “best of album.”

The dynamic instrumental sound is even better today as the original songs, some of which were released decades ago. I thought the band founder and director Chip Davis did a wonderful job of selecting the 25 songs on the 2 disc album collection too.

Mannheim Steamroller has released 8 Fresh Aire albums altogether in their definitive series. The Fresh Aire 7 album had earned Chip Davis a GRAMMY® Award, and with every single one of the eight albums having a one after another linage of being certified gold, it’s as if this new Fresh Aire release comes with an instant pedigree. Some songs date back to 1975 when Chip Davis first introduced his exclusive blend of instrumental new age music to the world for the first time!

Chip Davis compiled the 2 CD best album collection playlist from the previous 8 certified gold albums in the definitive Fresh Aire Series, on this special, value priced album. Most are up-tempo instrumental songs that are crisp, bold, and vibrant in every sense, and chances are you will find every one of your favorite songs like I did.

If you follow the Billboard New Age Charts, you know Mannheim Steamroller’s best albums are in the Top 10 New Age charts nearly every year. Especially during the Christmas holidays.

Musicians on The Fresh Aire Music of Mannheim Steamroller album collection are Chip Davis, who performs multiple instrumentals. Jackson Berkey is the primary keyboardist, and The London Symphony Orchestra was introduced into the mix on several songs. Strings, woodwinds, and brass sections were performed by Arnie Roth (violin), Ron Cooley (guitar), Bobby Jensen (oboe), David Kappy (French horn), Eric Hansen (bass, lute, and classical guitar).

Mannheim Steamroller’s music awards of 16 gold records, 7 platinum records, 4 multi-platinum records, and concert tours have made Mannheim Steamroller one of the favorite groups of all time!

Visit MannheimSteamroller.com to sample or purchase The Fresh Aire Music of M.S. and 2012 Concert Tour information. You can also discover a great selection of gifts at the Mannheim Steamroller store and Fresh Aire album at Amazon.com. Photo is courtesy Sherri Durrell & MannheimSteamroller.com.

International Nouveau Flamenco ensemble Luna Blanca is now leading the way to worldwide prominence by their festive new release entitled El Dorado. The vibrant forerunner to Luna Blanca’s new album was their celebrated flagship album Provence, which in retrospect is, one of the best Nouveau Flamenco releases from coast to coast.

Luna Blanca has ascended to the highest summit as a group, nearing the verge of perfection with their elite signature song melodies that have carried them to international acclaim on every continent.

This time around Luna Blanca intensifies their musical fortitude by moving Nouveau Flamenco music to new elevations, where no artists before them have reached. The highest latitude of earlier success may be due in part to a precise focus on producing energetic song melodies. Created with true passion, it’s only natural Luna Blanca’s vibrant flamenco music appeals to a broad multicultural audience.

The Germany based band Luna Blanca, who regularly perform live concerts, have reached international prestige over the past decade and duly earned their reputation as one of the most popular Nouveau Flamenco music ensembles worldwide. The cosmopolitan sound qualities heard in El Dorado express the diverse ethnicity of Nouveau Flamenco with classic sophistication and grace, yet the sunny casual atmosphere is the greatest defining characteristic of Luna Blanca.

El Dorado is a remarkable new flamenco album by the straightforward presentation of Luna Blanca, and the inherent qualities of artisanship that first began their rise to popularity. It is clear to me that Luna Blanca has their fingers placed on the pulse of today’s popular Nouveau Flamenco music style.

Masterful in this new flamenco music release, founding band member and guitarist Richard Hecks, and co-composing pianist Helmut Graebe, select world-class musicians like brilliant rhythm guitarist Bino Dola, and Clemens Paskert, a dazzling performer on bass guitar, percussion and second part keyboards.

Luna Blanca clearly has a new reason to celebrate in 2012 with the release of their new El Dorado album. When taking into consideration the Top 10 radio chart success, glowing reviews and accolades given to Provence the past year, it’s as if their time for festive celebration is never ending with each passing year.

Luna Blanca has produced an exhilarating new wave of excitement with this new project in 2012 which nearly guarantees El Dorado will be one of the best and most talked about Nouveau Flamenco music albums during the year 2012 and beyond.

I can picture another year of honors and tributes, again with all glasses raised in a goodwill toast to Luna Blanca. Cheers!

Visit LunaBlancaMusic.com. Find the soon to be released El Dorado at the Luna Blanca music store, or at Amazon.com. Read about their Provence album on my page for Luna Blanca. Photos are courtesy lunablancamusic.com.

Music of every popular genre is a stimulus that is proven to touch our emotions in a variety of ways. This broad statement has been recited well enough that everyone should be in agreement, knowing firsthand that music can induce sensations and emotional responses from exhilaration to melancholy, and every emotion in-between. Some songs can relax a person to the point it will lull them to sleep.

The Liquid Mind Musical Healthcare® experience developed by Emmy® nominated songwriter and recording artist Chuck Wild, is one of today’s most advanced forms of music designed specifically for sound relaxation and sleep therapy.

Of the 11 best-selling Liquid Mind albums, Dream: A Liquid Mind Experience is the newest relaxation album from Los Angeles based composer, Chuck Wild, a 2009 recipient of a President’s Award from the American Music Therapy Association.

Relax: A Liquid Mind Experience is another sleep enhancing album by Chuck Wild that spent 71 consecutive weeks in Billboard Magazine Top 10 New Age Chart.

Chuck Wild of Liquid Mind is a top recording artist with over 30 years of experience in the music industry. During his lengthy tenure, Chuck Wild has composed over 125 songs, some of which were employed in the television and film industry. Many of you may already be familiar with him like I was since Chuck is a popular artist associated with the high profile groups Missing Persons, Paula Abdul, Frank Zappa, the late Michael Jackson, and a host of top-ranked, pop music icons.

Relax: A Liquid Mind Experience is a Best Selling New Age Album at Amazon, and Liquid Mind VIII: Sleep, was recently the #1 album in the U.S Top Ten New Age Chart at iTunes. This is in direct correlation to his top-ranking status as an artist.

Dream: A Liquid Mind Experience, on the Real Music Label, is a popular Liquid Mind album getting a wide awake, positive yes response from Billboard and iTunes in 2012. Liquid Mind relaxation albums have consistently made the Top 10 Album charts and Top 10 Song charts at Billboard and iTunes.

Chuck Wild is a musician, and not a physician, so he doesn’t make scientific claims about his calm music for relaxation therapy. However his composing techniques do involve non-rhythm, musical metrics and specific filtering of mid and high range frequencies to achieve like physical responses of scientifically supported research. Developed to treat his individual anxiety disorder, the free flowing music is a stimulus intended to help direct other people into a calming state of relaxation. Perhaps his peaceful music will help you get to sleep too.

Even the title Liquid Mind suggests an orchestration that carries a balanced cloud of relaxation. It is like a mental picture portraying his calming song melodies in the form of two words. Perfect for people who like to experience the full spectrum music has to offer, the focus on made for relaxation music is crystal clear.

Liquid Mind albums may or may not put you to sleep, but once you experience the balanced sound qualities for yourself, an image of comforting music that floats weightlessly in your mind becomes even clearer.

Visit LiquidMindMusic.com and sample or purchase his albums and digital downloads at RealMusic.com or Amazon.com. You can get a free mp3 of the song Serenity from the Liquid Mind V: Serenity release.  Photos are courtesy Chuck Wild.

Norway based artist Tron Syversen is considered one of today’s leading new age artists in the Northern-European music community. During the past 15 years his serene orchestral song compositions have been the regional introduction to fellow Scandinavian citizens of his Norwegian homeland, all the while, making the journey farther abroad into international markets.

Peaceful Journey is one of nine releases by Tron Syversen, who is a classically trained pianist and trumpet player. Throughout his music career, Tron has studied jazz improvisation and has performed with a number of bands and choirs. One significant orchestra was Norway’s prestigious The Kings Guards Band.

I read Tron finds inspiration for his peaceful music in customary sources like nature, poetry and art. However, I would imagine the eons old Fjords of Norway, viewed from his North Sea cabin near Oslo are the ideal scenic panorama while he composes serene songs that embrace the equally natural setting of his Nordic homeland.

Given Tron Syversen’s picture-perfect locale, clearly few artists could claim a more magnificent setting and natural ambiance to channel their work. It is from inspiring realism the quality melodies on Peaceful Journey find a natural bearing.

Peaceful Journey is one of Tron Syversen’s finest symphonic albums made specifically for peaceful relaxation. Of his 9 serene releases, Peaceful Journey best defines his improvisational abilities as a jazz pianist, whose long heritage as a music composer includes closer to home Norwegian Folk melodies.

The instrumental splendor on Peaceful Journey is clearly picturesque by the fine cohesion conveyed by every performing artist. Tron Syversen’s composition unifying piano, guitars, and vocals with English horn, flute and cello, is a pleasing, open invitation for listeners to simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery.

The Peaceful Journey album is an instrumental beauty that also happens to feature some of Norway’s finest artists and their accompaniments on the 9 songs total. Co-producing vocalist Elin Lokken complements this album wonderfully by her wordless vocals on a number of songs. Three of the guest musicians have performed for the duo Rolf Loveland and Fionnuala Sherry of Secret Garden.

The three artists who have performed with Secret Garden are Per Elias Drablos (bass), Rolf Kristensen (acoustic guitar), and Henrik Eurenius (English horn). Peaceful Journey also features Glenn Kristiansen and Jorn Takla (acoustic guitarists), and Randi Krogvoid Lundquist (flute), Silje Katrine Gotaas (cello), Sunniva Bergsaune, Ase Haga and Lise Sorensen (electric and acoustic violinists).

You can visit TronMusic.com to sample or purchase or find at Amazon.com. Photos are courtesy tronmusic.com.

Legendary Yes members Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman have released a new “In Concert CD” to complement their earlier in studio version of The Living Tree release. This of course is fantastic news to millions of progressive rock music fans everywhere. You can always count on Jon and Rick for new music in a variety of genres!

The Living Tree – In Concert Part One was released earlier on Gonzo Multimedia beginning November 28th 2011. The live in concert version of The Living Tree was recorded during Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman’s successful British Tour in 2010. For a description, the cover art designed by Mark Wilkinson, is similar to the royal blue background, with yellow and orange colored tree on the studio version cover.

The partnership of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman is certainly close and enduring after having worked together over the years since 1971, during their innovative Yes album Fragile. In more recent years, they began performing live concerts together for audiences in the United Kingdom beginning in 2006.

Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman’s celebrated North American Concert Tour in 2011 was the most recent live concert venue where concert attendees could hear songs from The Living Tree live, which is the number of live songs selected by Jon and Rick for their newest collection of songs on The Living Tree – In Concert Part One.

Fans of the group Yes have something to cheer about since the CD features some classic Yes songs. I did read a concert review that described their songs from Yes is a departure from what you might expect, but is still endearing as you can imagine.

The 12 tracks on the CD album are; And You & I, Living Tree (Part 1), Morning Star, Long Distance Runaround, The Garden, Living Tree (Part 2), Time and a Word, Just One Man, 23/24/11, Southside of the Sky, House of Freedom, & The Meeting.

Jon Anderson recently released his download song Give Hope & OPEN, along with another 2011 album review I wrote for his Survival & Other Stories. I also had the opportunity to host a comprehensive interview with Jon Anderson last year so you can read my interview with Jon Anderson in 2011 exclusively here at New Age Music World.

Rick Wakeman and Jon Anderson together gave their press comments about The Living Tree – In Concert Part One. Below are their press comments and store locations where you can sample or purchase their new recorded live album.

Jon Anderson; “The live recordings have a unique feel, the way we perform the show, it’s as though all the songs ‘old and new’ were written just a few months ago, all very timeless.”

Rick Wakeman; “For many years Jon and I have felt it was really important to record all we do” adds Rick, “whether for general release or just personal purposes, the decision being very much that of quality. We were so happy with the way that the live music was happening that we felt this was a must to record and put out a mixture of the music, both old and new, as a record of where we are at, at this moment, and also perhaps giving a hint as to where we can go on to. Music for us is progressive in all genres, and this album is yet another stepping stone in that quest.”

Visit gonzomultimedia.co.uk or gonzomultimedia.com in the U.S. For Jon’s 2012 concert info visit JonAnderson.com and RWCC.com. Read my pages for Jon Anderson, and Rick Wakeman. Cover artwork & photos are courtesy Mark Wilkinson, Jon Anderson & Rick Wakeman.

Dr. Michael Brant DeMaria is a 54th GRAMMY® Awards Nominee in the Best New Age Album category this year, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. Nominated for his Gaia album, Michael is also a new age artist with a continuous mission.

For the past 30 years as an integrative psychotherapist, Michael has committed much of his life helping people resolve their personal issues.

Bindu is the brand new 2012 release from Michael Brant DeMaria, who is a top ranked new age artist in his own right. The first release in his Ontos Healing Sound Project is The River, which led to his GRAMMY® Nominated healing/meditation release Ocean.

Remaining the number 1 album for 3 months on Zone Music Reporter’s top 100 monthly charts, Ocean ended the year 2009 achieving ZMR’s Best Ambient & Best Relaxation Album Awards.

GRAMMY® Nominated in 2012, Gaia has a graceful vibrancy that gently renews the inner spirit. Gaia is comparable to The River & Ocean, but the innovative world music inspirations found in Gaia heighten the emotional sensations of calm, and ascertains our undeniable connection with planet earth. Many may remember in 2010, Gaia achieved Album Of The Year & Best World Album in Zone Music Reporter’s Music Awards.

Bindu is a wellness driven musical experience from the directive of four time GRAMMY® Nominee Dr. Michael Brant DeMaria, who is conceivably the most accomplished artist in the field of relaxation/meditation music today.

Fourth in his popular Healing Sound Project, the serenity of Michael’s performance on Bindu reaches the pinnacle of healing music, this time turning his focus inward on the identity of oneself, and the identity of one another.

Michael Brant DeMaria as a professional caregiver has supported others by guiding them through some of life’s most challenging situations. And so by this directive, Michael transforms his capacities as a healthcare professional into therapeutic music designed to help people manage life’s challenges.

Bindu is another exceptional new album with award winning potential, but only time will tell if Bindu will secure his fifth nomination in 2013, and if Gaia will achieve GRAMMY® Award status in 2012.

Michael’s firsthand experience as both a professional caregiver and top award nominee in 2012 has placed him in a unique position by becoming a benefactor on one hand, and a potential beneficiary on another.

Visit ontos.com homepage and sample or purchase at his music store page or Amazon.com page. Read our interview and album reviews on my page dedicated to Michael Brant DeMaria. Photo images courtesy Michael Brant DeMaria.