A New Horizon features 14 songs in a classical merge of electronic rock music in a representation like epic band Tangerine Dream, in his changing scores of over 100 popular music themes. Esteban has studied classical guitar and electronic music over the years before producing his first album Dreamland in 2002. Composer Esteban is the second Spanish musician who has signed with Landscape TV, an audio visual media station in the UK called Landscape HD productions.

José Luis Serrano Esteban’s first new age video will be released near the end of 2011. Along with his own recordings, Esteban is a guitar player and synthesizer programmer in other artist’s CDs and visual music productions too, having produced numerous scores for commercials, demo tapes, and music scores for television documentaries.

On A New Horizon, some pieces were performed with the help of the fine artists Nacho Serrano (Bass and 12 string acoustic guitar), Nuria Felix (Violin), Santiago Puente (Clarinet), Gloria Esteban (Flute) and Covadonga Serrano (Piano). The song video of Further Than The Milky Way shows images from the European Space Agency/Hubble Space Telescope.

Visit his jlse.serarte.es website to sample or purchase or at amazon.co.uk and other digital stores. Find more on my page for José Luis Serrano Esteban. Visit Landscape HD at landscapehd.com. Photo is courtesy jlse.serarte.es.

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 my favorites. Like most songs on this 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.

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 at least, 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 pretty 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 simplistic period of our youth by fine guitar melodies.

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. The equally relaxing Moonlight Lullaby & Fireflies each convey an elevated atmosphere of inspiration. It may be less important how I phrase the description of Keith Driskill’s acoustic guitar music, just so long as 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 most 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.

José Luis Serrano Esteban is a Spanish musician who has spent many years composing music in many different styles embracing Classical, Rock, New Age, World and Electronic music, which began the creation of two albums of instrumental music that he has released.  His music is full of divergent shades of timbre, sensibly crafted in the recording studio, which invites the listener to pause and appreciate.

A New Horizon is his second album published in 2009. It contains 14 pieces from nearly classical pieces to electronic rock, and his main idea is reaching peace through the beauty expressed in his music compositions.  The album takes the listener on a voyage through a broad range of imaginary landscapes.  In addition to A New Horizon, he has released more than 100 music compositions in varying styles from Classical, Electronic, and Rock music.

José Luis Serrano Esteban is a composer who has studied both classical guitar and electronic music.  In his albums he plays all kinds of guitars, including bass guitar and also keyboards and percussion instruments.  José has also spent some years working on technical issues related with sound, computing and electronics so has been able to produce his own recordings.

Using timbre as an important part of his compositions, fine elements of electroacoustic music enable him to emphasize ideas and create “sound landscapes” for his listeners.

On A New Horizon, some pieces were performed with the help of great musicians like Nacho Serrano (Bass and 12strings acoustic guitar), Nuria Felix (Violin), Santiago Puente (Clarinet), Gloria Esteban (Flute) and Covadonga Serrano (Piano).  José Luis Serrano Esteban is signed on to be a featured artist on the LandscapeHD channel near the end of 2011.

Visit his English and Spanish website jlse.serarte.es to sample / purchase or at Amazon.co.uk and other digital stores.

Shambhu is the proficient guitarist clearly asserting in his website news pages that 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 a commodity of premium value.

Sacred Love – Feel The Journey is New Age Fusion, Contemporary Instrumental, and Jazz, having East, West, and World elements which help facilitate the conversion of artful melodies into solid gold entertainment that requires only simple involvement for the rest of us to 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 an esteemed musician in his own right performing concerts or on albums with top music entertainers like Bob Hope, Carlos Santana, John Anderson and on Whitney Houston’s multi-platinum album titled simply Whitney.  The list goes 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 then 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 go to his CDBaby.com page and Amazon.com page.

Big Stock Photo – rkasprzak.

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. Artist Helmut Graebe is a principal member with spirited piano and organ rhythms and on Provence, Hecks and Graebe had an equal hand while composing their parts along with the instrumental compositions of talents Bino Dola on rhythm guitar, Clemens Paskert on bass, percussion, 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 in 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 nicely exemplify this ever 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 accented organ and keyboards parts 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 display some 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 noticeable the percussion parts are a lively component in the total note by note Nouveau Flamenco atmosphere.

Crème Brulee is an inviting song given the calm serene impression and one that resembles Siesta, where moderately timed guitar melodies with piano accompaniment establish a comfortable mood of relaxation while also conveying at the very same time, a fine impression akin to white tablecloth elegance while the boldly accented 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 Luna Blanca!

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 Big Stock Photo – klenova.

The Landing ( Special Edition ) is polarizing by this fine balancing act of multiple influences and is 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 numerous 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 that feature 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 instrumental music environment.

Dancing on the Moon features some beautiful orchestration for the very 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 sensational method 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. 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.

Ben Woolman is a solo guitarist from Minnesota specializing in finger style performances on steel string guitar who amazes his audiences by an ability to layer cross and counter rhythms in relative fashion to the primary melody which gives the impression of multiple performers at his side.

Performing with multiple artists is not the case at all here, in fact his blending of harmonies and counter rhythms at the solo level are also without the assistance of dubbing, making his individual abilities a much rarer find than many other guitarists in the solo category.

Many Moods is his current release that projects his unique abilities in finger style guitar and this latest is another fine example of his more expansive 10 total albums that Ben Woolman has produced during his lifetime.  In addition, his longtime repertoire while playing guitar encompasses many genre elements like Folk, Blues, Jazz, Neo Classical, Latin, Celtic, and African, fusing many interwoven components that attest to his proficiency at a complicated technique.

Excelling in finger style guitar is precisely what makes the signature style of Ben Woolman quite unique.  In a perfectionist blend of layered counter rhythms, the applause given at the end of any performance goes to Ben Woolman alone and his singular talent for mastering the intricate counter melody technique.

The University of Wisconsin is one of the only colleges in the United States offering a degree in finger style guitar and exactly where Ben studied under a cooperative program with the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with honors in Guitar Performance which nicely enhance his natural composing and performance abilities.

Many Moods features 11 songs that offer a nice variation in manner and perception with 8 original compositions that do attain the numerous mood variations this aptly named album suggests.  The 3 remaining songs are renditions of The Police, Blind Blake and James Horner, and the challenging task of incorporating Rock, Jazz, and Cinematic music influences into Solo Guitar is pulled off with ease.

One Afternoon is the first song on the Many Moods album and one nice characterization of his individual style given the Folk with a light hearted feel similar in mood to Contemporary Sadie’s Smile.  Lighter images appear in a more contemplative Me, myself and You and faster paced Up and Back is a nice progressive piece, along with the briskly paced rhythms in Wicked Ascent.

A more Jazz style orientation can be heard in Salamander Swing and then Blake Says is an upbeat Blues tune that is sure to make you smile.  Mazurka Dance is a World & Latin influenced piece and another bright number that highlights his proficiency at finger style guitar.

The 3 renditions make great listening too, and this entire album is a fine introduction to not only a proficient artist, but a wonderful musician that kindly restructures his challenging handiwork into uncomplicated and relaxing moods on our behalf.

Visit benwoolman.net to sample / purchase or at his CDBaby.com page.  To find out more about Ben and view his full discography and song videos click here.

 Photo Copyright benwoolman.net courtesy of Rebecca Pavlenko.

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 fine harmonic value for the listener, along with Devin & Erin who have likewise 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. Visit the Imaginary Road Studios of williamackerman.com right here.

Picture copyright Big Stock Photo – MelMcNaughton.