New Age Music World

Archive for the ‘Instrumental Music’ Category

New Age Piano Music: Masako Album Review.

It’s a fact that every artist is characterized as a debuting artist upon the release of their first album. To some, the term debut may suggest negative connotations or a lack of experience, but I believe the majority of people know an artist’s debut simply means they have made available, and distributed their first album to the public.

Masako is the name of a composing pianist making a debut with her first, self-titled piano with instrumental album called Masako. Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, composing pianist Masako is a perfect example of a music professional with decades of experience prior to the first official introduction of her music. In fact, if I hadn’t known firsthand the original piano with instrumental music on Masako’s 2012 album was a debut release, I never would have guessed it.

Composing pianist Masako has released an extraordinary instrumental album with every hallmark of a seasoned professional. In fact, two highly respected artists, Will Ackerman and Liz Story themselves have release press comments about Masako’s abilities affirming her skill level is equated to that of a virtuoso. And I agree.

The Masako album was produced by Will Ackerman at his Imaginary Road Studio. Recognized for the excellence in his talents, Will Ackerman produced this album at Imaginary Road Studio, but needless to say, a producer can only enhance by bringing out the best of an artist’s talents. It’s clear, composing pianist Masako herself gives a magnificent performance, and her arrangement design of piano with instrumental music deserves to be characterized as a world-class release.

There are 12 songs total on the new Masako album, which easily passes the litmus test, in regards to the quality of music she produced, and alike in comparison to those who have rose among the top ranking artists that are associated with Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studio. Masako’s song titled Glastenbury, Vermont was also selected for the top playlist of songs on the newest 2012 compilation CD by Will Ackerman entitled The Gathering.

Masako’s first introduction album is an impressive one and the term debut artist no longer applies. The only instance of where her status as a debuting artist applies now is perhaps when categorized, as the highest rated debut artist or for a best new artist of the year award. In either event, I believe Masako would be pleased to have her first release designated as a new debut album in either category.

The majority of the 12 songs on the Masako album are solo piano arrangements, or duets and ensemble, with an emphasis on piano. Top raking artist selected for the Masako album are Eugene Friesen (cello), Tony Levin (bassist), Jill Haley (English horn), Premik (wind synthesizer), and Jeff Haynes (percussion).

Visit Masako-Music.com to sample or purchase and find Masako album at iTunes. Portrait courtesy beltramistudios.com.

Award-winning producer Will Ackerman has released a new compilation CD featuring great songs by some of the best artists today. They are an elite group of instrumental artists who enlisted Will Ackerman to produce their albums at his Imaginary Road Studio.

The Gathering is a compilation album of 22 songs on Will Ackerman’s West River Records label. I plan to write a review for The Gathering once I receive the new compilation CD, but I can tell you a little about this release right now since I have already reviewed many of the complete albums in the song list. In the future I will be reviewing more artist’s with albums produced by Will Ackerman at Imaginary Road Studio.

The Gathering is a “best of the best album” since many of the songs selected by Will Ackerman are designated songs from a number of best albums, composed by top-ranked artists in the music recording industry. Famous for the highest quality in music productions, the tradition continues on Will Ackerman’s West River Records label. The artists with reviews at this site, and whose songs are in The Gathering are shown below.

Visit WilliamAckerman.com and find more about these select artists, and purchase The Gathering at CDBaby.com.

Ann Sweeten song Dawn on Red Mountain, from Grey Sky And Bittersweet album.

Devin Rice & Erin Aas song Thyn Ayre, from The Arrival album.

Fiona Joy Hawkins song Feeling Sunshine, from Live At The Q album.

Jeff Oster song Serengeti, from True album.

Kathryn Kaye song Mountain Laurel, from Heavy as a Feather album.

Kori Linae Carothers song Carpe Diem, from Trillium album.

Lawrence Blatt song The Color of Sunshine, from The Color of Sunshine album.

Masako song Glastenbury, Vermont, from Masako album.

Paul Jensen song Taoist Winds, from The Other Side album.

Peter Jennison song Anthem, from Longing From Home album.

Shambhu song Hide and Seek, from Sacred Love album.

Todd Boston song The Brightest Night, from Touched by the Sun album.

Will Ackerman song The Wheel, from New England Roads album.

Kitaro music fans are sure to be excited about the newest Kitaro album in 2012. Even if they have already heard the Kitaro album entitled The Light Of The Spirit in its original recording format back in 1997, the newly remastered audio CD or mp3 is worth looking into by its superior musical qualities.

If you haven’t sampled The Light Of The Spirit, you are in for a surprise. The 8 cinematic songs by the international new age superstar Kitaro happen to be co-produced with the rock legend Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart, who is a music innovator himself, and during studio recordings and concert performances with his tour group the Mickey Hart Band.

Kitaro and Mickey Hart are GRAMMY® Award-winning artists revered individually for producing releases that explore a wide range of music influences. One example of their diversity is The Light Of The Spirit. The 8 songs on Kitaro’s new album The Light Of The Spirit are; Mysterious Encounter, Sundance, The Field, The Light of the Spirit, In The Beginning, Moondance, Howling Thunder, Journey To A Fantasy. Visit the Domo Music Group page to sample the newest album by Kitaro.

New Age Album Review: Dreams of The Forest.

Cinematic music made for the movie industry is in a class of its own, providing charm and realism in which ingenious music compositions become an inherent part of the film itself.

The appropriate cinematic music score can transform a motion picture into something greater than a series of moving images. With the right melodic touch, cinematic music scores and movie soundtracks can create vibrant memories thru association, which bring the movie film characters to life.

New Age pianist Marc Enfroy is an award-winning artist known for his expertise with producing instrumental piano music in a comparable elegance to some of the most accomplished and best cinematic music producers today. Marc Enfroy’s special touch as a new age instrumental music composer is apparent in his newest cinematic piano release entitled Dreams of The Forest.

Dreams of The Forest is an amazing cinematic piano release made to touch the senses. Stated as his most ambitious project to date, Marc Enfroy masterfully creates a dramatic mood of enchantment you’ll want to experience over and over again. With esteemed artists Jack Chen on flute, and GRAMMY® Award-winning studio engineer Corin Nelsen, Dreams of The Forest is a quality album comprised with a trio of top music professionals.

Marc Enfroy’s third release Unconditional is an inspirational array of piano and contemporary instrumentals made to embrace life in a moving way. Unconditional is in the same contemporary resemblance as his instrumental piano album Awakening, but it was Marc’s solo piano debut album Unbounded, which initiated his award-winning music career. Unbounded achieved unbridled success by acquiring the Best Neo-Classical Album award in the ZMR Lifestyle Music Awards in 2008, along with earning Marc Enfroy nomination for Best New Artist at ZMR.

Dreams of The Forest is extraordinary cinematic music given the animated, yet true to life representation it conveys. While countless artists are capable of producing music scores suitable for the ending credits of a motion picture as they slowly roll on by, Dreams of The Forest is an emotionally compelling musical canvas designed with the authentic sensibilities of a real life drama.

Visit MarcEnfroy.com to sample or purchase at his music store or visit major online retailers. Marc Enfroy’s release will be available June 12, 2012. Starting May 17, 2012, pre-order CDs at MarcEnfroy.com. Photos are courtesy marcenfroy.com.

Marc Enfroy: New Age Piano Music – Cinematic Song Sample.

Cinematic music made for the movie industry is in a class of its own, providing charm and realism in which ingenious music compositions become an inherent part of the film itself. With the right touch, cinematic music scores and movie soundtracks can create vibrant memories thru association, and bring the movie’s film characters to life.

New Age pianist Marc Enfroy is an award-winning artist recognized for his expertise in blending elegant instrumental piano music with moving orchestral arrangements on the same level as the most accomplished artists and best music producers of today. Marc Enfroy’s special touch as a composer is clear in his newest release entitled Dreams of The Forest.

Dreams of The Forest is an amazing cinematic piano release made for the senses. Marc Enfroy masterfully creates a dramatic mood of enchantment you’ll want to experience over and over again. Joined by esteemed artists Jack Chen on flute, and GRAMMY® Award-winning studio engineer Corin Nelsen, it’s obvious on first listen that Dreams of The Forest was expertly crafted by top music professionals.

Marc Enfroy’s fourth studio album, Dreams of The Forest is an extraordinary cinematic project given the elegant, true to life representation it conveys. Characterized by a serene nuance, Marc Enfroy has produced an imaginary and emotionally compelling musical canvas laced with the kind of passionate, authentic sensibilities found in real life drama. Dreams of the Forest could very well be Marc Enfroy’s next award-winning album!

Visit MarcEnfroy.com to sample or purchase at his music store or visit major online retailers. Below is a music video sample of the song Miracle in the Glade. Marc Enfroy’s release will be available on June 12, 2012. Starting May 17, 2012, you may pre-order CDs at MarcEnfroy.com. Photos are courtesy marcenfroy.com.

New Age Music Review: Sounds from the Circle IV – Fourth CD/mp3 Album for 2012.

Sounds from the Circle IV is the fourth New Age Music Circle album release for 2012. Like many members within the New Age Music Circle online community, I too look forward to the newest compilation album of 40 songs because it is after all, one of the most significant new age music releases in 2012.

The New Age Music Circle, host by Suzanne Doucet, is an international online community forum and discussion platform where top new age artists, industry professionals, and music fans alike can share music, videos, and post information about special events. Membership is open to anyone who would like to join and participate in forum dialogue that covers a wide range of topics.

Aside from the fact the songs on Sounds from the Circle IV is one of the best song collection of new age music in 2012, the wide-ranging sampling of songs from various artists is a great way to promote the member artists at the New Age Music Circle. The release is distributed to online radio, media and music retailers, in addition to international trade shows, conferences and prestigious industry events like INATS, MIDEM and GATE.

Suzanne Doucet produced the fourth mp3 album CD by circle forum members, that contains 40 songs and holds over three and a half hours of music. The CD can be played in mp3 compatible CD players or in computer CD-ROM drives, which downloads into an iTunes player. In addition the newest album can be purchased and downloaded on iTunes.

The new Sounds from the Circle IV song compilation album also gives me an opportunity to tell you about some of the top artists on the new 2012 release I have featured by a review, interview, or best new age song, album, or video publication.

One aspect about the newest Sounds from the Circle compilation that remains unchanged is the fact the new for 2012 release is a perfect example of the far reaching diversity of the artists and their influence in the New Age Music Genre. The wide variety of styles heard on the 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012 releases include acoustic, ambient, chill out, classical, contemporary instrumental, electronic, ethnic, groove, meditation, neo-classical, piano, progressive, world, and vocal.

Once more, the newest song collection on the Sounds from the Circle release features international artists from many countries including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Germany, Norway, Spain, the United States, and other countries worldwide.

Over the years, New Age Music World has featured 10 out of the 40 artists on Sounds from the Circle releases by way of an album review. In fact, 2002, AOMusic, Hennie Bekker and Louis Colaiannia have earlier recognition by inclusion in my best album award publications.

I had the pleasure of interviewing four artists on the new Sounds from the Circle IV compilation CD, so you can read artist interviews for Pamela and Randy Copus of 2002, Al Conti, Miriam Stockly and Richard Gannaway of AOMusic, and a comprehensive interview with New Age Music Circle host Suzanne Doucet. Naturally I would have liked to write album reviews for every artist in this years CD/mp3 album and interview every artist featured at my site, but time simply doesn’t permit me to write about every artist.

Below are the artist name, song and album of artists on Sounds from the Circle IV featured at New Age Music World over the years. To visit their artist page here, and visit their site, click on artist name shown in a right hand module.

1. 2002 – Randy & Pamela Copus– Song Enduring Love from the Damayanti album.

2. Al Conti – Song Northern Seas from the Northern Seas album.

3. AOMusic – Song Gayla Lo Mane from the album …And Love Rages On!

4. Bill Wren & Frank Ralls – Song Winter Solstice from the album Jourey Around The Sun.

5. Hennie Bekker – Song The Heart of Africa from the album Spectrum.

6. Jose Luis Serrano Esteban – Song Inner Light from the album A New Horizon (Special Edition).

7. Louis Collaiannia – Song Desert Wind from the album A Moment Between Eternities.

8. Peter Jennison – Song The One from the album Longing for Home.

9. Suzanne Doucet – Song Arunachala from the album As it is Now.

10. Tron Syversen – Song Gentle Touch from the Album – Gentle Moments.

Contributing artists also include Ken Davis, Danny Wright, Berward Koch, Torben Thorger & Vibeke Sonora, Michael de Salem, Michele de Wilton, Amberfern, Cheryl Bentyne, Tim White & Joe Paulino, Lia Scallon, Walter Grund, Richard Bone, Glenn Main, Pamela Jamian, Kevin Kula, Jaime Helios, Craig Karolus, Merrill Collins, John Luttrell, Mala Ganguly & David Vito Gregoli, Synthesist, John Salat, Kparx, Elise Lebec, Tajalli, Zamora, Aum Orchestra, Paradiso & Rasamayi, Natascha Wilczek, John Paris.

Visit Suzanne Doucet and New Age Music Circle members at NewAgeMusik.Ning.com. You can sample and purchase Sounds from the Circle IV at iTunes. Cover artwork courtesy Suzanne Doucet & New Age Music Circle.

Gallery of Dreams – Plus Live by Gandalf with Steve Hackett.

With the advent of the New Year 2012 well past us, new age and popular artists of every genre are releasing their best new project for 2012. While brand new CD and mp3 album downloads are arriving daily at music stores, legendary new age artist Gandalf and popular rock music icon Steve Hackett, formerly of Genesis, have a new 2012, re-mastered release of an exquisite instrumental music classic.

Gandalf’s Gallery Of Dreams – Plus Live featuring Steve Hackett is the title given to this definitive 3 CD Anniversary Edition, that is progressive instrumental music at its finest! Also available as mp3 digital downloads, the first CD is an original studio Gallery Of Dreams album digitally re-mastered.

Plus, Gandalf and Steve Hackett’s previously unreleased 2 CD live concert recordings at the Wiener Konzerhaus concert in Vienna, Austria are included in the special 3 CD Anniversary Edition, comprised of several world-class quality guest instrumentalists, and a wonderful vocalist named Tracy Hitchings on the title track.

Gandalf – featuring Steve Hackett – Live in Concert Part 1 & Live in Concert Part 2 are the official titles for the 2 live concert CDs. The 3 CD Anniversary Edition of Gandalf and Steve Hackett’s legendary studio recording, plus their 2 CD live concert recorded during the Wiener Konzerthaus concert in Vienna Austria is an exceptional collection of songs. The finer points with this release are the artisanship, cinematic qualities and cultural fusion of new age and progressive rock music.

Gallery Of Dreams by Gandalf, featuring Steve Hackett is a masterful arrangement that amazed the music world in 1992, like the definitive anniversary collection carries on the tradition today.

Gandalf’s Gallery Of Dreams is a timeless instrumental classic, powerful in depth by the beauty of orchestral instruments of oboe, flute, piano and English horn in perfect rhythm with classical, acoustic and electric guitar. Even while conveying an air of refinement and complexity, the focus on instrumental warmth and harmony create a personable atmosphere from beginning to end.

It is in a likeness to predecessor Symphonic Landscape, another instrumental album by Gandalf whose symphonic innovations remain ageless with the passing of time. I say with near certainty, Gallery Of Dreams – Plus Live is one of the rarest albums destined to be one of the best progressive instrumental albums I, or any review publicist will write a review about in 2012.

Gandalf featuring Steve Hackett – Live In Concert – Part 1 & Part 2 CDs are previously unreleased live recordings during Gandalf’s Gallery Of Dreams in 1992 at the Wiener Konzerhaus concert in Vienna Austria, with former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett as special guest artist.

Live In Concert Part 1 & Live In Concert Part 2 is parallel to the Gallery Of Dreams studio album by the inherent music qualities given by the artists involved, but perhaps more dynamic being a concert recording made on stage in front of a live audience.

Steve Hackett takes the lead in rock opera styled guitar refrains on a number of songs. Live In Concert Part 1 contains the two Genesis songs Horizons & In that Quiet Earth. As fans of the band Genesis know, guitar virtuoso Steve Hackett in classic form and bravura will leave a lasting impression on the listener every time.

Gandalf and Steve Hackett each have their own highly successful solo albums with distinctive style and technique, but it was Steve Hackett’s musical influence that made a major impression on Gandalf’s music. The natural ability of both artists as soloist is legendary. Gandalf and Steve Hackett complement one another beautifully during their performance, so it’s no surprise their collaborative effort together has resulted in a phenomenal collection of songs.

The 3 CD Anniversary Edition comes with a 6 page color photo booklet, concert poster, and a song video clip of Face in the Mirror that is playable on your computer. For Gandalf concert information, the Gandalf – Art Of Infinity Concert is scheduled for November 3, 2012 at the Planetarium Bochum in Nordrhein-Westfalen Germany.

Full credits for artists performing on Gallery of Dreams – plus live, Live in Concert Part 1 & Live in Concert Part 2 are; Gandalf – electric guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, piano, keyboards, sitar, sequencers and atmospheres. Steve Hackett – electric and classical guitars. Robert Julian Horky – flutes. Andrea Krauk – oboe, English horn.

Peter Aschenbrenner – flutes, soprano saxophone, and keyboards. Erich Buchebner – bass and fretless bass, taurus, bass-pedals and acoustic guitar. Toni Muhlhofer – percussion and Tracy Hitchings is the vocalist on Gallery of Dreams title track.

Visit Gandalf.at and BSCMusic.com to purchase, and then visit HackettSongs.com. Cover art and photos are courtesy Gandalf & Steve Hackett.

Concert Review: Yanni-Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico.

International concert artist Yanni and his orchestra demonstrate once again they are a leading team of the best musicians worldwide who are prepared to light up the night sky and take the world by storm. In the case of Yanni and the orchestra’s recent live concert event at the historic El Morro fortress in Puerto Rico, the saying “take the world by storm” holds two meanings.

The Oceanside concert venue of Castillo San Felipe del Morro citadel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, presented a challenge for the team by the inclement weather, typical for the historic El Morro coastal locality. Earlier concerts were interrupted due to rainstorms, and it looked as if a miracle was the only hope for the final evening concert scheduled for Saturday night. As it turned out, a windswept atmosphere became a dramatic, silver lining for the ultimate Yanni concert experience.

Yanni-Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico turned out to be an intensely glorious concert event for fans of the international concert artist Yanni, and his sensational orchestra, who are unquestionably, a quality group of the best artists worldwide.

If you have ever had an opportunity to attend a live Yanni concert firsthand, or have watched a televised live PBS concert, then you know each and every concert performance is special, regardless of the venue or historical significance. For over 30 years, Yanni has made his presence known as a leading international concert artist with around one billion admirers. A single concert event, Yanni Live at the Acropolis is the top fundraising program for PBS, which had an astounding 500 million television viewers from 65 countries. The Taj Mahal in India and The Forbidden City in China concert are more examples where PBS viewership reached a television audience of 250 million people.

One might consider Yanni a professional music entertainer, which is true, but only half of the story. There is intensity about Yanni that is profound. One can sense his genuine love of music, and the passion in which he brings inspiration to an audience every time. There is no doubt Yanni and his orchestra love to provide the concert of a lifetime for an audience, regardless of the concert location, or a venue’s historical significance.

Solos by the best artists worldwide are a central attraction during the Yanni-Live at El Morro concert, and every concert performance. It is hard to find the right words to express the quality with each vocalist, and the orchestra. Using adjectives like sensational and spectacular only partly define the superior excellence of the entire orchestra. Every member in Yanni’s world-class orchestra gives a solo performance that can only be described as stunning!

Yanni-Live at El Morro concert opens with two songs from Yanni’s newest album, Truth Of Touch (title song), then a boldly intense song from Truth Of Touch called Vertigo, with duel improvisational solos by Yanni and keyboardist Ming Freeman. Next song on the concert set list is The End Of August, a fan favorite piano and violin piece featuring Samvel Yervinyan and complete orchestral back up.

The beautiful violin solo by Samvel Yervinyan is deeply moving, like the touching song that seems to hold new meaning, The Rain Must Fall. Yanni’s wonderful piano performance precedes a dynamic bass guitar solo by Gabriel Vivas, and breathtaking violin solo by Mary Simpson.

Felitsa is the song Yanni composed, and dedicated to his Mother Felitsa Chryssomallis. By design in composition, Felitsa is a poignant song with verses of piano and violin duet backed by full orchestra. It is a wonderful arrangement many recognize within the first few notes.

The bold refrains of Voyage mark the return of another song from Truth Of Touch, which has stayed in the Top 10 Billboard Chart since released in 2011. Composed for the Hidden City concert in China, vocalist Lauren Jelencovich gives a stunning performance in Nightingale, in time with impromptu solos from orchestra members. Backed by keyboardist Ming Freeman, along with percussionists Yoel Del Sol and Charles Adams, harpist Victor Espinola gives the instrument with origins dating back to 500 BC, a contemporary makeover by his fiery playing technique during Harp Solo.

Vocalists Lisa Lavie and Lauren Jelencovich amaze the audience with their duet and solo talents in Ode to Humanity, and during up-tempo, contemporary song Niki Nana, featuring brass specialists Dana Teboe on trombone and Jason Carder on trumpet. After a standing ovation, Yanni addresses the audience with a heartfelt narrative of the ongoing challenges facing humanity prior to the concluding, full orchestral song, One Man’s Dream.

It’s clear the Yanni team demonstrate once again they are prepared to “take the world by storm” and be victorious. Leave the firework display up to concert attendees who enthusiastically brightened up the nighttime sky by showing their admiration for music celebrity Yanni, and his select team of music professionals. The extraordinary live concert show at El Morro that almost never was to exist is soon to be available on CD and DVD for 2012.

The full orchestra name credits in alphabetical order are; Charles Adams: drums, Benedikt Brydern: violin, Jason Carder: trumpet and flugelhorn, Yoel Del Sol: percussion, Victor Espinola: harp, Ming Freeman: keyboards, James Mattos: French horn, Sarah O’Brien: cello, Mary Simpson: violin, Dana Teboe: trombone, Gabriel Vivas: bass, Samvel Yervinyan: violin, Alexander Zhiroff: cello. The vocalists are; Lauren Jelencovich, and Lisa Lavie.

The Yanni-Live at El Morro DVD and CD will be released on April 17, 2012. Visit Yanni.com to pre-order and purchase, or visit Amazon.com for the new Yanni-Live at El Morro DVD or new CD in 2012. For Yanni’s 2012 North American Concert Tour in the United States and Canada, visit the Yanni.com Concert Tour page for full concert information. Photos are courtesy Yanni-Wake Entertainment & Big Stock Photo – Mandj98.

Yanni-Live at El Morro on CD & DVD is the newest concert music for fans of the international concert artist Yanni, and his sensational orchestra, who are a select group of the best artists in the world. The new Yanni-Live at El Morro DVD and CD, his 10th televised live concert on PBS, will soon be released on April 17, 2012.

I have a pre-release concert review for Yanni-Live at El Morro in a couple of days, but I wanted to provide specific details about the newest CD & DVD. Info about what to wear to a live Yanni concert doesn’t apply of course, but I am happy to supply the song set list from the concert, and more details about this special concert event. The 11 songs on the DVD & CD are Truth of Touch, Vertigo, The End of August, The Rain Must Fall, Felitsa, Voyage, Nightingale, Harp Solo, Ode to Humanity, Niki Nana & One Man’s Dream.

Yanni-Live at El Morro DVD & CD is over an hour and a half long of Yanni’s best music. The El Morro DVD includes 11 songs total, and a 16 page color cover booklet. Plus, the DVD contains an 11 song selection option, and 2 bonus chapters.

The DVD chapters Yanni in Puerto Rico and The Storm, are special narratives by Yanni, describing Puerto Rico and challenges of performing at El Morro, due to stormy weather. You will find both chapters on the DVD are enjoyable audio visual extras.

Yanni concert soloists and instrumental performers are famous for their expertise, and recognized as a 16 member group of top artists worldwide. During my concert review I provide the names of soloist on various songs, and the names of the artists who perform with Yanni. The video below also introduces the artists who perform on the Yanni-Live at El Morro CD & DVD.

The musicians and soloists performing on Live at El Morro are; Charles Adams: drums, Benedikt Brydern: violin, Jason Carder: trumpet and flugelhorn, Yoel Del Sol: percussion, Victor Espinola: harp, Ming Freeman: keyboards, James Mattos: French horn, Sarah O’Brien: cello, Mary Simpson: violin, Dana Teboe: trombone, Gabriel Vivas: bass, Samvel Yervinyan: violin, Alexander Zhiroff: cello. The vocalists are; Lauren Jelencovich, and Lisa Lavie.

If you had the opportunity to view the televised live PBS concert, then you know the El Morro concert is special! Check back for my concert review of Yanni-Live at El Morro, plus I have a new interview with Yanni scheduled too, so check back for these exclusive publications available only at this site.

On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, interview host Lauren Sanchez will host a live Yanni webcast starting at 1pm EDT/6pm GMT. Below is the official Yanni-Live at El Morro Trailer video.

Visit Yanni.com to pre-order and purchase, or visit Amazon.com for the new Yanni-Live from El Morro DVD or his new music CD for 2012. Be sure to visit the 2012 North American Concert Tour page. Read articles and reviews on my pages for Yanni. Photo courtesy Yanni-Wake Entertainment & Yanni-India.in.

Yanni-Live at El Morro, Puerto Rico

A New Horizon – Special Edition by José Luis Serrano Esteban.

José Luis Serrano Esteban, a new age guitarist from Spain, is enjoying time at the Top 10 Zone Music Reporter Radio Chart the past couple of months. Esteban is off to a great start with his release titled A New Horizon (Special Edition), which has held ZMR’s #2 Top 10 Radio Chart position during January and February of 2012.

José Luis Serrano Esteban is a composer and multi-instrumentalist who studied classical guitar and electronic music. Esteban is skilled on a number of instruments including piano, keyboards, percussion instruments and programming, but guitar appears to be his specialty, performing on Spanish classical guitar, acoustic, 12 string, and a collection of different acoustic and electric guitars.

Esteban has released over 100 music compositions, each in a wide variety of styles that range from classical, electronic, new age, world and rock music.

Along with his own cinematic recordings, Esteban is a guitar and electronic specialist in other artist’s CD recordings and audio video scores too, composing music for commercials, demo tapes, and soundtrack scores for television documentaries. José Luis Serrano Esteban is the second Spanish composer who has signed with Landscape TV, an audio visual media station in the UK called Landscape HD productions. His first New Age Musica video was released in 2011.

A New Horizon (Special Edition) is an adventurous blend of classical and electronic rock music with several songs in near representation style to iconic band Tangerine Dream.

The re-issue of A New Horizon (Special Edition) has 16 songs, two of which are new bonus tracks. Nearly touching a dream & Vida (Life) have a pleasant atmosphere and pleasing feel of warmth, like the consistent qualities you will experience on the entire album.

The essentials of José Luis Serrano Esteban’s music with composing, producing and recording A New Horizon (Special Edition) himself is the likeness of refined recording of songs with near qualities of what you hear on many of Will Ackerman productions.

Esteban has a natural ability for pairing electronic and acoustic guitar with violin, piano and flute into serene instrumental songs. Together he and the additional artists from Spain have reintroduced a picturesque landscape across a new horizon.

On A New Horizon (Special Edition), some pieces were performed with instrumentalists Nacho Serrano (Bass and 12 string acoustic guitars), Cristobal Caballero (double bass), Nuria Felix (violin), Santiago Puente (clarinet), Gloria Esteban (flute), Carlos Calvo (flute) and Covadonga Serrano (piano).

Visit JlseMusic.com to sample or purchase and find at his Amazon.com page. Cover artwork courtesy jlsemusic.com.

Undersail by Steve Orchard –Tribute Music to Titanic.

With the 100 year anniversary of the RMS Titanic launch and foundering approaching, it is only natural Steve Orchard’s tribute music to Titanic called Undersail, is an interesting collection of new songs to sample.

Once I began listening to the 12 tribute songs based on the legendary ocean liner Titanic, it didn’t take long to discover Undersail is by all accounts, the inaugural launch of another admirable 2012 new music release from new age artist Steve Orchard.

Steve Orchard from Bristol, England is famous for his ability to produce electronic and instrumental music with creative imagination. After writing reviews about his 3 album Trilogy Series, I can say Steve Orchard’s tribute music of Titanic give rise to reflect the dream-like qualities of relaxing yet energetic melodies he is known to produce, time and again.

Undersail is a beautiful music tribute to the story of Titanic, which once began as a dream, born of creative inspiration. Produced at his home studio in England, Steve created Undersail using Roland keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars with special effects made with a Korg synthesizer. I thought some songs like In Titanic’s Wake, God Speed & Full Astern are reminiscent to epic soundtrack music of film composer Vangelis, like the cinematic songs Ghost Ships, Dead Calm & Port Home.

Steve Orchard is a prolific singer songwriter who has composed a great collection of original new music throughout his lifetime. This newest dreamy music collection continues the tradition of capturing the imagination while achieving universal appeal.

Steve Orchard’s tribute music to Titanic isn’t expected to surpass the 30 million copies sold with Academy Award winning James Horner’s best-selling movie soundtrack score Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture, but Steve Orchard’s Undersail is a beautiful new compliment to the legendary “ship of dreams” forever christened Titanic.

On April 15, 2012, Undersail will be released as mp3 downloads and CD album on the 100th anniversary of Titanic’s sinking. Visit SteveOrchardMusic.co.uk to sample and purchase or visit ADMusicOnline.com, and popular online music stores. Below is the YouTube song video entitled Ghost Ships. Around 30 seconds into the sample song video, there is fascinating archival footage of the true historical landmark, Titanic. Photos are courtesy steveorchardmusic.co.uk.

RMS Titanic facts: The maiden voyage began in Southampton England, en-route to New York City April 10, 1912. The Olympic-class ocean liner, with a port of registry in Liverpool, England was owned by White Star Line and foundered in the North Atlantic around 2:00 am on April 15, 1912. The actual music of Titanic played at the time of sinking is undetermined, but believed to contain the hymn Nearer, My God, to Thee.

New Age Music is a popular music genre, but sometimes an overlooked genre when searching for the best new music available. Being the website host of a popular new age music blog, independent artists, promoters and producers continually send me new music for review each year.

This collection of the best new music in 2012 gives me an opportunity to tell my visitors about popular new music in the new age music genre, plus subcategories like contemporary instrumental, progressive rock, electronic, neo classical, ambient, piano, relaxation, chill out, groove, vocal, and world music.

New Age Music World is pleased to be a helpful source for website visitors searching for top quality music. Writing about today’s top artists in the new age music genre is my specialty, and I can tell you that artists in the new age music industry have already begun producing some of the best new songs and albums in 2012.

The album cover art shown below are a sample of the newest music CDs sent to me for possible review so far this year. From the albums below I select new music for my review section. I feel you will find many of these new albums of interest. Over the course of a year, some of these albums will make the top 100 new age radio charts and top 10 radio chart listings. Some new music will eventually become award winning albums or award nominated albums as the year progresses.

The year 2012 is already shaping up to be another great year for some of the best new music produced by some of today’s top new age instrumental artists. You can sample the newest songs at my site, and read about many new releases in 2012 on my reviews page, and read a recent award article about the best new age albums from 2011.

Visit Amazon to find new album releases and the best-selling albums. Visit iTunes for the top 10 albums and top 10 songs. Check my reviews section for more of the best new music in 2012, and publication about the best new age albums in 2011. Big Stock Photo – Devulderj.

Best New Music in 2012;

Legendary musician Kitaro continues the time honored tradition of bringing his ageless instrumental classics to millions of fans worldwide. The year 2012 is after all, much like another other year in the past, where fans of popular new age music can find many selections of the best new albums and songs all from a man who goes by the name Kitaro.

The fascinating story of Kitaro is legendary. Beginning his music career over 30 years ago, Kitaro’s intriguing journey to prominence arose with the release of his first album entitled Astral Voyage back in 1978.

Crossing many milestones along the way, Kitaro is a true innovator who remains in the forefront of the music recording industry today, just as he was the vanguard in the new age music scene years ago.

Fans of Kitaro know his discography has not only increased in volume, but has increased in popularity as time goes by too. In recent years to the present, some of the best new music from Kitaro has progressed in diversity more than ever, but the admiration for his work is at all times constant. It may leave many of us wondering what motivates or inspires him.

Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai – Volume 4 from 2010 is one of his best albums in the Ku-Kai series. The 4 CD Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai album collection is inherently monumental, and in an exclusive class by itself. The motivation for Kitaro’s Ku-Kai series as many fans may know arose after the global events on the fateful day of September 11, 2001.

On 9/11 Kitaro was on a jet from Japan traveling en route to Los Angeles when the transcontinental flight was diverted to Hawaii for 5 days due to the tragedy. It was during this time of disbelief and uncertainty Kitaro envisioned the Ku-Kai series as a means of uniting the world by music embracing a universal message of peace.

Peace thru music is not a new concept on the surface, but I, like other people find his personal belief and inner conviction with producing Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai, an honorable concept of peace and unity that is profound nonetheless.

The Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai series is an earthly travel that transports the listener to 88 sacred temples located on Shikoku Island in Japan. The music is a serene journey in its own right. The true to life excursion made over 1100 years ago on Shikoku Island in Japan endures to this day.

The music in Kitaro’s modern day journey has an itinerary of refined harmony made for reflection. Every instrumental song on the series is comprised of bells from one of the holy temples, integrated into the series with Kitaro’s internal vision of peaceful harmony in music and in life shown externally. It may be why many consider  Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai series the best new albums by Kitaro.

Nearly every day I describe an artist’s album and its qualities, but rarely do I focus or reveal the intrinsic motivation of an artist’s instrumental creation. Ku-Kai series Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3 & Vol. 4 earned Kitaro a GRAMMY® Nomination in the Best New Age Album category, which basically speaks for itself. The admiration for Kitaro and his music that unites the world is, of all things, real and constant.

Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai  – Vol. 4 has 8 songs titled; Lotus Mountain, Yakushi, Magic Seeds, Reflection Of Water, South Wind, Circle Pray, Requiem & Ritual Winds. I have the privilege of interviewing Kitaro in the near future. During our interview I hope to reveal the central element that inspires one of the top instrumental music producers today.

Visit the Domo Music Group Kitaro pages to sample or purchase Kitaro’s music, and then visit DomoMusicGroup.com. Read Kitaro’s Ku-Kai page at Domo Music Group for more about this special series. Photos courtesy domomusicgroup.com.

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.

Nouveau Flamenco ensemble Luna Blanca has a new reason to celebrate the year 2012. So do fans of the Bocholt Germany based band, who admire Luna Blanca, a fine group recognized for their energetic song melodies backed by lively drumbeat world rhythms. This spring is the season opener for Luna Blanca’s exciting new Flamenco release El Dorado.

Luna Blanca is releasing El Dorado on the heels of their highly prized release Provence, which climbed the online radio charts to earn the # 7 position on the Zone Music Reporter Top 100 Radio Airplay Charts for October 2010. The 12 songs on Luna Blanca’s Provence also received award nomination in the ZMR Annual Music Awards in two categories of Best Instrumental Album (Acoustic) and Best World Album.

El Dorado is a new album in 2012 representing the inherent music qualities that first began their rise to fame and admiration as a Nouveau Flamenco ensemble, but in a more pronounced instrumental variety. After listening to some songs from El Dorado, I can say the songs I listened to are comparable to their best songs from the Provence album. Recently I had the privilege of writing the CD inside cover text for Luna Blanca’s El Dorado album, so an exclusive, pre-release album review for El Dorado will be published in a few days here at New Age Music World.

The group Luna Blanca is made up of founder Richard Hecks (lead guitar) and co-composer Helmut Graebe (piano). Contributing artists are Bino Dola (rhythm guitar, 2nd part lead guitar) and Clemens Paskert (bass, percussions, second part keyboards). Springtime is not too far away, so look for new songs from Luna Blanca in 2012. Simply stated, El Dorado is Luna Blanca’s newest prize Nouveau Flamenco album that will be available as a CD album and new song downloads at their online store or at iTunes.

Watch the song video of Desperado (Church Bell Mix), and join the over 35,000 people who have viewed the official song video in less than a month. The Desperado (Church Bell Mix) song video also feature artistic paintings that are often on exhibit during their live concerts. The 13 songs on Luna Blanca’s new Flamenco album are El Dorado, Los Ojos, Obsession, Desperado, Kolibri, Dreaming, Summer Breeze, Dos Guitarras, Guapa, Hurry Up, Río Mamoré, Puesta del Sol & Medianoche.

Visit LunaBlancaMusic.com to sample or purchase CD albums or find single new song downloads soon at their music store or when you visit Luna Blanca’s iTunes page for album and song downloads. Photo is courtesy lunablancamusic.com.

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.

International concert artist Yanni is now preparing for his 2012 North American Concert Tour, publicized as “An Evening With Yanni.” The North American concert tour that begins in Florida on April 17, 2012, has a long list of live concert venues scheduled in the countries of the United States and Canada, with more concert dates to be scheduled soon in 2012.

The North American Concert Tour in 2012 has a song playlist said to be comprised of classic concert favorites, along with songs from his original studio release Truth Of Touch. In succession to his sold out world concert tour last year, this year is destined to be another successful concert season for Yanni and his world-class orchestra of professional musicians.

If you have ever read a Yanni concert review by those who have attended a concert, it’s easy to comprehend their enthusiasm. For the millions of people who have watched him perform live, Yanni is a natural attraction, but the lineup of top artists he selects for his concerts is equally legendary. Every venue in 2012 is expected to be an extraordinary evening of entertainment from the composing mulit-instrumentalist, and his orchestra.

The North American Concert Tour will showcase the international artists and talented music professionals that complete the Yanni concert experience. If you would like to read more about the professional musicians who perform live in concert with Yanni, there is a page at Yanni.com where you can read the biography for the outstanding artists who provide vocals and instrumentals. With 35 Gold and Platinum records to date, Yanni remains one of the most popular and exciting international concert artists in the world!

Visit the Yanni.com homepage, and find out more about the orchestra artists. Below is the current concert schedule, but please note the dates shown below are subject to change. For updates and most accurate concert info check the 2012 Concert Tour Schedule at yanni.com. Mexico Dates; March 20,2012 – Arena Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico City & March 22, 2012 – Arena Monterrey, Monterrey. Photo and concert schedule courtesy Yanni – Wake Entertainment.

Yanni – North American Concert Tour Dates 2012;

Sept 30 2012 – Santiago, CL – Movistar Arena

Oct 3 2012 – Buenos Aires, AR – GEBA Stadium

Oct 7 2012 – Porto Alegre, BR – Teatro do Sesi

Oct 9 2012 – Curitiba, BR – Teatro Positivo

Oct 11 2012 – Sao Paulo, BR – Credicard Hall

Oct 13 2012 – Sao Paulo, BR – Credicard Hall

Oct 14 2012 – Sao Paulo, BR – Credicard Hall

Oct 16 2012 – Belo Horizonte, BR – Chevrolet Hall

Oct 18 2012 – Brasilia, BR – CC Ulysses Guimaraes

Oct 21 2012 – Rio de Janeiro, BR – Citibank Hall

Visit Yanni.com for complete tour schedule updates.

The new Winter Poem album by Secret Garden was released with much fanfare in November of 2011. It was during my interview with Fionnuala Sherry about her solo release Songs From Before, when Secret Garden fans heard news about Rolf and Fionnuala’s new Winter Poem release.

Secret Garden’s new Winter Poem album has all original arrangements from Rolf Lovland, along with the award-winning Expo Suite that he composed for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai China. If you haven’t purchased their newest album yet and you want to sample, you can listen to Secret Garden’s newest release at Valley Entertainment or Amazon using the links below.

On Winter Poem, Rolf and Fionnuala remain close to their signature sound that has made them an international success, but they have also taken on a fresh approach on their newest composition which guarantees their fans something special. Once again the outstanding Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry is happily the centerpiece artist on Winter Poem, plus Secret Garden has enlisted several exceptional Norwegian and Irish musicians for their vibrant new release.

One guest is dynamic vocalist Moya Brennan from Celtic group Clannad, who sings on The Dream, which is one of many new songs you can listen to right now. Another guest vocalist is Fionnuala Gill who sings on song Mary’s Lament. Tracey Campbell and Espen Grjotheim perform on song Powered By Nature.

Secret Garden’s Winter Poem was scored, arranged and produced by Rolf Lovland, and in addition to fine instrumentals by Secret Garden, the special guest vocalists, their new album features the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.

A Secret Garden concert tour in Norway recently gave fans a chance to hear songs from Winter Poem, and songs covering 16 years as an acclaimed music duo with millions of fans worldwide. Secret Garden fans and new visitors have a chance to win an autographed 8 CD collection of Secret Garden albums including the new Winter Poem album. Simply visit Secret Garden’s site, click on the top banner and enter your email address for current news and information on Secret Garden.

Sample and purchase Winter Poem at secretgarden.no and Songs From Before at fionnualasherry.com. Sample or purchase Winter Poem at the Hearts of Space Records Label at valley-entertainment.com. Find more information and read an interview with Fionnuala Sherry on my Secret Garden page. Photos are courtesy secretgarden.no.

A Midnight Clear is a brand new Christmas release from Bill Leslie. Recognized for his multiple talents as a musician and journalist, Bill Leslie is no stranger to winning awards as a top ranked new age artist and television newscaster for the WRAL – TV network in Raleigh North Carolina.

Bill Leslie’s A Midnight Clear is an instrumental album with 16 songs of traditional and original music. Finding inspiration from author Jan Karon, and her best-selling Mitford series, A Midnight Clear was the first entry in a 2011 album recommendation I wrote entitled The Best Christmas Albums for Holiday Music.

Simple Beauty earned Bill Leslie a top award for Best Instrumental Album – Acoustic at Zone Music Reporter in 2010. The video from the album below of song Smitten is the audio visual product of a family vacation in the Pacific Northwest. Along with his original compositions, Bill composes traditional and Celtic fusion music as soloist and concert appearances with his band Lorica.

The 10 original songs on Simple Beauty are modeled after 4 traditional Irish melodies in a wonderful blend of instrumental harmonies. On Simple Beauty, Bill Leslie performs acoustic guitar, piano, bass, whistles and keyboards.

Instrumental artists on this album are Bill Covington (Grand Piano), Brent Cotton (Acoustic Guitar), Jennifer Curtis (Violin), Nancy Green (cello), Will Leslie (percussion), and Linda Metz (flute).

While Bill Leslie is a prominent new age artist, a 5 time Emmy award winning journalist and recipient of multiple Journalist of the Year awards in North Carolina, Bill Leslie gives the impression he is prepared to go the normal distance to find perfect balance in his talents as a top artist and TV journalist, for which he is equally admired. Below is a review quote from Simple Beauty and the song video Smitten.

Visit billleslie.com to sample or purchase at his web store or visit his amazon.com page. Read my pages for Bill Leslie. Photo is courtesy billleslie.com.

Bill Leslie’s appropriately titled Simple Beauty is a work of harmony whose scenic wonder and peaceful surroundings emerge by the great instrumental theme, making this natural and wholesome new release a sensational find for everyone.