If you are not color blind, the colors that we see in everyday life are interpreted as wavelengths in a portion of the visible spectrum. Specific frequencies of those wavelengths determine exactly which color our eyes translate the brain to perceive.
Contemporary New Age composing artist Lawrence Blatt, who emerged number 1 in the NAR Best New Artist and Independent Music Award finalist, paints a beautiful guitarists interpretation through a color spectrum metaphor. His album is inspired from a description of color relating to physicist Isaac Newton’s color circle titled Opticks.
Isaac Newton had compared colors of the visible spectrum to musical notes centuries ago. Almost as if holding a brush and an artist’s palette of paint, Lawrence defines his own present day theory in a representation of the audible color spectrum in an adaptation of Newton’s principals through his own beautiful guitar compositions.
Lawrence Blatt has his most recent album titled The Color of Sunshine, on the Blue Pie label 2009, displaying 14 songs as artistic strokes in a colorful exhibit of his music, visualized from his home in San Francisco California. Many music influences are represented including New Age Classical, Latin, Folk, and World, blending many beautiful guitar influences in this masterful rendition.
Grammy Award winner Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Records, lends his talented hand as producer of this vibrant album, also taking part during song recording sessions in guitar, vocal, and percussion roles.
Lawrence Blatt paints a beautiful artist’s interpretation through a color spectrum metaphor. Holding a brush and artist’s palette of paint, he paints a colorful present day theory of the audible color spectrum.
The Color of Sunshine can be defined as intricate acoustic guitar melodies fusing with orchestral instruments and numerous percussion roles, in a unique companionship, portraying a warm and pleasant atmosphere. Lawrence plays the guitars like a pro, having over 30 years of playing guitar.
The song Mar Azul begins with a serene moderate paced beginning and quickly advances to a faster tempo where Latin and World music influences emerge near the outer edges of the color spectrum. Inspiration for this song was drawn from the Pacific Ocean, where the shade of deep cobalt blue waters contrast beautifully with the lighter pastel blue sky. The rays of lighter tones shine brightly by guitar strumming full of runs and bounding rhythms. The warm sounds of Charango guitar and accordion are a fine mix, with violin overlapping in perfect harmony to capture the dramatic ending.
Violet Blue is a song that caught my attention from the very start, having a simple yet well defined ukulele tone melody full of emotion. The multiple classic instruments of South American Charango, acoustic, and nylon guitars, mix with piano and cello, lending to a heart felt melancholy touch to the piece. The rich sound of the exotic Charango captures the primary melody as each note lends itself to a memorable upbeat rhythm that includes light, perfectly times hand clapping that I found interesting and added the ideal touch to the overall effect of the theme. As it turned out, I did a little hand clapping of my own.
The Color of Sunshine is a beautiful album put to an audible canvas. Full of interest and creativity by the many talents put on display in this exhibit it shows, and it shows well.
You can find this musical exhibit at lawrenceblatt.com. Picture Copyright Bigstockphoto.com – HelleM.