Terry Oldfield’s latest release is one of those records capturing the spirit and penetrating into the unseen realm of inner harmony using melodic flute solos that project sweet and joyful images. Oldfield is a critically acclaimed master artist who generates the sounds of nature and blends it with his skills on flutes and pan pipes that blow right into the spirit where the dreaming is restorative.
This album consists of twelve pieces featuring magical flute solos by Oldfield with the accompaniment of light pads and tasteful sounds that promote regenerative healing. The CD opens with “Olympus” which sounds like a mythological calling of soul from the footsteps of Athens while also channeling the bird calls from a rainforest. “Spiral” uses ascending arpeggiating patterns springing up from the earth and flowing out into space using an ethereal sounding flute that blends well with the orchestral accompaniment. “Dance of the Nymphs” is more frivolous and dainty and uses the pipes to project enchanting images that cascade over the mystical hills using simple but effective pitches in an inviting key. “Ancient Water” provides a still life image put to music that is proverbially celestial and sweet.
The production on the album is first-rate and I liked his choice of synth pads, though I sometimes felt that he could have benefited from more instruments to give the compositions more depth.
If you are a fan of enchanting flute music mixed with orchestral pads that trigger the imagination, you will enjoy these compositions. The musical ideas are fluent and active which keeps the mind moving through the images. This album is nicely suited specifically for Reiki healing sessions and would sound best against a spa environment or any healing session that is conscious and connected to an awareness of the process. newearthrecords.com
Reviewed by Michael R. Mollura, a composer, musician and writer who is currently pursuing a PhD at Pacifica Graduate Institute. He scored the film Climate Refugees (climaterefugees.com), which was featured at Sundance and is now screening at film festivals.
Internationally known devotional sacred music singer Wah! ‘s latest album Maa takes her music to new levels with kirtan grooves penetrating deep into the archetypal manifestations of ma energy. Wah! has an original style of integrating love chants sung in Sanskrit with celestial electronic patterns fused with some deeply devotional English lyrical offerings sung in rhyme that keep the nectar flowing. Wah!’s uniqueness in the spiritual music scene is undeniable and her devotion carries the spirit using rhythm to accompany her experienced vocal inflections.
The album begins with a traditional “Invocation” and then leads into a candescent “Shakti” blending rhymes and mantras into a broad streak of light moving through the sky like vibrations in a timeless body of love. With “Parashakti,” Wah! implements that distinctive blend of Caribbean and South American influenced rhythm that makes audiences melt. In addition to the Sanskrit sung tunes, Maa includes English sung ballads like “Love Holding Love” that puts a smile on the faces of her fans who sway to her transcendental personality. She brings the spirit back with effortless harmonies and does so here with her signature calls of “Jai Ma!”
The album was produced by Wah! and masterfully recorded and mixed by keyboardist Paul Hollman who captures this angel’s spirit with just the right turns on the knobs. Wah! is accompanied by community musicians like Mathew Martin Kelly, Katissse Buckingham, Mike Haziza, Christian Teele, Kirk Margo and Ned Leavitt. I personally believe this is one of Wah!’s finest albums because the compositions are grounded in grace, forgiveness and self-sacrificial themes while the music moves through the universe with authenticity and finely tuned radiance. Like everything else Wah! offers to the Divine Mother in us all, Maa is another chapter in a career that blesses all of us who respect, honor and love her seva. wahmusic.com
Reviewed by Michael R. Mollura
In the liner notes for this recording that Overberger names Music for Yoga, Meditation and General House Cleaning, it says, “Dharma Gypsies came to be when Daniel Overberger’s trips to India turned him on to Hindu chanting. As he got deeper into kirtan and chanting, one question kept coming up: ‘Where are the guitar solos?’”
In this recording, here are the guitar solos. Before you expect a hard rock Yoga album, though, the guitar solos are primarily acoustic, playful and melodic, such as the thoughtful strums of the instrumental track “Ekam.”
The Dharma Gypsies comprise a collection of musicians, including artist and Yoga teacher Overberger (check out his classes in Runyon Canyon in Hollywood). Overberger on guitar, vocals, bass, shruit box and Rhodes is joined by Katrina Chester, Tommy Stewart, Robert Gamboa, Scotland Stephenson, Danielle Mays and DJ Soul Junkie.
Music for Yoga works for a variety of settings, as promised. For people who are expecting traditional Sanskrit chants and melodies, Overberger incorporates Western-style melodies and chord progressions. The opening chant, “Asato Ma,” has a bit of a minor chord feel to the vocals accompanying the gorgeous guitar styling, it gives the beginning of this recording a bit of a brooding tone that sets up the urban feel to a innovative set of musically evocative chants.
In “Govinda,” the familiar chant is given a new feel with Katrina Chester’s voice over an acoustic guitar backup. It’s quiet, contemplative, and imminently sing-along-worthy. This segues into a version of “Jai Ma” that’s a little more electric and ethereal with interesting tonal chords and percussive rhythms for meditative practices. The musically innovative, well-harmonized selection of modern tunes offers a fresh take on music for Yoga and meditation and housecleaning and commuting and any number of other activities. I’m looking forward to Dharma Gypsies’ live appearances and to their Volume Two. leavingstressbehind.com.
Reviewed by Felicia M. Tomasko, RN
Yoga Revolution is a CD compilation produced by Frank Fitzpatrick that features a selection of conscious artists including Peter Gabriel, Sting, Angelique Kidjo, Donna De Lory, Krishna Das, Seal, Guru Singh Snatam Kaur and more. Produced by the nonprofit EarthTones, dedicated to healing the world through music, proceeds benefit the Yoga Health Foundation’s Yoga Recess Project. For more information, visit: yogarevolution.org. Be one of the lucky LA YOGA Readers to receive a free copy of Yoga Revolution. Enter to win: write toedit@layogamagazine.com by midnight, June 20.
Whether you believe God is a holy figure, infinite energy, protector, traitor, creator, scapegoat or overrated, Oh My God’s message will speak to you in one face or another, The visuals are spectacular; the gorgeous cinematography showcases the diversity of creation that includes spiky Himalayan peaks, lit city skylines, the vastness of the Australian outback as well as colorful congregations worshipping. Perhaps the most beautiful images in God are found in the many faces of the people – who just may be the many faces of God.
From Vanessa Harris’ review of Oh My God in the November issue of LA YOGA
To order your copy of the DVD Oh My God, see above or visit: omgmovie.com.
To be one of the lucky LA YOGA readers to win a copy of the DVD Oh My God, write: edit@layogamagazine.com by midnight, June 20 and tell us why you want to win!
By Michael R. Mollura & Felicia M. Tomasko, RN
