January 2006 CDs

Cahill & Delene
Songs for Humanity
By Barry Cahill and Delene St.Clair; Ravin’ Raven Records; $20.00; CahillandDelene.com;
760-751-1876

Songs for Humanity is the brilliant debut album of singer/songwriters Barry Cahill & Delene St. Clair, a loving husband-and-wife team from Valley Center. They wrote, produced, and arranged the music, in which they share their vision for expanding consciousness on the planet not by changing the world, but by sharing new ideas of how we all can better ourselves.

On the surface, these songs are catchy, uplifting tunes celebrating life, friendship, freedom, and the universe, set to a listenable, danceable mix of musical textures and genres. That is a joy in itself! Deeper meaning lurks in lyrics that songs reach deep into the soul to break through the mental barriers that hold us back from total unconditional love. (The lyrics are printed in the enclosed 16-page color booklet).

Truly the fruit of partnership, the lead vocals feature both artists equally on the lead vocals. Cahill is as talented on vocals as he is on sax, keyboards, flute, and a Slovak instrument called a fujara, and Delene's deep and resonant vocals move us as she strums her acoustic guitar to build a framework for the more folk-oriented tunes. And some wonderful world-class guest musicians complete the band on piano, bass, drums, percussion, mandolin, violin, dobro, and background vocals to make the already great songs come alive in a big way!

“What is MOST exciting to us,” say the artists, “is that we have been working together performing other people's music for the last 18 years, and our souls were aching to express our deepest thoughts and music. Now, this is our debut album of our own songs. It couldn't have happened before this day in this year—our lives wrote these songs.”

—Chiwah


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Journey Through My Soul
By Simone Awhina; 2003; $14.98; www.simonea whina.com; 917-596-6102

Here in this country for three years from the Netherlands, vocalist/recording artist/sound and vibrational healer Simone Awhina offers music to awaken consciousness as it touches deeply into the heart.

Full-bodied and powerful, her voice proclaims a presence at once calming, healing and uplifting. Her very special musical gift comes through with a wondrous generosity, an uncommon depth—nothing short of a spiritual attunement.

Born in a small Dutch town, Simone spent most of her childhood riding horses, growing up to the sound of the trumpet played by her father. Selected to represent her country at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Hollywood in 2001, he won a gold medal for her original song “Don't Go Away,” created in memory of her deceased fiancé. She has appeared as a soloist in new thought churches throughout the U.S., and currently resides in Sedona. I consider this one a true phenomenon. Treat yourself.

—Chiwah


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Silver Ship
By Suzanne Ciani; 2005; $14.99; 888-682-4700;
www.suzanneciani.com

Ciani fans know she always follows her own muse. And the result is inevitably divine… no less so in Silver Ship than in any of her previous CDs. Recorded after what she refers to as her “difficult post-divorce shipwrecked years,” this new release brings us the rich variety of Ciani on acoustic piano and synthesizer, accompanied by her band, The Wave, including reed player Paul McCandless, flautist Matt Eakle, guitarist Teja Bell, fretless bassist extraordinaire Michael Manning, and cellist Joe Hébert.

The energy of the album flows like waves (how Ciani !), rising and falling with emotion. The recording opens with the poignant “For Lise,” then shifts gears into a bluesy world fusion in “Wine Dark Sea,” a reference to Homer's Odyssey. With “Open Seas,” Ciani celebrates the joy and freedom of sailing. Other cuts memorialize favorite locales in Italy and Capri and the mystery of the sea.

Romantic, liltingly intimate, brimming with passion—this masterpiece of original melodies will carry you off into exotic realms of the imagination… a wonderful cruise for your new year.

—Chiwah

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