June 2008 CDs
Winds of Devotion
Winds of Devotion is a remarkable production from beginning to end—Music as prayer, bringing us the best of two rich traditions long separated on this planet yet springing from a single source: the human heart. Music as healing, offering us the grace of deep remembrance of who we really are. Music as ambiance, performed by artist-composers recognized throughout the world for the timeless splendor of their works.
Nawang is relatively new to me, but I have always loved Nakai's music. Still, I could never have anticipated the stunning beauty of this album. The prayers of these two internationally acclaimed flutists for compassion, wisdom, healing, and universal love intertwine like white sage and poet's jasmine, raising the bar on meditative music.
Celebrated Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai, with over 35 albums to his credit, has sold more than four million albums and received seven Grammy nominations. Tibetan monk and flute master Nawang Khechog, who fled the country with his family when the Chinese attacked, is best known for his collaboration with Kitaro on two Grammy-nominated albums.
Their combined music flows in peace and reverence, a blend of sacred chant, prayer, and the exquisite beauty of the wooden flute accompanied by cello, bass and percussion.
This is one album I will listen to over and over again. It is truly unforgettable.
—Chiwah
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A Face in the Clouds
Ready to relax? Let A Face in the Clouds be your pillow.
I invite you to envision: the son of a fireman killed in 9/11 watching his father's face looking down on him from the clouds… a ballerina dancing across a bridge in an autumn forest… an old German town in Texas surrounded by orchards, vineyards and wildflowers… a neighborhood slowly waking in the early morning to a bustle of activity—for such are the varied emotive images that led to the creation of A Face in the Clouds , Marshall Styler's seventh CD.
“I consider myself an impressionist,” says Styler, “in the spirit of the French impressionist painters—DÈgas, Monet, Renoir. They worked with color and emotion, and have a powerful elegance, and those are qualities I strive for in my music.”
And he succeeds beautifully. This delicious music blends the effects of piano, modern digital keyboards and classic analog-based synthesizers to create a gentle, melodic, inspired sound perfect for relaxation, yoga, massage, or energy healing.
A musician who got his start in rock'n'roll, Styler decided after some years to try a new style. He sent a demo of his instrumental piano music as a valentine to the woman who is now his wife, and with her encouragement decided to pursue that direction further. In 1990 he released his first solo album, Camden Road . His last six albums, all containing impressions of the hill country of central Texas that he so loves, have found acclaim in the new age genre.
I listen to a lot of CDs, and review few. This one merits your attention.
—Chiwah
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