This Month's CD's
Speaking the Mamma Tongue
“Mamma Tongue” is the name of the band and Speaking the Mamma Tongue gives voice to the pure poetry of the soul.McDowell plays multiple instruments, often seven or eight on a single track, but what really sets this recording apart from countless other world fusion concepts are the many different languages in which the songs were recorded. “Three Deva Chant” is Tibetan; “Oma Wani Yea” celebrates the Oglala tongue; Hebrew, Oglala and English combine on “Face The Wind”; “Saba Mineaba” was recorded in Mandika; “Vanya” was done in what McDowell calls his Universal Language, “a spontaneously created language emulating an animal's mating call ... improvised as if from an imaginary land and created specifically for this piece.
“I'm interested in music-making as a path towards movement of both the body and soul,” McDowell explains. “These pieces were created out of my love for rhythm—African, Native American, Western classical and American pop—as well as melodies touching the heart as sung by Tibetan singer Dadon, Native American singer Pura Fe, and Israeli vocalist Amir Paiss. But... this album took a different direction with lots of multi-tracking where I played most of the instruments along with a group of fabulous musicians. Before selecting the final cuts, I played tracks at parties to see what resonated most with people.”
John McDowell has written over 100 pieces ranging from solo flute to dance and film scores, a requiem, and works for a world music ensemble and orchestra. He regularly performs with Mamma Tongue at major venues and festivals including The Montreal Jazz Festival, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, and the United Nations. He has produced his own albums and co-created albums with groups such as Sting, Bob Moses, and Krishna Das.
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Heaven Guide Me
Hungry for a musical gift to help you stay connected to Spirit? Heaven Guide Me does just that. Ahria's sweet, clear voice conveys a tenderly personal quality via that touches places deep within.
The title, Heaven Guide Me, comes from a lively, upbeat chant Ahria created when she fell in love with the style of Deva Premal and Snatam Kaur
Layered harmonies and descants make it easy to learn and sing along with. “Deeper Surrender,” the CD's longest chant-like cut, is more relaxing and meditative. And “Sacredness,” composed of free-flowing layered meditative sounds, also has a simple chant-like quality.
Other cuts are more story-like in character, with lyrics straight from Ahria's heart. “I Will Make A Difference,” her 2003 New Years prayer, reflects a moment of deep soul searching. The message and musical beauty of “I Send You Love,” written as we were preparing to go to war in the middle east, uplifts the soul as it brings us into oneness with the women, children and men who did not want war. “Spirit Look Upon Me” is a song of prayer. “I was looking at myself and seeing things I didn't particularly like,” she comments., “and asking to embrace all the love that we are.”
All of the songs but one are Ahria's original musical compositions, the exception being There is Only Love by Michael Gott. And the lyrics to As God were co-written by Rev. Tammy Miller at Seaside Church in Encinitas.
Ahria always thought of herself as a pianist who liked to sing, but auditioning in 2002 to play the opening song for a Seaside Church service paved the way to a new career. Now the church's music and choir director, she sings every Sunday and creates a program of nine songs for each Wednesday evening Amazing Grace service.
“So many of the devotional chants I loved were in Sanskrit,” she says, “so I started writing English chants, and people started asking for recordings to play at home. Realizing I had a deep calling, I quit my job and sold my home to devote myself entirely to this music.”
Ahria also has a second CD, Faraway Places Within (co-created with Christopher Stone), a unique, ethereal blend of instrumental and free-flow vocal expressions that creates a consistent relaxing atmosphere. Four 15-minute pieces, perfect for meditation, massage, yoga, and gentle healing work. — Chiwah
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