New Age Music Review and Interview: The Living Earth Show and Danny Clay-Music For Hard Times

Release Date: January 18, 2022

Label:  ‎Earthy Records

Websites https://www.dclaymusic.com

https://tles.bandcamp.com/album/music-for-hard-times

This is the first time I have ever heard music referred to as “calming strategies.” It is an excellent way to look at what The Living Earth Show and Danny Clay present on their recently released Music For Hard Times.

The hard times we have endured going into the third year of a pandemic forces everyone to pivot and rethink everything. Things we took for granted, visiting with loved ones, going to a crowded mall, participating or going to a sporting event, or how we will work to secure income are some of the many aspects of daily life we did not have to ponder a few years ago. All of it is very complex. It seems like we live in a science fiction movie, but it’s all true.

I am one of the fortunate souls the did not get sick or lose my job. However, I remain cautious and think entirely differently, with more discipline. Lord knows there are enough things to approach with that mindset, and music removes all of those barriers. Music cannot get me sick or hurt me in any way. It is suitable for me regardless of when I decide to listen to it.

The music is composed in a book style with 15 parts with a contemporary chamber duo. And to encapsulate this recording, I would say it’s an effective combination of genres grounded in a new age foundation with ambient, electronic, and meditation elements. It is a very ambitious project with many moving parts and talents combined to make it a reality.

Important Information Direct From The Artist: Recorded in isolation and compiled and edited by Clay, Music for Hard Times exists in two parts. Book 1 was recorded in April 2020 in the homes of guitarist Travis Andrews and percussionist Andy Meyerson of The Living Earth Show using instruments, voices, field recordings, and found objects. Book 2 was recorded in 2021 and includes young musicians from the San Francisco Girls Chorus – led by Valerie Sainte-Agathe – and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, led by Edwin Outwater.

As a listener who respects the music and appreciates what is involved in creating it, I would say that the presentation here is essential. Any theme is great to hear in good times or bad. The significant difference with a project like Music For Hard Times is how it can help heal any soul seeking some comfort from something other than a physical or inanimate. Music is about detaching from anything in our world that you can touch, taste, or feel. It is aural bliss with many different sounds and layers to accomplish the result, a listening experience that will make you feel better than when you started. And once it is complete, you will remember that it is a tool to get back into that space again.

NOTE: The interview provided is very organic and posted as is. We had tech issues and lost the call however we collectively decided to go with it as it was recorded.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
January 30, 2022 

Tracks:
01. Book 1 - Part 1
02. Book 1 - Part 2
03. Book 1 - Part 3
04. Book 1 - Part 4
05. Book 1 - Part 5
06. Book 1 - Part 6
07. Book 1 - Part 7
08. Book 1 - Part 8
09. Book 2 - Part 1
10. Book 2 - Part 2
11. Book 2 - Part 3
12. Book 2 - Part 4
13. Book 2 - Part 5
14. Book 2 - Part 6
15. Book 2 - Epilogue

Classical/New Age Instrumental Review: Gabriele Saro-SensationS

Release Date: October 9, 2019

Label: Independent

Website

Gabriele Saro gets across the meaning of his recent release SensationS with a cover that says it all. I cannot say that I have seen a more sensual cover come across my desk in the classical-new age genre. It threw me off at first glance and created a different impression in my mind, which of course, was totally off base.

The music compositions and violin are provided by Gabriele, Andrea Del Piccolo is on piano and Francesco Pinosa rounds out the bottom end with his cello. It is a very effective and poignant trio that delivers the vastness in musical compositions and execution throughout the fifteen tracks. The tradition and discipline of classical music is on display in all its glory on this release.

The maestro on the violin is amazing. Some of the sounds Gabriele coaxes from that instrument sound as if two people are playing not just one. It is very different from what I have been accustomed to on instrumental albums like this.

What you will experience are all kinds of SensationS consistently. I must say that this group of tracks was aptly titled by the creator. And not to mention of course the perfect title for the album. It all comes together for you the listener when looking at all aspects offered on this broad selection of songs. As it mentions in the liner notes of the CD, this is “to reach states of deeper harmony with our ego, through the harmony that only its vibrations can give.” Yes, the harmony of the music and the vibrations of those sounds can sync with your heartbeat, your thought process will hopefully translate with ringing truth in your soul. For my senses that is what I look to discover in instrumental music of this nature.

Every track can bring moments of beauty, perfection, the silence of your emotions, and ultimately the focus you seek arrives through that process. Everything in life is about the process, through our minds, hearts and innermost beliefs. The only thing that heals as it does, is music. It comes with no orders from your doctor and it’s not a prescription to fix you. This is the purity of the heart translated through gifted musicians.

SensationS is everything it can be and everything you desire it to be. The giving of the music and the elegance of the classical foundation, with a new age flair, is the perfect marriage for the creators and all listeners ready to embrace it. What more can one ask for from a shiny metallic disc producing all of this sound? It is just what you need at any time during the day or evening to breath in and feels the gratitude of the wonderful artists that give us this gift of music.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

October 26, 2019

Founder of:

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Tracks: 

01. Morrow
02. Stilness
03. Bliss
04. Merriment
05. Enchantment
06. Contrasts
07. Regrets
08. Accord
09. Torments
10. Chills
11. Nostalgia
12. Gracefulness
13. Delicacy
14. Liberty
15. Serenity 

Classical-New Age Review: Symphonex Orchestra-Music That Tells A Story

Release Date: March 1, 2018

Label: Music with No Expiration

Website

Peter Xifaras is the creative force behind the Symphonex Orchestra. All the music on Music That Tells A Story was written, mixed & produced by Peter. Guest Artists include Felicia Farerre, Scott Jackson, Trammell Starks, Nic Xifaras, TheLivingPen and Joan Jacobs.

The one thing that rings true about this recording is that it is very ambitious. The twenty-one tracks encompass 2 CDs. This is like watching a Broadway play in your mind with all the music to accompany the visuals.

The music is a kaleidoscope of sound. The violins, violas, percussion, bass, guitar, piano and the orchestrations are absolutely beautiful. Peter is the creator and master conductor of all this music. It fits together quite nicely. The one thing you have to keep in mind is that the listening experience may be a bit unconventional for some folks. The first disc is more about the instrumentals. The emphasis for my ears was all the layers of instruments coming together to create this magic carpet ride of sound. The elegance and stunning pictures it can create is the charm of this music.

The opening track “Dreams in Bloom: The Encounter” is an ear opening experiencing with all the impactful instrumentation to lead the way. It is full of life and energy and the perfect way to open the curtain to this musical journey and story.

Disc two has music but a lot of narration, which puts more emphasis on the story that is being told. It was like listening to an audio book with music. As I said before, this is quite different for a listening experience. I could see this music being a musical/opera or a soundtrack to a movie. The possibilities for Music That Tells A Story can be a multitude of things because each disc is quite different.

I think the most impressive elements of this mixture of poems, stories, classical and new age music and the plethora of instruments involved, makes this project very compelling. For my personal tastes I would likely be reaching for disc one more often than disc two. To each his own. There is quite a lot for a listener to digest in the two CDs offered, including the beautiful vocalizations of Felicia Farerre.

If you are in the market for an entirely different listening experience, and, you are an appreciator of the arts (all inclusive), then give Music That Tells A Story a spin.

4/5 Stars

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

March 6, 2018

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MuzikMan Productions

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Tracks:
01. Dreams in Bloom: The Encounter
02. Dreams in Bloom: Falling
03. Dreams in Bloom: Garden by the Sea
04. Dreams in Bloom: The Letter9
05. Dreams in Bloom: The Quest
06. Dreams in Bloom: Reunion
07. Dinner with Friends
08. Variations on a Theme of Tromboncino-#1
09. Variations on a Theme of Tromboncino #2
10. Variations on a Theme of Tromboncino #3
11. Gymnopédie Variations: Jaune
12. Gymnopédie Variations: Blu
13. Hevene Quene: Introduction
14. Hevene Quene: Edi Beo Thu
15. Dreams in Bloom: Introduction (Story)
16. Dreams in Bloom: The Encounter (Story)
17. Dreams in Bloom: Falling (Story)
18. Dreams in Bloom: Garden by the Sea (Story)
19. Dreams in Bloom: The Letter (Story)
20  Dreams in Bloom: The Quest (Story)
21. Dreams in Bloom: Reunion (Story)
 

Holiday/New Age Review: Steven C.-Christmas Beyond

Release Date: November 26, 2014

Label: Steven C Music

Website

It never seems too early for Holiday music when artists like Steven C. (Anderson) release a set of recordings that combine elements of classical and new age to formulate something beyond what one would normally hear this time of year. In fact, the best way to describe it is Christmas Beyond. So forget about everything you know that is associated with this type of music, open your mind and heart and listen intently to what this talented man has to offer. It was very appropriate that the artist recorded this album in the majestic Cathedral of St. Paul, MN featuring his Bosendorfer Grand Piano.

My glimpse of the new vision of the traditional Holiday season was on our Rate The Tracks site when the focus was “Still,Still, Still.”  This track is a perfect blend of Holiday, New Age and Classical music. It gives the listener a crossover appeal and opens the door to some opportunity for a larger audience than what the genre would normally command. This is not clearly defined music as it stands alone and allows each listener’s own personal interpretations, which any good instrumental music will do. The difference is this release is special because of what it stands for. When I first heard “Still, Still, Still”  it initiated a sequence of feelings internally, first sadness that summer had past, then the joy and beauty of the annual foliage…as if God had a huge paint brush and carefully designed each tree with its own color. Now with those two seasons behind me my thoughts turned to Christmas, the most special and sacred time of year. This is when one wants to be surrounded by loved ones, friends, and thoughts of all those that have passed that built those yearly traditions long ago.

Music engages you and brings forth many feelings and visions, if it accomplishes that it has completed its mission, Christmas Beyond does that and so much more. 
 

“The Angel Gabriel” draws the curtain open to a story and it unfolds before you. The significance of Gabriel is documented in the Bible and in the story of Christmas. I think it was a great choice to start the recording. I like the way Steven intersects the winter season with the Holiday and how it is forever linked, particularly for those not living in year round warm climates. He also makes sure the importance of Thanksgiving is not forgotten and how it segues into the birth of Jesus. There is a lot to think about in this music and what actually makes it more contemplative is the fact that it is all instrumental. Without words there is one less thing to be distracted with or focus on, this way the music is completely absorbed and you reflect back on your own life and personal experiences of the Holiday.

“Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Winds” is an invitation to the elements of earth to work freely and perhaps is an indication of something on a spiritual level that says “Let the winds of change come through, we welcome them and the season and the beauty it offers us all.” This can be looked upon as a change in life or the effects it has on an individual. It is all in the way you perceive things happening in front of you. I thought the pace of the song was gentle and inviting even though winter winds can be brutally cold and wreak havoc, this gave me a different perspective on what it can mean.

As with anything in life it is all in your attitude, and what you believe is your truth or can be. Steven C. has created a masterful interpretation of the winter season and the most cherished Holiday of them all through beautiful piano based music. It is spiritual, relaxing and in sync with the upcoming Holidays right around the corner. I highly recommend you give it a listen; you may step away with some different ideas of what this time of year means. There is nothing like great music to reveal the truth and put a different spin on things. Christmas Beyond can be your North Star to follow to enlightenment this year.

5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Still, Still, Still, The Angel Gabriel, Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Winds         

Tracks:
01. The Angel Gabriel   
02. Sing We Now of Christmas   
03. Still, Still, Still    0
04. Ah, Bleak and Chill the Wintry Winds
05. In the Bleak Midwinter
06. Blow, Blow Thou Winter Winds
07. Infant Holy, Infant Lowly   
08. Carol of the Birds and Bells   
09. Little Drummer Boy   
10. Beyond a Midnight Clear   
11. Ave Thanksgiving   
12. Angels Heard: Do You Hear? I Heard!   
13. The Road Home
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck- New Age Music Reviews Founder

November 11, 2015

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