New Age Music Reviews

Meditation Review: Merrill Collins-Every Man, Woman and Child Yoga Flow Suite

Release Date: August 1, 2019

Label: Spiraling Music

I think the best way to start this off is with an introduction to the Every Man, Woman, and Child Yoga Flow Suite I received from the artist.

Every Man, Woman, and Child is a musical presentation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, Spiraling Music has released a dozen new improvisations on the original ballad, which was the first grassroots expression of the UDHR ever performed for the UN (1987). More recently, the chant version won a Global Peace Song Award in 2016.

So, with the beginning of this three-part suite, I am thinking, stress causes disease and kills and music is the ultimate healer and connector to our higher power and higher self. I do not doubt that today. The connection I have with these wonderful music makers is a gift and I treasure it every time I sit down to listen and write my words.

This is a collaborative effort with Merrill Collins and David "Vito" Gregoli producing together at his studio. The featured vocalist is Kimberly Haynes with Laura Halladay on flutes and Maksim Velichkin on cello. Merrill has worked with these talented people extensively (Merrill’s Trio) and the chemistry is evident in the three suites. Don’t be persuaded to believe that this is an EP or 3 quick tracks, it’s actually 56 minutes in length and has been entered as a full album for the 62^nd Grammys New Age category. You will hear flutes, wind chimes, percussion, cello and more on this presentation.

These blessed individuals go from strength to strength with all of the instruments and gorgeous vocalizations of Kimberly Haynes on the “We The People” track. The mixture of instruments is musical divinity taking shape before your eyes, ears, and spirit. It will envelop, caress and stimulate you, all at the same time while creating your mediation bubble for healing.

The Every Man, Woman, and Child Yoga Flow Suite is a masterful performance with significant meaning for a world of confusion and negativity that needs healing in every way. If we the people heal, so will the world around us. Mother earth and its inhabitants have hope and it is music like this that injects us with the spiritual energy that drives us down the right roads to the recovery of humanity from shore to shore.

Thank you, Merrill and friends, for helping us to see the light at the end of the road.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

September 4, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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Tracks:
1. Every Man, Woman and Child: Yoga Flow - Om Mani Padme Hum
2. Every Man, Woman and Child: Yoga Flow - Ambient
3. Every Man, Woman and Child: Yoga Flow - We the People

New Age Music Review: Sangeeta Kaur-Compassion

Release Date: August 2, 2019

Label: Sangeeta Kaur Music

Website

This is the third recording I have had the pleasure to enjoy from Sangeeta Kaur. Previous to Compassion, I covered mirrors and Niguma Vol. 2 The Mantra Project.

It is the absolute goal of this artist to have people listen to her music and open the door to everything positive. We all know what a difficult time we are living in with a multitude of issues going on all over the globe.

Recordings like Compassion will help those feelings, attitudes, and situations melt away for a time and give you a different perspective and optimism that things really can change.

“Rise Up” is an excellent example of the prevailing attitude and approach can deliver to a listener. I also added the track to my New Age Music Reviews Spotify Playlist. It drew me in very quickly and I felt the words were prolific and very engaging.

I also took note of the first track “Om Tare Tuttare,” which is a Buddhist Mantra specifically for the blessings of the compassionate female Buddha Green Tara. It is to help those facing mental, physical and emotional blockages as well as relationship blockages. This came at the perfect time for this listener as I have been struggling with some blockages. I will carry this mantra with me and recite it as many times as I can during my day.

What I am trying to illustrate here is that music can do so many things for you. If you take a moment to understand what the track is about, it puts an entirely different light on your listening experience. I always take the time to read about the tracks in the CD notes, particularly with New Age and Meditation music. The purpose of this music is for you to get in touch with your higher self, the vocalist presenting this music is surely locked into this phase of development and quickly taps into her higher state of being.

“Song of Compassion” takes Sangeeta to a different place and her vocals are that of an opera singer. Her range and octave are amazing. She gives new age music a slice of heaven and it translates to warmth and peace within for the astute listener.

Compassion is what the world needs so desperately and recordings like this speak loudly to that need. One listens to this beautiful collection of tracks and you will find a different mindset and a new road will be forged by its prompting. It is a beautiful thing how powerful these ten tracks could change the course of your life. Another incredibly influential classic by a renowned vocalist that continues to contribute to the new age and meditation culture regularly.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 30, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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Tracks:
01. Om Tare Tuttare
02. May the Long Time Sun
03. Transcendence
04. Rise Up
05. Song of Compassion
06. Om Vajra Sattva Hum
07. We are One
08. Sa Re Sa Sa
09. Voices and Crystals
10. Voices of Compassion Medley

New Age Progressive Dance Review: Paul Avgerinos-Devotion

Release Date: August 16, 2019

Label: Round Sky Music

Website

I would be willing to bet you have never heard a new age recording like this! Devotion is a new age progressive dance album. I think Paul Avgerinos just created an entirely new genre! I have heard many eclectic recordings this year that fall into the new age category but I have to say that this was very unique and exciting to hear.

Devotion is a superb album because it takes ancient teachings and mantras and makes it all fresh for an entirely new audience. I think that is the point here: to make it more accessible and Paul certainly did this in the ten tracks on the CD.

This makes new-age meditations fun and energy driven, instead of meditating you will want to dance. But who’s to say you cannot mediate while dancing? Why not? It’s fun, relaxing, and it all has a very strong meaning. Everyone has different ways to learn and absorb things and this is a recording that is a perfect example of that approach.

Devotion is very exceptional in many ways, and after listening to this album you will never forget the name Paul Avgerinos. Paul has also done two albums with Deepak Chopra and I am familiar with the work of both men so right from the start there was a comfort level for me as a listener.

I am continually in search of something new and fresh to listen to and Devotion was just what the doctor ordered for this patient. I just survived another heart issue so I think the universe is trying to deliver a very important message to me. I am alive and well for a reason and I must reach an inner understanding of my true purpose. Music like this always gets me on the right path to the realization of self. This is something we all need and the reason why many of us enjoy music like this!

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 19, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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Tracks:
01. Ganesha
02. Hanuman Sharanam
03. Lalita
04. Only Love
05. Hare Krishna
06. Jaya Ram
07. Shanti Mantra
08. Om Namah Shivaya
09. Om Guru Mata
10. Jai Jai Ma

New Age Meditation Review: Crystalline Dream-Seventh Chakra

Release Date: July 1, 2019
Label: Independent
Website

The seventh chakra is a tool that helps us communicate with our spiritual nature and access higher levels of knowing. Finding an entire album of tracks devoted to that very important chakra is a good way to tune in and allow the gateway to open and allow knowledge and healing to take its natural course.

Seventh Chakra is the most recent release from Crystalline Dream, their fourth proper release. The driving force behind these projects is Richard Ross, a very talented and diverse musician. He also runs a full-service recording studio called Threshold Studios.

Richard holds a Master’s Degree in Music Composition so it looks like he has all points covered to compose, create, and record music as he sees fit. And above all, he has the natural talent to employ the combination of those skills and education to create some beautiful music.

The seven tracks included on this recording are ranging in tempo and texture and employ various instruments. The diverse array of sounds presented makes this album very interesting and enjoyable. Upon first listen, you don’t know what to expect. I was very pleased with the selections and how the track titles meshed so well with the audio and vibration levels. The variety on Seventh Chakra is what makes it such a strong release. The music is a tool to reach a higher level of consciousness thus the perfect title and number of tracks!

Amazing people like Richard Ross are a gift to the universe and should be cherished and appreciated. The music this man creates is a slice of heaven and the kind of sounds that will allow you to separate yourself from the material and physical worlds and focus entirely on meditation to a higher level of clarity. It is always up to each listener however this is my belief of what this music can accomplish for you.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
August 11, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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Tracks:
1. Grounding
2. Sensual Waters (feat. Peter Phippen)
3. Inner Will (feat. Korey Ross)
4. Unstruck Heart
5. Inner Voice (feat. Alex Kelly)
6. Subconscious (feat. Alex Kelly)
7. A Thousand Petals of Light

Instrumental New Age Review: Jill Haley-The Winds of Badlands

Release Date: May 17, 2019

Label: Coranglais

Website

Jill Haley and I go back to 2014 and her Mesa Verde Soundscapes recording. She is a sought-after musician and can be found on many other recordings from similar artists as well in the new age genre.

Fast forward to 2019 and her continuing series on National Parks leads you to The Winds of Badlands. Jill’s expertise with the English Horn, oboe and piano lends itself well with the sights and sounds of every track that mirror the winds and their effect on the badlands.

Once again, the CD is packaged beautifully in tri-fold cardboard book format that includes various pictures of the landscape with comments from the artist. What you get is the complete experience and hopefully engaged enough to follow the photos and musical passages to make you feel like you were with Jill experiencing every day she spent there at of one our national treasures.

Each track is a special tribute to the badlands and every mood, time of day and night, and color comes through her music. I wonder how one person can experience the magnificence of nature and all its gifts and translate it through a chosen instrument. Jill has that gift and she presents everything so perfectly in sync with her surroundings.

I chose “Cliff Shelf Breeze” to add to my New Age Music Reviews Spotify Playlist and once I made that selection I realized if I had to pick again, I would be quite perplexed. Every track is so beautiful and each one has its individuality, sound, pace, texture, mood, and color.

What Jill Haley accomplishes is two-fold. Her innate sense of musicality and how it relates to the music and nature then the gift of conveying her spirituality through the instruments she plays. It is a powerful message to each listener, particularly those that believe our environment is so important and to invest in protecting our Mother Earth for future generations. These parks should be held with the highest respect and love. Those of you that are here to provide the teachings and stewardship to the current generations and beyond are essential to moving forward in this process.

Artists like Jill Haley and projects like The Winds of Badlands carry a very strong message and lesson to us all. Stop, look, listen, and appreciate the environment around you, that is what this poignant artist has accomplished with all of her recordings. It is a great way to enjoy music and also give some thought to what this is all about.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

August 4, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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Tracks:
01. Whirlwind
02. Wind Hymn
03. Cliff Shelf Breeze
04. Silhouettes at Dusk
05. Western Meadowlark Call
06. Sculpted by Water
07. Floor of the Sky
08. Rustles of Green and Gold
09. Moon Over Badlands
10. Uplift
11. Sage Creek Basin
12. Prairie Grass Dance

Instrumental New Age Review: Michael Joseph-Into The Blue

Release Date: April 19, 2019

Label: Independent

Website

Into The Blue is the debut album for Michael Joseph. This can be a turning point in the career of any artist. Into The Blue allows each listener to look into those blue eyes of the artist and beyond. In other words, right into the very soul of the man playing all the music.

What Michael says about new age music on the inside cover of the CD is insightful. I agree 100% with his thought that music can shape your day and bring you calm. His music is a beautiful tribute to the keys that created all tracks. And all the compositions were created by him as well. This is for a man who wondered one day if he could compose music. I would say the answer to that question is a resounding YES!

Into The Blue is a very inviting release. It doesn’t lull you to sleep, it brings about introspection and complete peace within. This is what the artist was searching for while composing this music. It is indeed a direct reflection of his soul. I believe any astute listener can appreciate the sincerity of this man and his music.

The keyboards have plenty of accompaniment that provides the lush soundscapes for Michael to gently drop his tasteful keystrokes upon. Listening to all these tracks is like riding on a pure white cloud floating along through a clear blue sky. His musicianship perfectly meshes with the layers he puts together in each song. There are many different influences in his music as well. You can hear them all loud and clear, and that my fellow listeners is a beautiful thing.

“Church of My Heart” is one of the finest examples (which I added to my Spotify Playlist on my site). The gorgeous melodies and choir coming into the mix is a slice of heaven. Who would think such beauty could abound from a shiny silver disc? It is one of the miracles of technology. I am waiting for the day when all of these wonderful artists like Michael start getting their music on vinyl, it will be a glorious occasion indeed. In the meantime, we still get to enjoy the originality and talent of fine artists such as this.

Into The Blue is exceptional debut release that should lead to many more to come.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

July 28, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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Tracks:
01. Awakened (Remastered)
02. Carpathian Echos
03. Into the Blue
04. Daybreak
05. Church of My Heart
06. What Could Have Been
07. Lover's Waltz
08. The Quiet Within
09. Escape
10. The Passage of Time
11. Missing You
12. Into the Storm
13. Another Chance

Instrumental New Age Review: Masako-Underwater Whisperer

Release Date: June 21, 2019

Label: Masako Music

Website

I found Masako through her Piano Sanctuary release. And I found a sanctuary through her music. Now two years have passed and Underwater Whisperer is delivered. If you look at the track titles it all lines up with the album title and colorful illustration on the cover.

What I see is a young lady communicating with her surroundings (arms raised to get attention?), the ocean, the polar bear, an iceberg, and sea creatures. Masako communicates with her music but what she is trying to say as well is very important. The thought process here evolves around nature and perhaps a cry for some reasoning around what is happening to the polar ice cap. It is melting away with rising sea temperatures. Anyone with any sense of reality can see what is going on with our environment. And what is accomplished here is a lot more than a whisper.

You will enjoy 11 tracks of instrumental elegance from the fingers of Masako. The production values are excellent when an artist goes to Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studios and Tom Eaton provides all the meticulous production work. They are two of the busiest men in the music business.

I think the entire album delivers on the promise of tranquility and a meditative or contemplative state of consciousness. Two tracks in particular were my favorites. “Sea Pearls” is 7 minutes and 20 seconds of pure piano bliss. And “The Deep” is the one I chose to add to my Spotify New Age Music Reviews playlist. It is a step away from the norm, a very different, atmospheric ambient haunting track, as she puts aside the acoustic keys and opts for the electric sound and the perfected vocals of Noah Wilding. I loved it because it is outside of the comfort zone if you will of the rest of the album. Masako takes a chance and comes out the other end triumphantly, offering another side of her musical repertoire that will get long time listeners some ideas of possibly hearing more of that type of approach and sound on the next release.

The piano alone can say a lot but when you add the cello, flute, Chapman Stick, wind synthesizer (an interesting instrument), and percussion it is like a small orchestra adding layers to the one layer of piano. Together as one it can mesmerize and send you to dreamland within one track. It is a thing of beauty that can only be accomplished by a seasoned group of professionals covering every nook and cranny in a song in regards to musicianship and production.

It did not take long for Masako to become one of my favorite artists in the new age genre and with Underwater Whisperer my interest and respect for her music continues to grow wings and fly with her every step of the way.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck

July 22, 2019

Founder of:

New Age Music Reviews

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