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Music
& Media Reviews
By Michael Diamond
CARLOS SANTANA
The Universal Tone
http://www.santana.com The
Universal Tone by superstar
guitar virtuoso and spiritual warrior Carlos Santana is a 500-page
autobiography and a photo gallery that charts his rise from obscurity in Mexico
to international adulation. I recently
had the honor to attend a private reception for
Carlos followed by a talk that he gave about
the book at Dominican University in the SF Bay area. Subtitled:
“Bringing My Story To Light,” it documents much
about his childhood, the late 60’s scene, and musical influences like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Jimi Hendrix, and Bill
Graham, among others. Although for many readers, it is the depth and detail of
Carlos’ quest for higher consciousness that will engender the most interest. From acid-inspired awakenings to
being a follower of guru Sri Chinmoy, as well
as his current focus on A Course in Miracles, and much more — his music
and his mysticism are inseparable. The Universal Tone is
an inspirational read that will appeal to hard-core fans like myself, as well
as anyone seeking life-affirming lessons about overcoming adversity and
realizing their dreams.
SHERRY FINZER
Artist profile
http://www.sherryfinzer.com Classically-trained
flutist Sherry Finzer has performed and
recorded in a wide diversity of musical contexts. However, it is the new-age genre that
resonates with her growing awareness of holistic health and healing. Sherry’s
11th release, Sanctuary
III: Beyond the Dream
consists of original tunes and renditions of well-known
songs such as “Amazing Grace,” “Hallelujah,” and
“Wayfaring Stranger.” In addition to flute, the
album’s accompaniment includes atmospheric synthesizers,
electronic effects, and nature sounds, as well as acoustic
guitar on one track. The music is flowing and peaceful,
providing a fitting soundtrack for relaxation, massage, yoga, etc. In addition
to her recording, Sherry’s heart and soul shine through in all she does including performing, teaching, being the head of a non-profit music organization,
and host of the Heart Dance radio program. In her
words: “This is my purpose… to use the gifts that were given to me
to share with others.”
ERIK SCOTT
Spirits
http://www.erikscottbass.com A professional bassist since
the 1970’s, Erik has serious credentials in the rock music arena,
having toured with Alice Cooper and other high-profile
artists. However, Spirits, is light years away from the kind
of music of his past, and shares more in common
with new-age artists like bassists Michael Manring and Patrick O’Hearn.
Of interest is the way Erik brings the bass out front as a lead and melodic
instrument, and his use of ambient electronic effects. As well as Erik
playing fretless and fret-ted bass, baritone guitar, drums and percussion
programming, and keyboards, there are many guest musicians covering pedal steel
guitar, violin, mandolin, flute, percussion,
and more. A highlight is Erik’s stunning rendition of The Beatles’ “Yesterday.”
Some songs even feature a bit of Celtic influence. Erik’s album has far exceeded my wildest expectations
and introduced me to a most imaginative artist who has reinvented himself to explore uncharted musical
territory.
THIERRY DAVID
Hypnosis
www.thierrydavid.com
http://www.RealMusic.com Internationally-known
French electronic music composer and ambient recording artist Thierry David has released
numerous recordings over the years, including four on the San
Francisco Bay area-based label, Real Music. His latest
for this highly-regarded company is entitled Hypnosis and
is described as: “soft rhythmic patterns, recurrent loops, and subliminal echoed
notes that capture the listener with the essence of sound.” I must say that, true to this description, from the first track I
was absolutely entranced by this mesmerizing
music, as atmospheric synthesizer textures float
ethereally over subtle percussive grooves, bells, shakers, and more. I
particularly appreciated the balance of ambience and animation so the beats did
not overpower the track, as is often the case.
Thierry, who performs on synths, samplers, percussion,
piano, and programming, has an exquisite
feel for this kind of soft space music that should appeal to fans of Jonn Serrie. This album is high
on my list of new favorites!
BOB SIMA
putalittlemoreloveintheworld
http://www.bobsima.com
Known as a “transformational
troubadaor,” guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Bob Sima has crafted a powerful album of
songs with positive life-affirming messages. His unique blend of folk, pop,
rock, Americana, and new age have gained him notoriety. He has shared the stage
with leaders in the consciousness movement such as Marianne Williamson, Jack
Kornfield, Gay Hendricks, and others. He has even been referred
to as “Eckhart Tolle with a guitar,” which is a pretty fair
description. Bob’s music is incredibly soulful, although he prefers to call it
“soul-full.” His voice has just the right blend of smoothness and grit to bring his lyrics to life. Backed by
a full band, Bob’s songs tell beautifully-written stories in a style that brought to mind artists like Jackson Browne
and John Mellencamp, but with more spiritually-focused
content. Bob’s goal of creating music that
is uplifting and empowering is beautifully
realized in this transformational album.
Michael Diamond is a music producer,
recording artist, and music journalist in the San Francisco Bay area with over
30 years of experience writing for nationally-published magazines and more
recently worldwide on the internet. He currently has five CD’s including two with new-age music pioneer Steven Halpern. For additional
reviews of CD’s, DVD’s, and more, please visit: http://www.michaeldiamondmusic.com
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