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Awareness Magazine
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Music & Media Reviews

By Michael Diamond

 

2002

Believe — A Spiritual Romance

www.2002music.com

Believe marks the 14th release by the husband and wife duo of Randy and Pamela Copus, collectively known as 2002. Now celebrating their 20th year of recording together, they are one of the most enduring and highly-regarded groups in the new age music genre. This album features a couple of new developments including the inclusion of vocals to their primarily instrumental music on 6 of the 10 songs, and the addition of their 8-year old daughter Sarah who appears on the CD in a surprisingly active role.

Besides the beautiful singing, some of the things I like most about this music are Pamela’s harp and Randy’s piano, which epitomize the glistening crystalline sounds that are often found in the music of 2002. I was impressed not only with the way they blended vocal and instrumental songs, but also with the stylistic diversity and pacing. It is hard not to overuse the word “lush” in describing the acoustic opulence this music is imbued with. The ambience they create is majestic, in a way I associate with the music of both, Diane and David Arkenstone, Enya, or Patrick O’Hearn. 2002 have created another sonic masterpiece that inspires the heart and the imagination.

 

Acoustic Ocean

Chimes of the Spirit

www.acousticoceanmusic.com

Celtic harpist Peggy Morgan along with long time musical partner Bette Phelan on guitar, who perform and record collectively as Acoustic Ocean, have released their third album of soothing instrumental music, entitled Chimes of the Spirit. Their sound reflects the musical and healing arts backgrounds of the artists, as well as the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, which helped inspire the music. Both are both talented multi-instrumentalists. And although the Celtic Harp is Peggy’s main instrument on the album, she also performs on rhythm guitar, piano, Tibetan singing bowls, and vocals. Bette’s talents, in addition to acoustic guitar, extend to fretless bass, electric guitar, pennywhistles, mandolin, Wavedrum, hammered dulcimer, chimes, keyboard (Uilleann pipes & clarinet), and vocals. They are also joined on several songs by Kay Aldrich on cello and Anne Berliner on flute. 

Acoustic Ocean’s music expresses a spectrum of feelings and moods, from light and lively, to wistful and reflective, and beyond. I appreciate how much Peggy and Bette infuse their healing influence and intention into the music. A peaceful, yet uplifting energy pervades, bringing a wave of Aloha spirit to the shores of the listener.  Their sound reflects the musical and healing arts backgrounds of the artists, as well as the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, which helped inspire the music. Both are talented multi-instrumentalists. Although the Celtic Harp is Peggy’s main instrument on the album, she also performs on rhythm guitar, piano, Tibetan singing bowls, and vocals. Bette’s talents, in addition to acoustic guitar, extend to fretless bass, electric guitar, pennywhistles, mandolin, Wavedrum, hammered dulcimer, chimes, keyboard (Uilleann pipes & clarinet), and vocals. They are also joined on several songs by Kay Aldrich on cello and Anne Berliner on flute  


Acoustic Ocean’s music expresses a spectrum of feelings and moods, from light and lively, to wistful and reflective, and beyond. I appreciate how much Peggy and Bette infuse their healing influence and intention into the music. A peaceful, yet uplifting energy pervades, bringing a wave of Aloha spirit to the shores of the listener. 



Mirabai
Ceiba

Between The Shores of Our Souls

http://www.mirabaiceiba.com/

Described as “a beautiful blend of Kundalini Yoga mantra, sacred chants and world music,” the sound of Mirabai Ceiba is a uniquely cross-cultural experience. The group’s name is a blend of Mirabai, the 14th Century Hindu devotional singer, and the Ceiba, a sacred tree of Latin America. Their latest album, Between The Shores Of Our Souls, also includes inspirational lyrics based on the poetry of Rumi and Kahlil Gibran. The album’s subtitle, “Songs of Love and Longing,” bears witness to the focus of their creative endeavors. It also expresses the energy resonating between the two principle people in the group, Angelika Baumbach and Markus Sieber, a couple from different worlds, he is from East Germany and she from Mexico, brought together by fate.

The vocal synergy of Markus and Angelika is breathtaking. In addition to Angelika’s ethereal vocals, harp, piano, harmonium, and singing bowls, blending with the equally-haunting vocals and guitar of Markus, the duo has surrounded themselves with a stellar cast of world-renowned musicians on a variety of instruments, who make these luminous compositions shine even more brightly.

The music of Mirabai Ceiba is enchanting, and I genuinely enjoyed every song on the album.

 

Peter Kater

Light Body

www.peterkater.com

In an illustrious career spanning three decades, multi-platinum selling pianist, composer, and producer Peter Kater is not one to rest on his laurels. While he has had many albums of music designed to uplift the spirit, in my opinion, Light Body is the pinnacle of his healing music recordings. Peter, who plays synthesizers as well as piano is skillfully and tastefully accompanied by Grammy Award winner Paul McCandless on saxophones, oboe, English horn, and penny whistle. Paul is known as a member of The Paul Winter Consort. Also featured are the exquisitely ethereal wordless vocals of Tricia Bowden, who also served as executive producer of the CD. The music is based on the 7 chakras or energy centers of the body, with each having its own distinct sound and vibe, corresponding to the specific qualities of the chakra, as described in the liner notes.

I was pleasantly surprised at how atmospheric the music is, and I was entranced from the very beginning, listening to the entire album nonstop on headphones. I especially appreciated the masterful way that the synthesizers, horn parts, and angelic vocals were blended to create a unified field of sound for Peter’s exquisite piano melodies to dance upon.

 

Michael Brant DeMaria

The Maiden Of Stonehenge

www.ontos.org/

From the earthy ambience of his “Gaia” CD to the ethereal electronic explorations of his recent album “Bindu,” Michael Brant DeMaria never fails to surprise and delight. His newest release, “The Maiden of Stonehenge,” follows a change of direction and charts a course for the Celtic Isles. The CD is the soundtrack from a play by the same name produced by Michael and Stephen C. Lott. The liner notes also trace the story line for each song. It has been described as: “a moving musical odyssey that portrays the riveting story of a young girl coming of age in ancient Britain.”

As an instrumentalist, Michael is well known for his native flute and woodwind artistry. On this CD, he ventures into Celtic realms with the Low-D whistle and Hi-D whistle, as well as playing exotic wind instruments like the Fujara, Soljeflute, and Ultra Low G Drone flute. Michael also performs on various percussion, voice, piano, and synthesizers. Maggie Crain, a young vocalist with a hauntingly beautiful voice, provides a distinctive addition to Michael’s sound on two songs. She was also the lead in the play. Listeners will experience an uplifting fantasy journey in the melodic world of “The Maiden Of Stonehenge.”

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: www.michaeldiamondmusic.com