Saturday, March 19, 2011

CD Review – A Moment Between Eternities, by Louis Colaiannia

A Moment Between Eternities by Louis Colaiannia is one of the most original and unusual albums to be released in the last several years. Although it is marketed primarily as a New Age CD, it really features an amalgamation of styles that defies any category – and that’s a good thing.

Colaiannia’s keyboards and synthesizers are backed by a full lineup of musicians on guitars, bass, percussion, and flute, as well as a female vocalist whose angelic voice blends in perfectly with the rest of the instruments. The result is a full, rich, almost orchestral wall of sound.

Although Colaiannia is the composer and bandleader, he rarely if ever dominates or takes a solo, except on the primarily keyboard- or synthesizer-based tracks. For the most part, his instruments blend into the overall sound created by his backing band, creating the impression of a full group rather than a soloist with accompaniment.

Stylistically, the music ranges from jazz, New Age, and fusion to easy listening, with the cherubic vocals giving it the occasional tinge of medieval fantasy. And, on this album at least, Colaiannia doesn’t sound like a typical composer. The arrangement of notes, chords, and scales is far from conventional, sounding almost like English garden music.

As a result, the album is a refreshing change of pace from the usual mold and is well worth a listen.

--Raj Manoharan

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