HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Best wishes to you and yours this season. New reviews will resume after the first full week of 2014.

Take Care!

Raj

Happy Birthday, Andy Summers!

On Tuesday, December 31, 2013, Andy Summers – my favorite guitarist and musician of all time – turns 71 years old.

 

I first became acquainted with the music of Summers in 1983 at the age of 10 in a Catholic elementary school classroom when I heard a hypnotic and futuristic-sounding pop/rock song emanating from the radio of Candy, my substitute teacher. When I asked what the song was and who recorded it, I was promptly informed that it was “Spirits in the Material World” by The Police. I was instantly hooked, so much so that that Christmas, my parents got me a vinyl copy of Synchronicity, The Police’s fifth and final studio album and one of the biggest hits of the year. The Police have since remained my favorite rock band of all time.

 

Summers was the guitarist for the mega-popular group, who were active in the late 1970s and early 1980s and reunited for a 30th anniversary tour in 2007 and 2008. Being a good decade older than his bandmates Sting and Stewart Copeland, Summers began his professional recording career in the early 1960s, playing for Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (which later became the psychedelic but short-lived Dantalian’s Chariot), Eric Burdon’s New Animals, and Soft Machine. After formally studying guitar at Northridge University in California from the late 1960s to the early 1970s, Summers returned to England and plied his trade as a session guitarist for Joan Armatrading, Neil Sedaka, Kevin Coyne, and Deep Purple’s Jon Lord before achieving monumental success and international stardom with The Police.

 

After the dissolution of The Police in the early 1980s, Summers scored some Hollywood films (Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Weekend at Bernie’s) and recorded one rock vocal album before establishing himself as an acclaimed and accomplished contemporary instrumental guitarist across a variety of styles, including jazz, fusion, New Age, and world music.

 

I was privileged to interview Summers by telephone in Fall 2000 for the January 2001 issue of DirecTV: The Guide. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that Summers posted a notice of the interview in the news section of his Web site. Later, I met Summers in person during his book tour in Fall 2006, just a few months before The Police reunited for a 30th anniversary reunion tour, which I was fortunate to attend twice in August of 2007 and 2008.

 

For a good overview of Summers’ solo work, I highly recommend the following albums: Mysterious Barricades, A Windham Hill Retrospective, Synaesthesia, and The X Tracks. My personal favorite Summers albums are Mysterious Barricades, The Golden Wire, Charming Snakes, World Gone Strange, Synaesthesia, Earth and Sky, First You Build a Cloud, and Fundamental.

 

--Raj Manoharan

 

CD Retro (Fan) Review – World Gone Strange, by Andy Summers

Of all of Andy Summers’ albums, this one has really resonated with me over the years. In fact, as I get older, I find myself returning to it again and again. It's the most focused, consistent, and guitar-centric album of Summers’ entire solo discography.

 

There’s no flash or pizazz here – just classy, elegant electric guitar music, with hints of jazz, blues, and funk. There isn’t one lackluster tune on the CD. It is flawless from beginning to end.

 

Summers’ spot-on backing band includes Tony Levin on bass, Mitchell Forman on keyboards, and Chad Wackerman on drums, with guest performances by Eliane Elias on piano, Victor Bailey on bass, Nana Vasconcelos and Manola Badrena on percussion, producer Mike Manieri on marimba, and Bendik on soprano saxophone.

 

Andy Summers has a varied body of work, all of which is enjoyable, some more than others. I consider this to be his most timeless and universal. It’s my favorite.

 

--Raj Manoharan

Happy Birthday, Michael Nesmith!

On Monday, December 30, 2013, Michael Nesmith of The Monkees (the one with the green wool hat) turns 71 years old.

 

Of all of The Monkees, Nesmith has had the most prolific and successful solo career. He pioneered the country-rock music format in the early to mid-1970s, founded the music and video label Pacific Arts, and basically created the concept of MTV. In addition to producing films and music videos, Nesmith also won the very first Grammy Award for Best Home Video for Elephant Parts, which later led to NBC’s short-lived Television Parts. In an interesting side note, Nesmith’s mother invented liquid paper and sold it to Gillette for a substantial fortune, which Nesmith inherited.

 

Nesmith has been very busy in the last couple of years, performing several solo tour dates in the United Kingdom and the United States and rejoining the surviving Monkees for small tours in the United States.

 

For a good overview of Nesmith’s solo music career, I recommend The Older Stuff, The Newer Stuff, Tropical Campfire’s, and Rays.

 

More information about Nesmith is available on his Web site at www.videoranch.com.

 

--Raj Manoharan

Concert (Fan) Review – Michael Nesmith Live at bergenPAC, November 12, 2013

For the longest time, I had considered George Harrison to be my favorite singer-songwriter-guitarist. I have since revised that estimation. To be sure, he remains my favorite singer-songwriter-musician out of all of The Beatles. He is definitely in my top three list of favorite singer-songwriter-guitarists, which I narrowed down especially in the last year to include Electric Light Orchestra frontman and Harrison cohort Jeff Lynne and Monkee member Michael Nesmith. I had recently been leaning heavily toward Nesmith as my all-time favorite, and he sealed the deal with an amazing, energetic performance at bergenPAC in Englewood, New Jersey, on Tuesday night, November 12, 2013, midway through his Movies of the Mind tour.

Like most people, I became familiar with Nesmith through The Monkees, a made-for-TV rock group that epitomized bubblegum pop music in the 1960s and gave The Beatles and The Rolling Stones a run for their money in terms of record sales. A nostalgic resurgence of Monkeemania in the 1980s led to reruns – which enabled me to get hip to The Monkees as a child – as well as a new album and tour, although without Nesmith, who was busy doing his own thing. When I heard Nesmith sing “What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?” in one episode, I was immediately hooked by his country-style Texan vocals and sought out his solo endeavors.

After the Monkees TV show ended, Nesmith – whose mother invented correction fluid – pioneered a fusion of country, folk, pop, and rock music. He also furthered the development of music video, inspired the creation of MTV, and won the first Grammy Award for a home video release for his 1982 musical variety program Elephant Parts, which later led to his short-lived summer 1985 NBC series Television Parts.

Nesmith also provides the best fan experience out of all of my favorite artists, and not just in terms of live performance. He sells all of his work on his Web site, www.videoranch.com. When I bought several CDs to replace my cassette versions, he personally autographed all of them. For a justifiably slightly higher price, you can also order CDs customized for you and/or whomever you wish with tracks and sequencing of your choosing and personally autographed by Nesmith.

Having been a fan of Nesmith for nearly a quarter of a century now, I never thought I would get the chance to see him perform live, especially given the rarity of his appearances (his last tour was in the early 1990s). That all changed on the night of Tuesday, November 12, 2013, when he stopped by bergenPAC in Englewood, New Jersey, halfway through his Movies of the Mind tour. Fresh off a late 2012 Monkees tour in the wake of band member and British heartthrob Davy Jones's death, as well as brief solo tours in the United Kingdom and America, Nesmith is on a roll.

I took my folks to the show (Center Orchestra Row N Seats 101-103), and they both enjoyed it immensely. They are both in Nesmith's age range (Nesmith is four months older than my dad). My mom is familiar with The Monkees from way back, having arrived in America the same year the TV show debuted. For some reason, my dad keeps mixing The Monkees up with The Little Rascals, who were not even a musical group. But my dad did watch the Monkees reruns along with the rest of us in the 1980s, so at least he's heard of The Monkees.

Nesmith was in top form and rocked much harder at age 70 (going on 71) than he did at age 49 on his last tour, based on the double CD I have of that tour as well as footage I've seen on the Internet. He played all of the familiar fan favorites, from “Joanne” from the early 1970s to “Rays” from his 2006 album of the same name, in between providing a nice range of country, folk, pop, and rock music. Nesmith played his signature twelve-string acoustic guitar, with long-time band mate Joe Chemay on bass, Boh Cooper on keyboards, and long-time band mate Paul Leim on drums. The band also featured Chris Scruggs, the grandson of bluegrass banjo legend Earl Scruggs, on pedal steel guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, and mandolin. Scruggs was the musical prodigy of the night, sometimes playing two or more instruments in the same song. All the musicians were excellent and did a standout job bringing Nesmith's songs to glorious and exuberant life.

Nesmith also introduced each song or group of related/similar songs with narratives that set the scene for each musical tale, hence the tour moniker Movies of the Mind. This feature of the performance fostered intimate camaraderie between Nesmith and the audience and made it more of a personal experience, like hearing campfire tales from an old friend.

One thing that struck me about Nesmith is how, unlike the rest of The Monkees and other artists of his generation, he looks so little like his former, younger self. My mom said he looks like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In recent years, Davy Jones said he looked like a German banker. At the same time, it is refreshing and comforting that Nesmith has not gone to extra lengths to “preserve” his youth. Instead, he has chosen to age and mature like a fine wine. Every now and then, though, I saw a semblance of the old, young Nesmith surface. But whenever he opened his mouth to speak and sing, he was unmistakably and undeniably Michael Nesmith through and through.

--Raj Manoharan

   

TV – Wonder Woman Joins Me TV's Sci-Fi Saturday Night Lineup

Before Xena, there was Wonder Woman. Lynda Carter brings girl power to Me TV's Sci-Fi Saturday Night lineup with her star turn as the original warrior princess in the classic campy 1970s superhero series Wonder Woman.

The lineup kicks off at 7:00 p.m. with the 1960s pop cultural phenomenon Batman. Adam West and Burt Ward star as the caped-crusading dynamic duo Batman and Robin, who race in the Batmobile to save Gotham City from a comical cavalcade of costumed crackpots, with little help from a hilariously inept police force.

You can take your pick of Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, or Christian Bale as the various Dark Knights (Keaton and Bale are my personal favorite modern movie Batmen), but no matter what the fanboys naysay, Adam West (who also played Batman on the big screen) made the most indelible and lasting mark of any of them on pop culture. He is the one Batman to rule them all.

At 8:00 p.m., Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman zooms off in her invisible jet to collar Nazis and other criminals with her bulletproof bracelets and golden lasso during the 1940s, before resurfacing in the 1970s while still retaining her youthfulness. Lyle Waggoner costars as Major Steve Trevor.

Watching Batman and Wonder Woman on Me TV is a great way to prepare for the Man of Steel sequel set for release in 2015, with Henry Cavill reprising his role as Superman and joined by Ben Affleck as Batman and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. Now all Me TV needs to do is add the 1950s series The Adventures of Superman to the lineup.

At 9:00 p.m., catch William Shatner in his first iteration of Captain Kirk in the original 1960s Star Trek television series. Nothing beats Shatner hamming philosophic about the quandaries of mankind’s place in the universe. Remarkably, 47 years after the show’s debut, with the exception of DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) and James Doohan (Scotty), the other five main cast members are still with us.

By the way, if you love classic television, Me TV should be your first and last stop on the dial. In addition to featuring scores of classic television shows, the network features brilliant commercials touting its various slogans composed entirely of expertly spliced-together clips from all of its shows. Some of the stars and guest stars of those shows even pop up in network promos as themselves or their former characters. This is the ultimate TV channel for the ultimate TV fan.

--Raj Manoharan

TV, Music – Tis the Season, Charlie Brown

It’s that time of year again – the period from late October through late December where we go through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, complete with pumpkin picking and trick-or-treating, Butterball and football, and decked halls and snowfalls. In terms of entertainment, we have costumes, parades, and the Rockettes, along with numerous television specials and holiday music releases. However, nothing captures the pop culture spirit of the season like the Charlie Brown TV specials. Good old Chuck, Linus and Lucy, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang epitomize the holidays like no one else.

 

If you don’t have the time (or the stomach) to watch all the holiday programming that will be overwhelming the airwaves over the next couple of months, your best bets are the Charlie Brown specials, including It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown; A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; and A Charlie Brown Christmas. These are all available on DVD, but there’s something magical about watching them on network television during the season.

 

In terms of holiday music, you can’t do better than the soundtracks to the Charlie Brown specials. As enjoyable as holiday releases by major and independent artists can be, they don’t compare to the beauty and innocence of the scores for the Peanuts specials. There are several albums that cover the music of the Peanuts shows, but I really recommend the actual soundtracks to the programs composed and performed by Vince Gauraldi. Like the shows, his timeless Charlie Brown recordings exude the peace, contentment, and happiness of the holidays.

 

--Raj Manoharan

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Best wishes to you and yours this season. New reviews will resume after the first full week of 2014.

Take Care!

Raj

CD Review – Deep Theta 2.0, by Steven Halpern

Legendary Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist and sound healing pioneer Steven Halpern's latest release is an entrancing suite of mind-relaxing music, featuring Halpern's trademark Rhodes Mark 7 electric piano and keyboards, as well as bamboo flutes played by three world-class masters of the instrument.

In addition to composing beautiful, calming music that soothes and refreshes, Halpern has designed the sound to vibrate at four cycles per second (4 Hz), a process called Aural-Sync brainwave synchronization that puts listeners' heart and brains in a deep theta state aligned with the fundamental harmonics of Earth itself, resulting in deeper meditation, enhanced DNA activation, self-healing, and greater creativity.

Embellishing the pristine sounds of Halpern's Rhodes Mark 7 electric piano and synthesizers are Jorge Alfano on shakuhachi and bansuri, two-time grand master title holder Ronnie Nyogetsu Reishin Seldin on shakuhachi, and Schawkie Roth on bansuri.

This is an ideal transport for a much-need mental getaway.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Transformation, by Sherry Finzer and Darin Mahoney

The entrancing flute playing of Sherry Finzer and the intricate guitar handiwork of Darin Mahoney come together on this intriguing duo album.

Finzer plays Pearl and Guo flutes and Mahoney plays a custom acoustic guitar that he handmade himself (he's also a professionally trained luthier). Mahoney's guitar starts off many of the tunes, with Finzer's flutes weaving their way in and through them. The duo also receive some musical support from Jane Hilton on viola, guesting on a song written and named for her.

As the title suggests, the music is transformational in that it helps listeners escape from the hectic pace of everyday life and find peace and solace in the serenity of the woodwinds' and strings' gentle vibrations. But don't be lulled by the quietude of Finzer and Mahoney's humble offering – there's quite a bit of musicality on display in their compositions and performances.

This is a nice change of pace for those seeking one.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Ax Inferno, by Paul Speer

Ax Inferno is right, because this guy's on fire!

 

Speer's fourth independent and fourteenth overall commercial release is my first encounter with the Emmy Award-winning, Grammy Award-nominated guitarist, who has immediately skyrocketed into the upper echelon of my favorite six-string slingers, including Andy Summers, Eric Johnson, Hiram Bullock, and Mike Moreno.

 

In addition to unleashing fiery, scorching guitars, Speer plays bass and keyboards, and Ron Krasinski plays pulse-pounding drums on four tracks.

 

What elevates Speer into the stratosphere of awesome guitarists is that he is more than simply an exceptional, virtuosic soloist. Sure, he can shred with the best of them (I would put him on the level of Eddie Van Halen), but he also sculpts beautiful, mesmerizing, atmospheric sonic textures. But when he lets loose, boy does he let loose.

 

Speer is also an excellent bass and keyboard player, belting out dynamic, thumping low frequencies and synthesizing dreamy, edgy washes of sound, as well as some techno beats.

 

What holds everything together is the structural integrity of the compositions. More than simply a platform for Speer's electric flights of fancy, the songs live and breathe with a beginning, middle, and end anchored by melodic and rhythmic grooves.

 

This is an essential recording for electric guitar enthusiasts.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Open Sky, by David Nevue

Each of the CDs by pianist David Nevue that I have reviewed has been solid, but this, his fourteenth release, is his best by far.

In his press release, Nevue says that his goal with this album was to create music that transcends the standard piano music genre. Nevue has accomplished this goal in spades.

Overall, the music on the disc doesn't sound like typical solo piano music. Without knowing Nevue's exact process, it sounds to me like he composed the music simply as music and used the piano to realize his compositions. The result is music that is haunting and evocative, a perfect soundtrack for nocturnal sojourns. I can see Nevue composing orchestral music or otherwise that doesn't have keyboards or synthesizers as the focus, if at all.

All of the seventeen tracks are exceptional, but three truly stand out – interpretations of the Simon & Garfunkel classic “Scarborough Fair” and the English hymn “Morning Has Broken” made popular by Cat Stevens, and the striking original “Summer Rain.”

This is not simply piano music. It's music pure and simple, and good music at that.

--Raj Manoharan

Concert (Fan) Review – Michael Nesmith Live at bergenPAC, November 12, 2013

For the longest time, I had considered George Harrison to be my favorite singer-songwriter-guitarist. I have since revised that estimation. To be sure, he remains my favorite singer-songwriter-musician out of all of The Beatles. He is definitely in my top three list of favorite singer-songwriter-guitarists, which I narrowed down especially in the last year to include Electric Light Orchestra frontman and Harrison cohort Jeff Lynne and Monkee member Michael Nesmith. I had recently been leaning heavily toward Nesmith as my all-time favorite, and he sealed the deal with an amazing, energetic performance at bergenPAC in Englewood, New Jersey, on Tuesday night, November 12, 2013, midway through his Movies of the Mind tour.

Like most people, I became familiar with Nesmith through The Monkees, a made-for-TV rock group that epitomized bubblegum pop music in the 1960s and gave The Beatles and The Rolling Stones a run for their money in terms of record sales. A nostalgic resurgence of Monkeemania in the 1980s led to reruns – which enabled me to get hip to The Monkees as a child – as well as a new album and tour, although without Nesmith, who was busy doing his own thing. When I heard Nesmith sing “What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?” in one episode, I was immediately hooked by his country-style Texan vocals and sought out his solo endeavors.

After the Monkees TV show ended, Nesmith – whose mother invented correction fluid – pioneered a fusion of country, folk, pop, and rock music. He also furthered the development of music video, inspired the creation of MTV, and won the first Grammy Award for a home video release for his 1982 musical variety program Elephant Parts, which later led to his short-lived summer 1985 NBC series Television Parts.

Nesmith also provides the best fan experience out of all of my favorite artists, and not just in terms of live performance. He sells all of his work on his Web site, www.videoranch.com. When I bought several CDs to replace my cassette versions, he personally autographed all of them. For a justifiably slightly higher price, you can also order CDs customized for you and/or whomever you wish with tracks and sequencing of your choosing and personally autographed by Nesmith.

Having been a fan of Nesmith for nearly a quarter of a century now, I never thought I would get the chance to see him perform live, especially given the rarity of his appearances (his last tour was in the early 1990s). That all changed on the night of Tuesday, November 12, 2013, when he stopped by bergenPAC in Englewood, New Jersey, halfway through his Movies of the Mind tour. Fresh off a late 2012 Monkees tour in the wake of band member and British heartthrob Davy Jones's death, as well as brief solo tours in the United Kingdom and America, Nesmith is on a roll.

I took my folks to the show (Center Orchestra Row N Seats 101-103), and they both enjoyed it immensely. They are both in Nesmith's age range (Nesmith is four months older than my dad). My mom is familiar with The Monkees from way back, having arrived in America the same year the TV show debuted. For some reason, my dad keeps mixing The Monkees up with The Little Rascals, who were not even a musical group. But my dad did watch the Monkees reruns along with the rest of us in the 1980s, so at least he's heard of The Monkees.

Nesmith was in top form and rocked much harder at age 70 (going on 71) than he did at age 49 on his last tour, based on the double CD I have of that tour as well as footage I've seen on the Internet. He played all of the familiar fan favorites, from “Joanne” from the early 1970s to “Rays” from his 2006 album of the same name, in between providing a nice range of country, folk, pop, and rock music. Nesmith played his signature twelve-string acoustic guitar, with long-time band mate Joe Chemay on bass, Boh Cooper on keyboards, and long-time band mate Paul Leim on drums. The band also featured Chris Scruggs, the grandson of bluegrass banjo legend Earl Scruggs, on pedal steel guitar, acoustic and electric guitars, and mandolin. Scruggs was the musical prodigy of the night, sometimes playing two or more instruments in the same song. All the musicians were excellent and did a standout job bringing Nesmith's songs to glorious and exuberant life.

Nesmith also introduced each song or group of related/similar songs with narratives that set the scene for each musical tale, hence the tour moniker Movies of the Mind. This feature of the performance fostered intimate camaraderie between Nesmith and the audience and made it more of a personal experience, like hearing campfire tales from an old friend.

One thing that struck me about Nesmith is how, unlike the rest of The Monkees and other artists of his generation, he looks so little like his former, younger self. My mom said he looks like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In recent years, Davy Jones said he looked like a German banker. At the same time, it is refreshing and comforting that Nesmith has not gone to extra lengths to “preserve” his youth. Instead, he has chosen to age and mature like a fine wine. Every now and then, though, I saw a semblance of the old, young Nesmith surface. But whenever he opened his mouth to speak and sing, he was unmistakably and undeniably Michael Nesmith through and through.

If you like Michael Nesmith or just want to see a living legend in the prime of his twilight, make it a priority to see him live. If you can't make it to a show, definitely get the live CD of this tour, which is available for reserve order at www.videoranch.com.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Dancer and the Moon, by Blackmore's Night

Rock guitar legend Ritchie Blackmore and his fair maiden (and wife) Candice Night return with their patented brand of Renaissance-inspired pop-rock.

These are power ballads with a unique twist: They combine elements of baroque, classical, and minstrel music with contemporary fusion and are for the most part played with antique instruments that harken back to medieval times. Blackmore plays guitars and hurdy-gurdy, and Night provides lyrics and vocals and plays woodwinds. The rest of the band includes Bard David of Larchmont on keyboards, Lady Kelly DeWinter on French horn and harmony vocals, Troubador of Aberdeen on percussion, Scarlet Fiddler on violin, and Earl Grey of Chimay on bass, mandolin, and guitar.

Of course, the band's chosen musical motif doesn't preclude Blackmore from breaking out his electric guitar and unleashing all manner of six-string virtuosity throughout the album. The medieval/Renaissance theme is authentic and done very well, but it is Blackmore's excellent axe-work and Night's modern songwriting sensibilities that tie it all together and make it accessible.

Blackmore and Night make beautiful music together, both in real life and in the recording studio.

(By the way, Night has a solo career in addition to Blackmore's Night. It would be nice to have a solo release or a few from Blackmore as well, focusing on his instrumental prowess.)

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – 600 Years in a Moment, by Fiona Joy Hawkins

Fiona Joy Hawkins' latest release is a world music album in the truest sense. Not only does it feature musical influences from around the planet, it was also recorded the world over, including Newcastle in Hawkins' native Australia; Los Angeles; New York City; Bremen and Portland, Maine; Halifax, Canada; and co-producer Will Ackerman's Imaginary Road Studios in Vermont.

Featuring Hawkins playing an Australian Stuart and Sons handmade piano, the CD contains a world-class lineup of session all-stars, including Rebecca Daniel, Eugene Friesen, Tony Levin, Jeff Haynes, Heather Rankin, Marc Shulman, Todd Boston, Paul Jarman, Michael Jackson, Phil Aaberg, and Alfredo Rolando Ortiz, among many others.

As always, Hawkins maintains her high standards of performance and creativity, with elegant compositions and accomplished playing that brings out their intricate beauty. The other musicians also provide excellent backup and support, without ever overshadowing Hawkins' piano. At the same time, Hawkins gives her cohorts ample space to embellish her vision with their unique, artistic voices. The result is a nice balance between soloing and accompaniment.

Those who appreciate fine, tasteful music, as well as aficionados of piano, can't go wrong with this disc.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Bliss of Being, by The Pure Heart Ensemble

The Pure Heart Ensemble sound exactly like what their name suggests, and the title of their latest album is just as much on the mark.

The group consists of Richard Shulman on piano and synthesizer, Adriana Contino on cello, Kate Steinbeck on flutes, Dielle Ciesco on voice, and Bob Hinkle on crystal bowls.

Together, these five musicians create a sound that is truly blissful and comes from deep within their collective souls to touch the hearts and minds of listeners.

The compositions are thoughtful and beautifully arranged and the music is soft and sensitive, slipping into the subconscious and facilitating a state of serenity and calm.

This CD provides a wonderfully refreshing experience all around.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – The Shimmering Land, by Meg Bowles

The title of preeminent new age composer and musician Meg Bowles' latest release is appropriate, as the album is full of shimmering sounds.

 

Bowles is known for grand, ethereal, otherworldly textures, commonly associated with the new age sub-genre of space music and all of which are in abundance here. All of the sounds on display are generated entirely by Bowles using her synthesizers.

 

Although the medium is electronic, the resultant music is very organic. This is due to Bowles' dynamic and expansive compositions, which contribute to the conjuring of cosmic vistas in the mind's eye of the listener.

 

If you're looking for quintessential new age music, this is it.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Primordial Sonics, by David Vito Gregoli

David Vito Gregoli's latest album is a melting pot of sounds from around the globe, truly making it a genuine work of world music. He calls it ambient aboriginal groove fusion, and that's exactly what it is.

 

Indigenous instruments such as Australian Aboriginal didjeridu, sitar, tabla, Persian santoor, Indian tambora, Indian bansuri flute, and Egyptian Ney flute come together with bass, percussion, and keyboards and synthesizers to forge a hypnotic hybrid that sounds very much like instrumental rock by way of India, Australia, and the Middle East.

 

Helping to bring Gregoli's musical vision to life are didjeridu virtuoso Stephen Kent, Yoga chanteuse Donna De Lory, flautists Suzanne Teng and Manose, and late percussionist Geoffrey Gordon and late bassist Bob Birch, the latter two to whom the CD is dedicated.

 

This is one of the best world music albums I have ever listened to, and it's a global musical journey worth taking.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Voyage: Hiroshima Eternal, by Takashi Suzuki

Not only is Hiroshima the place of residence for Takashi Suzuki as well as the site of a notorious historic event, but it also the creative impetus for Suzuki's latest work, resulting in an album that is among the highest order of synthesizer music.

 

Neither Hiroshima itself nor its implications are the focus of the CD. Rather, Suzuki uses Hiroshima as a jumping-off point to explore the journey of an imagined soul after the end of its corporeal life in a real catastrophe. Suzuki has basically created the soundtrack for that conceit.

 

And what a soundtrack it is!

 

All the sounds on the disc are generated entirely by Suzuki's synthesizers, which is easy to forget because this is as far from sounding like electronic music as you can get. In fact, the music is very orchestral, but in a more solemn, heartfelt--rather than full-bore, bombastic---manner. Think searching, penetrating horns and strings.

 

Also telling is the fact that this is Suzuki's first international CD release to feature tracks with separate, distinct titles, furthering the effect of a story with a unique theme unfolding.

 

This is a bold musical statement from a visionary, continually evolving artist.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Light of Aluna, by Anima

Anima is a U.K.-based outfit that comprises the complementary talents of Ali Calderwood and Daniela Broder, who on their latest release deliver a sonic experience that is out of this world.

 

Calderwood primarily plays keyboards and synthesizers and Broder focuses on vocals and acoustic guitar, with the duo also sharing performances on a variety of unique ethnic instruments. The result is a sound that is very celestial while also grounded and fusing together elements of world, jazz, new age, and electronica.

 

Prominent features of the music include sinewy synthesizer leads by Calderwood and impressionistic guitar intonations by Broder.

 

This is tuneful, mystical, and ear- and mind-opening music that will take you to another plateau.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Awakening, by Stephen DeRuby

While the music on Stephen DeRuby’s latest album is primarily based on Eastern philosophy and culture, it draws just as much from other exotic sounds from around the world, resulting in an ear-opening amalgam of world music styles.

 

In addition to the audio styling of India and the Far East, the music also features some elements that could be characterized as African and South American, all fused through the new age and world fusion sensibilities that DeRuby adeptly demonstrates.

 

The focal point of the music is DeRuby’s mesmerizing, hypnotic compositions and melodic lead flute playing, which is beautiful, on target, and commands attention. DeRuby’s performance is nicely embellished by a host of other musicians on instruments such as guitar, bass, keyboards, and percussion.

 

This is a very well-done CD that provides mental and emotional release, as well as a pleasant listening experience.

 

--Raj Manoharan

TV – Star Trek, Which Turns 47 Today, Keeps on Trekkin’ on Me TV

Forty-seven years ago today, William Shatner logged his first Stardate entry as Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise on NBC’s Star Trek, and there’s no better way to celebrate than watching episodes of the classic show every Saturday at 9:00 p.m. on Me TV.

The groundbreaking program initiated a sci-fi and pop cultural phenomenon that would trek far beyond anyone’s expectations.

Shatner played Kirk during Star Trek’s 1966-1969 run, later voicing the role on the 1973-1975 NBC Saturday morning cartoon and then returning as the character in live action for seven big-budget theatrical motion pictures from 1979 to 1994. Most of Shatner’s fellow original series actors accompanied him on these later adventures, with nearly the entire cast starring together in Star Treks I through VI.

The franchise has lived long and prospered beyond Shatner’s participation, with four additional television series spanning 18 consecutive years, as well as five additional movies and counting.

Shatner hasn’t done badly for himself, either. He has maintained the highest, most visible profile of any Star Trek actor, writing several Star Trek and other science fiction novels as well as multiple memoirs and autobiographies, and starring in several TV shows, including T.J. Hooker, Rescue 911, TekWar, and Boston Legal. Let’s not forget Shatner’s long-running stint as the spokesman for Priceline.com, the latest incarnation being his role as the Priceline Negotiator.

Shatner’s career can basically be divided into two phases: Star Trek and William Shatner.

But Star Trek is where it all began, 47 years ago today.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Dragonfly, by Terra Guitarra

The fourth album by this particular incarnation of guitar-playing duo Bruce Hecksel and Julie Patchoulie is one of the most passionate and invigorating CDs I’ve heard in the genre.

 

Hecksel, who created all the artwork for the release, plays lead on nylon-string guitar, in addition to playing steel-string and 12-string acoustic guitars. Patchoulie rounds out the sound with rhythm acoustic guitars. The two also play other instruments, such as keyboards and percussion.

 

Hecksel and Patchoulie have a lock-step chemistry that comes through on the disc, no doubt thanks in part to the fact that they have performed together long before Terra Guitarra and simultaneously play, record, and tour as the folk-rock group Patchoulie.

 

Besides their accomplished and virtuosic guitar playing, Hecksel and Patchoulie are also tuneful and creative composers and arrangers. As a result, the album is extremely palatable for both guitar aficionados and casual music lovers.

 

This is definitely a winner.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – The Luminous Pearl, by Lia Scallon

The title is more than just the name of another album. In this case, it refers to a specific object of sacred significance that has been passed down from one generation to another, finally making its way into vocalist Lia Scallon’s possession and present during the recording of this unique CD.

So the Luminous Pearl is also the muse for Scallon’s unique brand of vocal artistry, which is as focused and heartfelt as ever. Scallon’s alternately soft-spoken and direct, driven vocal nuances both command your attention and set your mind at ease. The subtle instrumentation supporting Scallon’s voice contributes to the serene and tranquil atmosphere of the recording.

The album is more special than most in its packaging and design, which is abundant and luxurious. The packaging consists of a digipak with a big booklet, all featuring a deep blue color scheme that is as luminescent as the pearl of the title.

Those who appreciate unique vocal artistry and subtle new age sounds will enjoy this CD.

--Raj Manoharan

TV – Weekly William Shatner Double "Bill": Double the Bill, Double the Thrill

If you’re as much of a Shatfan as I am, then you’ll be thrilled to know that you can watch William Shatner several times a week in all his scenery-chewing and over-the-top gut-busting glory in two different decades in two different uniforms in two different hairstyles (or hairpieces?).

First up, Shatner’s heyday (shortly before he became a self-parodying, perpetually wealth-generating cottage industry unto himself) came in the 1980s, when—at the same time he was reprising his role as James T. Kirk in the Star Trek movies—he pounded the pavement and cleaned the streets of slimy scum as the titular no-nonsense police sergeant in T.J. Hooker, airing several weeknights at 7:00 p.m., several mornings at 3:00 a.m., and Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Universal HD.

Shatner as a uniformed police officer is about as high-concept as you can get, making this the best cop show of all time. Shatner often gets touted for his peerless hood jumping, but he was quite adept behind the wheel as well. He could drift (brake-skidding the car on fast turns) with the best of them, even when it wasn't necessary. And who could forget that Shatastic ‘80s perm? (Was it real or was it a hairpiece? Find out at www.shatnerstoupee.blogspot.com.) The series also stars the adorably smug Adrian Zmed, a very fresh-faced Heather Locklear, and Shatner’s fellow aging pretty boy James Darren.

Then, catch Shatner two decades earlier in his first iteration of Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek television series, which airs Saturdays at 9:00 p.m. on Me TV (Memorable Entertainment Television). Nothing beats Shatner hamming philosophic about the quandaries of mankind’s place in the universe, all the while sporting a ‘60s-style“straight-laced” coiffure (again—real or fake? Check out www.shatnerstoupee.blogspot.com). Shatner’s partners in pop cultural perpetuity include Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, and George Takei.

So don’t forget to enjoy William Shatner in two of his most memorable TV roles. Tune in five nights (and four early mornings) a week, same Shat time, same Shat channel! (Actually, that's five different times on two different channels.)

--Raj Manoharan

TV – Retro TV Roundup

If the current slate of programming on broadcast, cable, satellite, and pay TV hasn’t caught your fancy, there are plenty of old favorites to catch up and relive the good old days with on the slew of retro television networks that are booming in popularity.

First up, you can watch William Shatner in all his scenery-chewing and over-the-top gut-busting glory in two different decades in two different uniforms. Shatner’s heyday (shortly before he became a self-parodying, perpetually wealth-generating cottage industry unto himself) came in the 1980s, when—at the same time he was reprising his role as James T. Kirk in the Star Trek movies—he pounded the pavement and cleaned the streets of slimy scum as no-nonsense police sergeant T.J. Hooker.

Shatner as a uniformed police officer is about as high-concept as you can get, making this the best cop show of all time. Shatner often gets touted for his peerless hood jumping, but he was quite adept behind the wheel as well. He could drift (brake-skidding the car on fast turns) with the best of them, even when it wasn't necessary. The series, which also stars the adorably smug Adrian Zmed, a very fresh-faced Heather Locklear, and fellow aging pretty boy James Darren, airs several weeknights at 7:00 p.m., several mornings at 3:00 a.m., and Fridays at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Universal HD.

Then, catch Shatner two decades earlier in his first iteration of Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek television series, which airs Saturdays at 9:00 p.m. on Me TV (Memorable Entertainment Television). Nothing beats Shatner hamming philosophic about the quandaries of mankind’s place in the universe. Remarkably, 47 years after the show’s debut, with the exception of DeForest Kelley (Dr. McCoy) and James Doohan (Scotty), the other five main cast members are still with us.

By the way, if you love classic television, Me TV should be your first and last stop on the dial. In addition to featuring scores of classic television shows, the network features brilliant commercials touting its various slogans composed entirely of expertly spliced-together clips from all of its shows. Some of the stars and guest stars of those shows even pop up in network promos as themselves or their former characters. This is the ultimate TV channel for the ultimate TV fan.

Weekdays on Me TV, Jack Webb and Harry Morgan just want the facts as Los Angeles plainclothes detectives Joe Friday and Bill Gannon on Dragnet from 4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Then, Martin Milner and Kent McCord patrol the streets of Los Angeles as Officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed on Adam-12 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Adam-12 also airs Saturdays on Me TV from 6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., followed by Dragnet from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

 

Saturdays on Me TV, Adam West and Burt Ward star as the caped-crusading dynamic duo Batman and Robin, who race in the Batmobile to save Gotham City from a comical cavalcade of costumed crackpots, with little help from a hilariously inept police force, in the 1960s pop cultural phenomenon Batman. The show airs at 7:00 p.m. and is followed by Irwin Allen’s Lost in Space at 8:00 p.m. and Star Trek at 9:00 p.m.

You can take your pick of Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, or Christian Bale as the various Dark Knights (Keaton and Bale are my personal favorite modern movie Batmen), but no matter what the fanboys naysay, Adam West (who also played Batman on the big screen) made the most indelible and lasting mark of any of them on pop culture. He is the one Batman to rule them all.

Check your local listings or go online to learn about all the great classic shows airing on Antenna TV, Me TV, TV Land, and Universal HD.

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Getaway, by Lisa Hilton

Now this is a piano jazz trio.

 

Veteran jazz pianist Lisa Hilton hits another one out of the park with this fine, elegant CD featuring her veteran collaborators Larry Grenadier on bass and Nasheet Waits on drums and percussion. Aside from covers of “Stormy Monday Blues” and Adele’s “Turning Tables,” the album showcases Hilton’s snappy, original compositions, which are perfectly suited to the piano jazz trio format. And the sound quality is so crisp and clear, it sounds like you’re right in the studio with Hilton, Grenadier, and Waits, or in the front row at an intimate live venue.

 

I’ve seen mentions of Hilton being in the same league as such classic jazz pianists as Dave Brubeck, Bill Evans, and Keith Jarrett, and such comparisons are merited. However, there is one name I haven’t read in conjunction with Hilton before (perhaps because I may have missed it) that kept popping into my head as I listened to the record: Vince Gauraldi.

 

Gauraldi was an accomplished jazz pianist who worked in a trio format among others, and he is most famous for scoring and performing the soundtracks to the original Charlie Brown animated specials of the 1960s and early 1970s. For me, no other jazz pianist has come close to emulating Gauraldi’s brilliance. That is, until now. If I were producing new Charlie Brown animated projects, my first pick to score and perform the soundtracks would be Lisa Hilton.

 

This is a classy CD from a class act.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Hokulea, by AOMUSIC

On their fourth release, as always, AOMUSIC prove that their brand of world pop/rock is truly global, utilizing the talents of musicians and singers from around the world.

 

AOMUSIC consists of Richard Gannaway on stringed instruments, Miriam Stockley (the voice of Adiemus) on vocals, and Jay Oliver on keyboards and synthesizers. The trio is assisted by accomplished session musicians recorded in their various local studios from all over the planet, as are the guest singers. Many of the vocals, which are a combination of English, foreign, and phonetics, are also provided by children’s choirs in America, Africa, Ireland, and Nepal.

 

The songs, which are primarily invigorating power ballads, are broad and universal in their appeal and full of uplifting joy. The fact that they are brought to life by different people across borders and continents makes this album a truly rich, diverse expression of unity.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Intuition, by Dan Kennedy

Dan Kennedy’s latest release is a pleasant collection of contemporary instrumental tunes that features great musicianship from a solid lineup of accomplished players.

 

This CD establishes Kennedy as a creative and dynamic composer, a gifted keyboardist, and a very effective bandleader.

 

The snappy and elegant compositions by Kennedy are brought to life by the artist’s graceful piano playing and lush synthesizer textures, with fantastic support provided by David Cullen on guitar and bass, Jeff Haynes on percussion, Jill Haley on English horn, Mehuman Jonson on vocals, Premik Russell Tubbs on alto saxophone, and Steve Holley on drums and percussion.

 

The result is an album of fine instrumental pop jazz that should engage fans of the genre.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – The Blue Rose, by Al Conti

West meets East in this fusion of world musical cultures, the fifth release from Grammy Award-nominated multi-instrumentalist Al Conti.

 

Based on an ancient Japanese fairy tale, the album presents the global new age style mastered by and unique to Conti and fuses it with elements of the Orient, resulting in a work that celebrates the best of both worlds.

 

In addition to keyboards, synthesizers, and other mainstream and ethnic instruments played by Conti, the CD features the talents of Ann Licater on flute and Hannah Beth Crary on fiddles.

 

My favorite tracks are “The Princess and the Emperor,” “Silk and Jasmine,” “Heart in Bloom,” and “The Blue Rose.” These are perfect examples of new age music, with lush, dreamy synthesizer textures and elegant, classy cascades of piano. “Heart in Bloom” even has a bit of an African flavor to it, which is actually very welcome and not at all out of place here.

 

This is a worthy addition to any discerning listener’s new age/world music library.

 

--Raj Manoharan