CD Review – Songs to the Goddess, by Annette Cantor

On her new release, Annette Cantor offers up her own musical odes to “the goddess.” However, this is not just her perception of the goddess or any one perception of the goddess. The album features musical celebrations of different notions of deity from around the world and, as a result, features a truly global mix of world sounds.

 

The various ethnic musical styles are brought to life by new age pioneer C.G. Deuter, who, through the use of ethnic and mainstream instruments, masterfully weaves together a travelogue of world music.

 

The human element is provided by Cantor, whose wordless vocals literally give the music a voice without forcing predetermined thoughts and ideas on listeners. In this manner, Cantor brilliantly leaves the music open for interpretation and to be received however each individual listener hears fit.

 

Those who appreciate other musical and spiritual cultures will find much to enjoy on this album.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – River Flow: Sanctuary, by Catherine Marie Charlton

Catherine Marie Charlton’s latest album is aptly named. Like a river, it flows smoothly from beginning to end. And also like a smoothly flowing river, it provides sanctuary from the hectic hustle and bustle of life.

 

The CD contains one long 60-minute piece composed, performed, and recorded in one take by Charlton on her Steinway B grand piano from 10:01 p.m. to 11:01 p.m. on September 6, 2012, while her family slept upstairs. Perhaps because Charlton made this music during her brood’s nocturnal slumber, the disc has the sound and feel of a late-night set at a quiet, intimate jazz lounge. The composition is engaging and lively while at the same time soothing and tranquil.

 

Although the album consists of one primary track, the one piece is divided into several parts based on riffs, movements, and themes, much like the tributaries of a river. This allows listeners to find and listen to their favorite parts of the overall tune, even while the whole piece can and is designed to be enjoyed in its entirety.

 

This is an excellent addition to the catalog of fine solo piano CDs available on the market.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – Crown in the Sky, by Lis Addison

Unlike her previous album, which focused on vocal sounds and rhythms, Lis Addison’s new release features songs with lyrics. As always, though, social conscience is at the center of this unique artist’s work.

 

Originally intended as a musical, Crown in the Sky revolves around Addison’s concerns with “Mother Urth and her children.” Addison’s cautionary lyrics and firm vocals, the keyboard/synthesizer electronica instrumentation by her, her husband, and their musical cohorts (including the women and children of the Kamba tribe from Kenya on one track), and the environmentally aware songwriting give this CD the sound and feel of a female version of a new age pop/rock album by Sting, when he was relevant and good. As a result, this makes the disc more accessible to people who may not usually seek out conscientious new age music.

 

This is a highly enjoyable album for those who like pop/rock vocals with a progressive green message and new age and world music synth sounds.

 

--Raj Manoharan

CD Review – First Light, by Craig Urquhart

Craig Urquhart’s latest album is a collection of gentle solo piano recordings that provide soothing relaxation.

 

The compositions are intricate and well-structured, demonstrating Urquhart’s creativity and mastery of songwriting. The tunes also exude reassuring warmth and tranquility.

 

Urquhart brings his beautiful compositions to life with tremendous performances that underscore the melodic lyricism in his music. Urquhart is a versatile artist, but his mission on this CD is to provide meaningful insight and serene introspection, and he accomplishes this with great success.

 

This album is proof of why Urquhart is not only a world-class concert performer, but also a highly sought-after composer for other musicians and singers.

 

Those who appreciate fine solo piano music will find much to praise about this disc.

 

--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 every Monday through Saturday 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 most weeknights at 7:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday after midnight, 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 most weeknights at 7:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday after midnight, 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.

 

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 – Rumbadoodle, by Arun Shenoy

Indian-Singaporean world music artist Arun Shenoy has achieved something remarkable with his debut album, receiving a Grammy Award nomination on his first try and being the first Singaporean musician to receive a Grammy nomination.

 

Listening to the CD, it’s no surprise Shenoy has garnered this accolade. The disc contains a festive mix of rhythms and sounds from around the world, with the primary influence being flamenco of the rumba variety.

 

Starting with his guitar-based compositions, Shenoy has assembled a globetrotting lineup of musicians to bring his musical ideas to vibrant life, with electric and acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards and synthesizers, violin, and drums and percussion.

 

The result is an engaging microcosm of world fusion that fans of Ottmar Liebert and The Gypsy Kings will eat up.

 

--Raj Manoharan