Chris Dewey, editor of Mike Oldfield Fan Magazine Dark Star, has written a new biography on Mike Oldfield. This books was published on 25th May, 2013 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tubular Bells. Here is a description of the book:
"How Mike Oldfield came to be who he is, his drive to become a musician and his personal motivations about his distinguished career are covered in detail in his own excellent autobiography, Changeling, published by Virgin books in 2007. A Life Dedicated to Music deliberately takes a different approach, documenting the events of Mike’s career through the information gathered in interviews during 27 years of producing Mike Oldfield fan magazines. The views of the musicians, music industry professionals, assistants and fans closest to Mike have been assembled in chronological order for the first time, with the addition of some new interviews and my own personal views, resulting in the first comprehensive record of Mike’s 45–year career to 2013. Mike Oldfield took the time to read and approve this book before publication.
It is available to order here. We will soon give you a complete review of this new book.
It is all about Mike Oldfield these days; To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tubular Bells, the crew on Mikeoldfield.org is holding a convention in Reading on 6th July, the town where it all started sixty years ago.
There will be a live performance of the complete Tubular Bells by the Australian duo, Tubular Bells 'For Two' And Terry Oldfield is also holding a concert too.
PROVISIONAL EVENT TIMETABLE
The current anticipated timetable of events is as follows (this subject to change):
* 1200 Doors open for fan convention
* 1200 Mike Oldfield merchandise sale
* 1230 Ryan Yard's transcription of Amarok
* 1300 Mike Oldfield record & memorabilia fair
* 1330 Tour through MusicVR
* 1400 Rare video & audio material
* 1530 Q &A expected to be with Tom Newman, Barry Palmer, Phil Spalding and other special guests yet to be confirmed
* 1630 Mike Oldfield Quiz
* 1700 Terry Oldfield live performance
* 1900 Raffle with over £1000 worth rare Mike Oldfield prizes
* 1930 Tubular Bells performance
* 2100 Doors close
Plenty of rare audio and video material throughout the day!
Here is something fascinating; The up and coming band Pacific Air has this to say about their influences - according to Radio.com:
"Listen closely to the duo — comprised of brothers Ryan and Taylor Lawhon — and you might hear a bit of early ’90s R&B or hip-hop. Pay even closer attention and you’ll detect a little Enya.
“If you took the drums out of any of our music, it could be a New Age song,” Ryan, the oldest Lawhon, told Radio.com.
Thanks to their mom, the Lawhons grew up listening to New Age music. While no one is going to compare Pacific Air — who previously went by the name KO KO — to Enya, the guys say it’s definitely an influence worth mentioning.
“Instead of abrasive rhythmic synths we tend to go for more sprawling, very stereo, soft synths,” Ryan said. “Which is something heavily utilized in New Age music. It’s something that provides such a nice layer and it fills up the sound without overpowering rhythmically.”
Read the article and see an interview with the brothers on Radio.com.
The New Age Music Circle is a fantastic community of dedicated and talented artists and New Age music fans. You'll find the forum here. If you haven't joined it already, this might be a good time to do so.
Now their community album, Sounds From The Circle has been released in its 5th edition. You can sample and buy it on iTunes.
Here is the press release:
For the fifth straight year, the online community of over 1500 artists and fans of the genre have pulled together to generate an exciting new music compilation that captures the mosaic sounds of today’s international New Age music scene. Sounds From the Circle V (SFTC V) is the fifth in a series produced by the founder of the network, Suzanne Doucet, and associate produced by Beth Ann Hilton. The 40 tracks included provide listeners over three hours of beautiful music.
This particular volume contains music from 2 GRAMMY® winners, 5 GRAMMY® nominees, numerous ZMR Award winners, and some of the best new music available from across the globe today. Listeners may discover a new sound, a relaxing vibe, or an uplifting melody; the music is Mystical, Chill, Ambient, Meditative, Romantic and World Beat, all carefully sequenced for a pleasant sonic journey. Together, the tracks capture the broad scope of today’s New Age sub-genres, from Vocals to Space music, Channeling to Solo Piano, Harmonics to Chill, Meditation, Nature, Harp music and more.
SFTC V includes the artists AOMusic, Al Conti, Arun Shenoy, Lia Scallon, Fiona Joy Hawkins, Trine Opsahl, Hennie Bekker, Laura Sullivan, Steven Halpern, Tron Syversen, Omar Akram, Heidi Anne Breyer, Pamela Jamian, Eichstaedt, Liquid Mind, Michael Hoppe, Ron Sarja, Aleix Riera, Clarelynn Rose, Vibeke Sonora, Myristica, 4th Eden, Christaal, J S Kingfisher, Natascha Wilczek, Suzanne Doucet & Tajalli, Aum Orchestra, Jane Winther, David Vito Gregoli, Paradiso, Sabine Van Baaren and Mark Joggerst, Glenn Main, Hollan Holmes, Conni St. Pierre, 2mGamma, Louis Colaiannia, Asher Quinn, Sensitive Heart, Timothy P. Orr, and Zamora.
The annual compilations – available in both physical and digital formats – have become favorites among everyday music fans, professional radio programmers, and massage therapists who love the ability to play over three hours of relaxing music from just one CD. Each artist receives multiple copies to sell or give to their fans, and thousands more are distributed at various music conferences and healthy expos (such as GATE, MIDEM, INATS) throughout the year.
Doucet, who is an artist, composer and leading consultant within the new age market, says that despite the genre’s naysayers, the New Age music category is a healthy and growing international music niche, similar in scope to that of jazz music. In late 2008, she recognized the community-building opportunities on NING.com, founded the New Age Music Circle (http://newagemusik.ning.com), and watched the community steadily grow to include over 1500 people worldwide. Members enjoy sharing music, inspiration, event information, artwork and invitations to collaborate in various ways.
Doucet utilizes top-quality MP3 files to pack the ultimate amount of music onto the physical CDs. She begins by inviting Circle members to submit their tracks, then arranges the music to create the ultimate “flow” -- no easy feat with approximately forty tracks and three hours of music on each album. The overall process for producing each compilation takes about four months.
The physical compilations, manufactured by TSI in Valencia, CA, must be played in MP3-compatible CD players or in computer CD-ROM drives, and will download into iTunes. Packaging is a colorful eco-friendly cardboard sleeve with inserts listing each artist’s name, track, album title, cover art, and website address. While physical copies are limited, digital versions of the album can be purchased and downloaded as an iTunes Playlist at: https://c.itunes.apple.com/us/imix/sounds-from-the-circle-v-2013/id639499427
Huffington Post has an interesting article about the Shen Tao Studioin New York City where you can try trampoline yoga. Carolyn Gregoire have this report:
Although I prefer the flow of traditional yoga, I would definitely attend another class at Shen Tao. I appreciated the deep stretching, attention to individual students, and urban zen feel of the Park Avenue studio -- it's pretty tough to stay stressed when you're bouncing on a trampoline surrounded by new age music and waterfalls.
Read the article here. How about a dedicated trampoline yoga album? The deep, low bass can be the sound of the trampoline...
As a New Age music promoter I try to answer the 40 year old question again and again; What is New Age music? Sometimes I feel that it would be easier to answer What is NOT New Age music? since the genre itself is so hard to define and covers so much.
I recently did a review of P. J. Birosik's book The New Age Music Guide from 1989. As an index of artists and records it is not the best release out there (Henk N. Werkhoven's book The International Guide To New Age Music from 1998 is much better - and more updated too). But the book devides the New Age music genre into subgenres in a very good way. Here is the index from the book:
In the book each of the subgenres are commented by a person (artist or reviewer) with special insight in this perticular subgenre. After reading the book and looking at the index again I decided to try to organize P. J.'s subgenres in some way or other - because I felt that it had real meaning and value - and ended up with this tree:
The general idea is that New Age music traditional is the main genre label. To quote Suzanne Doucet: "New Age Traditional Music distingushes itslef not by style, performance or technique, or personality, but by its nature which is contemplative rather than entertaining" (page 150, The New Age Music Guide). I devided the subgenres into 5 levels on the above tree. Each entry is almost (or fully) a genre of its own too. The top level is:
* Solo Instrumental
* Enviromental/Nature sounds
* Meditation music
These are the main subgenres. They represent everything New Age music is all about, even though the Solo Instrumental category is extremely wide. To narrow it down, Shel Kagan writes (Birosik: page 110); "Without lyrics or dense instrumental layers to concentrate on, the mind is directed inward. While some artists' styles and techniques have symphonic or classical forms, New Age Solo instrumentalists also display new directions in composition and execution that set them apart from more historically bound forms of delivery".
The next level is:
* Sound Health Music
* Electronic/Computer Music
* Space Music
Sound Health Music is a very interesting genre, and I'm sure that we have not yet seen its full potential. Jonathan Goldman writes: "New Age Sound Health music can either facilitate brain activity for accelerated learning or entrain the listener to very slow brain waves, taking them to deep places in the consciousness for meditation." (Birosik: page 122) Ambient music, where Electronic/Computer Music and Space Music may very well be placed, is much a genre of its own, of course, but in this context we are focusing on their place in New Age music. To quote the over 20 year old book: "This is electro-acoustic music by combining traditional instruments with state-of-the-art technology".
And then we have the "ethno-influence":
* World Music
* Native American/Indigenous Music
* East/West
To quote Bodhi Raines (Birosik: page 6): This music comes "out of the interaction between East and West - through the meetings of musicians sharing ideas and art forms". What I find most interesting here, is that the New Age music version of the above genres has lost most its connection to the source. To illustrate: when Deep Forest used a recording from the Solomon Islands (called "Rorogwela") to create the 1990s hit Sweet Lullaby where the sample is taken from and what the words means have little or no meaning. It is everything about atmosphere. New Age music is in this way a fusion of East and West, of World and all kinds of Idigenous Music. But the fusion itself somehow removes the instrument, sample or vocal from its original source.
Level 4 is:
* Vocal Music
* Progressive Music
* Jazz Fusion
New Age music is created in the crossing point between Jazz and more progressive music, like prog rock. To quote Dallas Smith (Birosik: page 46): "New Age Jazz Fusion represents a gentle rebellion against overly spacey New Age music and overly frenetic Jazz". It is progressive music without rock but with lots of harmonies.
And lastly, the two main genres that have influenced New Age music:
* Folk Music
* Pop Music
New Age music is influenced by folk and pop, and some titles have been just as much pop as New Age music - like Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.
In sum, these subgenres makes it easier to use the term New Age music because they show where the genre belong. It is not the complete answer to the What is New Age music question, though I feel that it gives a general understanding of the topic.
The Gathering is a compilation album with artists that have recently recorded at Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studios. The album won two awards at the Zone Music Reporter Music Award Show in New Orleans: Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
So if you are looking for some fresh, high quality New Age music, you can't go wrong with this album. You can sample the album on CD Baby.
There are some more pictures from the ZMR show at Daryl Porter's Facebook page. See it here.
I'm reading everything I can find that has been published about New Age music. I recently did a review of Patti Jean Birosik's The New Age Music Guide (1989).
Now I'm starting to read the book New Age Musicians (1989) by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation.
Here is a description from the first page:
You just got to love the 80s, right? I wish we had an "universally popular sound" these days. And here is the artists that the book contains interviews with:
It is a full-format book, with a lay out like this: (look at the young Mr. Ackerman)
New Age Stars Radio is growing strong, and soon 10.000 Live365 users will have the channel in their presets! Here is a recent graph showing the status:
We are now the 4th largest New Age music channel on Live365, and number 92 out of 2600 channels in terms of listeners. As you can see from the player to the right, we show up on the first 5 NA music channels for easy access. We have broadcasted more than 1,2 million hours of music since December 2008. In a normal week we have about 10.000 listeners who listen for an average of 52 minutes.
It is fantastic to be able to share this music with you. We will also use the opportunity to thank one certain person for his many years of service for New Age Stars Radio. You know how you are and what you have meant for this project. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
We promise to keep doing what we do, and we thank you for your support. You love New Age music as much as we do.
New Age music had its 15 minutes of fame in the mid/late 1980s. A diverse group of artists made New Age music hot and marketable. Patti Jean Birosik's book The New Age Music Guide - Profiles and Recordings of 500 Top New Age Musiciansfrom 1989 was published as a result of the genre's sudden popularity. It is a great read, and a piece of New Age music history as well.
The text on the back cover says a lot about the popularity of the genre at the time of publication:
The genre's Golden Age was a result of both sociological and technological changes. The new synths of this period gave new possibilities in terms of sound. Perhaps the 1980s also had a need for something a bit more otherworldly and thoughtful, and New Age music had something to offer in this respect? The genre is also a by-product of the hippies movement and their love for New Age religion. But most importantly; there was still a big marked for recorded music. Everyone bought cassettes and LP records. Music really did matter, at least in terms of sales and revenue. In the back of Birosik's book is an index of the many New Age music labels at the time; over 200 dedicated labels were created in the mid/late 1980s to publish in the new genre.
Patti Jean Birosik, or P. J. Birosik, was a music promoter, reviewer and author. She was married to New Age music producer Paul Scott. She died in January 2006. P. J. was a great writer and her New Age music reviews are some of the best ever written.
Though as a book, index and guide, The New Age Music Guidefeels somewhat rushed. The artist profiles contain the name of the albums - but not the year of their initial release. P. J. explains that this is because of chaos in the information supplied by the artists and lables. The artist profiles are mostly short, and does not add much information about the artists in question.
But what makes this into a great book is the way P. J. divides the New Age music genre into sub-genres. She has also invited music writers and artist to give their description of a selected sub-genre. P. J. herself has selected artists that belong in each sub-genres. The artist profiles are also labeled with one or more sub-genres. Tangerine Dream for instance is labeled as Space Music.
The book has a nice foreword by Steven Halpern. It is one of the best articles ever written about our genre, and well worth the book's current second hand price. He gives an interesting introduction to the different aspects of New Age music - like its harmony, timbre and texture - though I disagree that our genre does not have rhythm and a pulse. In the foreword to the book released 10 years later, Henk N. Werkhoven'sThe international guide to new age music (1998), Halpern is much more in favor of removing the New Age music genre label all together and the term Contemporary adult instrumental.
The book has little value today as an artist index. But interestingly enough, most of the major artists today were already big in 1989 (Yanni, Deuter, Peter Kater, Suzanne Doucet - and the list is even longer). There are some very obscure artists here too, which are likely not to be found anywhere but here - and in a long forgotten cassette box somewhere.
The New Age Music Guide - Profiles and Recordings of 500 Top New Age Musiciansis a nice piece of New Age music history, and a statement of our genre's success in the mid/late 1980s. If you love our genre, you'll love this book! But if your are looking for a hard format New Age music artist index, theHenk N. Werkhoven's The international guide to new age music (1998) is a better and more updated choice.
The book is available on Amazon from various global bookstores.
Be sure to check out Suzanne Doucet's report on The New Age Music Circle from ZMR Music Awards in New Orleans. She writes:
I just came back from New Orleans. An amazing event took place there at the Joy Theater. The 9th LIVE ZMR (Zone Music Reporter previously New Age Reporter) Music Awards took place with performances from some of the best artists in the genre. The event was a great success thanks to Daryl Portier and his staff at ZMR as well as thanks to all contributors and supporters of this event. Many artists, reviewers and broadcasters met for the first time and as Renée Blanche, (our beautiful host of the evening) pointed out "we became flesh and bones".
According to Deep-Forest.fr, the new Deep Forest album Deep Africa will be out June 3.
A remix version of one of the songs on the album, Dub Africa, has just been released and is currently no. 20 on the UK Club Chart. It is not on the band's store - but the song is posted on Youtube. As usual, the Deep Forest remixes are more electronic/club/jungle.
Deep India is the new album from Deep Forest. It is the second album in the Deep series, where Deep Brasil was the first release. Deep India does not add anything revolutionary new to the project. The strong world music elements that gave Deep Brasil such life and authenticity are gone (I'm for instance thinking about Flávio Dell’Isola and Michel Villain's fantastic vocals) - but longtime fans will find several great songs to enjoy.
Deep Forest is perhaps most known for its mix of ethnic samples with modern synths. The result is an atmosphere that highlights the emotional content of the sample, but also removes the sample from its "real" cultural context by adding synth tracks and modern elements. When Deep Forest used a recording from the Solomon Islands (called "Rorogwela") to create the 1990s hit Sweet Lullaby, we can sense how the adult tries to comfort a baby - but where the sample is taken from and what the words means have little or no meaning. It is everything about atmosphere. This is one of the main differences between world music and New Age music.
This time around Eric Mouquet has teamed up with Santoor player Rahul Shama. The Santoor is a folk instrument from Kashmir and Jammu, India. Rahul is a great artist and adds wonderful melodies to the arrangement. But in this day and age it is hard to distinguish between a real Santoor and a synth (for example soft synth company Precisionsound has a great Santoor synth), so the ethnic element here is somewhat lost in the perfection of the recording. That said, Rahul Shama does great work here.
In the same way Enigma albums starts with a certain synth selection, Deep Forest do the same. The synth effect gives you a feeling of being deep in the forest. It is a great way to start an album, and Deep India is no exception. The best tracks on the album are Bihu and Punjab, which have that atmosphere Deep Forest is famous for. I think the album is also nicely mixed, and Sony music has done a good job. The effect used are up to date (though not cutting edge). The cover with the band icon is nicely done.
In conclusion;Deep India is a great album for longtime Deep Forest fans. But if you are looking for an India themed album, releases like Kiran Murti's Namaste or Govindas and Radha Waves of Love: Indian Kirtan Sessions are better choices. But if you know that it is Deep Forest you'll looking for, then a trip to Deep India is not a bad idea.
The title of Al Conti's new album is The Blue Rose. It is the follow up to Al’s Grammy nominated Northern Seas. It is now available on iTunes.
You can hear two samples from the album on Al Conti's homepage. Diane Arkenstone has already heard the album, and has this comment:
"The Blue Rose is gorgeous! It is truly a breathtaking work of music and art. It has the grace and elegance of a work by Tchaikovsky and makes for a most enchanting, modern classic."
And Marc Enfroy has this to say:
"Al is a master at telling stories through music. The ancient legend he so vividly brings to life in The Blue Rose will not only fill you with wonder and hope, but the feeling that anything is possible."
I am going to share with you some of the finest piece of New Age music history out there!
There was an article in music magazine SPIN in December 1985. This was in the very beginning of the New Age Music Golden Age, and there was a feeling that "something big" was about to happen. The article by John Shaefer starts with the New Age music artist version of the old joke:
And then:
What is new age music? Is it music that’s made for meditation, stress reduction, and massage? Or is it whatever California’s post-hippie generation or the yuppie crowd happens to be listening at the moment? New Age Music is a difficult term to pin down, and you certainly don’t want to ask the artists themselves, because they tend to describe their music like this: “Spatially enhanced flamenco guitar channeled via electrocrystals thru deep digital reverb into the spaciousness of a thousand and one reflections. “
Since antiquity the whereabouts of the legendary island Atlantis has been discussed. From Plato to Francis Bacon and into today’s world, it has been a frequent topic for both scientific research and art. Atlantis is also the topic for Clifford White’s new album. Here he gives the listener a fresh perspective on the old myth. Indeed, after 65 minutes of music you feel that Atlantis has risen from the ocean and become a place in your mind you can visit and revisit again and again. So hang on, and enjoy the voyage!
Atlantis is a popular theme in New Age Music. Most prominent is David Arkenstone’s Atlantis: A Symphonic Journey (2004), but also Alex Herr’s synth classic from the late 1980s Atlantis Arising comes to mind. And now we can add another strong album to the list!
I was excited when I heard that Clifford White’s new album would be about Atlantis. The reason is because his previous albums concerning water are among my all time favorites. The collection An Island Called Paradise is a like a trip to a magical and relaxing island, and I make sure to recommend it as often as I can. Selected songs from it are also among the most popular on our channel New Age Stars. We must also not forget that Clifford White is used to myths and great histories; last year’s The Gods Of Olympus was an album worthy of gods.
So with this in mind I put Atlantis on my iPhone and started my musical journey.
The album opens with the title song, which starts with the sound of waves, a quiet piano melody and then something I can describe (bear with me here) as a Vangelis / Chariots of fire-like synth pluck-beat. Which is always a welcome effect! The larger-than-life strings are also here, illustrating the grandness, the light and magic of the underwater world. The song has a very nice melody, and a calming atmosphere.
Track 2, Catacombs, takes the listener even further down – into a darker world, with a faster beat and nice dripping sounds. After all, the tale of Atlantis – like the real-life story of Pompeii – is first and foremost a dramatic story. If Atlantis hadn’t disappeared, there would be no magic; what you can’t ever see, find or reach is to man always more exciting than what is readily available. Isn’t that so?
I am fascinated by the way Clifford White changes sound from one track to the next, while the tracks still blend perfectly into each other. An example here is track 6, Time Tunnels, which is lounge in style. It has a jazzy freshness. Then it is track no. 7, Edge of the Ocean, which is laid back, has a bossa nova beat and a Vollenweider-ish electronic harp melody. This makes the album into an interesting listen.
There is no monotony or repetitiveness.
Again it is tempting to refer to Vangelis – both in style and in craftsmanship; Track no. 8, The New World, has the force of Conquest of Paradise, and lots of White’s usual magic too. The new world unveils itself before your inner eye.
Atlantis is like a box of surprises. The album closer is Exodus; an upbeat, bright piece. Here I must compare to Jean Michel Jarre’s classic Fourth Rendez-Vous. It shines bright, illustrating the overwhelming power of the Exodus.
As you can see from the references; White is here delivering a top notch album, and will once again find himself on the year’s top lists of new age albums.
Atlantis is here as real as it will ever get. Bravo!
On the page Indiegogo you can help Transcend with Time release a new album by donating. If you donate 2 $ you'll get a track before it is released, while 7 $ will get you a digital download of the upcoming album. For 60 $ you'll get a song composed in your honor!
I find that some of the best and most interesting music is created in crossing point between different genres. This is where new expressions and sounds are made. An album like this is Transcend with Time’s third album, Through Memory’s Perception. It is almost like a bridge between two worlds: the world of rock and the world of ambient/new age. Impossible, you might say. No. Not at all.
Transcend with Time is a one-man band by Mark Mendieta from Brownsville, Texas. His previous albums are called Reflections of the Soul (2007) and A Voice of Calmness (2006). Mark Mendieta also has a progressive rock project called Subject to Thoughts. And the influence from progressive rock is obvious on Through Memory’s Perception. But I think the overall atmosphere is closer to rock or alternative metal, even though the instruments used are the standard ambient/new age setup: dreamy synth pads, strings, piano and light drums. But the real difference is the use of electronic guitar samples, which in true rock style create a rather dark soundscape. Play song no. 7, A Lingering Thought, and you’ll understand. But still the sound is ambient/new age, which makes this into a remarkable album.
The first song, Open Your Eyes, starts with an eerie, high pitched bird-like sound, dark pads and piano. It could have been the soundtrack to a scary movie. After 1min45sec a much brighter piano melody with a gentle tempo. All the songs are long, this one over 8 minutes, so the album is definitely chill out material.
The title track, no. 2, starts with a happy vibe, much thanks to the samples used. It gets a little darker later in the song, when the only instruments used are strings, guitar and a slow drumbeat. It is almost like a walk from light to darkness.
My favorite track is track no. 3, Visions of Premonition, which is a lot more new age than the rest. The last four minutes with a nice analogue synth reminds me of Tangerine Dream. It is powerful and heartfelt at the same time. Two another new age sounding tracks are no. 5, Cognitive Imagery and track no. 7, Reminiscence. They’re slow moving and gently evolving: it’s beautiful beyond words.
The track Signs of Existence is a good example of how a combination new age and rock sounds like. There is this mystical element here, like in many new age songs. Yet it has rock’s in-your-face quality and atmosphere.
Through Memory’s Perception is self released, but is still a professional recording. Some might argue that many of the songs are too long, but I think this make them perfect for relaxation. It is not easy to mix rock and new age, and in this respect Transcend with Time has done a magnificent job. I will also credit Mark Mendieta for the thoughtful and inspired song titles.
The next time a rock fan tells me that he hates new age music, I know of a record that for sure will change his mind: it’s all about memory’s perception. Right?
David & Steve Gordon have the following news for us:
We were recently approached by the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center's (NMCPHC) Health Promotion and Wellness department. They asked if we would donate an album of songs for their website relaxation tool for service members. We agreed to donate our music to their project.
It's good to know that our music can help service members relax, heal and renew their spirit.
When their "Relax Relax" website tool is up and running, we will let you know and include the link so you can check it out.
Great work! New Age music has so much to offer. Check out the Gordon Brother's blog Sound Peace
Here are the latest news from Medwyn Goodall and MG Music:
Medwyn is currently close to finishing a very gentle album based on a tropical island called TURTLE ISLAND !, BUT, he the scoop behind the scenes here is he is research for MEDICINE WOMAN 5 – The Golden Age for later this year! Apparently the style will be going back to the Medicine Woman 1 and 2 and he’s aiming to make it the longest Medicine Woman album……..and for the first time ever to offer WAV copies of the actual studio master for sale.
And there is more:
We are starting our new website build. We aim to complete and re-launch in early to mid May. The existing website will remain in use until then. When the new site is launched all your saved addresses will simply bringing you to the new site, so you wont lose us.
A new Jim Wilson album has been released. Here is a presentation from New Earth Records:
This album is a carefully crafted compilation of some of Jim Wilson’s most powerful collaborative music. Jim Wilson worked under the pseudonyms Tulku and Little Wolf, but always created unparalleled combination of traditional Native American flutes, drums and beats with state-of-the-art electronics making all of his music truly unique.
Don't you just love music that almost instantly enters your heart and soul, that from the very first note seems to connect with you? One such album for me is Masako (2012), which is also the name of the artist behind this fine release.
Masako is a professional pianist, born in Japan who now lives in New England, northeastern US. Masako is her first solo release. When reviewing piano music, it often feels natural to speak in terms of seasonal colors. The songs on this album make me think of strong, vibrant autumn colors - just like the below cover - although there are a few from the brighter side of the palette too. Songs like Ottauquechee River and Remembrance Part 2 have the life and freshness of summer.
The album was recorded at Will Ackerman's studio - and is beautifully well-balanced. I was a bit surprised to hear a quite audible hiss of the microphone on some of the tracks (in this age of ultra high recording quality and digital sound processing), but found that this actually gives the album a warm atmosphere. It doesn't have that "impossible close to the piano" sound that many piano recordings have these days. Mr. Ackerman has as usual done an amazing job in the studio. The album has a great rhythm, and can be used for both relaxation and exercise.
It is not unusual for professional artists to release great albums when they for the first time go solo. But Masako is a very strong first release, even in this context. It tells of an artist that we can expect more great things from in the future. But before Masako has a new album ready there are plenty on her current album for us to enjoy.
Masako is simply a fantastic release, filled with colors and life; the first listen feels like the start of a long friendship.
It is all about Mike Oldfield these days; To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tubular Bells, the crew on Mikeoldfield.org is holding a convention in Reading on 6th July, the town where it all started sixty years ago.
The Gathering is a compilation album with artists that have recently recorded at Will Ackerman’s Imaginary Road Studios. The album won two awards at the Zone Music Reporter Music Award Show in New Orleans: Album of the Year and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album.
I'm reading everything I can find that has been published about New Age music. I recently did a review of Patti Jean Birosik's The New Age Music Guide (1989). 
We are now the 4th largest New Age music channel on Live365, and number 92 out of 2600 channels in terms of listeners. As you can see from the player to the right, we show up on the first 5 NA music channels for easy access. We have broadcasted more than 1,2 million hours of music since December 2008. 
Deep Forest is perhaps most known for its mix of ethnic samples with modern synths. The result is an atmosphere that highlights the emotional content of the sample, but also removes the sample from its "real" cultural context by adding synth tracks and modern elements. When Deep Forest used a recording from the Solomon Islands (called "Rorogwela") to create the 1990s hit Sweet Lullaby, we can sense how the adult tries to comfort a baby - but where the sample is taken from and what the words means have little or no meaning. It is everything about atmosphere. This is one of the main differences between world music and New Age music.
I was excited when I heard that Clifford White’s new album would be about Atlantis. The reason is because his previous albums concerning water are among my all time favorites. The collection An Island Called Paradise is a like a trip to a magical and relaxing island, and I make sure to recommend it as often as I can. Selected songs from it are also among the most popular on our channel New Age Stars. We must also not forget that Clifford White is used to myths and great histories; last year’s The Gods Of Olympus was an album worthy of gods.
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