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World
and New Age Music Reviews
By
Kathryn Sargent, Editor
Quiet
your mind, turn deep within, and the
voices of the ancestors will speak to
you. They will likely sound something
like the songs on Spirits Walking
The Wind by Nancy Bloom.
This hauntingly beautiful collection
of songs from Native American, African
American, and Celtic roots, is like
hearing your grandmothers' wisdom whispered
by your pillow when you are at the edge
of dreamtime. The title song, “Spirits
Walking The Wind,” tells us that
the old ways are gone, and yet they
must begin again. The lovely “Les
Chansons du Mystere” (Songs of
the Mystery) honors the elements of
earth, air, fire and water in Medieval
French tonalities, accompanied by Celtic
harp and pennywhistle. “Blessed
Be” is a sweet blessing chant.
“Let The Spirit Move You,”
featuring Ani Williams, is rendered
in the style of an African American
spiritual, deeply moving, intimate and
yet grand.
It
reminds us that God is in everything:
“God is in the sunlight, and in
deepest night, God is in the darkness,
God is in the light. . .God is in your
pain and God is your delight.”
“You Cannot Chain My Soul”
(vocal by G. Val Thomas) is “a
song of soul-force even in the midst
of the degradation and abuse of slavery.
A soul-retrieval process and rallying
cry for anyone anywhere who has suffered
abuse.” Blessedly, the lyrics for
all these songs are included in the
liner notes. There is inspiration, comfort,
and the reminder of the ancestors'
love in every song on Spirits
Walking the Wind. (Pub: Musik
International)
Chinmaya
Dunster, in his third album with
New Earth Records, presents Yoga:
On Sacred Ground, a joyful celebration
of yoga. This heartfelt music ranges
from the stirring, vibrant “Natrani,”
which portrays the dynamic energy
of the root chakra, to the introspective
“Gratitude” on the “watery
inner world of feelings.” Instrumentation
includes Chinmaya's exotic sarod,
plus other artists on tablas, bass,
Spanish lute, bamboo flute, violin,
slide guitar, accordion, sitar, tabla
tarang, drones, and keyboard. Each track
is keyed to one of the chakras, with
both “invigorating for the more
dynamic moments and relaxing for the
stiller ones (and for those who include
pranayama and/or a form of meditation
in their practice).” If you loved
Chinmaya's Feng Shui: The
Eight-Fold Path, as I did, you'll
love Yoga: On Sacred Ground.
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