As much as I try to appreciate all forms of music, sometimes I
find all-instrumental music boring. It’s not the lack of vocals
that is the problem, it’s that the music doesn’t show any
additional imagination or life in place of a voice.
And then, there’s
Reflections, a disc that just hit the stores. Featuring
seven artists of different styles from around the world, they
combine their talents on solo tracks to make an album that is
surprisingly cohesive, as well as creative and fresh – and I can’t
stop listening to it.
Three of the selections come from Manuel Iman (whom I am told
has a solo album coming out soon). Iman’s addictive style of
Spanish guitar, as well as just a touch of Latin funk when it’s
called for, make these tracks stand out. “Slow Gypsy” is a track I
would have liked to see stretched out a bit longer; to my ears, it
was far too short, though it was incredibly charming
nonetheless.
If any player is under-represented on
Reflections, it is classical guitarist John Mills. The one
selection he performs, “Tremolo,” brought back memories of the late
Michael Hedges and his jaw-dropping skills on the harp guitar. If
any one player might be destined for superstardom in the world of
guitar work, Mills is my vote for the leading candidate.
Another artist who establishes a name for himself right off the
bat is John Adorney, whose three compositions on this disc might be
the most new-age based, but are equally as beautiful and powerful
as those by his counterparts. “Moving On” flows so smoothly, you’ll
hardly believe that six minutes have passed when the track
ends.
Whether it is the captivating sounds of the cello on Ron
Clearfield’s “Soliloquy” and (as provided by Wendy Velasco) on
Stuart Hoffman’s “Gone,” or the chime-like keyboard work on
Kazuhiko Ikegami’s “Mau,” or it is the Mideastern influences
(complete with tablas) on Nigel Holton’s “Remembrance,”
Reflections is an incredible disc that reminds me what I
first heard in the field of new age music that I loved.
You see, at one time, new age music did not mean Yanni leading
his version of Heaven’s Gate followers into the pits of hell. New
age music was the capturing of a particular mood, style or place,
and through its performance made you feel like you were there.
Indeed, if the music hits me just right, songs on
Reflections make me feel like I’m standing on the shores of
Japan, taking part in a fiesta in Madrid, or even standing outside
the Taj Mahal (whoops, we’re back to a Yanni reference). This is
the beauty of new age music – beauty I think even the most diehard
headbanger could appreciate.
Reflections is a wonderful collection of artists whom I
sincerely hope we hear more from in the very near future. Until
such time, this disc is a wonderful sampler of their work, and is,
so far, high on my list as one of the best albums of the year.
