CD Review: Kayhan Kalhor & Ali Bahrami Fard's 'I Will Not Stand Alone'

Kayhan Kalhor & Ali Bahrami Fard
I Will Not Stand Alone
World Village

The prominent Iranian composer and musician, Kayhan Kalhor, combines meditative and adventurous compositions on a new instrument—the shah kaman—along with Ali Bahrami Fard’s bass santoor. The earthy sound of the shah kaman resembles a darker version of the kamancheh, though it is similar in appearance. The floating melodies of shah kaman and bass santoor elicit dreamy images of Persian classical music that is reinvented for a new generation. Keep in mind, only shah kaman and bass santoor instruments are included on this album. Technical wizardry and vocals are nowhere to be found. The interplay between the shah kaman and the bass santoor come to a head on “The Laziest Summer Afternoon.” At times, the music is complex and frenzied. However, it is interspersed with quieter moments that really grab the attention of listeners. The entire album is about one-hour long with tracks ranging in length from under two-minutes to fourteen-minutes. At any rate, the Persian music listener will find solace in the punchy notes of the bass santoor and the earthy gliding of the shah kaman. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Kelly Carpenter's 'Passage'

Kelly Carpenter
Passage
Self-Release

The chilled and relaxing grooves of Kelly Carpenter’s piano playing combine elements of ambient rock with new age instrumental magic on his latest release, Passage. The adventurous “Summer Rain” takes on a life of its own with lush piano melodies and an ambient rock vibe that is wholly instrumental. The quick and short keys resemble falling rain. “A Distant Shore” seems more like an ode to Ireland with a pensive, yet emotive violin solo that only lasts thirty-seconds. “Whom Have I But You?” contains playful piano melodies and a little percussion to add some meat to the track. The fluttering electric sounds merge into an electric guitar medley that appropriately accompanies the piano. The rain and thunder noises of “Waiting” are accompanied by solo, meditative piano. “Saying Goodbye” contains a rousing and jazzy melody with light percussion and piano accompaniment with the unmistakable sounds of an electric guitar. This is probably the most ambient rock-type song on the album that encompasses a bit of blues and roots music thrown in. “Ascent” opens with bird sounds and a fast-paced piano with light percussion and atmospheric keyboards. “The View From Here” opens with spacey noises, atmospheric washes, and sparkling piano sounds before a little post-ambient rock guitar breaks the serenity. The last few tunes add a little more rock guitar, but it does not detract away from the new age nuances throughout. In fact, the rock guitar is a perfect addition to the instrumental music. If Passage is a journey, his piano is the vehicle. Fans of solo instrumental piano, new age and ambient rock will love it. Similar artists: Michele de Wilton, Danny Wright, and Al Conti.     

CD Review: Seka Gong Taruna Mekar Orchestra feat. Wayne Vitale and I Made Arnawa

Seka Gong Taruna Mekar Orchestra feat. Wayne Vitale and I Made Arnawa
Makrokosma Bali
Vital Records

Initially a science-focus, Makrokosma Bali eventually centered on Balinese culture and philosophy over the four years of its development. The universal microcosm and macrocosm of human existence and humankind's orientation within the universe is showcased with the different sounds. The gamelan instrumentation is more pronounced and varied than the previously-reviewed album, also from Vital Records. The ensemble consists of twenty-five musicians. "Kerang Kering" is a vocal track with rhythmic chanting, speaking, and nature sounds without instrumental accompaniment. The five other tracks contain traditional tunes that are perfect for the Balinese student or aficionado of Indonesian gamelan music. This is a fine example of gamelan music produced in Bali with an American participating in the music-making process (Wayne Vitale). ~ Matthew Forss 

CD Review: I Made Arnawa & I Dewa Putu Berata's 'Returning Minimalism: New Works For Balinese gamelan gong kebyar'

I Made Arnawa & I Dewa Putu Berata
Returning Minimalism: New Works For Balinese gamelan gong kebyar
Vital Records

I Made Arnawa and I Dewa Putu Berata are two musicians that make up the Seka Gong Taruna Mekar and Cudamani Ensembles from Bali, Indonesia. Returning Minimalism... is an extension of Terry Riley's 1964 work, "In C", a pivotal piece--and arguably the first minimalist composition. Track one, "In Deng," by I Made Arnawa, is a twenty-four minute composition that includes gamelan instruments, such as reong, trompong, gangsa, suling, jublag, jegogan, gong, kempur, and kenong. The metallic overtones are arranged in a fast-paced rhythm with shimmering gamelan sounds that mimic a metal balafon or vibraphone with starkly, higher-pitched sounds. The music is instrumental and it takes on a new approach to performance, since the album accentuates improvisational and creative energies that defy traditional modes. "In Ding" is the second and final track, but it is performed by I Dewa Putu Berata. This track was mostly instrumental, except for vocal accompaniment by Emiko Saraswati Susilo. "In Ding" was more improvisationala range of one tone. The crystal clear tones of the gamelan instruments are iconic, trance-inducing, and meditative. The music is ideal for Balinese musical studies and graduate students with a background in musical notation. Extensive liner notes are included in English. ~ Matthew Forss  

CD Review: Buika's 'En Mi Piel' [2 CD]

Buika
En Mi Piel [2 CD]
Warner Music

Hailing from Spain and born of Equatorial Guinean parents, Buika (pronounced BWEE-kah) is a vocalist with sincerity that seeps through every part of the album. The 2-CD set includes a lively, Spanish-infused concoction of brooding love songs, emotional deliveries, and danceable song structures. En Mi Piel, which means, 'in my skin,' is an evocative title that represents her comfortable and emotive songwriting skills and personal stories. The Spanish-language album contains upbeat tunes on percussion, piano, acoustic guitar, and a variety of strings and horns. The intense vocalizations are more varied than Cape Verde's Lura; not as smooth as Ethiopia's Saba; and almost reminiscent of Uzbekistan's Yulduz Usmanova. At any rate, the writhing percussion and swirling vocals wrap around the listener like the warmth of a Mediterranean sunset. The inviting repertoire is similar to fado or flamenco stylings--both of which are popular music forms in the global music community. The African music links are less than evident on this recording. As a result, fans of European fado and flamenco-type music with a little Andalusian embellishments and jazz will find solace and fun in En Mi Piel. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Trio Bravo's Self-Titled Release From Germany

Trio Bravo
Trio Bravo
Ozella Music

Though a Trio, there are several musicians on this exciting recording from Germany. The instrumental album contains cross-genre music incorporating North and South American, European, and Asian influences. Some instruments utilized include violin, piano, double bass, drums, marimba, cello, kontrabass, and assorted percussion. The fluid piano playing and spritely strings combine perfectly with the other instruments. Many of the songs are easy to imagine on a soundtrack. The gitty and jazzy "Wiener Wuerstchen" is a downtempo gem with violin work and folkish melodies. The klezmer-esque tunes are appropriately-matched with the upbeat strings and Eurocentric leanings. Nineteen tracks take on many characteristics of the classical and fusion worlds. Keep in mind the music is not amped up with guitars or keyboards, which is fine for a recording of this sort. The entire album can be summed up in one word: ausgezeichnet! ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Roger Matura's 'World Gone Wrong'

Roger Matura
World Gone Wrong
Ozella Music

Nearly an hour of music sets the stage for a wonderful folk album of inner peace and outer joy. World Gone Wrong is a wry, witty, and charismatic recording of folk music with hints of harmonica, piano, sax, flugelhorn, violin, bandoneon, and assorted percussion. Roger's raspy voice is Dylan-esque, but more defined. Roger's German upbringing shines through the tracks, but the music is in English and some of the melodies resemble folk tunes from the streets of Paris or Dublin. The twenty-two songs represent a host of emotions, relationships, and thoughts that culminate into a broad-scoped recording of intelligent writing and evocative delivery. Roger's seemingly reserved vocal range appropriately matches the bluesy, folksy, and jazzy rhythms. Fans of singer/songwriter music will love Roger's new work. ~ Matthew Forss