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| Artist: | "ENYA" |
| Title: | "PAINT THE SKY WITH STARS" |
| Label: | Reprise |
| Reviewed By: | Donn Jehs |
| Rating: |  |
| Ten Years ago there was little interest in traditionally based Celtic
music until "Enya" personalized it and wrapped it in beautiful
string arrangements and haunting vocals on her debut album "The Celts."
Thirty-three million records, and two Grammys later, the world can't seem
to get enough. Fans of New Age, Celtic, and beautiful music will rejoice
in this collection of 16 songs, 14 from her previous four albums and two
brand new cuts. From her debut album, "The Celts" comes the title song with it's almost churchlike feel including bells and "Boadicea." The latter is almost a funeral dirge in memory of the warrior queen who faced the Romans in ancient times, stately and reverent. Her first big hit, an MTV favorite, "Orinocco Flow" is the first cut on the album and also the first of three songs from her 1988 multi-platinum album "Watermark." The opening bars might be some of the most recognizable music in the past decade. The use of the harp to craft a feel of the water is one of my favorite aural experiences. "Storms in Africa" has echoes of "Orinocco Flow" but substitutes the acoustic guitar for the harp with sudden short drum rolls symbolizing the thunder culiminating in an extended drum solo to bring the song to a close. Each song uses another instrument as a focus. On "Watermark" it was the languid notes of the piano easing its way into your consciousness. Her grammy winning album "Shepherd Moons" (1991) is well represented with five songs including "Caribbean Blue" and "Book Of Days" which may rival "Orinocco Flow" for memorable opening bars, this time with strings and keyboards. The title track introduced a new generation to beauty of lone piano. The one thing this album didn't have enough of was cuts like "Ebudae" with it's beautiful Gaelic vocals. However among all the music they could have have picked they managed to also pick my least favorite song "Marble Halls" which leaves me as cold as its name. "Memory of Trees" earned "Enya" a second Grammy and from this album comes my personal favorite, the upbeat "Anywhere Is" with it's infectious melody. Joyce Kilmer wrote a famous and beautiful poem about trees and "Enya" has done the same musically with "Memory of Trees," a tribute to those forest giants. "China Roses" and "On my Way Home" round out the songs from this album. As is the case with most greatest hits albums these days, there are also two new cuts - just in case any "Enya" fans might pass on getting a compilation because they have her previous four albums. They are enticed to buy it simply to get the two new cuts. While this is may be a good marketing ploy, I find it unfair to those who have purchased all the individual albums. If they want a compilation let them choose on that basis, not to add two new songs to their collection. Save them for the next album. Be that as it may, the two new cuts "Only If" and "Paint The Sky With Stars" are certainly good enough to be included on the album. The former is reminiscent of "Orinocco Flow" while the latter has a hymnlike quality and reminds me of the childs prayer 'now I lay me down to sleep' in cadence and spirit. While one may argue about cuts that were left off or which should have been left off, the fact of the matter is that if you're a fan, after the most well known songs, the rest are a matter of choice. In my case the choice presented certainly 'paints MY sky with stars.' |
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| Artist: | "JOEY ALTRUDA" |
| Title: | "KINGSTON COCKTAILS" |
| Label: | Will Records |
| Available: | Any Major Music Store |
| Reviewed By: | Donn Jehs |
| Rating: |  |
| From the opening cut on "Kingston Cocktail" the difference
between this album and most jazz albums is immediately apparent. No matter
the fact that Red Young is an excellent musician, Most jazz fans will have
a difficult time dealing with the Hammond Organ as a jazz instrument. Jazz
is built on sharp sounds from sharp notes and the organ is just not built
for that kind of play. The most popular jazz music out there comes from
wind instrument players like Kenny G, Richard Braun and Boney James. Lounge Jazz is the label given to most of the music written and played by "Joey Altruda," composer, arranger and upright bass player. This is the kind of music you hear in the side rooms in Vegas while you console yourself over your losses at the gaming tables. You hear it but it is only in the background. There is nothing wrong with this kind of music. It's nice to listen to, contains very few surprises but leaves very few indelible memories. Mr. Altruda shows his talent most on cuts like "Buru Jazz" where he gives the music an edge and a sound that would turn your head toward the stage from whatever conversation you might be engaged in at the moment. The sax lines on this cut are well defined and along with his bass play make it one of the better cuts on the album. "Skabanka" is highlighted by the guitar play of Ernest Ranglin, a jazz guitarist who takes Joey's music and makes it personal and inviting. The sax play of Plas Johnson on "Smackin' The Possum" along with the aforementioned "Buru Jazz" is sharp and at times like on "Moment Of Decision" when it plays off of Ranglin's giutar is quite enjoyable. An album like this is great background music for a party but hard to justify buying with some of the superb jazz out there to be had. |
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| Artist: | "Various" |
| Title: | "SONGS WITHOUT WORDS" |
| Label: | Windham Hill |
| Available: | Any Major Music Store |
| Reviewed By: | Donn Jehs |
| Rating: | |
| The piano is where most songwriter's start their work. It is a tool of
the trade and they seldom have the opportunity to share their personal feelings
and skills with the public. We have heard many of these pieces, often with
vocals perfomed by major artists, but on this album the piano is the star. Each of the sixteen songwriter/composers was asked to contribute and play one of their own works for this album. Among them are familiar names like "Carole King," "Brian Wilson," and "Stephen Sondheim." Other names may be unfamiliar even while their music has entertained you in one form or another. "Michael Kamen" chose "Every Thing I Do (I Do For You)" certainly the most award winning piece on the album, yet hearing it played as first composed, you get a feel for the inherent beauty of the music that made the "Bryan Adams" song one of the biggest hits of the past several years. "If You Asked Me To" was "Dianne Warren's" personal choice even over "Unbreak My Heart." Writer of numerous hits for artists such as "Toni Braxton" and "Trisha Yearwood" most of us would be hard pressed to pick a favorite. Two of the most personal songs on the album came from "Michael Whalen" and "Desmond Child." The former chose a piece called "Life Is A Circle" inspired by the death of his grandmother. "My cousin Alley (two years old) was playing and dancing throughout the viewing. She was so full of life force, joy, and her own potential. I remember thinking at that moment that life is a circle. As one thing passes away, another is born. Even though I felt very sad, vulnerable and human, I also felt blessed that a child had taught me to find joy in a sad experience and to embrace the future. I hope someone like Alley is dancing at my funeral." "Stone Quilt" comes from Desmond's seeing the AIDs quilt and his concept of a terrace made up of colored stones from all over the world with the names of AIDs victims inscribed on them, thus the title. As for "Song Without Words" I cannot go without saying "enjoy!" |
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