Live Concert by Joan Sánchez Presents a Romantic Option for Valentine's Day 2022

A CONCERT IN YOUR HOME: Enjoy Joan Sánchez & Iratxe Ibaibarriaga, from Barcelona to your Big Screen

Joan (aka Juan to fans in the U.K. and U.S.) Sánchez is a classically-trained musician who enjoys experimenting with emotive expression through ambient and electronic music, painting musical worlds of twilight and sweet melancholy, often precise, unforgettable and elegant. The music understands our personal concerns and helps to dissipate any tension, allowing a sense of comfort to surround and protect our spirit.

Sánchez gave a rare live concert on Friday, January 21, 2022 at 8 pm for a small live audience in the Rosazul Studio in Barcelona, Spain. The ticketed event was also live streamed worldwide thanks to a flawless two-camera production by ElSusurro.com, and runs just under 54 minutes in length. The contemplative nature of the music, the candlelit atmosphere, and lack of dialogue make it a likely favorite for casting to “the big screen” to set a romantic atmosphere at home.

We see the two musicians, Sánchez seated at a black piano with rows of small white candles, and cellist Iratxe Ibaibarriaga, elegantly dressed in black and seated throughout the performance. Ms. Ibaibarriaga plays on many of the selections, alternating with Juan playing solo piano. This review highlights just a few tracks from the concert set list of 11-songs, fan favorites chosen from across Sánchez’ three albums released in recent years.

The first selection, "Piga al Cel" (performed on Piano & Cello) is from the artist’s new album TOUCH & SOUND. The name of the song comes from a Catalan language expression that in English means “freckle in the sky.” Juan shares in an earlier interview, "This is how my sister as a child used to describe the moon, she said that the moon was a freckle in the sky. I always found this description of the moon so sweet and tender that I wanted to write a song about it."

"Very Young Old Man" (on Piano) from Sánchez’ second album NOW THE SILENCE pays tribute to the man who shaped Sánchez's view on the piano and music in general; piano teacher Enric Torra Pòrtulas. “I was 20 years old and he was 80 years old. I was amazed, as I'd never seen so much energy and enthusiasm in a person of his age. He loved teaching piano; anyone could see that immediately. He was a Very Young Old Man."

The word Ataraxia refers to the total absence of desires or fears, achieving mental peace and happiness by controlling positive and negative emotions, a state of mind that is characterized by tranquility and the total absence of desires or fears. The concept of ataraxia is to achieve mental peace and happiness impossible to alter by controlling positive and negative emotions, "Ataraxia" (on Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND.

The term "Paralian" comes from ancient Greek origins, meaning "one who lives by the sea.” "Paralian" (Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND, "There are a million and one things I take for granted in my life, and living within 10 minutes of the Mediterranean sea is definitely one of them. There’s nothing quite like being able to pop down to the beach in a heartbeat whenever you need it. Because of this, I think it’s one of the best places to go to feel closer to nature and connect with the planet, more so than anywhere else." 

Listening to the music of Juan Sánchez is haunting and profound; sometimes the story is difficult, there is a beauty in the hesitant searching for words, and then cascading ideas tumble forth, a visitation from a blurred face, passions remembered and lost, the warm sunshine and awkward moments meeting new friends for the first time, and always, the quietude that  endures. Sánchez’ cinematic songs inspire filmic moments in listeners’ minds.

Watching Sánchez perform these original pieces in concert reminds us that there is a person behind the magic moments he creates for us. Calm and confident, Sánchez plays effortlessly throughout the concert, eyes closed, head bowed as if in meditation, and then he is present again, transitioning smoothly between solo performances and duets with Ms. Ibaibarriaga. His earlier life experience as a performing musician is evident in his comfort at the piano, and in the generous interplay with his fellow performer on cello.  The candlelight concert concludes with the title track from his debut album, “Rebirth.” 

At the end of the livestream, as the performers stood for applause, Sánchez addressed his live audience in his native Catalan language, a charming reminder that we’ve enjoyed an intimate moment in this elusive artist’s life from across the world.  Hopefully, such performances by Sánchez will be less rare as the world opens up again.

Where to Watch: 

Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/669108816/8763f69c07            

YouTube: https://youtu.be/LDVnDnxBGsg 

Perfect for fans of: Ludovico Einaudi, Max Richter, Fiona Joy Hawkins, Lindsey Stirling

Five Stars *****

CONCERT SET LIST

• Piga al Cel (Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND
• Very Young Old Man (Piano) from the album NOW THE SILENCE
• Ataraxia (Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND
• Woolgathering (Piano) from the album NOW THE SILENCE
• Paralian (Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND
• Beautiful Rose (Piano) from the album REBIRTH
• When Daybreak Comes (Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND
• November 2021 (Piano)
• Now The Silence (Piano) from the album NOW THE SILENCE
• Those Fridays (Piano & Cello) from the album TOUCH & SOUND
• Immersion (Piano) from the album TOUCH & SOUND
• Rebirth (Piano) from the album REBIRTH

All links to music, information and media are available at www.juansanchezmusic.info

                                                

Video: https://vimeo.com/669108816/8763f69c07

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MUSIC REVIEW: The Silence of Grace

New Sounds by Music Pioneers Deborah Martin & Jill Haley 

https://orcd.co/the-silence-of-grace

https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/the-silence-of-grace/ 

Electronic and acoustic instrumental music of inspirational calm and great beauty. The Silence of Grace combines the electronic music of Deborah Martin with Jill Haley’s oboe and English horn. There’s something very magical about the serenity of nature, and Jill has connected her music with the spirit of the wilderness. Deborah Martin’s passion is to visualize and create music that takes each listener on a journey through time and space. Each track contains the synergy of the woodwinds and electronics, interpreting the peace that can be experienced in natural settings, such as forests, parks and by waterways. 

This flowing and beautiful soundscape is filled with opportunities for adventure. The music I hear on this album represents to me the adoration of the Earth, seeking an  understanding of natural phenomena, and finding commonalities between all living things, things that are best studied as a whole. Seeking to understand how the world and universe around us works. This laboratory is alive. Jill brings the light while Deborah brings the love of mystery, and the combination of these two amazing musicians (stargazers, ambassadors from another time) is magical to behold.

Grace has confidence. Nature sometimes has a way of slowing life down, presenting a complicated system of causes, allowing the inquisitive to discover common patterns. Mother Earth has her own agenda, perhaps seen in the beautiful nighttime and early morning light. "The Silence of Grace" (6:54) is filled with passion, dreams, and magic, recalling spacious skies and mountain majesties, expressing theories of divine natural forms, there is almost nothing to compare to it.

Hues change by time of day and season, wrinkles in the earth’s crust are actually mountains that wear the dawn like "Indian Heaven" (6:52), revealing an immensely intense feeling of a state of love, peace and joy, celestial electronics and deep confident cadences, hand percussion and a quiet reverence for the mysteries of life and death.

Rugged and remote, "Verdant Sanctuary" (5:01) invites the listener to meander further into the wilderness, to discover ancient trees and dramatic cave formations which appear with mirage-like effects. I hear chimes and swirling electronics joined with an oboe to create a tone poem, describing a forest filled with life, a vast roadless wilderness. Hidden seeds contain future forms, which are responsible for the reproduction and growth of succeeding life forms, listen to the tiny DNA ribbons of color. Our sacred earth sometimes begets butterflies!

The wild character of these sound regions is due, in part, to their sheer size. The water continues to flow, solitude is one of the many assets held in the woodlands. Allow yourself to be mesmerized by the greenest mountains, and the flora and fauna found in the ground and the water, a gaunt beauty and place of profound quiet. "The Stillness of Forest Bathing" (6:20) is expressed with the sound of cosmic radiation that gives way to the calm glory of solitary interaction with nature, providing the spirits of the land a chance to shine their light directly on you.

Fog lies like a soft white blanket on the indescribable ghostliness, hundreds of miles of pure snow-covered rocks and virgin lakes and high timber. Find yourself in a stunning place, a place buffered from change, and give yourself a reminder that you are a part of this magical world. "Fountains" (6:06) bring tingling droplets of water in motion lifted by complex layers of weaving instruments and air, filled with cascading melodic breezes.

The beauty that surrounds the Earth is both grand and subtle, come to the edge and look outward, explore with your ears a different walking path today, seek out that rugged vista, the river and its tributaries, and the wind calling, feeling as if you have found the very edge of the world, embarking on adventures that no one has before. "Earth Stone Water Sky" (4:06) evokes the beauty of the calm water, the light on the mountains, and mysterious elements containing light, whispers, and time.

The whole valley, as far as the eye can reach, is full of trails of smoke, curling up from its fissured floor. What I hear is a hot pulsing didgeridoo, a primitive dancing engine, joined by hand percussion as the woodwind breezes swirl overhead, electronics flow throughout until they transform into ascending spirits that trickle down as gentle droplets, almost like rain. It seems as if time has dropped away a million years and we are back in a primordial world, in the pouring rain, "From Fire Into Water" (6:36).

Time is a river flowing beyond the reach of the quietus, preserving the wild beauty and deep history that extends over the reach of humans, with perpetual cycles of precipitation, evaporation, run off, and infiltration. Water is like many mobile beings, bodies in motion, rising into the air to peacefully soar on the wind in a frolic. "Water Flows of Clouds and Thunder" (7:32) depicts dark winds gathering power, and then becomes a sparkling celebration of motion, as a delicate harp emerges to join the airborne dance. What I hear gives me an indescribable sense of a mysterious elsewhere, a vivid glow that illuminates the clouds and its plume, revealing a cloud-cloaked landscape, hanging pinnacled in midheaven, sometimes you can’t really see it clearly while you are there. The beauty is, in its starkness, something that seems worlds away. Humans and nature have lived together for thousands and thousands of years. Each natural object was carefully placed as if Mother Nature had a specific outcome in mind. A safe place is where someone can feel relaxed and find peace. 

Deborah Martin is known for her mastery of subtlety and the essence of understatement, creating richly textured and highly emotive musical sojourns that always takes the listener on a journey. Some of her recent works include Hemispherica Portalis (a collaboration with Dean De Benedictis); Eye Of The Wizard; Under The Moon; Deep Roots, Hidden Water; Between Worlds (a collaboration with Erik Wøllo); Anno Domini (a collaboration with J. Arif Verner); Tibet (a collaboration with Madhavi Devi); and Ancient Power (a collaboration with Steve Gordon).

Jill Haley is an oboist, English horn player, pianist and composer who visits National Parks in the United States, often as an Artist in Residence, and composes music about the Park while living there. Some of these parks include Montana’s Glacier National Park; Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado; Badlands National Park, South Dakota; Wrangell/St. Elias National Park, Alaska; Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico; and Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. Her catalog includes The Canyons and Mesas of Bandelier, The Winds of Badlands, Zion and Bryce Canyon Soundscapes, Glacier Soundscapes, The Waters of Glacier, Mesa Verde Soundscapes, and National Park Soundscapes. 

Being outdoors and connecting with Mother Nature is probably as close to heaven as you can possibly get on this Earth. Find the place that you are surrounded by, the place which makes you feel most alive. Treat yourself to a musical nature walk. The views for your ears are spectacular! Experience the surreal musical tranquility of The Silence of Grace. Just sit and take it in with your headphones and observe the beauty.  

TRACKLIST
1 The Silence of Grace
2 Indian Heaven
3 Verdant Sanctuary
4 The Stillness of Forest Bathing
5 Fountains
6 Earth Stone Water Sky
7 From Fire Into Water
8 Water Flows of Clouds and Thunder

ENJOY A SAMPLE & PEEK INSIDE THE PACKAGE!

GIFT IT FOR MOTHER's DAY!

https://orcd.co/the-silence-of-grace

https://spottedpeccary.com/shop/the-silence-of-grace/ 

And also on BANDCAMP! 

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BrainVoyager Electronic Music

 (Guest author)

My real name is Jos Verboven but artistically I go by Brainvoyager. I’m a Dutch creator of cosmic and ambient electronic music and I live in the Netherlands. Spelled as ‘Brain Voyager’, this name appeared in 1985 as album title of the 7th album of the German electronic musician Robert Schroeder. This name covers exactly what Brainvoyager’s music stands for. It is music that tries to invoke voyages within the listener’s brain, thus turning him or her into a real brain voyager.

Electronic music has been a big musical passion for me for more than 40 years. However, the first 38 years were spent as a listener. My biggest influences come from Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Robert Schroeder & Steve Roach. Finally, I like trance music as well. So, I’m not unfamiliar with the music of the likes of Armin van Buuren either. In addition, I have put some links to their official websites under ‘Links/Other Artists’ in the main menu so that you can check their websites. As a result, my music is best described as a mixture of contemporary rhythms and hypnotic electronic ambiences, inspired by the model of retro Berlin School.

It would be great seeing Electronic Music of Brainvoyager become an interactive meeting place for electronic music enthusiasts. Therefore, this website doesn’t want to limit itself to a certain style or genre. Both the sections ‘News & Blog’ and ‘Reviews’ should be helpful to achieve this goal since there are lots of things to discover there, such as a history of Electronic Music, a concise overview, highlighting the milestones, from the late 19th century to the present time.

In August 2015 the UK based radio station West Star Radio asked me if I would like to do a weekly radio show. I said “Yes” and we agreed upon me doing a weekly radio show dedicated solely to electronic music of various styles. That’s how radio show “Electronic Fusion” of Brainvoyager was born. The very first episode was broadcast on 18 September 2015. Since October 2016 the German radio station Modul303 broadcasts radio show “Electronic Fusion” every week. Since March 2020 the German radio station Radio Dark Tunnel broadcasts radio show “Electronic Fusion” every week. Since October 2019 the US radio station Krypton Radio broadcasts radio show “Electronic Fusion” every week. Every Sunday a new episode will be broadcast. The show will re-run 12 hours later on the same day. For the most current broadcast schedule of radio show “Electronic Fusion” and for the weekly flyers and playlists of the radio show you can find everything on the BrainVoyager website.

The broadcast times of radio show “Electronic Fusion” are well divided over all days of the week. But in case you don’t like the broadcast schedules, or if you have missed an episode, or if you want to re-listen an episode of “Electronic Fusion”, you are lucky too. You can listen to “Electronic Fusion” on Mixcloud whenever you want and as many times you want.

Here is a link to an experimental review of my album Drifting Memories. Robin James wrote the review disguised as a very short science-fiction story, combining the description of the sound on the album Drifting Memories with a tale about leaving the Earth to find a new planet to start again on.

On the BrainVoyager website, in addition to the sonic linkages, blogs, the written histories and biographies, there are links to interesting radio stations,  a video track gallery, an audio track gallery, picture galleries, a slideshow, a discography, a music webstore, links to other artists, links to other websites, and of course, ways to contact BrainVoyager.

Hence, you are kindly invited to discover how great these voyages can be. For listening to my tracks you may check the galleries under ‘Galleries’ in the main menu. You can listen to and watch my tracks on YouTube while listening on SoundCloud provides a better sound quality.

Welcome to the Deepest Part of the Internet!

TAGS #Abstract #Acid #Ambient #Atmospheric #Berlin School #BrainVoyager #Chillout #Cinematic #Classic #Classic EM #Cosmic #DeepListening #Downtempo #Drone #Dubstep #Dutch #Electronic #Garage #Groove #Holland #IDM #Melodic #Minimal #Newwave #Organic Ambient #Pop #ProgressiveRock #Sequencer #Soundscapes #Soundtrack #Space #Synth-pop #TechHouse #Techno# Trance #Tribal

Review: MOSSEBO Special Edition

I care about animals, global justice and the environment. I am a vegan and I try to purchase ecological and fair trade products as much as I can. - Johan Agebjörn

Some albums are worth revisiting; MOSSEBO is one of those albums in the Ambient Electronic realm, recently remastered and reissued by the team at Spotted Peccary Music in Portland, OR. 

The Los Angeles Times’ August Brown called the original MOSSEBO “a more melancholy and ambient tone poem of an album,” and e/i Magazine wrote that it’s “like some brilliant bolt out of the blue, unexpected, surprising, ever-rejuvenating.” The collection of ambient pieces was composed between 2004 and 2007, and one additional track that was created in 1996; it is an album that is both electronic and organic at its core, with wordless vocals by Lisa Barra winding their way through many of Johan Agebjörn’s dazzling synth compositions.

The acclaimed Swedish electronica (Sally Shapiro) producer’s highly-anticipated MOSSEBO Special Edition: Remastered + Bonus Tracks “Kyrie Elesion” and “Unhappy Love,” evokes human warmth in a wintry landscape. An ambient sci-fi forward motion sound with shimmering electro beats, expertly juxtaposing intimacy and isolation, to which you can both dance and dream. This remastered, digital-only edition is available now only  through SpottedPeccary.com and https://ambientelectronic.bandcamp.com/.

Barra’s childhood journeys through India led her to an appreciation of the folk music of different cultures, and that passion comes through on these tracks to express an array of emotions that range from soothing to foreboding, to uplifting; challenging emotions to convey in the world of electronic music. The socially-aware artists have agreed that the entire artist’s share of the royalties for Mossebo are going to be donated to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Agebjörn recalls the origin of the album: "In 2004-2005, I experienced a period of illness and unemployment, locating myself in a 19th century cottage in Sweden, called Mossebo. There, isolated in the countryside, I started composing, mainly acoustic piano music and electronic ambient music, influenced by the landscape around me.”

The angelic voice of Gothenburg-based vocalist Barra graces more than half of the tracks. Agebjörn heard her in 2003 at a performance for an animal rights event, and started to sample her sound for his ambient creations in 2004. “I sent her the results, and she liked what I did, so we started to record some new songs in a studio. We also performed the songs live at a concert in Linköping in 2005.” The performance was aired on regional TV and a small part of “Unitas Vitae” is on YouTube:

There are two Bonus Tracks on the new Special Edition. “Kyrie Eleison” (“Lord Have Mercy”) with Barra’s ethereal vocals, and the bittersweet “Unhappy Love.” The new tracks add a spiritual dimension and a thoughtful romantic epilogue. Overall MOSSEBO has an expansive, techno-ambient, melancholic feeling, with a lush textural color range, expertly mixed, produced and mastered. A remarkable journey through electronic terrain.

This special edition of Johan Agebjörn‘s full length debut, MOSSEBO, includes the original album plus the two previously unreleased tracks from the era, all meticulously remastered by Howard Givens in 24-bit clarity from the original mixes.

Speaking from Lund in May 2019, Agebjörn adds, "This remastered version of Mossebo includes a previously unreleased track from that 1996-1997 era called ‘Unhappy Love’. The main melodic sound on this track was actually sampled from a Commodore 64 computer storage tape, played on a tape-recorder and slowed down a few octaves. This same sound was later used on ‘Dulciter Somni’ – and on ‘Kyrie Eleison’, another bonus track exclusive to this edition of ‘Mossebo’. ‘Kyrie Eleison’ was also the first track I made using Lisa’s vocals. Have a listen.”

Tracklist:

1 Dulciter Somni (Remastered) 07:07

2 The Sound of Snowflakes Touching the Ground (Remastered) 08:45

3 Mossebo (Remastered) 01:08

4 The Sea (Remastered) 03:51

5 Ambient Computer Dance (Remastered) 05:39

6 Shoreline (Remastered) 03:20

7 Unitas Vitae (Remastered) 06:27

8 Putting More Wood in the Fire (Remastered) 02:07

9 Siberian Train Part I (Remastered) 08:43

10 Siberian Train Part II (Remastered) 08:10

11 A New Day Arrives (Remastered) 04:55

12 Kyrie Eleison (Bonus Track) 04:50

13 Unhappy Love (Bonus Track) 08:39

Mossebo: Special Edition is accessible in most formats via Spotted Peccary Music.

MUSIC VIDEO Mini-Review: "Autumn in a Forest Glade" by Rudy Adrian

This peaceful video was called "resplendent" and "anointed" when it debuted on a Facebook Watch Party. If you love Autumn, forests and crisp walks as much as I do, this video may become your favorite for instant relaxation, meditation, or mindfulness sessions. 

Shot as if one is walking - and sometimes flying - through the forest of changing light and color, one marvels at the massiveness of redwoods and the delicacy of dewy ferns. One senses the stillness and wonder of walking in the wood, enhanced by Adrian's unobtrusive soundscapes.

 Composer-musician Rudy Adrian's career in Botany and Forestry is evident in the music of Woodlands, a reverent new ambient electronic album presenting 13 tracks including "Autumn in a Forest Glade." Video created by Daniel Pipitone of Spotted Peccary Music, the Portland-based label whose apt slogan is: Music is Art.

Enjoy it in full screen on YouTube anytime life gets too busy.   

MUSIC REVIEW

Toward the Horizon

by Craig Padilla and Marvin Allen

Hypnotic, captivating, dreamy, and vivid, the music drifts from electronic soundscapes to atmospheric textures, at times swirling and spinning through dazzling sequences and epic soaring refrains. Toward The Horizon is spacemusic in every sense. It's just what the doctor ordered to drown out the maddening buzz of current events, or to encourage new visions. The track “Tidal Disruption” suggests a better place than ours...a place similar to the album's intriguing cover, with beautiful horizons touching silver seas; “Liquid Heaven” could be the essential exploration of those same mysterious empyrean waters. One’s imagination is inspired to wander.

Electronic, ambient and rock music fans will thoroughly appreciate the resulting explosive melodies and ambient soundscapes. Allen uses Strymon Effects on his guitar, and all of the synthesizer parts on “Distant Waves” were created using only a modular synthesizer that was designed by legendary synth builder George Mattson. How does that sound in the end? In their words, "It’s a combination of our unique sensibilities. There are elements of progressive rock, spacemusic, Berlin-school, trance, as well as influences like Pink Floyd, Camel, and Tangerine Dream, etc..."

Composed, performed and produced by prolific electronic music artist Craig Padilla and multi-talented performer and music educator Marvin Allen, one would never guess it is the duo's first time working together. These skilled musicians have crafted a masterful free-flowing dreamscape that moves through a myriad of moods, revealing the many colors of an ever-changing sonic skyline. Melodic and rhythmic, surreal and drifting, the resulting music is a timeless adventure through illuminating guitar tonalities and majestic synthesizer vistas.

Very few labels offer an album "unboxing" playlist of videos, which was fun to discover on YouTube, and is just one of many quality touches that makes Spotted Peccary such a fine record label to follow; watch the unboxing of Toward the Horizon or visit Spotted Peccary to listen, purchase and browse.

In brief: Pulsing with life and vibrant energy, Toward the Horizon (Spotted Peccary Music, 2019) is a striking collaboration combining electronic music veteran Craig Padilla’s analog and digital synth mastery with the electric guitar wizardry of Marvin Allen.

Toward The Horizon releases today, February 22, 2019. on Spotted Peccary Music in both
physical and digital formats, as well as 24-bit Audiophile format.

Track listing:

1. Toward the Horizon (17:39)

2. Distant Waves (4:58)

3. Tidal Disruption (13:06)

4. Beneath the Surface (13:24)

5. Hidden (11:00)

6. Liquid Heaven (4:35)

POETRY: They Were Here

Guest Poet: Vivek Kumar

Wild Horse Photos by James Anaquad Kleinert 

The following poem was written in honor of the album "They Were Here" by Byron Metcalf and Jennifer Grais:

"They were here:

Spirited, racing with the winds;

Talking to the gods

Artists photo by Richard Blum

With the rhythm of their hooves

And neighing in constant awareness of their

Majesty over the earth they ruled.

They danced with every step

And refused to be overawed

By any distance, any steppe, any tempest.

Gentle but untamed;

Powerful but non-violent.

Let's call them:

They will hear; they were here."

Regarding his inspiration, the poet shared, "I listen to this album daily and it is so uplifting--today, I felt like writing and this is what came out."

The Album: They Were Here 

Vivek Kumar is an India-based poet who often writes poems inspired by music. He maintains a blog https://www.2indya.com.

Hear the Mustang-inspired music that touched Vivek's heart halfway around the world in India at Bandcamp.

LIVE EVENT: Sleep Concert with Robert Rich

One of the best night's sleep in my entire life was had in a hammock at Burning Man after exploring the Playa all night. I fell into it wrapped in my vegan fur, with a huge dome of twinkle lights overhead and ambient music all around me, and slept like Thumbelina in her peapod.  Ever since then, I've been championing the intensely under-utilized power of music and sound for sleep and restoration.  So, imagine my delight when I read that The Bay Area’s sprawling music and arts festival Noise Pop will feature a "sleep concert."

Amplify reports:  “This year we are very excited about several alternative programming elements,” said Ludwig. “The crown jewel is we’re doing a sleep concert with Robert Rich which is this very strange experience. It starts at midnight and the intention is for people to fall asleep in a room and to have ambient music wash over them for eight hours.”

The overnight gig on Feb. 23 fits about 140 people in the Gray Area theater as the “godfather of sleep concerts” Robert Rich in collaboration with Flow Kana plays ambient music. Attendees are encouraged to bring yoga mats, sleeping bags, and pillows to make themselves comfortable until morning.

“In actuality, it is not a great night sleep,” Ludwig explained. “The idea is to have the music invade people’s peripheral space and that doesn’t necessarily lend itself to great sleeping conditions. But it does create an incredibly unique experience.” Ludwig added, “It’s right on the money in terms of what the Bay Area likes.”

Even though Rich is from the Bay Area, this will be his first sleep concert for local audiences since the 1980s.

Music wash, soundbath, sonic cleansing...call it what you will, I'm just thrilled it is happening for this generation of festival goers.  Read the full story about this hipster sleepover at Amplify.  And get a good night's sleep before you go. 

Going Beyond Mainstream Music

ZMR Continues A Tradition of Drawing Top New Age, World, Ambient and Electronica Artists to New Orleans...catch the ZMR Awards Tomorrow Night at The Joy Theater!

Deuter: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2016

Zone Music Reporter (aka ZMR) kicked off tonight at The Vacherie!  An impressive lineup of presenters and performers are scheduled for the weekend concert at The Joy Theatre in New Orleans, Saturday May 7, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. 

Fans of new age, world, ambient, solo piano and electronic music are in The Crescent City this weekend to celebrate the greatest artists in alternative instrumental music at the 12th Annual ZMR Music Awards.  A showcase for legendary and newer artists alike, this year’s ZMR Music Awards will feature performances by Darlene Koldenhoven, Erik Scott, Jennifer Zulli, Jonn Serrie, Louis Colaiannia, Paul Avgerinos, Robin Spielberg, Ron Korb and Terra Guitarra. Biographies of the performers can be seen at http://www.zonemusicreporter.com/admin/performers.asp 

The evening’s highlight will be honoring German born, Santa Fe based composer and multi-instrumentalist Deuter for his groundbreaking career, which began with the release of his debut album D in 1971 and has included over 60 recordings. He is known for his meditative style which blends elements of Eastern and Western music, as well as his mastery of a multitude of ethnic instruments and continued exploration of new frequencies and resonances. 

“One thing that is important for me is that I love dancing on the edge of the unknown- to play around and open doors I haven’t walked through before,” Deuter says. It is this very outlook that has kept him at the forefront of musical evolution for over four decades. Over the years, he has released albums with Kuckuck Schallplatten, Higher Octave Music, Celestial Harmonies and New Earth Records. His most recent albums including the compilation Eternity, an album of nature sounds he recorded himself and his newest releases Mystic Voyage, Reiki Hands of Love and Illumination of the Heart, all released in 2015.

David Arkenstone and your's truly, 2014.

The show will be hosted by renowned music writers RJ Lannan and Bill Binkelman, with Award Presentations by Steven Halpern, Jennifer DeFrayne, Tom Carleno, Ricky Kej, Ann Sweeten, Erik Scott, and Candice Michelle. In addition to the performers and presenters, popular artists – many of whom are also nominees -- confirmed to attend include Fiona Joy, Get Tribal, Hans Christian, Andy Mitran, Al Jewer, Lisa Downing, Wouter Kellerman, Jeff Oster, Neil Tatar, Kori Carothers, Josie Quick, Bruce Hecksel, Bob Ardern, Sensitive Chaos, Jeff Pearce, David Nevue, Paul Speer, Barbara Hills, Catherine Marie Charlton, Cathy McIntyre Oakes, Jim Combs, and more, providing a great opportunity for fans, artists, and broadcasters alike to meet and mingle.

Open to the public, the event welcomes music lovers from across the globe, as well as local residents preferring quieter vibes following the city’s famous Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest events. One of the best-priced concerts of its kind, the show includes hours of live performances by myriad ZMR and GRAMMY® award-winning artists, with the awards presentations in between acts. 

Will Ackerman (Windham Hill/Imaginary Road)
 & friends performing in recent years. 

With the continuous growth of the small, privately owned ZMR Music Chart & Awards, several exciting satellite shows are scheduled around town on the nights leading up to the event. Renowned electronic guitarist Jeff Pearce performs an intimate FREE show at Pete’s Pub at the Intercontinental Hotel on Friday, May 6 at 11 p.m. Electronic artists Sensitive Chaos, allthecolorsofthedark with Mark Louque and Proud Father will play on Thursday, May 5 at the Mudlark Public Theatre at 9 p.m.

The ZMR Music Awards are a hugely popular event amongst music industry professionals. A great many recording artists, performers, radio promoters, producers and a slew of industry executives travel from all corners of the globe to attend the weekend-long celebration, which has joined with InterContinental New Orleans as its official hotel partner this year. 

The 2015 event was an overwhelming success, turning into a four-day triumph, and this year promises to be bigger and brighter than ever, with multiple networking and social events rounding out the weekend. For over a decade, Zone Music Reporter has been establishing itself as the premier resource for the best in New Age, World, Electronic/Ambient and Instrumental music. New Orleans’ Joy Theater has become the spiritual home of the yearly ZMR Music Awards. 

Peter Kater (Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree, 2015) & Tina Malia

Winners will be announced live in New Orleans on May 7, 2016; the awards are interspersed with live concert performances, beginning at 7:00pm. There are thirteen categories voted on by Radio Programmers and DJs this year, including Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Piano Solo, Best Acoustic, Best Ambient, Best Contemporary Instrumental Album, Best Chill/Groove Album, Best Electronic Album, Best World Album, and many more. For a complete list of categories and nominees, please visit Zone Music Reporter. A sampling of performances from recent ZMR Award Shows can be viewed here on YouTube. 


Follow the ZMR Awards on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/ZMRAwards 

What to Do in LA This Week: Friday March 4th - Peter Kater & Tina Guo @The Grammy Museum

This coming Friday night, Mysterium Music presents 11x-Grammy Nominee Peter Kater and virtuoso cellist Tina Guo at The Grammy Museum's intimate Clive Davis Theater.  The pianist and cellist are celebrating their new album, Inner Passion, with a tour of Colorado and California. They will perform together and individually, highlighting popular selections from their respective catalogs.

In the video above, they met with no rehearsal and no score – just music and emotion, improvised and recorded live.  “Inner Passion” was released on February 26, 2016 by contemplative music pioneer Hearts of Space Records.  

In addition to being a multi-platinum selling recording artist, Peter Kater has scored the music for over 100 TV and Film productions including 11 On & Off-Broadway dramatic plays.   A humanitarian, environmentalist and leading innovator of contemporary instrumental music, Peter has toured the world and is a proud recipient of the Environment Leadership Award from the United Nations.  He was the recipient of the 2015 ZoneMusicReporter Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tina Guo is an internationally acclaimed virtuoso cellist, recording artist and composer known for her distinct sound and mastery in a wide range of genres in film, television and game scores.  She has been a featured soloist in many of the world’s great symphonies; as well as Cirque Du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson -The Immortal” World Tour; and dozens of block-buster Hollywood films including “Kung Fu Panda 3”, “Batman v Superman”, “Sherlock Holmes”, “Iron Man 2”, and “Clash of the Titans”.   Tina is touring Europe this summer with legendary Hollywood film composer, Hans Zimmer.

Remaining tour dates include:
March 4 - The Grammy Museum, Clive Davis Theater  - Los Angeles, CA
March 5 - Seaside Center for Spiritual Living - Encinitas, CA
March 6 - Unity of Santa Barbara - Santa Barbara, CA
March 12 – The Marin School – San Rafael, CA

Ticketing and Tour information is available here, where one can also get a free download from Inner Passion.

One can buy the album for $10 digitally, or $15.95 for physical copy...autographed copies available while supplies last.

Mysterium Music is a new music resource favored by 1000s of healing practitioners and their clients, Explore their growing catalog at www.MysteriumMusic.com.

Hearts of Space, launched in 1984, was created as an extension of the weekly syndicated radio show Hearts of Space. Centered around contemplative music, the label features music from the ambient, new age, electronic, world, Celtic, classical, and experimental genres.

Full TixLink: http://events.brightstarevents.net/featured/peter-kater-tina-guo-album-release-tour?_ga=1.240198467.1527448430.1453215860