HOLISTIC HEALTH: Punky's Picks

We couldn't agree more with our fellow blogger over at Punky's Picks, who has "nailed it" with her short, sweet list of the key, basic holistic health products every household should keep in stock and use daily.  I've tried everything on the list and swear by them as well, especially the Sovereign Silver.  I'd also throw Airborne and Cold Calm by Boiron into the mix for the wintertime, specifically to fight the onset of colds and flu!

See Punky's full list HERE!

REVIEW: NOTES FROM A JOURNEY

Vocalist Kristin Amarie's stunning new album, Notes from a Journey (Amarie Music, 2013), is catching the ear of audiences world-wide, from her native Norway to the U.S. and beyond.  Amarie takes inspiration from her life as a global citizen, composing rich and cinematic pieces incorporating world influences, soaring vocals, and even lyrics by pianist and fiance' David Lanz. Below, an excerpt from a review by One World Radio founder and host, Steve Sheppard....

Another first for me, a review for a vocal based musician, but on an album with some very fine artists upon as well, such as David Lanz among others. Notes From A Journey will have many comparisons made on its style, but there is a certain worldly uniqueness about this release.

Starting with the powerful opening track First Light; recently there have been many artists who have used this title and have not totally grasped the concept or the opportunity on the subject matter, but here we see Amarie doing just that, a composition that builds in Arkenstone style and powerfully opens the petals of a new day. Trust me, try going up into the mountains just before sun up, and as the rays of Sol burst free from the shrouds of the night, crank this up full volume and see what reaction you have, dramatic I can guarantee.

Amore Eterno, is as smooth as silk, it’s as smooth as 1960’s film score from a Monte Carlo Michael Caine movie, its slides delicately across the palette of the musical mouth and grins from cheek to cheek with a certain ambience that only this song can do, a wistful and charming vocal from Amarie delivers a stunningly sensual performance on Amore Eterno.....

....Notes From A Journey is an album that everyone should spend time pursuing, it is a release of perfection and a slice of production genius and I personally have revelled in its majesty for the past forty minutes and loved every second of it, get this one in your music collection and your ears will love you forever.  

Find Steve's full review here, or listen to Kristin's Album Show interview with Chrissie! 

What to do in L.A. this Weekend

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 17th @ 3 p.m.

It's not often one enjoys a casual Sunday afternoon concert in L.A. featuring leading international female musicians jamming across genres from Contemporary Piano to New Age, Celtic, and World with a touch of Jazz. You can experience it for a song this weekend (free w/sugg. donation $15), at Hollywood Piano in Burbank, CA.  To reserve seats, email orders@littlehartleymusic.com.au. All ages welcome.

 An Afternoon with Fiona Joy Hawkins 

Special Guests Sapphron Obois on soprano sax, Sherry Finzer on alto flute, and fellow pianist Kori Linae Carothers.  

REVIEW

Invitation from Within 

Once again celebrating the mystical healing powers of the flute, Ann Licater—who masterfully performs on Native American, Native American-style, Silver and Alto Flutes and Peruvian Huaca—creates (or shall we say, channels from a place of transcendence) a melodically and rhythmically inventive, gloriously dreamy and soul soothing third solo album. True to its title, it draws our hearts as an Invitation from Within—an opportunity to explore our inner selves and come to a state of grace and deeper self-awareness on the wings of a lush and often magical musical journey. 

                 

         Ann Licater
                  Photo by DArcy Allison Teasley

Many of these 12 tracks include beautiful and haunting harmonies provided by everything from Jeff Oster’s trumpet (the richly hypnotic “Cradle of Light”) to Ivar Lunde’s grand piano (which inhabits five of the songs), and the excellent percussionists Kathleen Farrell (hand held crystal bowls), David DiLullo (Peruvian Cajon) and Jason Introwitz (conga, steel tongue drum) add well placed bursts of primal magic. 

Yet by design, Licater’s soul centerpiece, the true focus, is on the shifts in consciousness that only her variety of lead flute lines can create. Invitation from Within brings the listener to a place he or she will long want to stay. It’s a musical triumph, but more importantly, a triumph for the soul.

                        – Jonathan Widran, All Music Guide

ACTION MOVES PEOPLE: A Spoken Word & Music Album to Support Global Nonprofit MOVE THIS WORLD

Earlier this month, a group of Grammy Award-Winning producers and performers joined together to release an inspirational charity album ACTION MOVES PEOPLE to benefit the non-profit organization MOVE THIS WORLD, a global nonprofit that uses creative movement to address and transform conflict and violence in communities. All proceeds from the sales of this CD benefit the MOVE THIS WORLD charity.

ACTION MOVES PEOPLE is a collection of poems and songs for people of all ages. Some are gentle songs, others are edgier, a purposeful range in style in pursuit of conveying that we are all one people, regardless of race, religion, age and lifestyle; that we can all endure the challenges of life, uplift ourselves and one another, and help each other through life's easy and difficult moments. 

It's always interesting and inspiring to see who turns up to support on another on cause albums such as this one.  Here, the range is eclectic, and includes international artists John Wetton (Asia, King Crimson, UK), Japanese Progressive group Electric Asturias, renowned children's musician Bobby Susser and others coming together with luminaries like world-renowned author/researcher Colin Andrews. 

Recently, Heather Caton MSW, President of the World Genesis Foundation, said, “ACTION MOVES PEOPLE is a wonderful collaboration and has brought amazing hearts and minds together. May it continue to have such a positive and uplifting effect, bringing peace and connecting people. It is such an uplifting feeling to be connecting with more and more people who share the same vision of our world in harmony; of a peaceful co-existence with people from all walks of life, race, culture, religion, and lifestyle. Our connection with each other makes us stronger, we can make a world of difference working together." 

In partnership with schools, community-based organizations, families and corporations, MTW is building and connecting more peaceful communities with over 10,000 individuals across 22 cities and 4 continents.

The album, its content and mission, has been applauded by music luminaries such as Paul Simon, Billy Vera and Ben E. King. The producers on the project included Kevin Mackie, Krista Wallhagen, Whitney Peyton, Rave Tesar, Kevin Frank, and Bobby Susser. The album debuted on August 27th, 2013 through Kevin Mackie Productions and will be distributed via CD Baby, with proceeds going to MOVE THIS WORLD.

Regarding the album collaboration, Bobby Susser (an award-winning children's musician and lecturer who contributed to two pieces plus the liner notes) commented “I've worked for forty two years writing and recording children's songs. While I've tried to entertain them, I've always made a very conscious effort to teach them something. So, when Kevin Mackie asked me to write some lyrics and recite them for a Spoken Word album, "Action Moves People", I jumped at the chance. The fact that the album will benefit children has always been a philosophy of mine. In addition, the fact that this is a non-profit, charity project made it more appealing. I'm especially proud to have joined Kevin and his team in their production efforts on their very worthy album for a very worthy cause.”

Bobby Susser, producer, musician and lecturer, with his inspirational sidekick.

Susser’s reading of the spoken word piece he wrote for the album can be heard on his YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/BobbySusser  Just click to listen and explore more about MOVE THIS WORLD or ACTION MOVES PEOPLE.

Foodie Fridays

AH says "Oops, one last thing about this 'shroom...."

Key artwork for the ShroomGate incident in Arizona Highways

Here at BEING, we usually write about fun and tasty things to eat, but today's post is about what NOT to eat - the Fly Agaric Mushroom! Our FUNGI FRIDAY ALERT is specifically aimed at informing the 123,000 nationwide subscribers of Arizona Highways magazine who are about to receive the October issue containing an "okay" to eat a certain mushroom that can be psychotropic when consumed raw...a little fact they neglected to mention in its "Nature Factoid" article. Oops.

Most of us are taught from childhood on not to eat unidentified bugs or plants, especially mushrooms, unless you're with someone in the know...a mycologist, for instance, or your earthy Grandpa.  Even so, trusting the editorial advice of AH - a glossy nature, travel and photography magazine - the story might have caused an eager chef to toss the potentially trippy little mushroom into a gourmet slo-food salad, with unexpected (and possibly terrifying) results for the Ladies Who Lunch or, heaven forbid, the rare toddler who eats everything Mommy eats. Scary.

Honestly, one has to wonder what caused the foggy thinking that allowed the writer to make such an error in the first place (although he does recommend use of a field guide to make sure you get the right mushrooms...apparently just not the one he's been reading, which would be helpful to know). But, we do praise the magazine for its quick action in sending out a special postcard alert to all of its subscribers to warn them of the error, and pulling the printed copies from newsstands; a corrected e-version will be available to non-subscribers wishing to purchase this month's issue.

Here is the key point in the actual warning, which is also featured on the AH website:

"The fly agaric mushroom should not be consumed in its raw form because of its unpredictable psychotropic and physical effects."

Unsurprisingly, in following with all of this, one of the magazine site's top questions in the Comments section today is:

"Where can I find some of these mushrooms?"