Zen [Import]

Product Description
Japanese edition of his 6th album, released in Japan before anywhere else in the world. On this release he teams up with Black Thought and ?uestlove, members of the biggest underground hip-hop group, The Roots. Additional artists include Zap Mama and N'Dea Davenport. 12 tracks including, 'Danger Of Love', 'Duck Chase', 'Vision Of Art' and 'With Grace'. 2001 release. Standard jewel case.

Tracks:

Something I Learned Today
Broken Home, Broken Heart
Never Talking To You Again
Chartered Trips
Dreams Reoccurring
Indecision Time
Hare Krsna
Beyond The Threshold
Pride
I'll Never Forget You
The Biggest Lie
What's Going On
Masochism World
Standing By The Sea
Somewhere
One Step At A Time
Pink Turns To Blue
Newest Industry
Monday Will Never Be The Same
Whatever
The Tooth Fairy And The Princess
Turn On The News
Reoccurring Dreams

Amazon.com essential recording

Even when this Minneapolis trio dabbled in familiar sounds, such as the strummed folk of "Never Talking to You Again" or the Bo Diddley-style R&B of "Hare Krsna," what came out on this swirling 1984 double album was clenched, emotional, and intense. Over 23 short songs that helped define the still-thriving punk subgenre known as hardcore, leaders Grant Hart and Bob Mould screamed their alienation in the fastest language they could possibly produce. Though Mould is the more personal songwriter, lashing out at liars and (presumably) lovers, both Hüsker heads come up with psycho-depression choruses like "What's going on inside my head?" --Steve Knopper

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They didn't yet have terms like "alternative rock" when Minneapolis's Husker Du made their mark as one of the 1980's most influential bands. With two skilled songwriters--guitarist Bob Mould and drummer Grant Hart--the genre-bending trio (bassist Greg Norton completed the lineup) juxtaposed hardcore punk speed and aggression with pop-leaning melodies. Add their uniformly thoughtful, introspective lyrics, and you've got this stunning 1984 double-length release, a semi-concept album about youthful rites of passage. It includes such memorable tracks as Mould's "Broken Home, Broken Heart" Hart's "Never Talking to You Again," and the evocative 14-minute instrumental closer, "Reocurring Dreams." --Billy Altman

Customer Reviews:

"I've made my world of happiness to combat your neglect.".......2007-06-13

1984 was a great year for punk, boasting such seminal releases as The Replacements' Let It Be, Black Flag's My War, the Minutemen's Double Nickels on the Dime and the Meat Puppet's Meat Puppets II. Yet the finest exponent of the year's riches, Hüsker Dü's Zen Arcade, was also its most contradistinctive.

The double L.P. format, the concept, the piano interludes, the dreamy fourteen-minute closer, all stood as the very antithesis of hardcore simplicity. The Minneapolis trio's refusal to adhere to rock/punk/hardcore ground rules is what made them so influential.

Recorded and mixed in one 85-hour stretch, all but two of Zen Arcade's twenty-three tracks ('Something I Learned Today' & 'Newest Industry') were first-take recordings. Whilst many tracks feature the Hüsker's signature whirlwind pace, they avoid hardcore cliché, leaning more toward local rivals The Replacements' LSD-infused rockist sound than Minor Threat's straight-edge punk.

The album's concept deals with its protagonist running away from home to escape his rowing parents ('Broken Home, Broken Heart') and deadbeat friends ('Never Talking to You Again'), only to be overwhelmed by the horrors of the outside world. Although something of an allegory for the lives of many hardcore kids, the most profound statement Zen Arcade makes is in its conclusion: there is none. The fact that it was all a nightmare offers the listener no resolution.

The album is often credited with ushering in a new era of 'post-punk' in American music, and due to its sheer scope, signalling the demise of the hardcore genre.

Troubled and Brilliant.......2007-06-05

In 1985 I was searching for something and Husker Du helped me find it. I was bored with cheesy metal bands and classic rock. Then I discovered college radio - what would later go by name, Alternative. College radio beat the hell out of Top 40 and Album rock of the day but still sometimes lacked the intensity I was seeking....until they played Husker Du! My first exposure to Husker Du was from Flip Your Wig and then later I purchased New Day Rising and Zen Arcade. I love all three but Zen Arcade has always been the most difficult for me to love. There is so much of everything that Husker Du was capable of that it sometimes seems cluttered with the unnecessary. The brilliance of the band and the strength of the songs overcomes any weaknesses. Zen Arcade has it all - acoustic guitars, mind tearing speed punk, a splash of piano, and several songs that are clearly the genesis of alternative and punk music to follow. Stand out tracks are Never Talking to You Again, the truly amazing I'll Never Forget You and of course the prophetic Newest Industry. Zen Arcade is the seeming troubled child of the pre-Warner releases. As such it requires more attention for it's genius to be appreciated but it is certainly there.

It's 1985, Summer Camp-and everything I ever knew about music was about to change..........2007-04-23

My friend Dan gave me a cassette of Zen Arcade. He told me: Listen to it a few times before you pass judgement...best advice ever...

I had no idea who the Du were...were they a bunch of Hare Krishnas? Were they some cult? What the hell was that sound the guitar was making-why was the drumming so fast and how in G-d's name could that bass line get any thumpier (is "thumpier" even a word?)

I was 16, a CIT at an arts camp in Connecticut and a NY City kid just gave me a tape that would change my life...

On the third listen I heard the melodies and lyrics through the wall of sound.

Sure I already loved the Beatles, Hendrix, basic punk (Buzzcocks, Sex Pistols) and New Wave including Bowie & the Cure...but this-oh man-this was so freakin' different.

Hearing the story line, the bouncing from ballad to hardcore at its purest-this album changed me. Soon every cent I had went to buying every cassette of Husker Du I could-and I was not disappointed.

I saw them that fall in 1985 and OH MAN-the stage at Irving Plaza in Manhattan was full of energy...a nearly introverted Mould turned into an extroverted Mould once the feedback was full-on; then came Norton jumping all over stage-he was crazier on stage than Townshend in his best of days-finally the long-haired hippy drummer Hart who alternated vocals with Mould and his bare feet pounding the hi-hat and bass drum at insane speeds...

I'd seem them that winter in 1986 and again a few times before the imploded in 1987...

I remember running to the store to get Candy Apple Grey the Tuesday it came out on Warner Bros. (My friend Ari, as a lark, even plagiarized the lyrics for "Too Far Down" for his creative writing class in 12th grade causing the teacher to speak to him after class to make sure "things were okay and that he wasn't going to do anything to himself..." but I digress).

Anyway-this album is even better than the hype.

Listen to it 3 times-the third time is really the charm...and you'll hear a masterpiece, a true diamond in the rough...a seminal album about a runaway and a band on a runaway train (okay so I saw Soul Asylum open for Husker Du-and also Dwight Yokum...)

Oh the songs----Pink Turns to Blue may be the best song of a hooker on junk ever written-and you just want to sing along...Dreams Recurring and Recurring Dreams-maybe the first and last punk jam-and highly listenable if you have the time...Something I Learned Today-gets the album started-and Never Talking to You Again---maybe an ode from Hart to Mould...ironically they played it on stage one last time in 2004...

Anyway-that's all for now-buy this album!!!!!

must-have punk rock classic........2007-03-05

first off, let's thank modern technology for this album. talented as these 3 young lads were, despite their vision, they could not have made this music with lutes and harpsichords. no sir. walls of beserk electric guitar were just the ticket to get their creativity across. a pure adrenaline rush assaults the listener, making one wonder "how much strong coffee were they drinking in the studio?" it actually took about 4 listens before the brilliance of this record sunk into my heart and skull, and i will insist that listening on headphones is the best way to experience this beast of a cd ( there are many nuances and subtleties within this onslaught of aggression and anger that are picked up easier through headphones. and bob mould's incredible guitar mayhem placed straight into your head is a blast!). a classic punk album. angst, alienation, cathartic wailing, all swirling within a rush of mighty sound. must-have music for all rock and roll collections.

Greatest Concept Album Ever Made.......2006-12-04

Punk music has become difficult to fully define. It's often labeled "fast" (think Dead Kennedy's "Buzz bomb"), loud (think Black Flag's "My War") and angry (again, "My War"), but these labels overlook the variety and depth of feeling many punk bands were capable of. Husker Du is no exception. Zen Arcade's "Pride" is the typical punk song but more like the first Monet; it is so purely punk that it is beautiful. They're actually throwing folding chairs in the recording room at the end of the song just to add to the chaos! Where "Pride" and "I'll Never Forget You" are your typical punk scorchers, the band takes punk in directions that deepen the expression.

First, Zen Arcade is a concept album. In sum, the story is about an unhappy teen who leaves home with a "Broken Home, Broken Heart", enjoys drugs on his "Chartered Trips" brushes against the "Hare Krishna" street religion, discovers himself sexually conflicted in a "Masochism World" then realizes that his dream of freedom and success may be in vain as he has to return home amidst the "Biggest Lie". The concept ends with the kid waking up at the end of the album by the "Tooth Fairy and Princess" realizing the entire experience was one of many "Reoccurring Dreams". Unlike the Beatle's Sergeant Pepper's, this concept album is strongly cohesive from start to finish yet still manages to avoid loosing it's musicality along the way as Pink Floyd's the Wall did.

I first heard the album in the late 80's and then, as now, was blown away by a few numbers on the albums. As far as generic punk goes, I think Pride and I Will Never Forget You are the genre's Shakespeare. They are bold, fast and scorching but most importantly, they're honest. They do not pose to be chaotic- they are chaotic, but somehow remaining fun and raw. I still can't get over the idea of chair throwing as a musical instrument. It seems more sincere and heartfelt than say Pete Townsend and his hordes of followers who've dashed a guitar in mock anger, or whatever it is they're dashing guitars for. Aside from these, other stand out songs include:

Hare Krishna. A little repetitive after a minute or so yet effective in blending an inane chant with western, punk-a-billy rock and guitar work that is what any guitar player can only hope to spit out- fast, berserk, original, simple and powerful.

Chartered Trips: Beautiful lyrics (as usual). Mould's voice seems like a child struggling to express the most important thing in his life as it nearly cracks. The guitar paints an even, up-beat canvas along steady, simple drums.

Where "Pride" scorches "Beyond the Threshold" tackles the frustration of small town isolationism and grinding routine perfectly.

There were only a handful of labels that supported punk acts, SST records being one of the biggest. Due to that, Husker Du were able to borrow one of the lead singers from Black Flag (Dez) to write one of the best party songs since "Six Pack". "What's Going On" captures the same football anthem, party feel but at the same time it is more philosophical. The singer recognizes, in his own confusion, that the problem isn't so much the outside world as his own perspective; a great "WTF am I doing?" song, like when you look for a leak in the roof and accidentally fall through the ceiling.

Masochism World- Mould's simple, repetitive guitar rhythms along with heavy echo vocal effects create a wall of sound that is beautifully punctuated with angelic female vocals in the center contrasting with his screaming. A true 'battel of the sexes' in punk duet form. Frank Black of the Pixies is often quoted for his ad he attracted Kim Deal by. I really think this song was what he had in mind when he wrote that ad. It just kicks.

The Tooth Fairy and the Princess- pure childlike psychedelic meets punk. Repetitive along the lines of Hare Krishna, but still beautiful and daring.

Dreams Reoccuring/Reoccuring Dreams: Two songs, the first which helps open this concept album and the later which closes with 14 minutes of instrumental work. The first (Dreams Reoccurring) splices a forward track with back masking of the same, providing a dream-like sense of misdirection, as if to suggest the main character is in a dream. The second is straight-forward power rock, with solos by everyone along a consistent, fast beat. Reoccurring Dreams is really the gutsiest piece on the album, or perhaps, of any album made in the last 20 years- but some might find it self-indulgent egotism. Here, Mould plays everything he feels and everyone backs him up as though they were a seasoned jazz trio. At one point he hits a note and allows the feedback to run for over a minute like an air raid siren. One minute of SOLID FEEDBACK! For guitarists, this is a dream. Metal heads will always have Van Halen's "Eruption", but true punks will always have Reoccurring Dreams.

What makes this album a treasure, along with all great albums, is that we get so much from the artist. While Husker Du may label it a concept album, it is very difficult to disassociate the main character with the band itself- thus within a single album they capture the full spectrum of teenage triumph, aspiration, dreams, remorse, regret, pain and beauty. True, they take two albums (23 songs) to do it, but again, it's one very cohesive work. If many bands owe a debt to Nirvana and Nirvana owes a debt to the Pixies, then even more owe a long unrecognized debt to Husker Du who put out a gutsy, beautiful statement that stands the test of time better than the punk labels they were tagged with.

Average customer rating:

Stillness and motion
Good stuff!
My Favorite "Plinky" Music CD
Wonderful, Relaxing, Uplifting
I have it playing right now.....EXCEPTIONAL!!

Sanctuary: Music from a Zen Garden
Riley Lee
Manufacturer: Narada
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Shakuhachi Meditation Music

ASIN: B00004U90V
Release Date: 2000-07-18

Tracks:

Evening Mist
In The Monastery Garden
Moon Shadows
Moon Flowers
Wintry Wind
Morning Calm

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As peaceful and enchanting as a sunset's afterglow on a cloudless summer evening, the gentle music of Riley Lee (playing shakuhachi flute, an instrument traditionally used by Japanese monks) and Bert Moon (on koto, a 13-string zither) stirs a warm, caressing breeze that calms the spirit and stills the mind. Lee, an Australian, is one of the few non-Japanese musicians to be acknowledged as a dai shihan (grand master) of the shakuhachi, a fairly primitive flute made from a bamboo root. His talents are artfully displayed on this tranquil assortment of improvisational duets with Moon, recorded in 1984 and first released in 1991 as a meditative cassette titled Evening Mist. Lee's elegant, prolonged tones are gentle to the point of weightlessness, residing in comfortable low and middle ranges without sounding a shrill note. Moon, though not credited on the recording's front cover, admirably handles an egalitarian role throughout the disc's 61 minutes, handsomely complementing Lee's cerebral textures with dignified, unobtrusive accents. Listeners raised on Occidental music will find little alien about Lee and Moon's graceful, unhurried duets, ideal for periods of restfulness or contemplation. --Terry Wood

Customer Reviews:

Stillness and motion.......2005-02-23

An interesting series of interpretations; evocative, occasionally and (somewhat ironically) intense; rich with soaring emphasis. A string of adjectives is pointless since this is one of those special collections which has precisely the meaning that you bring to it. The pace and timing is exceptional - most notably the intensity of the silences that have been artfully bracketed in a way that is a wonderful metaphor for the visual textures of the 'Zen Garden' that is the album's namesake. One of the most rewarding aspects of the album is the duality of the listening experience. It lends itself to active listening - if you are in the mood for (say) meditative visualisation, while being equally good for providing a landscape or background for a centring exercise where the goal is stillness.It is HIGHLY recommended that you listen to an original and not an MP3 or some other ersatz reproduction which will lose all spaciousness and simply will not do the work justice. Check out your local library (yay Libraries!). It was a librarian that pointed me to the album 'Rainforest Reverie' - also by Riley Lee - which is much better than the title suggests and is a worthwhile companion to 'Sanctuary'. It is also interesting to note that other reviewers have found this album useful in combination with Yoga. Personally, I'd suggest that unless your Yoga is moderately advanced (in which case why would you need music?) you'll find it a distraction and at best it will detract from the intensity of focus necessary for a truly rewarding Yoga session.

Good stuff!.......2004-06-29

I love this CD in the background -- it's there when I'm driving the kids, picking up toys, flipping through the newspaper during a free moment. So it isn't music I focus on front and center, but it enhances my life while I'm involved in other activities. It's serene, it's calming without being engaging. Good stuff!

My Favorite "Plinky" Music CD.......2003-07-05

This is my favorite CD for relaxing, doing yoga, or just playing for background music. As one of my friends say, "It's just about the best plinky music CD around!"

Wonderful, Relaxing, Uplifting.......2002-01-28

This is a wonderful CD for meditation or spiritual study. Very centering and peaceful. I'm glad I found it.

I have it playing right now.....EXCEPTIONAL!!.......2001-11-29

"Sanctuary: Music from a Zen Garden" by Riley Lee is a rare gift. I usually play this when I am on the Internet working and I am rewarded with a working environment that is pleasant, toned down, moderate. Not gentle, boring, sleepy, just relaxed and casual. I am still able to concentrate on my work without distraction but am not bombarded by unpleasantness.

A KAYCEYGIRL AUDIO LIBRARY MASTERPIECE!!

Industrial Zen
Average customer rating:

Something fantastic

The Waiting Was The Hardest Part

Wow!

John returns to electronic jazz

generic compositions with too much generic jazz influence instead of exotic steam and spice

Industrial Zen
John McLaughlin
Manufacturer: Verve Fontana
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Green Field

ASIN: B000F5Z6RC
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Tracks:

For Jaco
New Blues Old Bruise
Wayne's Way
Just So Only More So
To Bop Or Not To Be
Dear Dalai Lama
Senor C.S.
Mother Nature

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McLaughlin develops an intensely contemporary take on fusion here, combining with some fresh musicians while paying tribute to his fellow founders of the idiom. Updating his Mahavishnu Orchestra, the guitarist mixes electric jazz and Indian rhythms and scales with current synth and drum programming, creating a. maze of rapid lines that weave through a minefield of percolating electronics and percussion. Along with tributes to Carlos Santana and Michael Brecker, bassist Hadrien Feraud is prominent on "For Jaco," and Ada Novelli's soprano sax invokes Weather Report-era Shorter on "Wayne's Way," but all the music bears McLaughlin's trademark group virtuosity, the musicians moving fluidly in and out of complex patterns. "To Bop or Not To Be" stands out, flying atop the dense rhythmic dialogue of drummers Zakir Hussain and Dennis Chambers and bassist Matthew Garrison. There's a certain electronic sheen here, but strong personalities --McLaughlin, Feraud, and saxophonist Bill Evans--regularly break through to create intense moments. --Stuart Broomer

Album Details

Since the 1970's John Mclaughlin's Long Career Has Always Taken Mysical Turns, from the Mahavishnu Orchestra to Shakti. Here on "Industrial Zen", Mclaughlin Turns his Well Honed Skills to Jazz Fusion. He is Joined by Many Names that Brought Power-house Jazz Fusion to the Frontline During the '90's, Including Bill Evans, Gary Husband, Mark Mondesir, Vinnie Colauta and Dennis Chambers as Well as Texas Guitar Legend Eric Johnson.

Customer Reviews:

Something fantastic.......2007-04-26

I just got this and can't get enough of this vibe. Excellent stuff here.

I don't have any other McLaughlin besides his team work with Santana but this makes me want to get more.

The band is excellent.

The Waiting Was The Hardest Part.......2007-02-20

The 1980s and 1990s was mostly a recording rut for John McLaughlin, as he seemed to have grown weary creatively. But there was always that one or two cuts that would keep the hopes up for fans that he had at least one more classic album to issue.

The wait is over, as Industrial Zen is that CD.

With tributes to a variety of artists - Jaco Pastorius, Wayne Shorter, Michael Brecker and Carlos Santana - and a great cast of musicians, McLaughlin takes a retrospective look at his career while (finally) forging a sound artistic path for the future.

For Jaco (Jaco Pastorius) picks up where the Trio of Doom - McLaughlin, Pastorius and Tony Williams - left off in their much too brief existence, as Hadrian Feraud's fretless bass and the percussion of Mark Mondesir & Gary Husband propels the rhythm.

The brilliant colors painted by electronica in New Blues, Old Bruise are sparked by a sizzling introduction by guitarist Eric Johnson. To Bop Or Not To Be (Michael Brecker) highlights the synthesizers and keyboards of Otmaro Ruiz and Gery Husband, respectively, and the outstanding work from Paul Chambers (d) and Zakir Hussain (tabla).

Dear Dalai Llama starts with the excellent vocals of Shankar Mahadevan & tenor sax of Ada Rouvatti and then it's off to a sound explosion that would easily be at home on the 1978's Electric Guitarist, arguably the last important release from that era's fusion movement.

I hope the obvious energy from the sessions that resulted in Industrial Zen will spur McLaughlin to forge ahead musically instead of stumbling around near the back of the field.

Wow!.......2007-02-02

This CD is a look backward and a summing up of his career and influences, very much as Miles Davis did in his "Your Under Arrest" recording. It was great to hear him play like he did with the Mahavishnu Orchestra on the first cut and his tribute to Wayne Shorter had some nice echoes of Weather Report. The compostions and playing are all on a very high level. I have always enjoyed the complexity of his music. It is very stimulating to the mind.

John returns to electronic jazz.......2007-01-10

I have quite enjoyed John's "acoustic" albums as of lately, but decided that I would give this new release a try. It's a bit of a return to John's previous experiments with electronic jazz, and not a bad one at that, but I prefer his more acoustic side. If you like Industrial John, then give it a whirl!

generic compositions with too much generic jazz influence instead of exotic steam and spice.......2006-12-27

McLaughlin. Who is he and why are his new recordings anticipated eagerly? Answer: He's a true living legend and mysterious continuing saga in music, one of the most influential guitarists and a serious artist. Why? Because he has somehow managed to create many diverse kinds of high-quality, intense and often quite extended glimpses into states of ecstasy and grace belonging to the transcendent-beyond through highly skilled and subtle manipulation of the art form of music in its many incarnations.

What are these indestructible and time-tested creations?

"Extrapolation" (1969) (progressive jazz with awesome `60s ambience),
"Where Fortune Smiles" (1970) (free-jazz with Dave Holland, John Surman & Karl Berger)
"My Goal's Beyond" (1970)- The birth of both new age and world music in their best and least diluted incarnations
Mahavishnu Orchestra Mark 1 - "Inner Mounting Flame," "Cleveland 1972," "Hunter College Live," "Birds of Fire," "Between Nothingness & Eternity," "Trident Sessions" etc. The fastest, most intense and loudest band on the planet that somehow managed to be intelligent and compositionally brilliant also courtesy of Mr. McLaughlin.
Santana / McLaughlin - Love, Devotion, Surrender / Chicago Concert
Mahavishnu Mark II - "Visions of the Emerald Beyond" "Live in Montreux" - Super Intense though more pretentious and less organically punkified than Mark I -
Shakti with John McLaughlin / Handful of Beauty / Natural Elements - Firebreathing acoustic world music that also manages to be sublimely meditative and subtle, east meets west
Friday Night in San Franciso / Passion, Grace & Fire - McLaughlin switched into a more flamenco-influenced mode and became 1/3 of the land speed record of acoustic guitar albums with virtuoso pals
"Music Spoken Here" - McLaughlin fused the flamenco-influence with progressive jazz to create a unique concoction
"Live At Royal Festival Hall" - McLaughlin took his new flamenco-influenced acoustic progressive jazz and fused it back into a more energetic version of Shakti-style Indian music once again through the percussion artistry of Trilok Gurtu and the lyrical bass artistry of Kai Eckhardt.
"Remember Shakti" Box Set - McLaughlin re-visits the Shakti-style fusion with new and different Indian musicians but this time with his jazz guitar. After a very uneven output throughout the 80s and 90s, a whole box of classic concerts came as a very pleasant surprise to fans
"Montreux Concerts" - 16 great concerts from McLaughlin's career that sit with great sound quality next to the many legendary but flawed sound quality 1970s bootlegs to fan the flames of the McLaughlin legend for many generations to come
"Live in Paris" - a mellower but highly satisfying return to Jazz-Rock fusion

All this track record makes people wonder: how did McLaughlin do it & why was he so much more inconsistent in the 80s and 90s as opposed to the 1970s? The McLaughlin blueprint of 1969 still works when all the elements are gracefully balanced. One of the hallmarks of McLaughlin is that just when people are writing him off he comes up with something classic once-again.

So is "Industrial Zen," McLaughlin's highly anticipated, self-proclaimed new fusion with house-music and acid-jazz one of these classic surprises? Far from it. It is more like "Adventures in Radioland" Part II

Is the playing virtuosic? Yes but that's routine on all McLaughlin albums since only the cream of the crop need apply. In the case of this album it is mostly just your standard fusion virtuosity with no real passion, mainly because the compositions, though complex and complicated to be sure, come off as mostly generic prog jazz and uninspired. If they had been playing the classics of the McLaughlin catalog you would have definitely heard some serious passion. Here they go limp no matter how hard they try to get it up. The exceptions that possess some viagra are "For Jaco" and "Senor C.S." Bill Evans on Sax and Hadrien Feraud on Bass are the most inspired players. McLaughlin himself should completely re-think his improvisational approach and once again play like he doesn't know how to play as Miles Davis advised him. Every time he starts a solo here he sounds like a generic jazz guitarist trying to do his best McLaughlin impression. Mac should try to do his best Ben Monder impression instead to see what it sounds like.

How about the acid-jazz/house fuse, where is it? Answer: nowhere to be found except the last track which sounds like a standard ambient groove with Indian style singing, corny English lyrics and some light McLaughlin guitar doodling in the back. It's a good track if a little unhip but this kind of stuff has been done to ultra-hip perfection on the classic Trilok Gurtu / Robert Miles album of a few years back.

Should you buy the album? Yes, if only for the 2 fully erect tracks I mentioned and to hear Bill Evans and Hadrien Feraud burn. My advice would be to buy, burn a copy and sell it back on e-bay or amazon. Then take the money and buy Gurtu-Miles which is the already established classic for acid-jazz/ house/ jazz-fusion fusion. Then if you want to hear some insane and wildly inspired playing check out more McLaughlin disciples outdoing the master on the Jonas Hellborg/ Paul Hanson/ Jeff Sipe album (not available on amazon for some reason but attainable at the abstractlogix site). When you're done with that do not forget to check out the excellent "Mondo Garaj" album by Garaj Mahal, ex-johnny-mac bassist Kai Eckhardt's band with guitar-wiz Fareed Haque who himself put out a brilliant CD recently called "Cosmic Hug" which is the second best ever fusion of Acid-Jazz/House with Fusion after the Gurtu / Miles album.

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Robert Plant Returns To His Zeppelin Roots Here

Now & Zen
Robert Plant
Manufacturer: Rhino / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000HWZ5WY
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Tracks:

Heaven Knows
Dance On My Own
Tall Cool One
The Way I Feel
Helen Of Troy
Billy's Revenge
Ship Of Fools
Why
White, Clean And Neat
Walking Towards Paradise
Billy's Revenge
Ship Of Fools
Tall Cool One

Album Description

The Expanded & Remastered version of Robert Plant's album, Now And Zen, finds Plant charting new musical territory. Marking his first collaboration with keyboardist Phil Johnstone, the album's classic tracks include "Heaven Knows," "Ship Of Fools," and the smash hit "Tall Cool One." Three bonus rarities include live versions of "Tall Cool One," "Billy's Revenge," and "Ship Of Fools."

Customer Reviews:

Robert Plant Returns To His Zeppelin Roots Here.......2007-05-06

With NOW AND ZEN, Robert Plant returns to his Led Zeppelin roots, working with Jimmy Page on two songs ("Heaven Knows" and "Tall Cool One"). The other songs continue to move him forward in the direction Led Zeppelin might very well have taken had drummer John Bonham not died in an alcohol-related choking incident in 1980.

Average customer rating:

Flawless beautiful ambi-cultural music

Chicano Zen
Charanga Cakewalk
Manufacturer: Triloka Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Latin Pop | Latin Music | Styles | Music

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La Cantina

ASIN: B000EBFWQM
Release Date: 2006-03-28

Tracks:

Chicano Zen
La Miga Hormiga
Melodica
Amor Profundo
No Soy Feliz
La Mimosa
El Cine
Vida Magica
Gloria
La Corriente
El Ballad de Jose Campos Torres

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Austin-based Miguel Ramos has created one of the most incongruous chill grooves ever. Who could have imagined that cumbia, merengue, Tejano and even flamenco-from-afar, when tossed with Caribbean rhythms plus electronica and beats, could still burn, but like dry ice? Traditional instruments like accordion, Celso Duarte's glorious harp, and Max Baca's baja sexto (twelve-string bass), plus other plucked strings and assorted shakers merge with Spanish-language vocals, the latter provided by Mexican superstar Lila Downs, Ruben "El Gato Negro" Ramos, folk-rocker Patty Griffin, Martha Gonzalez from the group Quetzal, and Texas singer-songwriter Davíd Garza. But these are underpinned by subtle drum 'n' bass and assorted lounge interpolations. Although sufficiently hip to enchant the most exacting club denizen, the tunes retain a festive playfulness and defiantly un-cool degree of passion; only in Brazil have such wildly disparate elements been so successfully fused with no loss of integrity on either side. The subject matter ranges from Morricone-laced memories of childhood cinema excursions, to a Lawrence-Welk-like polka tribute to the bandleader's mother, to an elegy for a deceased victim of police brutality, but the album flows like a hallucinatory, edgy-cozy tone poem. --Christina Roden

Album Description

Charanga Cakewalk and Michael Ramos follow up their critically acclaimed debut album LOTERIA DE LA CUMBIA LOUNGE with the new and exciting sounds of CHICANO ZEN. With its unique fusion of Cumbia, Bolero, Dance and cinematic sounds - and featuring guest stars Lila Downs, Patty Griffin, Martha Gonzalez (of `Quetzal') and Ruben Ramos - Charanga Cakewalk once again delivers an album full of charm-filled musical gems.

Customer Reviews:

Flawless beautiful ambi-cultural music .......2006-05-13

The last track a thing of beauty and up beat tempo in memory of a political murder involving a 17 year old man and a border that should never have been. However listening to this innocent of liner notes and/or review, you will have an ineffable pleasant musical experience without a hint of the harder stuff. Even people I know who really don't care for music, as such, are quite taken by this CD.

Average customer rating:

Zen Breakfast Review
Serenity
boring
His best album
Lilting Meditative Music

Zen Breakfast
Karunesh
Manufacturer: Real Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Call of the Mystic
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Joy of Life
Secrets of Life
Namaste

ASIN: B00005M94X
Release Date: 2001-07-10

Tracks:

Moon Temple
Calling Wisdom
Breathing Silence
Remembering To Forget
Zen Breakfast
Flowing With The Tea
Layers Of Tranquility
Returning To Now
Way Of The Winding Valley
Tao And Zen

Amazon.com

Though the disc's name suggests oriental roots, the music created by this German-born keyboardist (his adopted name is Sanskrit for "compassion") is primarily occidental in character. Built around simple piano melodies augmented by spacious synthesizer backdrops, flute, delicate guitar, higher-pitched Kitaro-like keyboard lines, zither, chimes, bells, and Eastern vocals, Zen Breakfast tilts heavily toward the yoga/meditation end of the New Age continuum with its assortment of slowly evolving soundscapes. Comparisons to Steve Halpern are inevitable. This is a modest production that visits well-traveled sonic territory without adding fresh ideas. Intended to be slow and restive, Karunesh's compositions sometimes acquire the tone of a lament, giving the disc an atmosphere that mixes clouds and light. Zen Breakfast is suitable for massage, but for best results shuffle-play it with other discs. --Terry Wood

Album Description

Weaving exotic voices and cross-cultural elements through his sparkling tapestry, Karunesh finds that perfect balance point where classical, world and healing music join, carefully coaxing love's caress from every note.

Customer Reviews:

Zen Breakfast Review.......2007-01-31

Outstanding...would give it 6 stars if I could. Perfect unwinding music at home at the end of the day, or equally perfect as background music at work...keeps me relaxed during the pressures of the day. Very worthwhile purchase.

Serenity.......2006-05-20

Beautiful Album. This album has sparked a newfound liking to this type of music for me.

boring.......2005-11-20

This is the first album I've listened to by Karunesh since
his earlier, extremely varied and creative work "Sky's Beyond". This one is boring and repetitious to the MAX, and Govi is about the best thing about the album, all of a total of 4 or 5 minutes!
As one cut, it is beautiful and relaxing, but multiply it by 10
and it becomes a rip-off, at least in IMHO.

His best album.......2004-11-26

This album to my taste is by far the best work of Karunesh (I have listened to 17 of his titles). I can listen to it almost indefinite amount of times and don't seem to get tired. I just wish "The Inner Temple" composition was a part of this album. :)

Lilting Meditative Music.......2003-11-11

Zen Breakfast is just gorgeous! Its haunting, lilting melodies in instrumentation and voice are very tranquil and meditative. I first heard it during a session of Chinese Traditional Medical Massage and requested the name of the CD, so that I could use it at home for meditation and just pure relaxation. It takes one to other worlds. I cannot wait to try some of the other music of Karunesh.

Average customer rating:

Brilliantly conceived, and arranged meditate music...
Wonderful, Relaxing & Soothing
Wonderful, Relaxing Music
surprising rich and wonderful
Sooths the Savage Beast

Music for Zen Meditation
Tony Scott
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sanctuary: Music from a Zen Garden
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Quiet Heart/Spirit Wind

ASIN: B0000047D6
Release Date: 1997-07-29

Tracks:

Is Not All One?
The Murmuring Of The Mountain Stream
A Quivering Leaf, Ask The Wind
After The Snow, The Fragrance
To Drift Like Clouds
Za-zen (Meditation)
Prajna-Paramita-Hridaya Sutra (Sutra Chant)
San-zen (Moment Of Truth)
Satori (Enlightenment)

Amazon.com

A celebrated jazz clarinetist in the 1950s, Tony Scott started collaborating with Japanese artists on a trip he made to the country in 1959. He returned in 1964 to teach classes in American jazz and ended up collaborating with koto player Shinichi Yuize and shakuhachi flute player Hozan Yamamoto on a dozen improvised collaborations. Based on the Zen concept of beginner's mind, a state of openness that leads to exploration, the Scott-led pieces predate the more modern concept of "ambient" by a good couple of decades--but, as music descended from temples and designed to ease the mind to a state of higher consciousness, it follows many of the same directives. The gentle clarinet is complemented by the flute, with the koto--a 13-stringed zither--providing a comfortable contrast, though all three musicians appear on only a single track, the opening "Is Not All One?" --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews:

Brilliantly conceived, and arranged meditate music..........2007-05-11

An intriguing album, this one......"Tony Scott", a celebrated Be-Bop clarinet player, with a string of jazz albums to his name, decides to purse his personal ongoing interest in Far Eastern culture, and link up with several renowned Japanese instrumentalists ("Shinichi Yuize" & "Hozan Yamamoto"), and develop and create, a traditional Eastern-sounding album, that focuses on the Cerebral, Self-conscious and introspective nature of typically classic- oriental derived music.

Strangely, considering Tony's strong background in jazz, this sounds far removed for any of his previous works, and whether it's through an affinity for classic oriental music, or desire to produce something more elegant or organic....he convincingly succeeds in achieving his goal. If you wasn't already aware of the fact, that this was created by a non-oriental musician, you'd be hard pressed to notice, that this isn't arranged by a non-oriental musician. The mood is one of contemplative moods, and serene arrangements, with the music taking on the form of what seems like initially simple, and largely uncluttered music, that skilfully mixes the minimal melodic tension of the instrumentation, and creates a calming effect, which effectively draws the listener into the overall mood of the mostly improvisational nature of the music. Scott's clarinet weaves in-and-out beautifully with the bamboo flute and Japanese zither, of `Shinichi' and `Hozan's' impeccable performances.

It retains a studied ambience, that will impress those looking for music to actually unwind or indeed relax to, and although I haven't tried to actually meditate to this album, it's not too hard to imagine that achieving some inner-peace, whilst meditating to this, wouldn't be entirely possible . In fact this feels a little like it was intended for use into Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. It's one of those albums, that can work differently for each listener...some may find this album to be a remarkably focused and poignant collection of tunes with an overall elegant mood and stance. Others with find that it can be an incredibly relaxing and soothing record, and as tranquil as a Japanese tea garden. While someone else (such as myself), will find this merely perfect music to unwind and relieve tension, or a long day after work, when you just need to come down several notches. And of course, there will be those that probably use if for it's initial intention, to meditate, work or study to.....such is the wide ranging series of expressions, that this album invokes.

I've have to assume that those of you that are reading these reviews are actually considering picking this album up, and you haven't just stumbled across this album (ironic, as that's how I found out about this...reading an Amazon readers `List of recommendations'). This album does exactly what it was intended to do, which is to relax and entertain in equal measures. It's extremely powerful music, impeccably performed, wonderfully emotional, hypnotic in the best possible way, and impressively powerful...in a strangely quiet way. Anyone considering this album...comes with a very high recommendation from myself (and by the other reviewers, judging by their ratings), should buy with confidence...in what is one of the most beautifully honest albums, I've heard in a while.

Wonderful, Relaxing & Soothing.......2007-04-13

This was the first meditation/spa cd I have ever purchased.... and Wow I am so very glad that I took the plunge. It's beautiful!

Wonderful, Relaxing Music.......2006-07-10

I absolutely love this album. I do not meditate to it, however I love to listen to it in the evening as a way to relax and ease into sleep.

I brought a few cds with me to the hospital for the birth of our son and this was the only one I wanted to listen to throughout the whole labor (over and over) Everything else drove me crazy. I guess it was kind of a meditative aid during that time. It helped me to focus outside my body instead of on the contractions. I would actually count on the next note to appear just before it did. I don't know if I could even do that now. So, this was the first music my son ever heard in his world outside the womb.

My husband uses it now to rock/walk our son to sleep each night.

surprising rich and wonderful.......2005-12-26

The CD title is silly, the song titles too for that matter, but this is a great CD. I've listened to it for years. Like a lot of practictioners, silence is the only meditation music for me. I'm sure there are those who like music in the background, who knows. What matters is that the music on this disc sets a standard that's not been equalled in New Age music. Tony Scott's jazz background gives him a rare originality and freedom, and these players find an authentic musical unity in a disc of rare improvisation. Koto master Shinichi Yuize and shakuhachi player Hozan Yamamoto share full measure in making a lasting recording that never tires, and asks nothing it doesnt return ten fold. Once you hear this recording, you'll want it always nearby. It's a real treat.(4/07 note: musician Tony Scott passed away last month. THANKS for a great CD, Tony!)

Sooths the Savage Beast.......2005-08-30

I had this album in vinyl in the 60' or 70's. A person came into my house and was pacing like a caged tiger. He was very agitated, so I walked over ot my stereo and put this album on. Within a few minutes, he took a deep breath and just sat down and relaxed! It was amazing. The compositions are marvelous for meditating or just relaxing. It's old music, but fits right into the "new age" genre. I highly recommend this album! I love it!

Average customer rating:

It really takes you to Kyoto!
Music for Tai Chi accompaniment
an absolute must have!
What a beautiful piece of art
Wonderfully Calming

Zen Garden
Kokin Gumi
Manufacturer: Avalon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Feng Shui
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ASIN: B00004Y2DV
Release Date: 2000-08-04

Tracks:

Dawn
Flower
Moon
Feng Shui
Daylight
Stone Garden
Snow
Twilight
Birds
Wind
Milky Way
Dusk

Album Details

2000 Release by the Japanese Trio Formed in 1993 with Masakazu Yoshizawa (Woodwinds, Percussion), Tateo Takahashi (Shamisen) and Hiromi Hashibe (Koto). Their Specialty is to Blend Traditional Instruments with Modern Synthesizers to Perform Traditional,contemporary and Original Compositions.

Customer Reviews:

It really takes you to Kyoto! .......2007-05-22

I have bought many CDs with Asian melodies, and this is one of my favorites. Listening to it from beginning to end really takes me to Kyoto, Japan, the mecca of zen gardens and ancient Japan. I had never heard of Kokin Gumi before my purchase, and they do such a great job of bringing out the beauty of the various traditional Japanese instruments. My favorites tracks are "Flower" and "Birds." Finally, it is a great CD to have playing in your car during long, stressful drives. Buy it, you won't regret it!

Music for Tai Chi accompaniment.......2006-09-01

Kokin Gumi CD, along with portions of music from The Last Samurai movie score, provides a metronome to Tai Chi practice, slowing the heart, breathing, movements, bringing rhythm and poise to the day. Kokin Gumi is musical insulation from jumping "monkey mind" moving into a soothing more mindful repose. Restores body's natural balance in thoughts, decisions, actions.

an absolute must have! .......2006-08-14

I bought this at Christmas time in '05 for my new sound equipment in my shop (hair stylist) and haven't changed it since. I am able to listen to it all day because it has no break in the music, and is extremely "non-repetative". There is no "oh, it's playing over" realization...Some of my clients will not let me talk during their appointment anymore because they enjoy it so much...soooo relaxing!

What a beautiful piece of art.......2005-06-23

This album is a a corner of delight and beauty,a magnificent piece of music,full of love and sensibility
Highly recommended

Wonderfully Calming.......2005-04-22

This is an example of wonderful, calming music. Just hearing "Flower" instantly revives my senses. This CD is a must-have, for medation and relaxation alike.

Average customer rating:

Something about it...

Zen Peace
Aeoliah
Manufacturer: Oreade Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000055YCP
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

The Tao Of Zen
Unfolding Lotus
Zen Peace
Reflections Of A Pearl
Inner Chamber
Mystic
Temple Bells
Angels Of Compassion
Radiance

Customer Reviews:

Something about it..........2005-09-27

There's something about Aeoliah (and this CD in particular) that I find particularly relaxing, soothing, even euphoric. I have a rather large collection of "new age" music, and it's rare that any of it affects me the way this music does. When I put on the headphones and listen, I find myself not so much listening to the music as absorbing it. Soon, I'm in a sort of twilight state where the concerns of the world are left behind completely. I can't emphasize enough how rare it is that music affects me this way -- it need not be listened to "actively" the way a lot of music requires in order to enjoy it. I do recommend headphones for this music -- just put them on, and (although best listened to while relaxing in bed or on a comfortable chair/couch with no distractions) there's no need to concentrate on the music. Just relax and allow Zen Peace to carry you away.

My highest recommendation -- 5 stars.