Floating World [Import]

Track Listings

1. Clouds

2. Mountain of Fruit and Flowers

3. Waterfall

4. Red Lotus

5. Clouds

6. Rainflower

7. Easty

8. Monkey Chant

9. Memories of a Distant Sea

10. Quba

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Digitally Remastered Reissue of the Band that First Fused Japanese Music with Western Pop.

Floating World,Jade Warrior,Import [Generic],Electronic,Pop,Prog-Rock/Art Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop

Tracks:

Benediction and Dream
The Floating Bed
El Conejo
Paloma Negra
Self-Portrait with Hair Down
Alcoba Azul
Carabina 30/30
Solo Tu
El Gusto
The Journey
El Antifaz
The Suicide of Dorothy Hale
La Cavalera
La Bruja
Portrait of Lude
La Llorona
Estrella Oscura
Still Life
Viva La Vida
The Departure
Coyoacan and Variations
La Llorona
Burning Bed
Burn It Blue

Amazon.com

She was famous as both artist and model, infamous as political revolutionary and social libertine, and Frida Kahlo's controversial life couldn't help but seem the stuff of great musical theater. Her story is brought to the screen by director Julie Taymor, whose musical compatriot here is also her husband; Elliot Goldenthal, student of both Copland and Corigliani, shrewdly sublimates his modernism in service of the rich, evocative music and songs of Mexico and Central America. Utilizing performers that range from the contemporary (Lila Downs) to the folk-classic (Costa Rican legend Chavela Vargas; Brazilian star Caetano Veloso) and traditional (Los Cojolites, El Poder Del Norte, Trio Huasteca, Caimanes de Tanquin, and others), Goldenthal generously displays the true breadth of Mexican folk music, while seamlessly infusing it with the minimalist corners of his own underscore and some winning songwriting of his own. The result is one of 2002's most compelling soundtracks. The enhanced CD features include musical film excerpts, as well as a video conversation between Goldenthal and star Salma Hayek and text interviews with the composer and director Taymor. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

It's good.......2007-07-22

But I don't think it's all it's hyped up to be on the other reviews, but, I do like it to the point of keeping it. It's the perfect 4star rating.

Revolutionary times.......2007-05-14

I absolutely love this soundtrack! Everytime I listen to it, I feel as though I am in Mexico during the revolution and Frida's life. Everyone should choose their own life soundtrack and this one allows us to see into Frida's life more clearly.

Black Dove.......2007-05-13

Fell into the movie trying to avoid study and hang out with a jilted housemate. If I'm honest, Salma Hayek was the main draw. Wafer thin.
However, I was enraptured by the story of Frida and the amazing performance (no wonder she was oscar nominated).
I bought the soundtrack the next morning. It really got to me.This is a great soundtrack and, yes, it does help if you have seen the movie but not necessary. I loved the latin passion (highs and lows). Chervala Vargas as Elliot Goldenthal describes in the slieve was once Frida's lover. I loved her Paloma Negra. So powerful.
There is something for everyone in this long soundtrack.
Do as i have: watch the movie and buy the soundtrack. Worth the time and money.

makes me want to dance .......2007-05-07

I really enjoyed the CD, the musical selection is great and it seems very authentic.

Enjoy!.......2006-12-30

I purchased this CD after seeing the movie. The music is enjoyable to listen to and passionate as I would think Frida was. I purchased this CD a second time to give to a female Hispanic artist who identifies with the trials and tribulations of Frida. This artist now paints while listening to this CD. Her artwork not only has improved but has become popular. I defiantly recommend its purchase.

Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies

Average customer rating:

Destined to be a classic!
A big disappointment
It' s the Japanese Sandman
Exquisite!
Beautiful collaboration!

Oyasumi: Japanese Lullabies and Restful Melodies

Manufacturer: Koto World
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Best-Loved Children's Songs from Japan
Island Dreams - songs and lullabies carried on the wind
Japanese Children's Favorite Stories
Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Book 2
The Very Best of Japanese Music

ASIN: B00005QB3U
Release Date: 2001-09-05

Tracks:

Oborozuki yo (Dreamy Moonlit Night)
Furusato (My Heart's Home)
Sakura, Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)
Momiji (Scarlet Leaves)
Takeda no Komoriuta (Takeda Lullaby)
Aiko's Lullaby
Aka Tonbo (Red Dragonfly)
Aogeba Tosohi (Song of Gratitude)
Umi (Vast Ocean)
Mimura nu Angwa (Girls from Three Villages)
Hatsu Yuki (First Snow)
Kirakira Boshi (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star)
Hama Chidori (Plovers on the Shore)
Hagoromo no Komoriuta (Okinawan Lullaby)
Komoriuta (Japanese Lullaby)
Oyasumi (Goodnight)

Album Description

Winner of both a 2002 NAPPA Gold Award and 2001 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Aiko Shimada (voice) and Elizabeth Falconer (koto) play old songs from Japan; lullabies and age-old favorites that have been used to soothe children and adults alike for centuries. Compellingly understated arrangements bring out the warmth of Shimada's voice and the ephemeral beauty of the 13-string koto. Works sung largely in Japanese, with some English lyrics artfully woven in, but no knowledge of Japanese is necessary to enjoy the beauty of these intimate, nurturing songs.

Customer Reviews:

Destined to be a classic!.......2005-11-07

This CD helped to put my first baby to sleep. Now, it is putting both of my kids to sleep....and sometimes me, too! The singing seems straight from the heart, the arrangements are touching, and I love the lyrics in both Japanese and English. This CD has something to offer everyone, of all ages, of all cultures. It is destined to be a classic.

A big disappointment.......2005-08-27

[...]
I dislike Aiko Shimada's singing style intensely. She slurs the notes in a very annoying way.
This CD is more like new age music than authentic Japanese songs.
Even the koto playing is uninteresting.

It' s the Japanese Sandman.......2003-01-01

Or perhaps it's the Sandwoman--Aiko Shimada (voice) and Elizabeth Falconer (koto) play traditional Japanese lullabies and songs. Ms. Shimada, however, does not employ the traditional Japanese singing technique--a kind of throaty sound mixed with that shrill sound so popular in Asia. Instead, she has an almost Celtic lilt to her voice. These songs seem to evoke night, a ruined castle, ghostly cherry trees in bloom or a pond reflecting a moon behind a cloud. This is a nice CD to play if you love Japanese songs but are not fond of traditional Asian music (I do happen to like the screechy sound of traditional singing, but this is a nice variation.)

This would be a fun CD to use as a bedtime CD for kids, encouraging them to relax and imagine they are drifting off on a barge on a night-dark river. Or good for atmosphere during your next sushi dinner at home. Very pretty stuff.

Exquisite!.......2002-10-12

"Oyasumi" is a very deceptive album: deceptive in its simplicity, that is. Like most folkloric music, the songs on this CD are deeply rooted in experiences common to all people, and their emotional impact is complex, subtle and very powerful.

I first heard sound clips from this recording in the wake of the horrific events of 9/11. I listened to the clips again and again, deeply moved by the beauty of Aiko Shimada's voice and Elizabeth Falconer's work on koto. The creativity and undertone of joy broke through the pain and brought new hope. (This in the midst of constant military surveillance flights in the airspace surrounding the Pentagon, and a pall of silence in an otherwise lively neighborhood...)

My initial impressions haven't changed, though my appreciation for what Falconer and Shimada have achieved grows deeper each time I listen to the CD. Both women are master musicians, but the chemistry here is something unusual - and lasting. All of the tracks reach the very high standard set by their creators, making it very difficult to choose the so-called "best." However, my top picks include "Mimura nu Angwa," "Hagoromo no Komoriuta" (traditional Okinawan songs), an extremely elegant reworking of "Sakura, Sakura," and two original compositions by Falconer and Shimada respectively: "Hatsu Yuki" and "Aiko's Lullaby." I'm sure you'll find your own favorites soon enough...

Beautiful collaboration!.......2001-10-19

A mesmerizing, vey relaxing compilation of songs sung in Japanese and English. Some interpret classic folk tunes, some are modern original ballads (a la Jewel or Tracy Chapman). All feature Ms. Shimada's spectacularly clear, pure, delicate voice, accompanied by the sonorous rainwater sounds of Ms. Falconer's koto. The harmonies are delightful and enchanting.
Even without knowing the lyrics (which can be accessed on their website), you'll be able to hum along with many of them, and the language exposure is wonderful for young minds! The CD is long enough that even an energetic little one will slow down by the end. My 18-month old was completely transfixed for the first 3 or 4 songs at least, and on subsequent days would hand me the case as a hint to play it, even at bathtime.
With songs about dragonflies, cherry blossoms, stars and the ocean, one's spirit feels charmed, lightened and youthful; and yet there is also a deep wisdom and connectedness to nature and culture in these traditional sounds that have probably soothed generations.

Average customer rating:

A derivative, overhyped near-disaster
Heartwarming and Eccentric Young Band
A magical experience
A humble band creates powerful music.
A Beautiful Surprise

Floating World
Anathallo
Manufacturer: Nettwerk Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Colour Revolt
Are You a Dreamer?
Brother, Sister
Dog Problems
Yellow House

ASIN: B000FDFRXM
Release Date: 2006-06-06

Tracks:

Ame
Gennesarat (going out over 30,000 fathoms of water)
Hoodwink
By Number
Dokkoise House (with face covered)
Hanasakajijii (four: a great wind, more ash)
Hanasakajijii (one: an angry neighbor)
Inu (howling)
Hanasakajijii (two: floating world)
The Bruised Reed
Yuki! Yuki! Yuki!
Hanasakajijii (three: the man who made dead trees bloom)
Cuckoo Spitting Blood
Kasa no Hone

Customer Reviews:

A derivative, overhyped near-disaster.......2007-07-04

It's tough to figure out why Anathallo's version of the harmonic joy-soul-joy rings false. Sufjan Stevens made it work and despite what I think, a lot of people believe in Chrisplay, I mean, Coldplay. But Anathallo is flat cola, sweet but lacking fizz. As it veers from mood to mood, triumph to failure, exuberance to melancholy, I suspect that they may be entirely false. After all, as everyone else has already pointed out, the band's name means "to renew or refresh" in Greek, so they're obviously mimic specialists. And by going with seven players, they may want to pretend to be the next Broken Social Scene (a band that knows how to go all over the map and make it work) but they're actually closer to the oft-dreadful Polyphonic Spree in terms of output quality.

The "Hanasakajijii" tracks are all mired in pretention, soaring little numbers that ache for the clouded dream while snickering at themselves for the "brilliance" of spreading out a Japanese story through mirthful murk. The so-called poetry intermingled into the squall is tepid; sometimes lyricism begs to be picked apart, but if you pick apart these words, you'll be left with a handful of clichés. Some moments work, notably the fine "Hoodwink" and the ponderous epic, "The Bruised Reed." It ends on a high note with the reflective shorty, "Kasa No Hone." And even the "Hanasakajijii" foursome isn't entirely embarrassing; despite some nausea and the wincing overreach of such grand endeavors in small hands, they have a few nice touches. Lastly, whoever told them that handclap percussion was the way to win over the world needs to be beaten to death with a VHS recording of "Hey Mickey!" When Queens of the Stone Age did it on "Quick and to the Pointless," they knew it was a JOKE.

Best cuts: "Hoodwink," "The Bruised Reed," "Kasa No Hone (The Umbrella's Bones)," "Dokkoise House (With Face Covered)," "Hanasakajijii (Three: The Man Who Made Dead Trees Bloom)"

Heartwarming and Eccentric Young Band.......2007-02-16

This quirky great-lakes octet has certainly started their career with a wonderful and imaginative debut album. Brimming with all sorts of delightful vocals and melodies, it is obvious this band will have a bright future ahead of them.

Their music is probably best described as an Indie band with folk and orchestral influences, rarely getting "loud" enough to even be described as rock. It contains mostly acoustic guitars, lots of bells, pianos, trombones, clarinets, and flugelhorns (which I have never heard of until now), also many unconventional "instruments" mostly in the percussion area: feet stomping, clapping, chains, pipes, and what sounds like a bunch of drum sticks banging together in the opening "Ame."

Most of the vocals are performed by several members at once, and all eight members contribute to the vocals. There are often relatively higher-pitched vocals, and plenty of harmonization and backing vocals. They are always very playful and jaunty, almost evoking a carefree, perfect world with no worries. My favorite vocal performance is perhaps on "The Bruised Reed" or "Hanasakajijii (three: The Man Who Made Dead Trees Bloom)."

The poetic lyrics tell a story based on a Japanese fairy tale, and also contain some Japanese poetry.

Anathallo's song structures are quite unique, often taking sudden shifts and twists in the mood and tempo, creating an unpredictable sequence of melodies, but they are anything from random and unorganized. There is definitely a progressive logic with many great build-ups and arrangements. Although many of the songs are sparse and minimalist sounding at times, there's a fair share of wonderful collaborations where the band's musicianship is truly unveiled: most parts of "Hanasakajijii (four: a great wind, more ash)," which was the song that originally turned me onto the band, and the last couple minutes of "Hoodwink," to name a few.

This is one of the most refreshingly distinctive albums I have bought in a while, and I'll definitely be looking forward to the band's next album. ~2007 IcemanJ256

A magical experience .......2007-01-20

"Floating World" takes you on a whimsical and unique journey. It is a beautiful story, told through smooth harmonies and twinkles. A story that makes you feel connected to the world. The musical talent and creativity are un-like anything I have ever heard. Anathallo uses music to create a portrait that is rich and flavorful. It will make you happy to be apart of this "Floating World."

A humble band creates powerful music........2006-11-23

Listening to this album is such a joy! Anathallo mixes the sound of classical minimalist inspired bands like Sigur Ros with a genuine message to create unique and meaningful music. I particularly enjoy tracks five through seven--a beautiful sequence of songs to compliment any activity in my day! This album is a fantastic supplement for fans who find themselves in between Anathallo concerts.

A Beautiful Surprise.......2006-10-02

I've attempted a number of times to listen to Anathallo in passing, mostly because they are from my area and I know a couple of the guys. But somehow, I just couldn't connect. It was too avant garde, too untraditional for me. Then I listened to Hanasakajijii (Part 4: A Great Wind, More Ash)... and nothing changed.

But I found myself hooked on certain catchier parts of the music, so I listened again. And again. And again. Until I started to realize there was a story hidden beneath. I did some digging on the internet and finally I wouldn't be satisfied until I heard it all. And as I dug I found my own treasure.

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums both musically and lyrically. The music is a combination of folk, modern rock, and modern orchestra. However, if you are expecting something in the vein of punk or rock, you'll be disappointed. It is very low-key, very thoughtful, often times dischordant, but never without reason. I find most of the energy is bottled in Anathallo's unique chanting and vocal arrangements found throughout the album (not to downplay the unique rhythms and percussion). The lyrics are pure poetry, begging to be picked apart and chewed. The heavy use of Japanese language and culture is an interesting choice, but it fits well. The overall theme even harkens to the band's own name, if you are familiar with its meaning.

I must also comment on the cover. That itself is a work of art. Look carefully at all the black in the image; it is a stencil cutout, with all the colors you see on a secondary cover behind it. Perhaps it's been done before, but I've never seen it, and everyone to which I've shown it is impressed. It's so distractingly pretty that it took me until today to notice the story is captured here, too.

If you're willing to put the time in, I would HIGHLY recommend this album. As for me, I'm off to buy a glockenspiel.

Average customer rating:

A "tough love" review for a very talented band at it's jazz fusion peak.
Holdsworth At The Beginning Of His Peak
The Floating World
ALLAN HOLDSWORTH ON FIRE!

Floating World Live
Soft Machine
Manufacturer: Moonjune Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Grides (W/Dvd)
British Tour '75
The Paris Concert
Third
Soft Machine: Out-bloody-rageous

ASIN: B000E3LHX2
Release Date: 2006-06-01

Tracks:

The Floating World
Bundles
Land Of The Big Snake
Ealing Comedy
The Man Who Waved At Trains
Peff
North Point
Hazard Profile (Part One)
J.S.M.
Riff III
Song Of Aeolus
Endgame
Penny Hitch (Coda)

Customer Reviews:

A "tough love" review for a very talented band at it's jazz fusion peak........2007-06-12

This is my favorite period of Soft Machine (which frequently puts me in the minority among my colleagues), I'm a huge prog/jazz fusion fan, and Allan Holdsworth is one of my favorite guitarists (how many times have I typed THAT in past reviews!). Unfortunately, this cd does not live up to much of the hype associated with it. Do not buy this cd if you just expect to hear "non-stop jams" or a live concert of AH backed by members of Soft Machine. Yes, AH charges out of the gate with some searing guitar runs through the first few songs of the album, especially "Bundles" and "Land of the Bag Snake". But then you sort of lose sight of him for long stretches in the middle of the album where other players' solos and a mix of softer jazz take over. That's where this album faltered for me.

Not that AH is the only star here - he's not. But let's face it, Ratledge's annoying 6-minute keyboard solo "North Point" is a real distraction, sounding like a cross between a pinball game and Pong. And while I love drums and think that Marshall is a fine drummer, I've rarely heard a drum solo longer than 3 minutes that I could enjoy. His drum solo is 10 minutes long. Too long. The best of the non-AH solos is Babbington's distorted bass guitar solo, though (again) 6 minutes gets to be kind of a drag. The album ends strong with the funkier jams "Riff III" and "Endgame" that sandwich around the more Camel-like "Song of Aeolus".

This album is of interest to those who need to hear a blossoming AH jamming through the unique prog/jazz of mid-70's Soft Machine, and there is at least 45 minutes of music here that I really enjoyed. The production is good, and the band plays well off of each other. But I actually like the "British Tour '75" cd better, featuring guitarist John Etheridge instead of AH (I know - sacrilege!). There you'll find some simply stunning guitar workouts all the way through, including the ENTIRE Hazard Profile. (Note: You won't escape the 10-minute drum solo there either!)

For me, the moments of excitement and awe on "Floating World Live" were too often interrupted with overlong self-indulgences and a lack of inspiration. I really wanted to like this more...

I value interesting music that is played and recorded well. This cd's rating was based on:
Music quality = 7.2/10; Performance = 8.5/10; Production = 9/10; CD length = 10/10.
Overall score weighted on my proprietary scale = 8.0 ("3-1/2 stars")

Holdsworth At The Beginning Of His Peak.......2006-08-04

If, like me you consider the Tempest-Soft Machine-Tony Williams-UK period to be the "Golden Years" of Allan Holdsworth, then there is no earthly reason for you not to buy this CD. It is a logical progression on the material first heard on "Bundles" and a brilliant live showcase for his then blossoming guitar technique.

I'm not your typical "Prog/fusion" fanatic that feels that any rock presented with a jazz/classical bent to it and stretched to 10-20 minutes (as in Flower Kings - BORING) is nectar from the gods. I'm 56 and have been with this type of music since the beginning and quite frankly, style and structure don't hold much water with me unless there is an abundance of substance and soul as well (as in Riverside, Anekdoten and several others). That's what has left me so cold when it comes to most of Holdsworths post UK work - lots of technique presented with a group of highly talented sidemen devoid of any soul or sense of collaborative effort or destination. Sure, he can play fast and do more with notes than any other living guitarist, but where is the passion and soul? This CD is a different story. The Soft Machine is firing on all five cylinders here and aside from a slightly muddled recording/mix I am at a loss to find anything negative to say about it. Even the John Marshall drum solo holds up pretty well. There a few weak moments but those are more than offset by the brilliance of the collective talents of the band in this live setting. And speaking of John Marshall, why, much like Jon Hiseman, is he unknown except to a select few outside the confines of Europe? His playing never ceases to amaze me.

No individual track dissertations here...anyone reading this probably already knows the material and the players. If you're looking for prime Holdsworth grab this wonderful CD while it's still available.

The Floating World.......2006-06-11

Finally a album live with Allan and also way better then British Tour 75. This album has great sound, better performances and has got a reasonable price on it,a clear pick over the other preformance. Live at Radio Bremen Janurary 1975 the band puts on nothing but nonstop jams with Holdsworth in a great mood just check out Bundles and The Land Of the Bagsnake of a blistering preformance. The show also gives out more solo showcases to Babbington on the six min. Earling Comedy armed with nothing but a Fender Baritone and a effects pedal. North Point gives Ratelege and his new found synths a place to bubble and screech around. Jenkins goes for his only sax solo on the album on Peff and even Holdsworth shows his skills on violin for The Man Who Waves At Trains. And finally the dynamic gymnastic stylings of Marshall on J.S.M. Song For Aeolus is very diffrent from the Softs vesion only because it brings out the fuzz soloing out of Ratelege's organ. The unreleashed material are your basic epic Softs jams like the funky Endgame. Rift 3 on the other hand is a limp version of Ban-Ban Caliban which isn't as impressing. Penny Hitch 2 took me some time to realize that it is Penny Hitch just in a sad and slow ending to a marvelous live cd. Highly recommended to anyone from gutar fanitic to a lover of fusion.

ALLAN HOLDSWORTH ON FIRE!.......2006-03-28

With the release of Floating World Live, as of 2006 there were four CDs on the market -- two studio and two live discs -- representing the peak of Soft Machine's "guitar fusion" years. Bundles and Softs (studio) and Floating World Live and British Tour '75 (live) are all recommended to anyone for whom jazz-rock fusion doesn't cause a breakout in hives, with the live discs capturing inspired performances and having an edge over the studio efforts. The expertly recorded Floating World is clear evidence that Allan Holdsworth was just what Soft Machine needed in the mid-'70s. By the time this live German show had been (partially) captured by Radio Bremen in January 1975, Holdsworth had been with the band for slightly over a year, and the Softs had already recorded Bundles with him. This is a killer live set, and Holdsworth's lightning-fast scalar runs, wide-interval leaps, and expressive note-bending over the band's vamps and composer Karl Jenkins' chordal changes -- not to mention his prominent positioning in the mix -- make Floating World a must-hear for any fans of the blurry-fingered axeman. He plays a touch of beautiful violin as well. No wonder jaws were dropping all around -- and apparently including the jaws of his bandmates, for Floating World sounds rather less like the work of a fully collaborative band and more like a live date by a guitarist-led fusion outfit than the British Tour '75 recording from later that same year after John Etheridge had joined the group following Holdsworth's departure. The flow of the overall Floating World set is at least partially to blame for any slight comparative shortcomings, particularly during the first half but redeemed by some inspired playing from all quarters at the conclusion. The group seems to have barely gotten underway when Roy Babbington's bass solo, "Ealing Comedy," makes an appearance; it's a great showcase including some Canterbury-esque fuzz in the mold of the pioneering Hugh Hopper, but its placement so soon in the proceedings somewhat derails the initial momentum of "Bundles" and "Land of the Bag Snake." And midway through, it doesn't help that "Hazard Profile," the Jenkins multi-part composition that would soon introduce Holdsworth to flabbergasted listeners upon the release of Bundles, fades out after less than five minutes -- that's where the radio station placed its commercial break. (Curious listeners are encouraged to check out the BBC Radio 1971-1974 compilation, which presents a broadcast version of the complete "Hazard Profile, Pts. 1-4" from June of 1974.) Both the Floating World and British Tour CDs feature solo Mike Ratledge synthesizer and John Marshall drum'n'gong interludes -- here respectively named "North Point" (a version of which is also on BBC Radio 1971-1974 from the June 1974 broadcast) and "J.S.M." -- but on this disc they further tilt the balance away from the full-band music and contribute to the feeling that Soft Machine had become a vehicle for solo statements with Holdsworth leading the way. Still, this is a vital document proving that the Softs were capable of some truly magnificent music during the mid-'70s -- and they were still evolving, testing the waters in live performance on a funked-up jam like "Riff III" that would later develop into "Ban-Ban Caliban" after Holdsworth bailed and Etheridge climbed aboard. Floating World Live reveals Soft Machine caught up in the excitement of a new direction thanks to an extraordinary guitarist, but not quite realizing their full potential as a collective. Nevertheless, appreciate Holdsworth for the shot in the arm he provided -- and also for suggesting Etheridge as his replacement. The new direction heard here would continue and Soft Machine would experience a final peak -- as demonstrated on British Tour '75 and to a lesser extent Softs -- before dissolution and mediocrity truly began setting in.
~ Dave Lynch, All Music Guide

Average customer rating:

A soothing escape to a tropical paradise

Sunda Song

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bali: Gamelan Semar Pergulingan:Gamelan of the Love God
Ngaio Gamelan

ASIN: B00030ERI8
Release Date: 2004-10-19

Tracks:

You
Sweet Grapefruit/Fireflies
On The Corner
Arang Arang
Turban Floating Away
Illusion
From The Window
Solar Eclipse

Album Description

Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan is an ensemble of eight professional Canadian musicians with classical western musical training and extensive performance experience. They perform and record on an extended gamelan Degung indigenous to the Indonesian province of West Java (Sunda). Founded in 1983 and based in Toronto, Canada, this unique performing ensemble is dedicated to the development and expansion of its repertoire through the commissioning of new works by composers from Canada and around the world, as well as performing traditional Sundanese music. This recording presents a selection of such traditional pieces together with recent works by Sundanese composers, all in new arrangements by Evergreen Club members.

Customer Reviews:

A soothing escape to a tropical paradise.......2005-03-12

The title says it all. It is an experience of music from another culture which in my mind is associated with a tropical paradise which I imagine existed prior to Dutch colonialism of now present day Indonesia. The gamelan orchestra consists of various sizes of suspended metallophones (percussion instruments with tuned metal bars), small bulbed gongs, large suspended gongs, and drums. With the soft gentle percussive nature of the music, the experience that I get from it is an expression of the slower tranquilizing rhythms of nature. This album is well worth the $9.98 for anyone looking to explore other realms of music.

Average customer rating:

Sacred sounds from Manose & Friends
Beautiful
Inspiring and Relaxing Flute from Nepal

Dhyana Aman: Meditation Of No Mind
Dhyana Aman
Manufacturer: White Swan
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Yoga Ragas
Suskera: Solo Bamboo Flute
Loveland/Music for Dreaming and Awakening
Seven Metals Singing Bowls of Tibet
Quiet Mind: The Musical Journey of a Tibetan Nomad

ASIN: B00005S6BL
Release Date: 2001-10-15

Tracks:

Sacred Vibrations
Auspicious Flute
Eternal Chant
Tibetan Chant
Tengpoche Monastery
Ohm
Compassion
Release

Album Description

For ages, spiritual seekers have looked East for the key to cutting through material illusion in their search for the divine space we all share, a temple accessed only via the inner travels of the quiet mind.

Recorded in Kathmandu,Nepal, DHYANA AMAN: MEDITATION OF NO MIND evokes the boundless expanse and reverberating stillness of the Himalayas, paving the listener's path to this elusive, mist-shrouded sanctuary of true realization. Timeless chants beckon from the towering quiet, floating on bamboo dreamscapes and the singing bowls' eternal ring. Manose's flute threads through the music like drifting incense vapors, a gentle reminder of a steadily burning ember. Radiant chanting by Tibetan nun Choying Drolma and monk Dorje Lama lend a transcendent, otherworldly feel to a recording that is breathtakingly beautiful in its simplicity.

Ideal for relaxation, meditation and bodywork, DHYANA AMAN: MEDITATION OF NO MIND reveals a new petal in the lotus bloom of Tibetan/Nepali meditation music—a vehicle for introspective journeys imbued with the healing aspects of an age-old tradition.

Customer Reviews:

Sacred sounds from Manose & Friends.......2007-01-22

I bought this CD along with two others after hearing Manose play with Deva Premal & Miten (he did backing on a recent world tour). In one song Deva & Miten sang they brought Manose in to play along with them - fully improvised... what a challenge and the result was breathtaking... I'm sure he sold dozens of CDs that night on that performance alone! Manose hails from Nepal, although he's travelled the world and has worked with Jai Uttal and Peter Rowan and many other talented musicians. He has a beautiful life story that you can read on the web if you desire.

Manose plays the bamboo flute and has trained in Raga music. He is very gifted. I really love the work of Riley Lee and am always keen to pick something up new on the flute, so was grateful to be introduced to his music.

Dhyana Aman is a very beautiful CD! It has tracks wonderful chants (male and female), chimes and bells, drums, a little overtoning, and others with Manose's hauntingly beautiful bamboo flute playing in the foreground. All leading to a feeling of the creation of a very sacred space. I'd think it's best for massage or healing arts if you have problems with chants etc. distracting you in your meditation.

Manose is a great player and a beautiful human being. I encourage you to check out his work, including Suskera. This is an excellent place to start.

Beautiful.......2007-01-09

The sounds in this CD are moving and relaxing at the same time. Love it.

Inspiring and Relaxing Flute from Nepal.......2002-03-10

This CD is really wonderful for meditation and massage. It's better than a lot of other music sold for "healing" and "relaxation" because it is acoustic and based and ancient traditions from Nepal. It feels a lot deeper to me.

The bamboo flute, which is on about half the tracks, is really beautiful. The player, Manose, is clearly very skilled and the sound he creates is so moving. The tone of the flute he plays is very different from silver flute. It is much deeper and more soulfull.

Tracks:

Small River Flowing
By The Brook In The Woods
On The Boat
Ocean In Springtime
The Brook
Liquid Shadows
The Sunken Cathedral
Pictures Of The Floating World
Reflections In The Water

Customer Reviews:

Terrific for harp and asian/water sound lovers.......2005-08-30

This is the first harp-intensive CD I have bought, purchased after hearing selections from it on my classical music station, WGMS. Its even better than I expected. I love this CD! It is a great combination of familiar music by Debussy and other selections reminiscent of the flow and play of water, some with an wonderful asian flavor. This product would be great for soft mood music, background sound for an intimate dinner, etc. If you want or need only one harp CD, make this the one!!!

my new Kondonassis favorite.......2005-07-16

I needed a new CD player for my new relax space...Because this CD is my new "must have /required/ part of relax time".....the title "fits"...

SUBMERGE YOURSELF!!!.......2003-07-15

Tapping into the "mythological mystique" of the harp, and having "been mesmerized by water" since she "was a little girl," Yolanda Kondonassis compels our attention and praise with her atmospheric and flowing recital of "liquid thoughts," the aim of which is to musically combine and conceptualize conscious and subconscious images of brooks, rivers, oceans and imaginary universes of water. Drawing on a diverse collection of composers--- from Debussy [1862-1918] and Marcel Tournier [1879-1951] through the lesser known Michio Miyagi [1894-1956] and Alphonse Hasselmans [1845-1912] to George Rochberg [b.1918], whose own surprisingly luminous work, "Ukiyo-E," from the Japanese "Pictures of the Floating World," and, evocatively enough, the apt title of the CD is, at nearly thirteen minutes, the longest composition--- Kondonassis graces us. Her playing is subtle, caressing, fabulously impressionistic, and never less than convincing in establishing an inspired, other-worldly ambience. As well, with her own mysterious and memorable piece, "Liquid Shadows," she delves even further into moody fantasy. Due to the extraordinary ability of the harp to easily transport us to the most pleasurable of aural places, the enveloped listener is simply a captive audience, especially when the works are as remarkably meditative, reflective and soothing as they are here.

[Running time: 54:29]

Wow!.......2002-05-22

This is really a fantastically beautiful sounding CD. It is so dignified and spacey at the same time. The selections are extremely eclectic....a little Debussy...a little koto music....an orginal piece..but it all fits together and sounds very natural. If you are interested in something to listen to with the lights turned low, I don't think you can go wrong here.

hauntingly beautiful harp music.......1998-12-11

This is the most hauntingly, surreal, beautiful harp recording I have ever heard. I use it in my massage therapy practice all the time. Just perfect for relaxing to!!

Average customer rating:

Pre-new age, pre-electronica still sounds great
As a remastered version it earns a lot!!

Floating World
Jade Warrior
Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | New Age | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

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Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
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Jade Warrior
Way of the Sun

ASIN: B000060P5A
Release Date: 2002-04-09

Tracks:

Clouds
Mountain of Fruit and Flowers
Waterfall
Red Lotus
Clouds
Rain Flower
Easty
Monkey Chant
Memories of a Distant Sea
Quba

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Reissue of the Band that First Fused Japanese Music with Western Pop.

Customer Reviews:

Pre-new age, pre-electronica still sounds great.......2003-03-16

A great find. Snatch it up if you like interesting instrumental sounds that defy easy categorization. Elements is a better find as it collects 4 Jade Warrior lps on 2 cds; but they are all worth seeking out.

As a remastered version it earns a lot!!.......2003-03-12

Well it's difficult to add something diverse, in comparison to such several opinions about this album with exotic moods, relaxing and pleasant atmospheres, almost in the vein of modern New-Age ... the elegant and distinctive sound of such Duhig brothers' guitars and the support of a pleasant flute as well, make this classic an original chapter of instrumental progressive rock, characterized also by some interesting breaks through,plus some stunning and heavy riffs, which earn a lot within this remastered version!

I suggest this odd work to you,which is not a masterpiece but is always enjoyable ...

A New Kind of Loneliness
Average customer rating:
A New Kind of Loneliness
Michael Weston King
Manufacturer: Floating World
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music
Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000MGAY94
Release Date: 2007-03-13

Tracks:

Here's the Plan
Last Hurrah
Saturday's Child
My Heart Stopped Today - Chris Hillman, Michael Weston King, Herb Pedersen
This Man Can Break So Easily
Lost
Only Seven Days
Rosenkrantz and Kristiansgate (I'm Dead)
Let the Waves Break on Your Face
From Out of the Blue - Michael Weston King, Ron Sexsmith
Alone Again (Naturally)
It Will End in Tears
She's Still My Weakness [*][Demo Version]
Brightest Spark [*][Demo Version]

Average customer rating:

Divine!

Floating World
Riley Lee , and Marshall Mcguire
Manufacturer: New World Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | International | Styles | Music

General | New Age | Styles | Music

Meditation | New Age | Styles | Music

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Sanctuary: Music from a Zen Garden
Music for Zen Meditation
Quiet Heart/Spirit Wind
Oriental Sunrise

ASIN: B0002IQBLW
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Tracks:

Pavane
Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
Pour Invoquer Pan, Dieu Du Vent D'Ete
Berceuse Du Vent Dans Les Cerisiers
Le Koto Chante Pour L'absent
1ere Gymnopedie
2eme Gymnopedie
3eme Gymnopedie
4eme Gnossienne
Requiem: Pie Jesu
Sacremental Lullaby
Dream Of The Moon Flower
Deep Night Cicada
A Feather On The Breath Of God

Album Description

This collection of exquisite French, Japanese and Australian compositions played on shakuhachi and harp takes us into the realm of a mystical imagination. Works featured are by Faure, Satie, Ravel, Debussy, Tournier, Fukuda, Kozu and Australian composer Anny Boyd. This is a very special album ideal for relaxation, meditation or simply for pure enjoyment.

Customer Reviews:

Divine!.......2004-11-28

Slip into something entirely more comfortable with this magical CD. You will indeed be floating as you drift along listening to Riley Lee's melodic, dainty, soulful playing. Light and delicate, there is never a jarring moment. As such it makes great background music, but allow yourself to focus on the sounds and you will be uplifted. You may find yourself picturing a butterfly hovering over a colourful buddleia in full bloom. Music like this helps one get in touch with the senses and the imagination. Buy it!

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