Reaching Point (Eskimo, Inuit Music)

About the Artist
Seperated from my parents due to a coeliac disease, I've been through two orphanages and ten different families. It was not easy for me and for years, I've questioned why I've been through what I've been through, physical, mental, sexual and emotional abuse. Today, I believe everything was meant to be. In my early teens, in one of the families I was living with at the time, they had a piano,.. at that time I was occupied with gymnastics, hockey, down-hill skiing, scouts and art. I asked the parents if I could take piano lessons and they said no because they thought that I was too occupied. Since that day, I've been hooked to the piano and learnt to play by ear (when no one was around). When I was nineteen, I travelled to Quebec City out of curiousity. Due to personal life's problems I got hooked with drugs and alcohol. During those four years in Quebec City, I found the guitar and seemed to pick it up quite easily. I had found a reason to live and it's kept me alive! to this day. I sought help for my alcohol and drug problems, dealt with the past, the pain and I seemed to have transformed into a positive, motivated musician. I had a dream that there were thousands upon thousands of people infront of me, while I was on stage and I haven't let go of that dream since. In my music, I've been told that "I've got something to say" and I believe I do. Through all the hardships,... I have taken life and turned it around into a positive one. Still, today there are people going through what I've been through and I'd like to send a message of hope, not to give up on themselves, to connect spiritually and to bring people together. I believe what I have to offer is powerful, uplifting, peaceful and most of all, positive. I love singing about nature as much as I love it. I believe today, that this is my purpose in life and why I was brought on this earth.

Product Description
29-year-old Henoch Townley was born in the Inuit settlement of St. Anthony, Newfoundland. He experienced a difficult childhood that led him to escape and fine solace in the magical world of music. He discovered a natural talent for musical instruments and quickly learned to play both the piano and guitar. His passion for music led him to leave his native village and explore opportunities in Quebec City. He finally realized his long held dream of recording his music in an Inuit village in northern Quebec. There he finished his first album with Inukshuk Records. His music is powerful,yet peaceful. His positive melodies bring people together and send an uplifting message of hope that connects spiritually with nature. Henoch combines modern sounds and instruments with traditional culture and influences, caressed by the northern Canadian lights. Welcome one and all ? Henoch is ready to be heard!

Reaching Point (Eskimo, Inuit Music),Henoch Townley,Inukshuk Records

Average customer rating: Annointed and Heaven-bound

Are You Listening Voice of Atlanta Manufacturer: Point of Grace (Mdi) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music Gospel | Christian & Gospel | Styles | Music ASIN: B000066HIW Release Date: 2002-05-07

Tracks:

1. Leak in the Building
2. New Life
3. Keep in Mind
4. Are You Listening
5. Living Miracle
6. No Not One
7. Another Day
8. Give Him Praise
9. Someday
10. Praise Interlude
11. Spirit Fall
12. Dear God

Customer Reviews:

Annointed and Heaven-bound.......2002-07-07

What a fantastic representa 067 068 069 070 071 072 073 074 075 076 077 078 079 080 081 082 083 084 085 086 087 088 089 090 091 092 093 094 095 096 097 098 099 100 101

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Un Siglo de Ausencia years ago, and they' re great:
- LAINA's album, all sung in Inuktitut ( Inuit ) like most in this series, is quite short, but chipper & spirited and gives a feeling of positiveness and poise. The first song instantly makes you feel far abroad, the melody being, well,...not anything you'd ever hear made in Europe or the US. Again, the sample given is not typical, as that song is the least zesty of the lot. This album is lovely, but only 7 songs is a bit short - come on Laina, give us more!

- HENOCH's album I think is rather well described in the 3 reviews on Amazon.com. He's the only one in the lot who doesn't sing in Inuktitut, though, which is my biggest criticism for it, even if the northern flavour is there anyway. I hope he makes a second album, and that it will include at least a few songs in Inuktitut, with the lyrics both printed in Inuktikut AND translated in the inserts!...

NOW ABOUT ALL FOUR BELOW BANDS/ ARTISTS ( TUMASSI QUITSAK, UVAGUT, NINGIUK, QIMUTJUIT ):

From the samples, I imagined something more in the lines of plain old rock ( seasoned with Inuktikut ), which it absolutely ISN'T. Of course there is some rock in parts, but it's accessory to the whole effect, and many songs are quite gentle and/ or meditative too. Also, there's a degree of earnestness, a feeling of non-fiction and reality in the lyrics, that elevates them over the usual pop & rock songs - whether you understand the lyrics or not, you can feel it to some extent, pervading the mood: they know what they want to sing & celebrate & share, and make that felt - and that is not your everyday, oh-baby kind of pop stuff.
When it's about people, then ( as I have noticed is the case with most songwriters of the arctic & subarctic, & not just Inuit ), it's about or to a son, a daughter, or all the children of the whole extended family, or even tribe, or even of the whole world, a wife, a grand parent - AT LEAST as much as about sweethearts... Definitely not pop. And I wouldn't call it folk or country either, except perhaps in bits. It's rather in a class OF ITS OWN.

On none of these albums do the instruments seem too loud or do they drown the vocals, who take pride of place - something that wasn't always clear on the samples, so that was a relief to find. The singing is sometimes very slow & there is breathing space, which really suits the style & language. I also found that, unlike when I heard the samples, I tend to focus on the vocals & sound of the language, & forget a bit about the instrumental arrangements.

- TUMASSI QUITSAK ( self-titled album ) I find very relaxing, with the lead vocals so serene & peaceful & ... ' Innuit-sounding' ( how do I start to describe this? I won't ). As a reviewer on Rambles says " the vocals keep their feet soundly on the ground", even though on some songs " the passion in the song blows you away". Pity this band forgot to give us any translation!

- UVAGUT surprises by the high-pitched vocals in many songs - not all: Different leads singers take turns. I would bet some songs also include female vocals ( all names in credits seem male, except " Ooleena" which could be female?); the band has 6 members. Like the others of the series, they sing their love for their land, for their ways & culture, & about their strong & loving family bonds, etc. All the lyrics are there, translated, in the inserts. Nice & relaxing. I especially love track 3 ( one with the high-pitched lead vocals)...

- CHARLIE NINGIUK a reviewer on Rambles.net found " an interesting musical experience", but concluded " Now I can finally say I've heard just about 'everything'. If this album is any indication of true Inuit music, I won't need to travel this road again. It's too weird for my tastes!" Someone's cup of tea isn't another's - that it's unusual, truly different, is part of what I like!
I have now just received C. Ningiuk's second album as well, and think it's even better than his first! Again, I didn't like the sample they give for it, but trusted the album would feel different, and I was right.

- QIMUTJUIT, Just as interesting & pleasing as the others, I appreciate for the particularly skillful lead vocals ( & good vocal backing too) right from the first song - where each sentence ends in a unusual lingering way...

I now would like to try CHARLIE ADAMS - the only reason I am not reviewing him here is I can't yet: I ordered his CD "Inuit & Indians" early in March this year directly from Amazon.com, but I am still waiting for it 3 months later - I have a great fear I may end up hearing it's found to be unavailable afterall...

So which album to start with? Ah, this I can't answer...

Just to mention one more of the series: A NORTHERN CHRISTMAS disappointed me. I find I don't listen to it much; the zest & spark ( and foreign sensation ) that I find in the above albums are rather missing, some songs feel even lethargic. After listening, I couldn't really see the point of this CD, even though the songs are sung in Inuktitut. It's always pleasing to hear this language, but even this got lost a little here, perhaps as the songs were not made for it. Not one to start from to introduce yourself to this series in any case. It isn't representative of the above albums at all.

'Rising from the darkness'.... healing poetry.......2004-07-02

All the songs have vocals, and the instruments listed for all songs are: drums, accoustic and electric guitars, keyboards and sometimes bass.

You hear the unaffected, (com)passionate voice and feel like meeting the person behind it. It seems to be talking to you, intimately.
Some lyrics are truly poetic, yet again in an unaffected and natural tone, with the vocals flowing in great attunement with the wonderful music.

I listed the instrumentation above because it leaves you guessing sometimes: it has fresh, mysterious sounds you don't all recognize: " what are the instruments here? Are these classical, or subtle keyboards/synth's?... ".
The result is at times evocative of nature, without falling into some gross new age arrangements. Quite something its own I would say ( and God knows I've been listening to tons of contemporary music, including new age, native, rock, folk, electronic of all sorts, you name it).

As well as the intruments being slightly mysterious, there's an eerie feel to many passages.

Now quoting from Virginia MacIsaac (on rambles.net): "(...) as nontraditional as it is, the music is definitely of northern flavour. Much in the words and music expresses the northern experience. I was not sure what to expect so this was a pleasant surprise.
The lyrics are enchanting, the drum beats mesmerizing, and I enjoy the timbre of Townley's provocative voice. Slow pacing makes the CD intoxicating at times, and never boring. The music cruises underneath Townley's lyrics and his voice prolongs the experience while taking you on a musical odyssey".
"(...) this young artist's strength is in his poetic lyrics and his powerful, luxurious voice that knocks you off your perch even as it caresses you. (...) the energy and flair of the musicians ".

Try it, you'll find something or other there for you - I can't imagine anyone hating the whole cd. JUST GET IT! With shipping to Europe from Canada this is the most expensive cd I've ever bought - I normally buy all my cd's seconhand and cheap - but I had an intuition I had to have this one, and months after buying it I know it's a cheap price for a cd to keep for the rest of my life.

Hear the angels in your life whisper, or sing..........2004-04-29

Although varied enough, there's no bad song in this cd and you can let it just run its course, as it comes. Little by little it seems to form a consistent whole.

This cd feels rich, there's a lot there.
I ordered it at first for a breeze of northern wind, a glimpse of remote artic icelands to dream on, with a native voice and music that would include contemporary elements. On that first, superficial level, well I don't know of another cd bringing more of this, even though Henoch could have played this up much more. Try flipping through a 'Pole to pole' artic travel brochure while listening to it ( I once found myself doing both totally by coincidence - an experience of beauty).

Then; what I had not expected so much was the spiritual dimension of it, and the strength and humanity in the lyrics. I'm not usually interested in songs'lyrics, but these may well be some of the best I've heard. They sound like a spiritually-grown person has really put his heart into them.

All songs ring true but No1 particularly seems to draw from a long journey Henoch's been on, and has a special intensity, poignancy, urgency even, and finally towards the end, a triumphant vibrancy. It all feels very real: even for those like me who haven't a sad past to let go of, and despite the joyful positiveness all through it, this song has a potential of sending shivers, somehow an 'in-contrast' realization of what an awful and steep slope Henoch has had to climb all his life to be here now ( singing 'serenely' about the fruit of his awful trials in eagerness to help others). Shivers, and a deep emotion, which sometimes is a deep sadness. What I feel is, Henoch is sincerely trying to reach out to help others.

Clearly, he has grown to develop compassion and strength in response to a past of suffering and abuse, instead of hateful bitterness and shrinking. I hope this music gets known and reaches (among others) those who are in need of it.
I hope this cd soon becomes listed on many more sites, and international branches of Amazon. The more this cd goes round, the better for the world.

Fresh... Pure... Beautiful...........2004-04-03

Keywords, keylines:
Emotion. Touching, unique voice. Soulful, intense, vibrant although serene; sense of connection, of moral and mental energy, integrity and courage; openness and naturalness.
strong melodic music that envelops and lifts you as on a wave, consistent rythms; true talent, no commercialism, no cheap effects. Mature & well-mastered/well-harmonized whole, yet with something spontaneous and fresh still left intact.
Complex. Escapes definitions (not rock but elements of ; likewise, not new age, not typically Indian, ...): you'll just have to get it and see for yourself!

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