Russel Walder "Pure Joy"
Bruce & Lisa "Gifts of Love"
Lila Downs "Border"
Mad At Gravity "Resonance"
Nicolas Gunn "Through the Great Smoky Mountains"
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Real Music www.realmusic.com
The oboe may not be an instrument you would expect to be the focus of an entire album. But one of the world's foremost contemporary masters of the oboe, Russel Walder, believes he has the magic.
Indeed, it is a magical sound. Listening to "Pure Joy" is pure joy. Walder, a double platinum Grammy nominated artist, has toured the world as an oboe soloist. The oboe is an instrument little known outside of the classical music world. He has recorded three albums with pianist Ira Stein for Windham Hill and Narada Records. He has guested with prominent new age artists Will Ackerman and Suzanne Cianni.
In "Pure Joy" Walder has captured a sound that brings the listener into a realm of bliss. If you enjoy instrumental music, you will be pleased with how the oboe brings out a new perspective of listening. "Pure Joy" may well be the world's first pop album for oboe.
Walder went to the University of Arizona and lived in Tucson from 1977-80.
Level Ground Records www.bruceandlisa.com
The unity of violin and flute bring out the best of the duo of Bruce Wethey and Lisa LaCross. Bruce performed as a violinist in the Florida Philharmonic with Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Doc Severson and others. Lisa has performed as a concert flutist in some of the world's top classical venues. They are joined on this release by an ensemble of piano, guitar, bass and drums played by some talented Miami musicians.
As Bruce and Lisa created their debut album on Level Ground Records, they also fell in love and married. Aptly titled, "Gifts of Love," the album covers popular songs with Bruce and Lisa's signature sound.
Song titles like "The Way I Feel About You, " "You Make Me Smile," "The Look In Your Eyes," and "The Wedding Song" not only chronicle their love, but also displays their passion and romance.
The music features them echoing or doubling the melody at times, while on other tunes, they go separate ways for awhile ("Just like all lovers do," Lisa remarks). But the interplay between them sparkle. Since neither the violin or the flute are most standard jazz instruments, putting them in the forefront accentuates their effect.
Lisa remarks, "After surviving three brain surgeries, I count my blessings everyday. I have learned to embrace the good as well as the hard times. We were given each other as a great gift of love along with our children, our health and our musical talent. We hope to use our music to touch and change lives, and to offer others a message of peace."
Narada www.narada.com
A collection of stirring songs inspired by the plight of migrant workers, border-life, and the hardships and racism endured by indigenous people is the focus of Lila Down's newest release on Narada, "Border."
Downs' music reflects the most personal and deep side of the Mexican and Mixtec traditions. Her songs have made her a superstar in her native Mexico and has captivated audiences from around the world.
She is a daughter of a Mixtec (Meesh-tek) Indian woman and Anglo-American father with an extraordinary voice that gave her motivation to sing songs with sentimiento - a deep, almost empathic emotion that often leaves audiences of all cultures and countries spellbound.
Her album is dedicated to the Mexican immigrant and spirits of those who died crossing the line.
Artist Direct Records
Hailing from Southern California, Mad At Gravity has made a rumble with their July 16 release of "Resonance" on Artist Direct Records. The team of Jake Fowler (drums), Ben Froelich (bass), Anthony "Bosco" Boscarini (guitar), James Lee Barlow (guitar) and J. Lynn Johnston (vocals) have put together a powerhouse sound. The group name came from a poem title that J. Lynn wrote at age nineteen. "That phrase," he said, "just jumped out. It has so many implications, gravity being an inexplicable force. We can measure it, and we can test its effects. It's the power that holds matter together. Every object has its own gravity, whether it's a human body, a planet, or just a little rock on the ground. Yet, nobody has figured out what it is or how it works. So, for many reasons, we all...gravitated toward it."
After posting acoustic versions of three songs in progress early 2002 on an MP3 site and alerting their mailing list, they began getting extraordinary feedback. They rushed into the studio and emerged with their debut release. The band only had ten gigs under their belt going into May 2002.
Anagram Records www.anagramrecords.com
A series of highly successful tributes to America's national parks, Nicholas Gunn has released a third album, "Through the Great Smoky Mountain [a Musical Journey]." His previous efforts raised more than $130,000 for the Grand Canyon's Association's preservation and arts program with "The Music of the Grand Canyon" and "Return to Grand Canyon."
At the same time this new album is released, Anagram Records is issuing to television a song-length video of the first track, "Call of the Wild," on DVD. This "nature video" is the precursor to the full-length retail DVD companion-piece to the album to be released within a year.
"Through the Great Smoky Mountain" is a musical journey that captures the spectacular scenery and beauty of this mountain range - a part of the Appalachian Mountains that straddles the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
On his recordings, Gunn, who handles arrangements and production, performs primarily on the concert classical C flute, but also plays bamboo flutes, wooden and tin whistles, synthesizers and a wide variety of drums and percussion instruments. He occasionally adds background singing or chanting.
When it came time to record the new album, Gunn took his first trip to the park for inspiration. It was winter and huge snowflakes were falling. "I stood there and it was so peaceful, but also exciting and inspirational," says Gunn. "I couldn't wait to get into the studio and begin recording."
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