Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: clouds

  • Clouds

    Clouds

    How to Identify Nature’s Most Fleeting Forms

    Clouds by Edward Graham is a fascinating view of the history of clouds, which includes the sciences (Meteorology and Geology.) It is surprising to learn that in the 1800’s an artist, John Ruskin, published a treatise which called for Scientific research to classify and name all the cloud formations, recognised by the public since the earliest times.

    As the author points out, this publication began the project by Meteorologists of the time. There is a copy of the table they provided which was called “The Cloud classification table.” It includes the three main types of clouds, (cirrus, cumulous, and stratus,) as well as the “mix” (cumulus nimbus, etc). There was an attempt to order them with the altitude at which they would separately occur. Next, we are given a detailed description of each cloud formation.

    The author moves to later research from the 17th and 18th centuries. This contains more detailed and scientific observations on classification, and the development of cloud symbols. The language becomes more specifically scientific, and the research is in greater depth.

    Now Graham returns to the role of the artist in the era of Enlightenment. In particular, the landscape painters, (Constable, Joseph Wright and Turner. These artists were influenced by the work of Ruskin. Details of the conjunction between science (Meteorology) and art, (Painting) caused a transformation. The artists realised the importance of studying the science of cloud formation so they could represent more accurately the positioning of the clouds as required by the text.

    The illustrations chosen by the author are superb. They match the text so that the reader can recognise the painter’s understanding of the science. This book should appeal to students and experienced Meteorologists, art historians and lay people alike.

  • Clouds Below

    Clouds Below

    Clouds Below is the latest release from the much loved progressive new age group 2002 and marks another milestone in their ever evolving development, with daughter Sarah composing the beautiful Everyday Miracles as well as a creating a beautiful video clip to accompany City Blue.

    The album was born of Randy’s desire to pilot a plane, which he eventually did, becoming immersed in the beauty to be found above the earth from a small plane. The cloud formations, so splendid above and below the plane captured his artistic imagination and so Clouds Below came into existence.

    Each of the pieces represents the delicate and yet strong majesty full of contrast to be discovered in the ever-changing the skies that surround us. Each element dependant on the other to create the many elements that grace our world. The contrast between majesty and might apparent.

    Putting first things first though, the album is introduced with a gentle and whimsical song Soul Mate which is in its style, almost the signature of the group – slightly mystical, with gentle threads of the instruments capturing the emotion within the song. A delightful, cheeky flourish makes a quirky pause within the piece. Delightful.

    The elegant Glimmering Hope is enchanting, mellow and immensely relaxing. A feeling of drifting is very apparent as the notes of the piano unfold, to be later joined by violin which adds a gentle sense of dreaming to a bewitching piece.

    A stand out song, City Blue, is a shift away from the more mystical pieces, with a sinuously rich element of saxophone added from Ryan McCulough. This is a slightly new direction for 2002, or possibly one area that is ready for further exploration, as the piece simply oozes with feeling; sultry and captivating, that of a City on a ‘blue’ day. An end note to this piece is that it was originally written more than twenty years ago, before becoming lost on a corrupt hard drive. Ryan McCulough played saxophone on the original recording.

    Clouds Below, the signature tune recreates the monotone of a small engine as it carries a plane through the skies, the singular brackets of notes interspersed within the hum slowly broaden in scope to capture the impressive beauty and immensity of the surrounding sky.

    Everyday Miracles is a graceful conclusion to a completely charming album, with the notes of the piano joined by delicate violin, adding an almost classical element a finely tuned, once again sensuous, drifting piece which makes a perfect farewell until next time.

  • Fire in the Clouds

    Fire in the Clouds

    In this lovely, laid back collection from Eric Bikales, the many years of music he has engaged with is apparent as each of the pieces, while blending beautifully to create a whole, is as individual as emotion that inspired each of the compositions.

    Fire in the Clouds is a somewhat majestic title for an album which could be considered as comfortable, as the music reaches out with a lovely mellow ambience, but contains elements of Latino, jazz and totally enjoyable ‘old fashioned’ piano.

    Several of the pieces carry a reminder of the almost unforgettable song from the TV show Friends, ‘I’ll Be There For You’, which while slightly disconcerting, creates a feeling of being in amongst new friends, as each of the pieces unfold. This is not at all surprising considering Bikales background as a composer for many popular TV shows, among which are Good Wife, Hill Street Blues, LA Law and Grey’s Anatomy.

    The delightful Yellow Bird brings in the first of the captivating pieces with a light, uplifting tone which continues throughout the work, setting the tempo for a relaxing and enjoyable thirty minutes of delightful compositions.

    As the various tracks slowly drift out of the ether, the titles are intriguing. Fire in the Clouds is almost self-explanatory as it is both the title of the album, with a magnificent sunset gracing the cover, as well as a stand-alone, catchy little number full of fun, colour and atmosphere.

    Not often is a piece under a minute, but the intriguing little jazz ditty, Now This is one to look out for at 26 seconds in duration, making it very easy to overlook, and as such could be considered as a comma inserted between works of a similar emotional content. Khai written for his wife, is simple and yet elegant with a dash of improv included, as can be a life journey together.

    Rounding out a stylish and peaceful album are the final two tracks, both dedicated to wind: Reasoning With The Wind is once again a catchy little number which has a very different thread of strings added to create a certain calmness, something which a ‘lazy’ wind seldom offers, before Kansas Wind ushers in a slightly different, lazy jazz/blues style piece which is absolutely relaxing and a perfect piece to close a totally laid back collection.

  • Weather: An Illustrated History: From Cloud Atlases to Climate Change

    Weather: An Illustrated History: From Cloud Atlases to Climate Change

    From the very beginning there has been weather: it is a simple fact that every planet that sustains life needs to have atmosphere, and to get atmosphere there has to be weather!

    Self-explanatory indeed, but the effect weather has on this our planet, the effect that we as residents on this planet have on the weather, is perhaps not as self-explanatory as we may all like to think, as the debate about carbon emissions and Climate Change rage on global portions.

    The formation of the earth as a planet is a formidable exercise in many sciences, beginning some 4.567 billion years ago; and then there was the moon, which is also a fascinating combination of sciences, believed to have contributed to the formation of a dry, sterile planet, that lightens the night sky.

    But onto the history of Weather which Revkin and Mechaley have presented in chronological order, as the miscellany of facts and accompanying pictures needs to be dealt with in fitting style, as it has such a massive effect on our daily existence and on the future of the planet.

    Beginning with 4.567 billion bce when the earth got an atmosphere, followed by 4.3 billion bce, when Water World arrived, and proceeding from there, they have filled each page with a myriad of facts and figures that remain as fascinating and amazing today, as they were when they were first discovered and recorded.

    Each of the pages is accompanied by a few lines notated as See Also which offers further reading to be had on that subject. Informative captions provide detailed information on each of the accompanying pictures.

    Suitable for a wide range of ages, this is a wonderfully informative collection of things you always wanted to know about weather and history but did not realise until you read the book.

    Weather – an illustrated history is great tool for projects, school research and anyone who loves all those little fact and figures about the planet, that make it a truly fascinating place to live.

  • Spirit Wheel

    Spirit Wheel

    Imagine, if you will, bathing in a pool of sublime bliss; the beauty of the experience surrounding you, feeling the deep relaxation beginning to permeate your very heart and soul, bringing with it a feeling of joy and pleasure, and you have not left that favourite place, that comfortable chair, that meditation space.

    Bruce Hecksel and Julie Patchouli, otherwise known as the sublime acoustic group, Terra Guitarra have in Spirit Wheel created what surely have to be their most amazingly beautiful album to date.

    Created out of a desperate need to become grounded, Hecksel found that he had been caught up in a cycle of stress and, ‘that the insanity of material culture’ was bringing with it fear, anger and insecurity. He retreated to his music, unintentionally creating what he refers to as a ‘meditative rhythm track, which transported him powerfully inward, back to himself’, and so the basis of this album was formed.

    Each day he created another piece, based in beauty, and as always containing a certain element of relaxation, healing and joy, creating an elixir that needs no prescription, but brings with it the gift of healing.

    The tracks have been named accordingly to the feel of the moment, the element of life. Autumns Breeze is reflective of one of the most majestic periods of the year, when the summer has withdrawn its heat and the gentle relaxing warmth of the earth beginning to settle is felt all around.

    Cloud Caravan offers the feeling of relaxing on a soft cloud, surrounded by a lovely light and yet deep feeling of never ending peace and relaxation. Mountain Lake follows paying tribute to the mysterious nature of mountains and lakes, which in their still majesty and deep depths hold mysteries untold; their pristine nature timeless, pure and unchanged.

    The music comes from a ‘stream-of-consciousness’, the cover of the album created by Hecksel in the form of a mandala is also a beautiful reminder of the everyday gifts of life, each item with its own symbolism, another of his works which now form a component of what he refers to as his ‘series of guitar based paintings’.

    To listen to this album is to enjoy a rare treat in world of spiritual, meditational, new-age relaxation music as it offers something for everyone with the rhythms shifting and changing over several styles and offers nothing other than pure, sublime, medicine for the soul, the heart and the spirit.

    Hecksel says, ‘The music on this album was really just an unplanned surprise’. Thank you so very much, Bruce Hecksel and Julie Patchouli for sharing your surprise.