Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: peace

  • UNITY

    UNITY

    Layers within layers of beautiful, sensuous music make up the beguiling Unity, crafted by Raphael Groten and his partner Rebecca Kodis as their sincere and heartfelt hope that there can eventually be Unity and Peace in the sad and sorry World in which we all live.

    Music as a means to help the world heal became a very definitive part of the music industry in the 1960’s with many folk groups, along with the eventual creation of John Lennon’s iconic song Imagine, sending out the message for Peace.

    Unity is a series of songs, in the same tradition, each with its own emotion woven within the song, each one perfect in its creation which continues this long held hope for humanity.

    Delicate and enchanting Feathers commences a time of thoughtful meditation which was the original purpose of the creation; to help carry the listener into their own world in readiness for the music to flow.

    Rebecca Kodis joins Raphael Groten in a captivating dance of guitar and violin in Ease, written and created for pure enjoyment; a song which if allowed, will carefully take you on a sublime journey into worlds that are vast and peaceful. A sensual and gloriously rich song to delight.

    Open Hands is a delightfully intriguing song which features Will Ackerman on guitar, Eugene Friesen on cello, each one adding a delicious depth to Groten on guitar and Kodis on violin.  Each melody entwines seamlessly to evolve into a delicate, floating and utterly divine moment in time.

    Union is a traditional piece in that it is reminiscent of the days when couples danced, slowly, cheek to cheek, enveloped in the music and the gentle love of their partner. This blissful song often gets played at weddings as it captures the nostalgic love of life, of fresh new beginnings, gentle drifts of sadness as the old is left behind to make way for the new.

    Drawing an incredibly beautiful album to a close is the title track Unity, created in a deep trance, on the eve of New Year 2019-2020. Haunting and deeply spiritual the simple lyrics, softly sung, offer balm to a troubled world, a troubled soul and bring with them gentle healing.

    The liner notes that accompany this Album should be read as they tell the story behind each of the ten songs that make up this enchanting collection.

    “May all life be unified. May all life know peace with me.”

  • Silent Heart

    Silent Heart

    The silent heart weeps at the tragedy that surrounds, that is all encompassing, that destroys without uplifting, that seeks to dominate without care or consideration for fellow mankind.

    When the silent heart weeps it seeks comfort and solace in love and kindness, understanding and peace within the healing love of music, so gently and beautifully created as a gift to all in need of a silent time of reflection, solitude and enduring love.

    Kerani has in Silent Heart, her latest work of ten beautiful, gentle and loving songs, reached out with her divine music, offering the rich balm of healing as a gift to the world in a time when peace and love is so very badly in need.

    Feeling so very troubled by the tragedy surrounding her delivered daily on the news services, she felt that to compose songs with her rare, gifted insight and delicate harmonies, was to not only help her heal and cope with world tragedy, but would reach far and wide with comfort and love.

    Beginning with a Silent Heart, a rich orchestral piece with many layers, it is perfect for gently gliding into a silent space, which when followed with The Gift, written after a fan remarked that her music was a true gift to the world, her signature style of gentle and yet powerful piano wrapped around with soft orchestral harmonies is offered with subtle eloquence.

    Solitude, one of the divinely blissful songs,takes the dreamer to a place of peace with the soft melody wafting on the air, there to enjoy but not to intrude, offering serenity before moving into a more powerful but gentle conclusion.

    Perfect for a mellow moment Nocturne offers a little gentle romance, before allowing tender Anthem to effortlessly draw to a delicate finale, what could be considered as Kerani’s finest work yet, and her first scored for full orchestration.

    Silent Heart: love and perfection offered with kindness and humility.

  • Weathering

    Weathering

    Over many, many years’ Tom Eaton has been instrumental in creating incredible music with friend and colleague, guitarist Will Ackerman at Windham Hill Records. Many of the pieces mastered there have gone on to become award winners for a vast array of musicians, from solo performances to the diversity of the fusion styles; music that now comes under headings such as Ambient, Neo-Classical and so many more.

    As a performer Eaton has composed, recorded and released to acclaim fourteen albums, Weathering making the fourteenth, a relaxing and delicately balanced series of songs that tell of a life journey from light to dark and then light once again.

    Music to tell stories has always been so, going back to the very beginning of time; the sophistication of the modern style allows the wide variance in mood, creativity and the captivating of emotion in many layers. When you are Tom Eaton, and have been at the peak of the art of engineering music for several generations, the elegance and emotion of the songs on Weathering hold great appeal.

    Over one hour of blissful music, the journey begins at the Lost Years with a prelude, which the leads into the song before moving into deep reflection in Above the mad river; reflective and brooding this is has a deep, spacey element which resonates.

    Instead I said goodbye begins the second bracket. The empty page one so many have faced followed by Weathering; life’s many storms captured over the three songs, a time of reflection, acceptance and letting go. Facing up slowly to a new reality.

    Moving gently into fresh beginnings comes with the almost hesitant song The beach, the rain and hope which is slow, thoughtful and intimate before branching out into a more acoustic sound to captivate the emergence hope and change

    Piano gently played wafts in the beautiful when clouds give way to stars, a song filled with a sense of happiness, of a lightening of the spirit returning from a dark place, to discover a much lighter happier world to enjoy.

    Weathering is a more than just one man and his music: it encapsulates so many of life’s journeys on a road well-travelled. Delicate, dainty and perfectly balanced it is an album that brings with it gentle relaxation, hope and healing. 

  • Echoes of Peace

    Echoes of Peace

    Delicate notes drift slowly and enchantingly to form a whole in the first track of the new work from Ryan Judd, Echoes of Peace, creating the perfect introduction to a profoundly beautiful collection of ten tracks to sooth and simply to enjoy.

    Music Therapist and musician Ryan Judd reaches out to people in distress thought the powerful medium of music, easing their journey through life or soothing the soul as it begins it journey home. Through his intimate work, he understands the deep distress felt at various time in life’s journey and has over the years created many delicate songs which envelop the emotions in pure love.

    On this work he has collaborated with Tom Eaton to add a soft, gentle ambient background to the gentle plucking of the nylon stringed guitar, adding another level of gentle reflection to each one of the songs.

    Both Ryan Judd and Tom Eaton are masters of their craft and when working together on this gentle and delicate album, have created a moment of absolute serenity in a madly busy world; songs that float, that drift, that wrap around the soul and say, be still a moment, relax, enjoy.

    It really does not matter what the songs are called as the work simply drifts effortlessly from one piece to the next, a journey of healing and relaxing serenity that will reach out and find its way into many avenues of life with its simplicity, beauty and emotion.

    Echoes of Peace is perfect for any form of meditation, relaxation or healing.

  • StarLight 

    StarLight 

    Starlight is a lovely, tinkling little single especially created for Christmas by Sonya Haramis.  The sound of bells carefully tapped, backed with a melodious drone has what could be considered as a sense of clarity and stillness embedded throughout the short piece.

    Various little moments tantalise the mind, hinting of a melody of Christmas tunes well beloved, but never actually forming into a complete tune, which is in so many ways charming.

    Different and reminding one of the many layers of Christmas, Starlight reaches out through the medium of music to create, bind together, gather memories, deliver enchantment and offer peaceful, joyful moments.

    Haramis has captured a little or a lot of Christmas in this elegant composition which will truly delight.

  • The Path to Inner Peace

    The Path to Inner Peace

    Karma is a word often used without the full understanding of exactly what Karma is; in so many ways it has become a throw-away word used frequently in the western world, therefor to some degree it is also viewed with a good deal of scepticism by many. 

    Subhash Jain, via the fictional character of his student, sets out to explain the ‘karma doctrine’ as it is referred to in the Eastern Religions. Over the course of the book he also builds a model, which is assumed to be free from inconsistencies, to better understand the natural laws of karma and establishes exactly what both types of karma consist off and their various consequences.

    Slowly but thoroughly the Guru peals back the many layers of karma in such a way that it is relatively easy to understand how we attract additional karma, to that which we already have as newborns. He also explains karmic debt, how it is attracted and how life can be lived to free ourselves from karma by using free will, good versus evil and much more.

    While the explanations can be somewhat complex they present options for thought, which is the purpose of the many analogies throughout the chapters. The philosophies discussed and presented are based in the ancient religion of Jainism which has been around for more than 2,500 years. This religion is based on the philosophy of living as nonviolent life as possible and having as little negative impact on the way we live our lives.

    For those who wish to study further the concept of Karma from both a personal and environmental perspective The Path To Inner Peace is an excellent choice of reading material.

  • Speak Peace

    Speak Peace

    Soothing and infinitely comforting, this beautiful melodic and slow moving collection Speak Peace has the trade mark of Rick Sparks stamped firmly on each song.

    Begun well before the war in Ukraine broke out, this is a work that is in essence timely, as it was created reflect upon the element of peace with the title track Speak Peace beingboth symbolic and soothing.

    The delightful Harvest Moon is dainty and gentle has been included in homage to Neil Young’s 1962 work of everlasting love; something we all strive to achieve. Still in the gentle, almost romantic mood is the 1912 Waltz, written as a tribute to his grandmother. Waltzes are by their gentle ambience pieces that transport to a place of love and gentle, treasured moments with a loved one. This lovely piece does not disappoint.

    Unfolding in the Ukraine is a tragedy which has captured many composers and musician’s emotions. Prayer for Ukraine, a work which was released as a single, with all proceeds for the single donated to relief efforts in the Ukraine, offers a moment in time when we can all reflect and offer hope and prayer for a speedy end to this conflict. Beautiful and dreamy it speaks to the soul of better times ahead.

    With a title as intriguing as We Will Wait Upon the King, it leads one to wonder what was the motivation behind this synth created piece.  Sparks tells that it was inspired by the biblical prophecy that Christ will one day return as King and peace will come to this so very troubled world.

    The bitter sweet, Auld Lang Syne brings a reflective work which tugs at the heartstrings, full of hope, peace and harmony, to a gentle close. Symbolising traditionally the ending of one ‘year’ and the beginning of the ‘year’ ahead, this also could be considered as a song of hope, that humanity will eventually be able to enjoy new beginnings and peace on earth.

    Speak Peace is a delightful, relaxing and gentle mixture of solo piano, softly composed synth pieces full of hope, delivered with a delicate Rick Sparks touch.

  • Nirankaar

    Nirankaar

    Released in 2022 at time when the world is facing turmoil not seen for decades, this beautiful healing sound from spiritual vocalist Snatam Kaur has never been more needed.

    Nirankaar, sung in the sacred language of Gurmukhi is mesmeric, enchanting and deeply mediative. Soft gentle and floating but strong and powerful, each of the nine tracks reaches out to encourage meditation, prayer and healing. Sadly, the earth and its people need this meditation. Reaching out now to her wide and varied audience could not have been better timed.

    During the months of May and June Kaur has been on tour in Europe, United Kingdom and Israel, holding Kundalini and Sacred Sound healing workshops, combining the healing power of nature and scared chants.

    But moving on and on a more personal level, Kaur’s music is perfection for encouraging deep relaxation and meditation, as the beauty of the softly sung chants lulls the senses, sooths the soul and refreshes the body, mind and spirit.

    Delicate guitar work from Grecco Buratto, gentle tones of Sukhmani on tabla, percussion and Ram Dass on piano along with their combined vocals, enchant as well as sooth.

     Nirankaar translates to ‘Formless God’, which perfectly describes the very essence of the series of chants created from four of the previous released tracks, (the first four tracks on the album), to encourage the art of chanting for the greater good and for the peace of the emotion and soul.

    The final four pieces set the album apart from the more tradition chant based works, as they reflect the wide range and beautiful voice of Kaur, in particular Moonlight Hymn and I Am with additional vocals from Jap Preet Kaur.

    Upbeat and catchy the final piece Kudrat with full orchestration, concludes a rather intriguing, peaceful and delightful work full of love, hope and healing in a most unexpected style.

    As a peace activist Kaur’s music crosses boundaries and is sent forth in the hope and knowledge that peace and healing will be received and felt by many.

  • The Essence of Self

    The Essence of Self

    The Essence of Self from Solace Road is a standout work in the field of Ambient Music which has been crafted with a fine attention to detail, as is discovered in the first track A Conscious Journey.   Various sound elements come together to transport into a world of inner seeking, each variation added to the underlying piano draws the mind to the temple bells of Asia, the sound of a woodland full of birds, a river flowing, the timeless nature of space, earthly and yet surreal.

    The pace of the work is slow, drifting and captivating as Solace Road takes a journey to the unknown depths of who we are, or appear to be; seeking out the places that need to be gentled, relaxed and soothed, allowing the wanderer to discover how precious they are.

    Encouraging deeper relaxation is the drifting, delicate The Light of I. Further into the journey is the robust Dreaming of a Distance which is a little more sombre, richer in tone with mysterious layers of deep meditation.

    In Serenity is a singularly spare, beautiful piece which combines piano with the drone of synth, with a gentle layer of violin as the track develops, to deliver a very different vibe to previous pieces; as if serenity has been finally discovered, the marvel of peace within is being felt, refreshed and enjoyed with a light, delicate wonder.

    Sweeping in is the title track The Essence of Self, a full bodied electronic space style piece that simply is what it is, encouraging further drifting into the unknown, the familiar and yet different spaces of self, whereas Wandering Skies could almost be considered as whimsical.

    The Essence of Self is a work that flows from the beginning to the final track, Virtue of Reasoning which once again delivers a completely different element of sound, returning the wanderer to the earth; grounding is required which is done with the use of a clear sharp sound delivered with precise timing to a measured rhythm.

    A delicate, perfectly balanced album of pure relaxation and introspection, The Essence of Self will refresh the soul, gentle the mind and be enjoyed time and time again.

  • Orenda: Breath of Angels

    Orenda: Breath of Angels

    An elegant simplicity of which the Divine One’s are sure to approve, is the hallmark of this latest work from composer and pianist Dyan Garris, Orenda: Breath of Angels, an album that returns to the earlier style of what was then referred to as New Age Music, which in many ways is a breath of fresh air in a world that is seeking peace and tranquillity.

    Where Angels are concerned there is a lightness of being, strength of purpose and a definitive spiritually which is often hard to define clearly, but through the mystique of music, the beauty of the angelic realm reaches out to comfort, sooth and reassure which has been captured in this peaceful, calming, collection.

    Sherry Finzer on flute adds an ethereal ambiance to several of the tracks, along with delicate vocals from Rebekah Eden and on the first track, Every Time You Breath, Juliet Lyons. Tony Garvis on guitar and Louis Anthony deLise’s intricate sting arrangements complete the stellar line up of musicians who have collaborated to create a magical journey to an angelic realm.

    Orenda showcases the talent of Garris in a simple piece with piano and violin that highlights the words from Garris on the inner cover of the liner: ‘Somewhere between your own inhale and exhale is the space where angels breathe.’ Water for the Soul – remix is another such piece with a slightly more up-tempo beat and a fitting piece to use once again on this album.

    It has been said on several occasions that Garris, when composing and recording has a direct pathway to the angelic realm:  Orenda: Breath of Angels only underpins that opinion, as each of the songs is as if a door opens into another dimension and within that dimension, is whatever you choose to select: peace, relaxation or meditation, or maybe all three.

    Perfect for meditation is the final track 5th Eye Trance with the exquisite vocals of Rebekah Eden taking this piece to another level entirely: the clear, fresh and pure space where the Angels choose dwell.

    In a time when music of a ‘new age’ format is becoming incredibly sophisticated and wide ranging in style and emotion, Orenda: Breath of Angels could easily be considered as a stand-alone album that has been heaven sent!