September - 2021

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Jonathan Widran

Sep 26, 2021

UNPINNABLE BUTTERFLIES, Radio Ocean

Paul Simon announced his retirement from touring in 2018 and his last set of original material was five years ago. Should he decide, closing in on 80, to never set foot in a studio again, he can comfortably and rhythmically, like the diamond-soled rhymin’ saint he’s long been, hand his proverbial pinball crown (70’s Who reference, look it up if need be) to Gabriel Judet-Weinshel, a prolific manic expressive - cinematographer, film director and singer-songwriter – so musically

JOHN DAVERSA JAZZ ORCHESTRA featuring Justin Morell, All Without Words, variations inspired by Loren

Jonathan Widran

Sep 23, 2021

JOHN DAVERSA JAZZ ORCHESTRA featuring Justin Morell, All Without Words, variations inspired by Loren

Since earning three Grammy nominations for his album Kaleidoscope Eyes: Music of the Beatles in 2017, multi-talented veteran trumpeter, bandleader and educator John Daversa has gone artistically bold in (literally) large and small ways, addressing the DACA issue with his epic, three time Grammy winning big band epic American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom and stripping down to a quintet for the pandemic-inspired Cuarantena: With Family at Home. On his fascinating

Jonathan Widran

Sep 23, 2021

myndstream COLLECTION, Volume 1

With its recent unique rollout of individual artist singles as part of their first seasonal collection Summer Flight and now the myndstream Collection: Volume 1 – touted as the innovative and groundbreaking label’s biggest album of the year – myndstream continues in the glorious tradition of classic new age labels like Higher Octave and Narada, the latter of which released three albums by future myndstream Head of A&R/General Manager (and two time Emmy winning composer) Micha

Jonathan Widran

Sep 22, 2021

STEVEN HALPERN, Cannabis Dreams

For new age music fans somehow unfamiliar with legendary multi-platinum artist, composer, producer and pioneering sound healer Steven Halpern, it could take a few divinely attuned years to fully grasp the vibratory physical, emotional and spiritual impact he has made on the world via more than 100 albums over the past 45 years, a multi-faceted journey that began with Spectrum Suite (1976) and more recently includes his Grammy nominated 2012 collection Deep Alpha: Brainwave Sy

JULIET LYONS & JOHN McLEAN ALLAN, Nova: An Acoustic Journey

Jonathan Widran

Sep 20, 2021

JULIET LYONS & JOHN McLEAN ALLAN, Nova: An Acoustic Journey

With her elegant and ethereal, intricately textured 2019 album The Light Within: Songs for Yoga, Healing & Inner Peace, composer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Juliet Lyons made her transformation from indie pop singer/songwriter who dabbled in new age to full-fledged, award winning, Top 5 Billboard charting genre artist. It’s exciting and inspiring to hear her uniquely rhythmic pop sensibilities play a subtle, seductive role on Nova: An Acoustic Journey, a remarkable si

JON PATRICK WALKER, The Rented Tuxedo & Other Songs

Jonathan Widran

Sep 20, 2021

JON PATRICK WALKER, The Rented Tuxedo & Other Songs

So if you’re a fan of musicals and their touring companies and want to know how the casts spend their down time on tour busses, look no further for musings on the matter than veteran TV/film actor and stage performer, who spent years on the road playing the quirky role of King George III in “Hamilton.” He penned the dark, mystical, melodramatic and wildly Tarantinoesque title track to his latest indie album The Rented Tuxedo & Other Songs between Kansas City and Memphis, and

Jonathan Widran

Sep 20, 2021

MARK ROGERS, Rhythm of the Roads

In her review of Mark Rogers’ 2019 album Laying it Down for the Roots Music journal No Depression, Mindy McCall writes that with that project, the veteran, emotionally well-traveled Virginia singer-songwriter “cements his place in the indie folk pop scene not just as a strong composer but as a sonic force to be reckoned with.” Blissfully, on Rogers’ latest perfectly titled multi-faceted gem Rhythm of the Roads, we get more of the exciting, keeps our ears hoppin’ “sonic force”

FRONT AND CENTER PRESENTS SANGEETA KAUR & FRIENDS

Jonathan Widran

Sep 18, 2021

FRONT AND CENTER PRESENTS SANGEETA KAUR & FRIENDS

Shortly after hearing the transcendent operatic voice and the gentle yet soaring and soul-transformative music of new age crossover star Sangeeta Kaur for the first time, I was given the opportunity to write a review of her fourth album Compassion in 2019, just months before the pandemic. I began: “With a name given to her by yoga master that translates to ‘Princess of Music and Harmony,’ the world-renowned Peace Song Award winner is a revelation and an artist we need more th

Jonathan Widran

Sep 16, 2021

MATTHEW SHELL, Contemplation

A versatile, intuitive and deeply empathetic artist, composer, engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Shell has met our collective moment brilliantly and compassionately during this difficult, anxiety ridden pandemic era, teaming with pianist, co-composer and musical soul mate Vahagn Stepanyan and a host of guest musicians to create the extraordinary two album series Towards New Beginnings and now its extraordinary follow-up - a piano centric collections whose t

Jonathan Widran

Sep 15, 2021

DEAN AND DUDLEY EVENSON, Monet's Garden

In the vibrant photo collage at the heart of the CD packaging for legendary new age husband and wife duo Dean and Dudley Evenson’s soulful and tranquil, spiritually transcendent yet deeply immersive album Monet’s Garden, there is a compelling shot of Dean standing before a black and white image, in a beautiful outdoor setting, of Claude Monet, the founder of impressionistic painting who once called his garden “my most beautiful masterpiece.” With their striking long white bea

STEVE MILLION Ft. SARAH MARIE YOUNG, Jazz Words

Jonathan Widran

Sep 11, 2021

STEVE MILLION Ft. SARAH MARIE YOUNG, Jazz Words

It’s right there in the title “Heavens to Monkitroid,” the lively, boppin’ and wildly improvisational Thelonious-esque romp that opens Jazz Words, the first album by veteran pianist Steve Million to feature all originals, featuring the rangy and emotionally resonant vocals of Sarah Marie Young. The very personal and heartfelt eight song collection could be named “tale of two Monk semi-finalists, 22 years apart; Million earned the designation at the Thelonious Monk Piano Compe

TURNING CIRCLES, What Goes Around Comes Around

Jonathan Widran

Sep 11, 2021

TURNING CIRCLES, What Goes Around Comes Around

Using the term “veteran” to describe the versatile composer, arranger and trumpeter Kerry Moffitt is a bit of a double entendre. Now finally emerging as bandleader in his own right, showcasing his love of trad jazz swing, funky soul-jazz and lyrical ballads on What Goes Around Comes Around, the debut by his Midwest based group Turning Circles, he’s seriously done it all over the past four decades. He’s penned arrangements and toured the world with orchestras and small jazz en

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