Steve Lawson

Steve Lawson is a “New-Age Post-Rock Ambient-Jazz Solo-Bassist”, that’s what it says on his website. I found him though the looping work he does.  You really need to hear this guy’s stuff., head over to www.myspace.com/solobassstevelawson and listen to “Grace and Gratitude”. It is just beautiful. The space that surrounds the notes, the notes that chooses to play.

This is just glorious stuff.

Steve Lawson is one of the most respected solo bass guitarists around – his innovative use of looping technology has garnered him plaudits from across the globe, and lead to tours across Europe and the US and radio airplay in over 20 countries. His solo albums demonstrate his melodic multitracked approach to solo bass performance, with all the layers being added in real-time via the use of Looping technology.

I love this video lots of bass and loops and his partner Lobelia on vocals. And it gets wonderfully chaotic  towards the end!  All the loops and layers are live – there are no pre-recorded samples or backing tracks.  And yep, that’s a 6 string fretless bass he’s playing.

I confess that the performance reminded me of osh10 (we covered them last year).

Highly Recommended, damn this guy is a seriously good.

Websites at www.myspace.com/solobassstevelawson and www.stevelawson.net/wordpress/ and www.reverbnation.com/stevelawson

It’s funny how easily it is for me to get sidetracked. As a for instance, I was checking out an Iranian artist to bring to you today and instead he will be held over till next week.

Why? You may well ask. Put yourself in my shoes and imagine hearing a piece of music that plugs itself into your brain and then storms your senses. I had one of those experiences this drizzly Melbourne evening.

I was listening to a a new age compilation called “Namasté” released in 2003 by an indie label called Real Music. You can listen to samples from the album both at Real Music or even more samples at Amazon. I also quote from their website:

Within contemporary sacred, or new age, music are contained patterns that stimulate the body to awaken and release a vibration. The music ostensibly is coming from the outside into the ear but actually permeates the body, causing the body to “sing” a different resonance, an awakening and cocooning vibration. This vibratory stimulus provides enormous benefits on its own and is particularly powerful when combined with other stress-relieving and rejuvenating therapies such as massage, yoga, reiki, tai chi and so forth.

Myself being a particularly non spiritual as well as an out and out skeptic was moved to introspection by the piece called “End of Suffering”. It is a delicate and uplifting piece that had the goosebumps running footraces from the inside out. So I pilfered their podcast for your listening pleasure. The track in question “End of Suffering” is the very first. Enjoy.

I have no idea if the above benefits resulted but I commend the vocals of Buddist Phap Niem and music by Gary Remal Malkin to you. To be fair the album has a number of evocative tracks but for me this is the standout.

Ancient Brotherhood is a collaboration between founder Gerald Markoe the composer and Navajo flutist A. Brent Chase. Electronica meets New Age flute somewhere in the new millennium. The music is an interesting blend of old and new with some chanting and vocalising thrown into the mix.

Ranging from soothing to energetic the music plunders cultures far and wide to provide an eclectic mix of sounds and rhythms. They have six albums to their name and of those the most striking (based on the samples provided on Fsongs is Vortex Rhythms.

People come from everywhere to feel the vortex of energy in Sedona, Arizona. This album re-creates the incredible experience with a rhythmic and energetic blend of Native American, flamenco and New Age music elements. Native drums and flutes mix with Spanish guitars and the celestial sounds of synthesizers to express the energy and magic of this special place. Having spent many summers here, Gerald Markoe, founder of Ancient Brotherhood, designed the music on VORTEX RHTYHMS to balance and renew your energy whether you’re listening to it, dancing to it or using it in sacred ceremonies.

Further samples are on their website and for the album Where The Earth Touches The Stars samples can be found at the Electronic MP3 Portal.

This was going to be a Saturday Samples except the MySpace site features a generous seven full tracks as well as the samples on the Angel’s site – so with that on with the review of Carol Tatum and the Angels of Venice.

Angels of Venice founder Carol Tatum is a musician, arranger and composer from Dallas Texas who now lives in Los Angeles California. She plays harp, mandolin, Irish bouzouki, hammered dulcimer and even a little electric guitar.

Angels of Venice play New Age music which is pleasing and extremely listenable. The other members of the quartet are Susan Craig Winsberg on flute and recorder, Cathy Biagini on cello and Christopher Pellani on percussion.

Tears of the World is one of only a couple of featured tracks with vocals amongst mostly instrumental pieces. Richly layered, highly romantic and well worth a listen.

I found him initially wearing his guise as Dagda. Dagda plays a new age style of celtic folk. Many songs are quite good. Like much new age music though, it suffers from the tendency to take itself much too seriously. The music is orchestrated, synthesized and manipulated and the result is on the whole suitable aural wall paper when you need to take a break from, say, Bruce Springsteen.

Dagda is an Irish duo comprising songwriter / producer Reg Keating and programmer / producer Phillip O’Reilly. They began working together at Owl studio in Dublin, Ireland during 1997 and quickly established a good musical partnership. Phillip plays keyboard and guitar while Reg plays keyboards and a selection of Irish flutes and whistles. For most of their productions, they engage additional top session musicians and vocalists to give them the exact sounds they are looking for.

Another of his assumed musical personas is the New Ireland Orchestra about which Reg says, “The marketing people correctly figured that “The New Ireland Orchestra” would sell better than “Reg Keating”. They were obviously correct because the first four albums achieved platinum status in Ireland and had another great run in Germany on the Madacy label. The final two albums in the series were released under my own name and only achieved Gold status. Everybody agrees they were the best in the series but there you are – it’s all about image.”

The website is awful in both Netscape and Firefox. There is a link to his music – mp3′s in a menu (pick a menu any menu) on the left of the screen, choose the kind of music you’d like to hear and have a listen.