If ever there were a recording that should be played in small doses, it's this one! Alan Hovhaness' serene, metaphysical, meditative music can send you into a near trance-state or, depending on the work, into a rage. Working with the principles of oriental art and mysticism, Hovhaness creates musical cells of exquisite beauty and then, coming from that same paradigm, repeats them seemingly endlessly. To some western ears, particularly mine, this can become tiresome unless I'm sitting in the lotus position. So taking these pieces one at a time, I have to say that the Spirit of the Trees, a sonata for harp and guitar, begins in an atmosphere of haunting beauty. It does go on a bit long, but that's okay, as long you stop the CD there. Otherwise, it's all going to start sounding the same pretty quickly. The remaining works are shorter and hold your attention more easily, especially the fascinating Upon Enchanted Ground for Flute, Cello, Giant Tam-Tam, and Harp. Talk about fun! Hovhaness is a wonderful composer for percussion, especially exotic percussion. But, this is a harp disc, and I'm pleased to report that Yolanda Kondonassis is completely in command of the style of these works, effectively conveying various moods through use of color and often subtle articulation techniques. Telarc's magical recording places you in the same space as the performers. This is a fine recording, really. Just remember, unless you're into all-day chanting at an Ashram, put plenty of space between the selections.

Victor Carr

In this live performance, French violinist Didier Lockwood teams up with Raghunath Manet, an Indian-born master of the veena (a sitar-like stringed instrument). Together with Murugan on Indian percussion, Lockwood and Manet make eclectic music somewhat similar to that of John McLaughlin's Shakti.

Saffron Blue evokes a sense of passion, with stunning performances by four guest vocalists that perfectly juxtapose Kim Water’s exquisite voice and Hans Christian’s virtuosic arrangements. Saffron Blue takes you on a rich, sonic journey that transports you to the mystical realm of India, with trance-like rhythms and a deeply spiritual sound..
This album continues to show the limitless quality of their musical gifts, with nine luminescent gems that revel in contemporary Indian hues. Hans Christian does an exceptional job of creating a mood that is mystical and alluring, with shimmering mosaics of sitar, sarangi, violin, cello, rhythm and sublime synthesizer mood. The chant of Kim Waters strikes a unique balance between being spiritual and sensual. Together they once again cement their role as one of Indian music’s most fascinating duos, and the album is a testament to that fact…

newearthrecords.com