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& REVIEWS uses woodwinds, guitar, mandolin, pan- M U Ss | C pipes, synthesiser and percussion. He best 5 A 7 captures the spirit of the medicine woman- Reviewed by Richard Giles hood sound on two later tracks of the CD, SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS "Divinity" and "Temple Journey". by various artists Putumayo, USA, 2004 (43mins) MASTERS OF THE SHAKUHACHI Distributors: Aust—MRA, tel (07) 3849 by Hidekazu Katoh and Richard Stagg 6020; UK—Pinnacle Imports, tel 01689 | Arc Music Prodns, UK, 2004 (54mins) 870622; USA—Putumayo, tel 1888 Distributor: UK—Arc Music, tel +44 7888 8629, http:/www.putumayo.com _(0)1342 328 567, website he music of the South Pacific is not http:/Awww.arcmusic.co.uk widely known outside the region. From Riches Stagg has been performing \ Putumayo comes a collection of sounds shakuhachi for 20 years, and here he's from these islands including New Zealand, accompanied by another acclaimed player, Samoa, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea Hidekazu Katoh, from the Japanese Pro (PNG), Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Musica Nipponia and the Bamboo | Tokelau. Of special interest is Telek from Orchestra. They play traditional pieces as PNG, a group that's already made a name for Well as modern compositions. All tracks are itself. However, many here have hardly 10-12 minutes long and would satisfy the been heard outside their own countries. most ardent of flute enthusiasts. The third There's great music from NZ and New track, "Myoga" ("Sheltered by Buddha's Caledonia, all with a strong beat flavour Mercy"), is exceptional as they play around mixed with local traditional sounds. each other on one higher and one deeper shakuhachi. It's reflective of the harmonies IN RETROSPECT: 1980-2003 we can achieve in a life lived in peace. by David Parsons Celestial Harmonies, USA 2004 DRAGONFLY (2CDs, 157mins) by Stringmansassy _ ; Distributors: Australia— Planet Stringmansassy Music, 2004 (48mins) istributi : Distributor: Australia—MRA Distribution, tel (02) 9356 4866; USA— : Celestial Harmonies, tel (520) 326 4400, Entertainment, tel (07) 3849 6020, web- http://(www.harmonies.com site http:/Awww.stringmansassy.com elestial Harmonies has a great catalogue hese two amazing Australian musicians dedicated to specialist world sounds. have taken the Woodford Folk Festival One of its artists, David Parsons, is one of in southeast Queensland by storm in the last the unrecognised greats of international aed cars. vans ye they are moved to tears music. This collection of his most outstand- "i K. wey Pa ° k ‘with h opper on nay ing compositions includes the haunting and Kacey Patrick with her extraordinary, "Urartu to Ubud" from Ngaio Gamelan (see crystal-clear scat-style voice. To hear her 6/06), "Whirling into the Light" from sing the birds of the Amazon jungle in Shaman and "Varuna Ghat" from Yatra, He Sting's classic piece "Fragile" is to connect won awards for his 17-CD Music of Islam with the power of the Earth and its primal series in 1997 (see 5/04), and his collections life energy. On Dragonfly, they perform . A F : mostly their own songs, except for the two ae alse cine Amato ik standards "Fragile" and "Fever". Well worth every cent of the purchase price. MEDICINE WOMAN III: THE RISING by Medwyn Goodall New World Music, Aust, 2005 (51 mins) Distributors: Aust—NWM, tel (02) 9565 4522; UK—NWM, tel 01986 781682; Europe—MCC, tel +49 4102 898202; USA—NWM, tel (303) 415 1040, http://www.newworldmusic.com edwyn Goodall is one of the more pro- lific of New Age music composers, and his Medicine Woman series has been a phenomenal world music hit. Now along comes Medicine Woman III, which is not quite up to the mesmerising sound of the first effort but nevertheless I appreciate its energetic addition to the music scene. He uses woodwinds, guitar, mandolin, pan- M U Ss | C pipes, synthesiser and percussion. He best 5 A 7 captures the spirit of the medicine woman- Reviewed by Richard Giles hood sound on two later tracks of the CD, SOUTH PACIFIC ISLANDS "Divinity" and "Temple Journey". by various artists Putumayo, USA, 2004 (43mins) MASTERS OF THE SHAKUHACHI Distributors: Aust—MRA, tel (07) 3849 by Hidekazu Katoh and Richard Stagg 6020; UK—Pinnacle Imports, tel 01689 | Arc Music Prodns, UK, 2004 (54mins) 870622; USA—Putumayo, tel 1888 Distributor: UK—Arc Music, tel +44 7888 8629, http:/www.putumayo.com _(0)1342 328 567, website he music of the South Pacific is not http://www.arcmusic.co.uk widely known outside the region. From Rises Stagg has been performing Putumayo comes a collection of sounds Shakuhachi for 20 years, and here he's from these islands including New Zealand, accompanied by another acclaimed player, Samoa, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea Hidekazu Katoh, from the Japanese Pro (PNG), Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Musica Nipponia and the Bamboo Tokelau. Of special interest is Telek from Orchestra. They play traditional pieces as PNG, a group that's already made a name for well as modern compositions. All tracks are itself. However, many here have hardly 10-12 minutes long and would satisfy the been heard outside their own countries. most ardent of flute enthusiasts. The third There's great music from NZ and New track, "Myoga" ("Sheltered by Buddha's Caledonia, all with a strong beat flavour Mercy"), is exceptional as they play around mixed with local traditional sounds. each other on one higher and one deeper shakuhachi. It's reflective of the harmonies IN RETROSPECT: 1980-2003 by David Parsons Celestial Harmonies, USA 2004 (2CDs, 157mins) Distributors: Australia— Planet Distribution, tel (02) 9356 4866; USA— Celestial Harmonies, tel (520) 326 4400, http:/www.harmonies.com elestial Harmonies has a great catalogue dedicated to specialist world sounds. One of its artists, David Parsons, is one of the unrecognised greats of international music. This collection of his most outstand- ing compositions includes the haunting "Urartu to Ubud" from Ngaio Gamelan (see 6/06), "Whirling into the Light" from Shaman and "Varuna Ghat" from Yatra. He won awards for his 17-CD Music of Islam series in 1997 (see 5/04), and his collections of music from Bali, Cambodia and Vietnam are also superb. A must-have album. NEXUS +73 FEBRUARY — MARCH 2005 www.nexusmagazine.com