Reviews of Three CDs

Spirit of Love
by Maya & Sage

The cover on this new CD calls this collection of music “Devotional Chanting & Spiritual Love Songs,” but this is chanting such as you have never heard before.  These are original, modern chants with both English and old Sanskrit words combined with new melodies that resonate with today's audiences.

These chants and songs combine with diverse instrumentation (not often found on traditional chant recordings) such as harmonica, saxophone, wood flute, piano, Celtic harp and Australian didgeridoo to make this a truly original recording. One could call this spiritual feel-good music for a new era.

See www.MayaSage.com

Sapphire Days
by Ann Sweeten

The fifth album of classically trained pianist Ann Sweeten, Sapphire Days is a collection of pure poetry on piano.

Sweeten’s music reflects her passion for nature. “I spend some time outside every day, no matter the weather! I love the ‘naturalness’ of nature because there is no pretense. It’s the wonder of the world.” She begins her new album with “Walking with the Wind,” while “Cotton Candy Skies” and “Canopy of Stars” also pay tribute to the many manifestations of nature. “White Spirit” was inspired by the endangered White Spirit Bear (the Kermode Bear) of British Columbia, which was saved when clear-cut logging was banned there. Sapphire Days is a musical memory of, in Sweeten’s words, “those standout days that we treasure always.”

See www.annsweeten.com

May the Spirit be with You
by The Spirit Ensemble

David Wertman and Lynne Meryl have been performing, writing and recording original World Music Jazz for over 20 years. In their words, their hope is “to use the music of The Spirit Ensemble to spread a healing message of Love, Peace, Compassion and Joy throughout the planet.”

Their music is of a peaceful nature, rich with world rhythms, expansive harmonies, inspired lyrics and the lovely vocals of Lynne Meryl.

More of their music can be found at www.songsofpeace.homestead.com