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| | [ Home > Links and Friends > CD's ]
CD'sSheepish Favorites. Our Bose system (9 speakers!) at Sheepish is playing music from the world all day. The "Favorites" below are those we can listen to many times without going crazy. They are all highly recommended!
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| Lullabies from Around the Worldexceptional recordings
| | |  DrumSex by Brent Lewis Brent Lewis presents an album that is likely his strongest to date. The rhythms are multi-layered, with his trademark Ikauma drums fleshing out the "melody" portion of the pieces. Despite the erotic suggestions of the title, the music has more of a vigorous tribal feel, which is enhanced by sound/instrument samples on a many of the tracks. "The Gates of Gomorrah," for example is a surreal whirl of complex rhythms and eerie night sounds. "Dinner at the Sugarbush," by contrast is a straight percussion tune that sports some impressive, heavy-duty beats - a must for percussion fans!
Another Sheepish Favorite by Brent is "Like a Drum"
| | |  Brule -- The CollectionPaul LaRoche, the central figure behind the contemporary Native American project Brule, got a little shock in the early 90's when he not only learned that he was adopted, but that he was of Lakota descent. [Note: Paul grew up a few houses down from Steve of Sheepish!] Not long after that Brule was born, both as an outlet for LaRoche's creative expression and as a means of showing his pride in his heritage. This greatest hits package compiles some of his better known hits from his four releases on SOAR Records. Fans of Brule's signature sound, which blends traditional Native American instrumentation and chant samples with varied tempo electronic backdrops, will be right at home here with songs like "Buffalo Moon," "Star People" and "All My Relations."
Brule is a favorite at Milwaukee's Indian Summer Festival each year. We have heard them many times.
| | |  Jia Peng Fang BestPerforming on the Chinese erhu, a bowed instrument that produces a very characteristic weeping sound (reminiscent to a cello with higher pitch and vibrato), Peng Fang's contemporary-style new age arrangements carry with them a sense of softness and reflection. This album is a collection of fourteen of the artist's more beautiful pieces, culled from his past releases on Pacific Moon (as well as a couple previously unreleased tunes). Many of these, like "Sirius" and "Silent Moon," are dreamy and bittersweet, falling somewhere between the sounds of a lullaby and an elegy. This album is so perfect for quiet moments of solitude that it seems as if it was made for that purpose.
When Anne and Steve were last in China, the erhu being played in the parks made a lasting impression. Jia Fang Best is the master of this wonderful instrument.
| | |  Ragani -- Best of Both WorldsThere's no mistaking it, chanter Ragani and her backing crew definitely have spirit. There's pure joy being poured into the call-and-response style kirtans presented on BEST OF BOTH WORLDS; it's very obvious that this album was a labor of love for all those involved. Imagine it - the music swells, the speed of the instrumentation increases and the whole sonic scene becomes a whirl of ecstatic bliss and prayerful chant. It's an infectious atmosphere, you can't help but want to move with the music. This dynamic kirtan session is a tribute to yoga master Sri Swami Rama, her teacher and friend. Proceeds from the album's sale will support the charitable hospital in Northern India and other non-profit organizations established by Swami Rama.
Ragani's monthly kirtan is in Milwaukee. A Sheepish delegation is common -- we find ourselves singing along to the CD in the shop.
| | |  Krisna Das -- Breath of the HeartIn the pantheon of Indian chanters, it's doubtful that you will find one more illustrious and esteemed than Krishna Das. With each kirtan, he inspires people around the world to trade material desires for spiritual enlightenment. BREATH OF THE HEART features Krishna Das' tried and true blend of music - Indian tablas and harmonium mixed together with Western instrumentation like guitar, cello and violin. The list of supporting artists reads like a whose who of contemporary Indian music: Wah! on harmonium, Benjy Wertheimer on Esraj, Lili Haydn on violin, Ty Burhoe on tabla, Steve Gorn on bamboo flute, among others. The results of this ensemble are quite fruitful - BREATH OF THE HEART is a harmonically pleasing, life-affirming offering of chant music. With its natural rhythmic tendencies and a penchant for lyricism the album, works as an ideal primer for the kirtan novice and an uplifting excursion for the seasoned fan.
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