Customer Reviews

Breathing Rhythms

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This CD combines the simple melodies of pan flute, cello, and voice chant with complex and pleasing rythms, produced predominantly on frame drums. The mixture is suprising and delightful! Its not quite like anything else I've heard. Glen Velez is a composer who is thinking outside of the box. Most music has a complex melody with a simple backbeat, this is exactly the inverse of what you are used to! Try it, you'll like it!

Like many people who came of age in the late 60s/early 70s, I have a closet mystic side. These days, I don't often own up to it, but it's there. There's a lot of New Agey music out there that leaves me cold, but there is also music like this that sneaks up and captivates me for whatever reason. I have no idea if it's the RIGHT reason (the composer's intended reasons, that is), but some kind of connection is made. And that can't be wrong.

I got a hold of this CD on a friend's recommendation. It's not the kind of music I've been listening to much of late--which may make it all the more appealing really. And, as always, when music is described as being meditative, I find myself feeling a little spiritually dyslexic or something because I don't seem to be relating to it as part of a mystical discipline. Just groovin' along in my old hippie way.

But who knows maybe someday soon, I'll try some of the breathing and vocalizing exercises suggested here. It may prove to be life changing. For now, I'm just finding Glen Velez and company's music to be a very haunting, oddly familiar and, yes, meditative LISTENING experience. And that would seem to be enough.

Why do some people write reviews that don't tell us anything but that don't get it? Glen Velez is one of the great musicians of our time, and one of the more progressive thinkers as to the benifits of musics healing powers. I highly advise everyone to listen to the audio samples and go to Glenvelez.com to become better informed before writing senseless reviews. jb

How can a reviewer rate an album as "one-star", and then write only polite comments? I don't know. My personal experience with this album was unpleasant. Glen Velez wrote some facinating music with some very serious new-age philosophy to back it up. I truly understand where he wanted to go. Personally, this album missed it for me. My chakras (?) did not react the way the music intended. My reaction was contrary to the design of the music.