Customer Reviews

Callings

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Paul Winter, in a commentary that can be found at his Living Music website, recalled his first visit to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York, in 1974, some six years before this landmark recording was made. It was for the funeral of Duke Ellington, and he writes:

"As we were leaving, recordings of Ellington came through the sound system, and I can still hear the velvet, liquid tone of Johnny Hodges' sax soaring way up in the vault of the Cathedral. I had then no clue that several years later I myself would have the opportunity to play in the Cathedral..."

This album, "Callings," his first recording on his own Living Music label, might be said to have been "informed" by that Johnny Hodges experience, a guess on my part, but not an unreasonable one. What the album did do was to set out a new course for his Consort, and introduced a fresh-sounding instrumental duo, with Winter on soprano sax and Paul Halley on the Cathedral organ

Ever the one to experiment with instrumental combinations and timbres, Winter has often found a way to pair his soprano sax off with other reeds and woodwinds, frequently with them playing in his own register. The unquestioned acme of the album is Blues' Cathedral, imaginatively scored for soprano sax, English horn, organ and a pair of contrabass sarrusophones(!!!). Words are incapable of doing justice to musical spell-weaving of such blinding originality, unearthly beauty and bluesy expression. The expression "cathedral blues" seems to fit the style so well that it is almost as if the Blues' Cathedral track ordains it to be so.

Another highlight is Sea Joy, scored equally imaginatively for soprano sax, oboe, cello, guitar, steel drums and percussion. Fortunately for the audiophiles among us, Callings was Winter's first digitally-recorded and mastered album. It needed to be, to faithfully capture the steel-drums/timpani duo that makes up the sonic joy in Sea Joy. Audiophiles rejoice: this is truly an aerobic workout for your sound systems!

But "Callings" is not just about a track or two. It tells, in music, a story of another initial journey, a first story of nature that would find later expression in his "Canyon," "Whales Alive," "Earth: Voices of a Planet" and "Prayer for the Wild Things" albums, comprising a set that could be said to be Winter's central canon. And it is just a short trip from Blues' Cathedral the composition to cathedral blues the style. The new sound of cathedral blues in "Callings" would find repeated later expression, as early as in "Missa Gaia" and "Sun Singer," following on the heels of "Callings," and as recently as in two of his latest albums, "Celtic Solstice" and "Journey with the Sun."

In summary, an absolutely essential album for the Paul Winter fan, regardless of whether the interest is musical or historic. But, then, if you are a Paul Winter fan, "Callings" will already be in your collection. So these words are really directed at the musical explorers among you browsing this review. Perhaps these words will help to lead you to "Callings" and to other Paul Winter albums, beginning with the few classics noted above.

Get the album. Then turn off the lights, and anything that adds to the background noise level, close your eyes, and let it wash over you. It will work its magic; I just know that it will.

Bob Zeidler

Callings set out a new course for the Paul Winter Consort, and introduced a fresh-sounding instrumental duo, with Winter on soprano sax and Paul Halley on the organ at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Put in historical context, Callings is his first album after Common Ground, which could be considered a "transitional" album, separating the earlier Consort of the 70's from the Consort of the last two decades. Recorded in the late summer of 1980, the album is a journey of musical exploration and discovery by Winter and his colleagues, particularly Halley, with whom there had to have been an instantaneous musical chemistry bordering on the psychic. While the journey continues to the present day, the roots were clearly set in place in that venue, at that time. And the tap root could well be called cathedral blues.

Ever the one to experiment with instrumental combinations and timbres, Winter has often found a way to pair his soprano sax off with other reeds and woodwinds, frequently with them playing in his own register and thereby "breaking the rules." The unquestioned acme of the album is Blues' Cathedral, imaginatively scored for soprano sax, English horn, organ and a pair of contrabass sarrusophones(!!!). Words are incapable of doing justice to musical spell-weaving of such blinding originality, unearthly beauty and bluesy expression.

Another highlight is Sea Joy, scored equally imaginatively for soprano sax, oboe, cello, guitar, steel drums and percussion. Fortunately for the audiophiles among us, Callings was Winter's first digitally-recorded and mastered album. It needed to be, to faithfully capture the steel-drums/tympani duo that makes up the sonic joy in Sea Joy. systems!

But Callings is not just about a track or two. It tells, in music, a story of another initial journey, a first story of nature that Planet and Prayer for the Wild Things, comprising a set of five albums that could be said to be Winter's central canon. And it is just a short trip from Blues' Cathedral the composition to cathedral blues the style. The new sound of cathedral blues in Callings would find repeated later expression, as early as in Missa Gaia and Sun Singer, following on the heels of Callings, and as recently as in his latest album, Celtic Solstice.

It would be nice for Paul Winter to some day put into words a full telling of the magic of that initial Cathedral exploration (and it must have been magic indeed), beyond the expanded notes he provides in the double LP edition of Callings. In the meantime, we have Blues' Cathedral to conjure up what it must have been like, this birth of the cathedral blues. Turn off the lights, and anything that adds to the background noise level, close your eyes, and let it wash over you.

In summary, an absolutely essential album for the Paul Winter fan, regardless of whether the interest is musical or historic. But, then, if you are a Paul Winter fan, Callings will already be in your collection. So these words are really directed at the musical explorers among you browsing this Customer Review. Perhaps these words will help to lead you to Callings and to other Paul Winter albums, beginning with the few "core" classics noted above.

Bob Zeidler

I still have the original two record LP album. I no longer have a record player, but I refuse to give up the records! This album is a wonderful fusion of actual recordings of sea animals woven into the music. Very relaxing but also upbeat.

I bought this album while fishing for oddities at Value Village. At first listen I dismissed it as eco-sop, but I happened to leave it on while doing something else and the infectious good nature of this music made me listen closer. It is really beautiful music.

Although on first listen it sounds perilously close to elevator music, there is something much more to it than it seems.

I first heard -- and bought the 2-record LP -- in 1983. I've worn out 3 tapes of "Callings," and probably will eventually wear out my CD as well.

I listen to the CD on almost a daily basis. "Blues' Cathedral" is the most remarkable piece of music I've ever heard. Literally.

When I listen to it, my breathing slows and I go into a brief meditative state where I don't think, I just listen. I'm not sure I do this intentionally -- I just don't want to miss anything.

"Dance of the Silkies" is my second favorite piece on the album -- it always brings a smile to my face and brings me to my feet with it danceable rhythms.

This album hooked me on Paul Winter. I have a healthy collection of his albums now. I love all of his work.

I turn to "Callings" whenever I need immediate stress relief. Or when I need inspiration. Or when I can't sleep. Or when I'm driving. Or when I feel like I just need to be more in tune with the world around me.

Paul Winter is the best. And, in my opinion, "Callings" is the best of the best.

Callings, Paul Winter's first recording done for his Living Music label, set out a new course for his Consort, and introduced a fresh-sounding instrumental duo, with Winter on soprano sax and Paul Halley on the organ at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City. Put in historical context, Callings is his first album after Common Ground, which could be considered a "transitional" album, separating the earlier Consort of the 70's from the Consort of the last two decades. Recorded in the late summer of 1980, the album is a journey of musical exploration and discovery by Winter and his colleagues, particularly Halley, with whom there had to have been an instantaneous musical chemistry bordering on the psychic. While the journey continues to the present day, the roots were clearly set in place in that venue, at that time. And the tap root could well be called "cathedral blues."

Ever the one to experiment with instrumental combinations and timbres, Winter h!as often found a way to pair his soprano sax off with other reeds and woodwinds, frequently with them playing in his own register. The unquestioned acme of the album is Blues' Cathedral, imaginatively scored for soprano sax, English horn, organ and a pair of contrabass sarrusophones (!!!). Words are incapable of doing justice to musical spell-weaving of such blinding originality, unearthly beauty and bluesy expression.

Another highlight is Sea Joy, scored equally imaginatively for soprano sax, oboe, cello, guitar, steel drums and percussion. Fortunately for the audiophiles among us, Callings was Winter's first digitally-recorded and mastered album. It needed to be, to faithfully capture the steel-drums/timpani duo that makes up the sonic joy in Sea Joy. Audiophiles rejoice: this is truly an aerobic workout for your sound systems!

But Callings is not just about a track or two. It tells, in music, a story of another initial journey, a first story of nature that wou!ld find later expression in Canyon, Whales Alive, Earth: Voices of a Planet and Prayer for the Wild Things, comprising a set of five albums that could be said to be Winter's central canon. And it is just a short trip from Blues' Cathedral the composition to cathedral blues the style. The new sound of cathedral blues in Callings would find repeated later expression, as early as in Missa Gaia and Sun Singer, following on the heels of Callings, and as recently as in one of his latest albums, Celtic Solstice.

This is (or appears to be) the later, revised CD of Callings, in which tracks from the original double-LP album have been restored, along with Paul Winter's full narrative about his extramusical experiences providing the motivational "spark" for this incredibly creative, and musically beautiful, album.

In summary, an absolutely essential album for the Paul Winter fan, regardless of whether the interest is musical or historic. But, then, if you are a Paul Winter !fan, Callings will already be in your collection. So these words are really directed at the musical explorers among you browsing this Customer Review. Perhaps these words will help to lead you to Callings and to other Paul Winter albums, beginning with the few "core" classics noted above.

Get the album. Then, turn off the lights, and anything that adds to the background noise level, close your eyes, and let it wash over you. It will work its magic; I just know that it will.

Bob Zeidler