Calmness of Spirit

David Hoffman (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 1, 2009)
• Label: Lakefront Productions
• ASIN: B002ZCY2IC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,147 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review from NewAgeMusicWorld.com, May 19, 2011

By 

John P. Olsen / Review Publicist (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Calmness of Spirit (Audio CD)

David Hoffman is a brilliant composing musician from Illinois named a top award winner among others in The Tenth Annual Independent Music Awards. David was selected by a 62 member panel of industry professionals including popular artists Seal, Aimee Mann, Ozzy Osbourne, Arturo Sandoval and many other influential musicians.

Many may already recognize David Hoffman by his lengthy tenure with another famous musician named Ray Charles, having been the trumpet and flugelhorn soloist, along with his presence as composer and arranger with the Ray Charles Orchestra. It was during his 13 year partnership with Ray Charles that David Hoffman extensively toured many notable venues in Europe, North and South America, Africa and Asia. Additional tours included Russia in 1994 and a return visit in 2000, where he performed with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra.

Calmness of Spirit is a beautiful instrumental album merging New Age and Jazz in a remarkable coupling which gives the listener a distant ray of sunshine impression by the elevated melodic ambience and tonal qualities. What makes this CD album so unique is the transition in style by the artist himself, and needless to say, it is a successful one. David skillfully performs on piano and the trumpet, for which he is famous. Another great artist on this album is friend and colleague Paul Adams who co-produced and performs Native American flute, guitar, percussion, and exotic wind instrument Hulusi.

David Hoffman is a masterful Jazz performer and expert brass musician making a fine transition by Calmness of Spirit. In addition to the more New Age and Jazz influence blending in Calmness of Spirit, David's earlier more Jazz or World music centered albums are; From Energy to Stillness, Groovin', The David Hoffman Sextet Live, and Christmas In Your Heart. David Hoffman also provides area located and online instructions to students of all levels from beginner to expert. As a Jazz great, his area of expertise in composition, scoring and arranging on a multitude of instruments is unsurpassed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The RajMan Review, December 19, 2010

By 

Raj Manoharan "RajMan" (New York Metropolitan Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Calmness of Spirit (Audio CD)

Composer and brass-man David Hoffman couldn't have picked a better title for this CD. Combined with the beautiful, soothing cover photograph of mountains under a misty golden sky, it sets the mood for the sweet syrup for the soul contained on the album.

The horn player, who was part of Ray Charles's band for over a decade, has cultivated a lush, lyrical, and dreamy soundscape to envelop oneself in when seeking solace from the stress of everyday life. The CD is also a perfect backdrop for relaxation as well as an engaging stimulus for focused meditation.

The music really epitomizes the concept of jazz/New Age fusion. The jazz part of the equation is apparent in Hoffman's utilization of the trumpet, the flugelhorn, and the piano. He is obviously a proponent of more is less, as evidenced by his tasteful phrasing and careful selection of notes. He places bits and pieces of trumpet, flugelhorn, and piano here and there, in essence weaving a musical tapestry. For example, on "Julie's Dream," dedicated to his wife, Hoffman hangs piano chords like velvet drapes over a foundation of lush synthesizer textures.

This brings us to the New Age component of Hoffman's jazz/New Age fusion. The album is layered with ethereal and otherworldly keyboard and synthesizer textures that start off quietly and increase in amplitude without becoming overwhelming. The tones are just right and almost function as a conduit to other dimensions. Nowhere is this more apparent than on "The Ambience of Motion," which is a really cool and groovy, meditative and mystical space-out.

Throughout, Hoffman is ably supported by his friend, collaborator, and label-mate Paul Adams on guitar, bass, flute, and percussion. Although the compositions are all Hoffman's and this album is unequivocally his own unique musical statement, he and Adams work very well together and exhibit great musical chemistry. They truly are a fantastic duo.

Calmness of Spirit is definitely recommended for massage, healing, meditation, and for anyone who likes cool jazz/New Age fusion. It's classy, artful, elegant, and therapeutic.

5.0 out of 5 stars From MainlyPiano, December 21, 2011

By 

Kathy Parsons (Florence, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Calmness of Spirit (Audio CD)

"Calmness of Spirit" is collection of nine original pieces by David Hoffman designed for relaxation, meditation, and guided imagery. One of the things that makes this album unique is that it is jazz-based with Hoffman performing on trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, mellophone, keyboards, and programming (nature sounds accompany several of the tracks). Hoffman is joined on several pieces by Paul Adams on Native American flutes, guitar, keyboards, harmonica, and hulusi. Another factor that sets this album apart from many relaxation recordings is that it is exceptionally "listenable" for the music itself, which is consistently interesting as well as a pleasure to listen to. Hoffman is a Professor of Music and teaches at Knox College in Galesberg, IL. He was the trumpet and flugelhorn soloist as well as composer/arranger with the Ray Charles Orchestra from 1991 until 2004, and played in venues all over the world. His other musical credentials are long and impressive, with a wealth of experience to draw from to create a beautiful and stirring album of soothing music without it turning into mush or cotton-candy sweetness.

"Calmness of Spirit" begins with "The Singing Frogs of Guadeloupe," an exotic piece with a gentle but catchy rhythm that accompanies hand percussion, wind instruments, plucked strings, perhaps a marimba, and, of course, a large chorus of frogs. Evoking images of warm tropical breezes and easy, lazy days, this piece very effectively creates an atmosphere for relaxation. "Beauty Drifting" is a favorite. Trumpet, keyboards, flutes, and strings paint images in warm pastel tones of effortless floating through time and space. Gentle as a sigh of contentment, I love this piece. "Pastures A Plenty" is for trumpet and guitar with ambient sounds in the background - including mooing cows! The slow, easy tempo and effortless melody evoke thoughts of softly rolling hills and open pasture land with cows lazily flicking their tails as they munch on their greens. The next logical step would be a nice nap under a tree! "Close Your Eyes and Dream" is ambient and magical - floating through deep space with sparkles overhead and the most pleasant distractions occasionally coming into view. "The Purity of Rain" is an eleven-minute walk in the rain, unconcerned about wet hair or clothes, just enjoying the refreshing coolness of the natural shower. Trumpet, piano, guitar and the sounds of rain, birds, windchimes, and other ambient loveliness make this a blissful excursion that even thunder can't disturb. "Everything Will Be Okay" closes the album with a quiet, almost hymn-like piano piece that offers warm reassurance and a comforting musical hug. Sigh...

"Calmness of Spirit" provides listeners with over an hour of stress-free retreat. Recommended!