Caravan of Light

David Arkenstone | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 29, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 29, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Narada
• ASIN: B00004WJXS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #280,014 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some of it is really good, October 31, 2000

By 

Guardian of the Zen Sea "Indigo" (Looking after the sun and surf) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caravan of Light (Audio CD)

I think this CD tries to do too much. Each piece seems to reflect a different type of musical influence, and the entirety is a bit uneasy. Mr Arkenstone is an excellent musician, but the fragmented styles of the pieces makes it difficult to listen to the entire CD at once. I've used individual tracks as part of radio programs in Alaska, and with other "thematic" type music, Arkenstone's work shows off the talents of the composer. I would recommend this CD as one to be played on a five-disc turntable set to "random". This would allow each track to be appreciated on its own, and would enhance the value of the entire work.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Close your eyes, and imagine yourself on a Caravan..., May 6, 2007

By 

Nancy "Nancy" (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Caravan of Light (Audio CD)

Each song makes your spirit come alive, like a gypsy caravan...beconing your soul to dance. David Arkenstone's one of my favorite artists. Each of his CD's transports your spirit to another place and time. "Inshallah" and "Under The Gypsy Moon" are two that bring out the "Gypsy" in my soul!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hit and Miss, March 26, 2006

By 

B. McLachlin (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Caravan of Light (Audio CD)

My first Arkenstone was "Valley in the Clouds", which, although somewhat dated and monochromatic, is still good. I loved "In the Wake of the Wind", and was intrigued to further expand my Arkenstone collection by "Visionary" (wonderful!), from which I picked "Caravan of Light" based on it's representation there.

While I'm tempted to join the reviewer who said: "Oops, should've listened before buying", I will not. It seems reviewers either laud or pan "Caravan...", and there's nobody in the middle. Sometimes that's a sign of something very good, but very experimental.

Not this time. While "Caravan..." contains some of Arkenstone's best stuff yet, the "Visionary" included tracks "Inshallah", "Dance in the Desert", and "Rendevous" come to mind, it also contains some very forgetable material. More forgetable than in his other efforts. Most of the vocals, for example, are completely forgetable, although "Under the Gypsy Moon" is okay.

It is also very disjointed, jumping from China to Africa without much of a thematic unity or story. The track "The Jade Mountain", while in and of itself a decent piece or work, seems to belong on a different album. It is out of place here. The chorus at the end of the track "Caravan of Light" is very trite and almost juvenile sounding, ruins an otherwise decent track, and almost ruins the entire effort.

But, I still give this three stars. If you can get it used buy it, and go ahead and enjoy the tracks I have mentioned above as some of his best, along with other decent work in "Jewels of the Night", "The Spice Road", and "Through the Marketplace".

Just don't expect "In the Wake of the Wind", or Hans Zimmer's "Millenium", or Lanz and Speer's "Bridge of Dreams" here. "Caravan of Light" promises much more (especially on the promotional "Visionary") than it delivers.