Customer Reviews

Faces of the Sun

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

 

 

Playing Tim e - 53:09 -- "Faces of the Sun" presents outstanding soundscapes written, arranged, engineered and mixed by creative and indefatigable Peter Kater. A savory Native American essence is captured in compositions spiced up with guest flutists, and "Changeless and Eternal" also evokes the same kind of stirring tang with violin and penny whistle. Born in Germany, Peter Kater has lived in New Jersey, Colorado and California since his move to the U.S. as a child. In 1983, Kater released his first album of piano solos ("Spirit"). That project and his subsequent forty albums with jazz, world and Native American flavorings have led to theater and film scoring projects (such as his recent "10 Questions for the Dalai Lama" on Silver Wave Records).

"Faces of the Sun" nicely blends Kater's piano, synthesizer and percussion with haunting Native American flute, violin, penny whistle, oboe, bass, and cello. Depending on the track, the flute is played by Mary Youngblood, Kevin Locke, Douglas Blue Feather, Bill Miller, Jeff Ball, or Joseph Fire Crow. Offering melodic phrases with bountiful rewards, the other instrumental collaborators are Paul McCandless (oboe, penny whistle), Bill Miller (guitar), Arvel Bird (violin), Tony Levin (bass), Hans Christian (cello) and Mike Hamilton (guitar). The oboe, cello and violin make some particularly vivid musical conversations with the flute and keyboards. Two tracks ("Face of the Sun" and "Stone Teepees") include Bill Miller's enchanting vocals, with the title track having so much solarized energy that segments of the piece seem almost too vocally busy at times. `Stone Teepees" has a sparer arrangement and a concise, straight-forward message: "I hear the Thunder in the sky / So walk with me my Son / Walk with me my Son / For we shall ... never die."

Kater is a perceptive composer whose musical insight appears inspired by wildlife (e.g. raven, hawk) and elements of the natural world (e.g. wind, sun, thunder, stone). Listeners are sure to react favorably to his exhilarating contemporary Native American music with new age sensibiities. From start to finish, "Faces of the Sun" is a production that plays out like a stage show with the voices of many actors. The countenance of Kater's expressive music is smooth, sublime and soothing. The faces encountered provide for the various instruments to make their own individual statements while accompanied by Kater's very full piano, synthesized and rhythmic sounds. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)

Fans of Native American flute are in for a treat with this CD. Faces of the Sun hosts just about every Native American Flute player that has been of any importance during the last decade. With the exception of Carlos Nakai, with whom Peter Kater has already extensively collaborated. Kevin Locke, Jeff Ball and Mary Younblood are just a few of the top flutists that work alongside Peter Kater. I should mention as well that Peter Kater is a master piano player. His playing is mostly new age, but sometimes with a Jazzy or Classical touch.

This absolutely not a traditional flute CD like Nakai's Canyon Trilogy. However, it's not a flute album backed with new age background music either. This album's heart is the interplay between the Native American musicians and Peter Kater's piano playing. For me, it took a couple of listenings to get used to, but on average the interplay between both instruments tends to click very well. This is evident on some songs more than others, Wind at Your Back with Kevin Locke is a good example.

There are two songs on the album without Native American flute (but with another instrument played by a Native American). These songs sound a bit out if place and stem the flow of the album to a certain extent, but the songs themselves are OK. My personal favourites on the album are Wind at Your Back and Lone Hawk, both songs have the perfect blend of flute and new age synth element.

To conclude: the Anthropologist looking for traditional Native American flute music should skip this CD (at least as a professional), but if you're looking of calming, soothing music incorporating the wonderful sounds of the Native American flute Faces of the Sun is one of the best choices available.

Actually an engaging combination of New Age, Jazz, and Tribal music, all of it at its best. Raven, Wind at Your Back and Feather on the Wind make for good driving music (I drive at least 650 miles / 1100 km. a week!), while Faces of the Sun is comfortingly spiritual. The chanting is very natural and I am often moved to chant along, even if it only means imitating the sounds. Rite of Passage makes for easy listening, while Lone Hawk borders on the seductive (not my favourite, admittedly, but relaxing just the same). The combination of flute, piano and acoustics is mind-blowing, with the vocals adding a deeper dimension. Definitely a gem of an album!

This CD delivers beauty and pleasure.

To me, the first cut, Raven, does not seem to belong on this CD. It is pleasant, but does not have the beauty of the following cuts. The second cut, Faces of the Sun, is extraordinarily beautiful. Once it is played, the following cuts--even though beautiful--are almost anticlimactic. Had I been organizing this CD, I would have put Faces of the Sun at the very last, in the way when you're a kid you want to save the frosting on your slice of cake for the last. I find myself wanting to replay the second cut as the last of the CD. All that said, I am extremely pleased with my purchase of this CD.

This CD is absolutely wonderful listening. Calming, relaxing, but not a snoozer. I play it at work and it definitely makes the difference of shooting someone or just letting irritating stuff go.

This album is pleasant, but nothing close to the cutting edge compositions I've come to expect and love from Peter.