Invoking the Muse

Layne Redmond | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 20, 2004)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sounds True
• ASIN: B0001HK0AC
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #104,899 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

In her most inspired recording to date, Layne Redmond offers listeners Invoking the Muse—a landscape of haunting melodies and mesmerizing layers of rhythm and harmony dedicated to the power of the Muse. While researching the ancient music of Greece, Layne Redmond—Drum! magazine’s 2002 Percussionist of the Year—discovered the searingly beautiful "Hymn to the Muse" written in 157 AD, and was inspired to create a musical tribute to each of the Nine Muses. Some of the most renowned names in world music, jazz, and Medieval chant join Layne Redmond on this stunning collection, including Laurel Massé, co-founder of the Grammy® award-winning Manhattan Transfer; Ruth Cunningham, who performed as a member of Anonymous 4 for ten years; Steve Gorn, whose flute opens Paul Simon’s recent album; and master percussionist, arranger, and producer Tommy Brunjes. The Muses taught the use of intuition and prophecy as a way to self-knowledge—a knowledge that is gained through self-induced trance, meditation, singing, and dreaming. Now, on Invoking the Muse, listeners will hear the echoes of the Muses themselves in these powerful sacred hymns that are sure to open the heart and invite transformation.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most awesom transformative music from Layne Redmond yet!, August 26, 2004

By 

Denise Gross (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Invoking the Muse (Audio CD)

"Invoking the Muse" by Layne Redmond is her greatest work yet! Being a student of persussion and specifically frame drumming, I was excited when this work came out. Little did I know how transformative it was going to be for me. The first time I sat down to listen to the CD I thought that I was going to be listening to "just a drumming" CD and maybe I could pick up some new rhythms. Little did I know that nine songs later I would be transformed into another realm. This CD is more than "drumming". Layne uses drumming as a foundation with bells, violins, and incredible beautiful vocals to create some of the most heartfelt, mystical, and transformative music of our times. As you listen to each of the nine hymns to the muse you will transcend to another level of consciousness, and by the time you get to the ninth song you will be totally expanded into another reality. The experience is powerfully healing! This collectiton of songs is so robust that each time you listen to it you will hear and feel something different and new. I highly reccommend this CD for everyone, but if you are a student of drumming and especially frame drumming it should be a "required" experience.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sultry, intricate drumsongs celebrating inspiration and the feminine, September 29, 2006

By 

Brianna Neal (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invoking the Muse (Audio CD)

Drummer and drum historian Layne Redmond offers nine hypnotically meditative compositions, each featuring a unique and often esoteric beat sounded by at least two different kinds of drums, and layered with dreamy flutes, violin and wordless vocalise descants. Each piece is an invocation to one of the nine Greek Muses, goddesses of creativity: Kalliopeia (epic poetry), Euterpe (music), Melpomene (song and tragedy), Erato (music of mystical and erotic love), Terpsikhore (dance), Urania (astronomy, mathematics and prophesy), Kleio (history and heroic poetry), Thaleia (comedy and idyllic poetry), and Polyhymnia (sacred hymns and meditation). This album is relaxing to unwind to, and should be particularly fascinating for drummers or dancers to listen to and try to perform along with. Some drumming albums can be boring and repetitive to the verge of pointlessness, but the gentle rhythmic interplay of the dual drummers in here is so well and intelligently crafted that, to me, it never ceases to intrigue. "Invoking the Muses" is truly a delight to the senses! All the tempos are slow to moderate, and the beat structures for each track are as follows: #1 - in seven; #2 - a slow three or six; #3 - actually in phrases of sixteen, but can be thought of in a slow four or a medium eight if sixteen is too hard to count along with; #4 - a moderate "African" six; #5 - a faster six; #6 - this one's a real brain twister, with measures decreasing in size from eight to seven to six and so on in increments all the way down to one, at which point the eight-beat-measure begins over again (a fun challenge to drum along with and aptly dedicated to the Muse of mathematics!); #7 - a funky, upbeat eight; #8 - another one in seven, composed by Glen Velez; #9 - a spacey, beatless melange of crooning, bells and Tibetan bowls. The performers are Layne Redmond on Remo frame drums, vocals, tambourines and other assorted percussion, Tommy Brunjes on additional drums and percussion, Steve Gorn on bansuri flute, Vicki Richards on violin, and Ruth Cunningham and Laurel Masse on vocals. Layne Redmond's previous album, "Chanting the Chakras," combines the chanting of sacred syllables of nada yoga with meaty, interesting drum rhythms. (It's repetitive in a purposeful, meditiational way, but a unique listening experience nonetheless.)

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Outstanding, June 29, 2005

By 

Katie Eickhoff (Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Invoking the Muse (Audio CD)

I bought this simply on a "I need something drum-like" kick.
I don't regret it one bit. It makes me both calm and feel like dancing at the same time.