One Morning - featuring Ronn McFarlane and Ayreheart

Ronn McFarlane (Artist, Composer), Ayreheart (Artist), -- (Conductor) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Conductor: --
• Composer: Ronn McFarlane
• Audio CD (May 25, 2010)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Dorian
• ASIN: B003E113PI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #313,483 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

allmusic, James Manheim - www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=43:206672~T1

American lutenist Ronn McFarlane has had a successful career as a traditional performer and educator offering concerts and recordings of Renaissance and Baroque repertory. With the justification that lutenists of the past have been both performers and composers, he has begun to write and record crossover music with a small band called Ayreheart, consisting of flute or harp, bass, and percussion, augmented at times by strings and mostly wordless vocals. Despite the large collection of instruments, it's a crisp sound not weighed down by sentiment, with McFarlane's lute front and center, supported by subtle acoustic percussion and other sounds that accent the material according to its rhythmic qualities. The album One Morning is a successor to McFarlane's Grammy-nominated 2009 album Indigo Road, and it's in the same vein but perhaps a bit more uptempo; few of the tracks have the new age ambiance the rather cheesy sunset-and-lute cover might suggest. Likewise, although there is certainly some Celtic influence in the music, McFarlane avoids the clichés of the genre. The music here, in fact, is pleasingly impossible to categorize. There are enough hints of McFarlane's Renaissance background to satisfy anyone who has come to the music through a general liking for what might be called pop-Renaissance culture, but there are also moves derived from later eras of classical guitar, folk styles, and even bluegrass, with the rhythmic orientation being basically toward jazz. Fans of pure Renaissance music are unlikely to be satisfied by this, and it's likewise not well suited to those whose ends are meditiative, but the album is recommended to pretty much everyone else who likes the sound of a lute; McFarlane's accomplishment in reimagining its capablilities is considerable. A plus is that the Dorian label can record the lute very well indeed.

Product Description

A new day dawns with GRAMMY® nominated lutenist Ronn
McFarlane's new album One Morning. The follow-up release to his
wildly popular original music album Indigo Road, Ronn continues
to show the world that the lute is a living instrument suited for more
than just classical performances by past composers, but is ready
to introduce new music into the world. Joined by his new group
Ayreheart, this album further explores the world of the composer/
performer.
One of the most outstanding lutenists performing today, Ronn McFarlane is largely responsible for bringing the
transcendent charm and timeless quality of the lute into the musical mainstream and making it accessible to a larger audience. Ronn has recorded numerous albums with Dorian Sono Luminus, performing lute works of the master composers of the past including Dowland and Bach and now, this master performer continues to enrich the world with this new album, bringing his exciting blend of classical, renaissance, folk, and pop music to the masses.
Joined by an amazing new group, Ayreheart, this album includes flute, harp, bass, percussion, and vocals, as well as backing by string and choral ensembles. The songs with vocals truly harken to the days of Dowland, with Ronn functioning as the composer, lutenist, and lyricist. Having been nominated for a GRAMMY® award for Indigo Road in the category of Best Classical Crossover album, Ronn continues to blur the lines between genres, creating a musical experience for all music lovers to enjoy. The lyrics
to the title track describe it best: 'One morning, one morning in the sunshine you'll arise, realize it's a new day. Eyes
awaken, dawn is breaking. One morning, one morning in the sunlight breathe the air, everywhere, in the morning light. It's a new day.'

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous followup to last years Grammy-nominated "Indigo Road", June 5, 2010

By 

Steven I. Ramm "Steve Ramm "Anything Phon... (Phila, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: One Morning - featuring Ronn McFarlane and Ayreheart (Audio CD)

Lutist McFarlane broke away from the early music ensemble The Baltimore Consort last year with his Grammy nominated crossover CD, Indigo Road, which is still the only album which remains year round on my MP3 player. I truly love that album.

I counted the days until his next project and it has finally been completed. Using some of the fellow musicians he used for Indigo Road, he has created a "band" named Ayreheart to accompany him on most of the tracks here. He has also added vocals for the first time. But these are "vocals" in the same category of vocals on Enya's CDs. There are words (they are listed in the enclosed booklet) but mostly they are there for atmosphere. (Listen to the final track - the "full band" performance of the title track - and see if you can decipher the words without the printed booklet. But this doesn't matter, or detract from the enjoyment of the album. Its all about the "sound".

Like its predecessor, One Morning contains a lot of acoustic "folk music". The opening track - the title song with just McFarlane on overdubbed lutes with some background percussion - reminds me of "Pinetops", my favorite track from Indigo Road. Later on comes "Union Bridge" which could be an updated Civil War tune. The real oddball track - which shows that McFarlane has a real sense of humor - id "Bad Hair Day" where his lute is accompanied by percussionist Danny Mallon on such "instruments" as a hair dryer, combs, rainstick, bodhram, hairspray and even a computer mouse! A real fun track to listen to.

If you liked Indigo Road, you'll love this follow-up. If you thought IR was a bit too "new-agey", you'll probably think the same of this one. Since I fall into the former camp, I'm so glad that the album is finally out. Now we only have to wait another year for the next one!

Steve Ramm
"Anything Phonographic"

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something Different, July 6, 2010

By 

Oscar O. Veterano - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Morning - featuring Ronn McFarlane and Ayreheart (Audio CD)

ONE MORNING-Ronn McFarlane & Ayreheart-Dorian

World-renowned lute virtuoso Ronn McFarlane has taken time out from the Renaissance and Baroque repertoire which has made him (justifiably) famous and, with his group Ayreheart, has recorded a collection of his own compositions.
Aided by vocalist, Jessyka Luzzi, percussionist, Mattias Rucht, and flautist/harpist, Mindy Rosenfeld, Mr. McFarlane's arrangements have a modern, new-age acoustic sound. Special mention must be made of the work of bassist, Willard Morris, whose fretless electric bass has an Eberhard Weber-ish tone which serves as a perfect harmonic foil to Mr. McFarlane's lute-a truly unique combination.
The compositions, a blend of folk, jazz, and classical elements, are always melodic and much easier to listen to and enjoy than to categorize.
Overall, this is a very entertaining collection of songs. People looking for the ruffled shirt, "prithee m'lady"-type nostalgia approach will probably not care for it, but if you're a fan of newer music which is, at a minimum, consistently interesting (and, sometimes, flat out gorgeous), played by people who've thoroughly mastered their instruments, then "One Morning" by Ronn McFarlane and Ayreheart ought to go on your check-it-out list.
Highly recommended.
Oscar O. Veterano

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Incredible Recording!, June 5, 2010

By 

Primrose "Anemone" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: One Morning - featuring Ronn McFarlane and Ayreheart (Audio CD)

Such exciting and inventive new music for the lute and accompanying instruments! The performance and recording are scintillating and exquisite. I especially love the song "One Morning" which is pure happiness and joy encapsulated! The entire CD creates an array of emotions and experiences and is truly memorable!