Customer Reviews

The Seven Valleys

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The core of the group Stellamara is comprised of Sonja Drakulich and Gari Hegedus, who have written and arranged the compositions on this disk.

The overall flavor of this group is Arabic, Turkish, and Persian. Musical instrumentation includes hammered dulcimer, keyboards, mandocello, various Middle Eastern drums, viola, and the striking vocals of Sonja Drakulich. The combination of Ms. Drakulich and Mr. Hegedus gives us a very professionally composed and produced work.

From the opening track Szerelem we get the feel of the entire work. The soft yet clearly defined vocals of Ms. Drakulich open the CD and while never overpowering any of the tracks, it is the focus of most of these compositions. I highlight some of the more outstanding tracks below.

Zablejalo Mi Agance is a traditional Bulgarian composition. The viola takes on a "gypsy violin" feel, very forlorn and melancholy which is also reflected in Ms. Drakulichs vocal style, which fits with the lyrics.

Kurdi Taksim is a short improvisational piece featuring Gari Hegedus on the oud. This is a Middle Eastern lute, the ancestor to the European lute. This short piece highlights Mr. Hegedus proficiency with the instrument and is very delightful.

The title track Seven Valleys is a very melancholy piece, very Turkish, a love song according to the lyrics. Again featuring the vocals of Ms. Drakulich, with Gari Hegedus on divan saz and baglama, the Turkish stringed instruments similar to lutes, and a daff, or a tambourine.

Maliks has Portuguese lyrics, a travelers blessing from the reading of the lyrics. The piece features the sarod, an Indian stringed instrument, backed by the oud and the tambura. A very lovely piece, very lyrical, soft and impressive.

Kyrie Eleison focuses on Sonja Drakulichs vocals arranged to harmonize with herself. The instrumental accompaniment is minimal, allowing Ms. Drakulich to dominate this piece with her amazing vocal display.

Persephone is a modern piece, placing violin and viola in the forefront of the piece, and surrounding it with tanbur, oud and keyboards. An interesting addition to this work, highlighting the artists' ability.

Overall, this is a powerful showing for the group, highlighting their musical abilities and strong compositions. This is a good choice as an introduction piece to the group, having various styles of their music. It is a very interesting side trip into the World Music genre. maf

In 1999, Sonja and Gary performed on my Windham Hill CD (Angels Of Venice: Song - "Tears Of The World"). I discovered Sonja when their "Stella Mara" Star of the Sea cassette (yes, cassette!) was released. I heard the raw beauty of their music, however, I felt they were a bit undeveloped as far as song arrangments and compositions. Now, with the release of The Seven Valleys, I feel Stellamara has finally "arrived." Just through listening to the MP3s I'm hearing huge leaps and bounds of maturity in their writing, arrangements and production values. I am not surprised, though. Sonja was a star back then but not that well known (she was with Jeffrey Stott at the time and had not teamed up with Gary yet - a wonderful duo, by the way). The Seven Valleys is luminescent, mystical world music shimmering with Spirit and emotional intensity. Congratulations, Sonja and Gary (and guest artists), for a wonderful piece of work that will no doubt have a very long life and stand the test of time. ~~Carol Tatum, Harpist, angelsofvenice.com

This is a long-awaited recording. After the personnel changes from their first CD, many Stellamara fans could hardly wait to hear what Gari and Sonya would do next. The wait was more than worth it - buy this, and play it for your friends and loved ones. Beautiful vocals in real languages, thoughtful arrangements, carefully crafted musicianship, highly original material - this recording has it all. Thank goodness there are still musicians who believe in creating beauty! This one goes straight to the heart.

Creative and original fusion of Turkish, Persian, Eastern European music. Sonja Drakulich's voice touches the heart and, rather than being a focal point of the music, seems to blend in like a beautiful melodic instrument. The music of Stellamara can be grouped with bands such as DCD and VAS, yet they definitely have their own distinct and unique flavor. You will not be disappointed.

this incredible music can transport you to a magical place and time without being overly romantic or sentimental. So beautiful, so rich,so many layers and exotic tempos. What a gift for the listener! Sonia Drakulich sings like a siren.

Actually, I give it 4-1/2 stars. I have only one small gripe against this CD. The sound quality of the recording is a notch or two below perfect. This album suffered slightly by comparison to Alison Kraus + Union Station [Live] which sets the gold standard for the clarity of a live recording in my opinion. If I had not just listened to AK + US's live CD before this one on high-definition stereo speakers, I never would have noticed. But, alas, I did. Most people probably won't. The recording quality is still very good.

The only reason I complain is because lead singer Sonja Drakulich's voice deserves only the best recording devices. I kept wishing for the crystalline clarity provided for Alison Krauss on her live CD. It wasn't quite there which is too bad because I feel Drakulich has an even better voice than Krauss, and I'm a big fan of her's. That should tell you a lot about what I feel about this album. The vocals and instrumentals are superb. Sonja has an other-wordly voice that captures the essence of Stellamara's unique fusion of Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Indian music. It is an entrancing combination.

This is a great CD. It isn't just "ambient" music that you listen to in the background. It is lively, engaging, relaxing and, at times, all-encompassing. It is a work of art; highly original and a rare find in the world of copy-cat "New Age" music. This isn't "New Age" as you've heard it. This is world fusion. This is great music. This is high art. Sonja Drakulich's voice sounds too good to be human. My only wish was for a perfect recording to complement her stunning voice. She deserves no less.

A very nice CD for anyone who likes celtic type singing and instrumentation with a distinct middle eastern flavor.

This album is culturally diverse, and as a result the many of the tracks differ in terms of language and rhythm. The most memorable tracks include what sound to be oud or bouzouki instruments followed by vocals.

There are only 1 or 2 tracks that are weaker than the rest, I can't say which because I cannot remember their names off-hand. Even those are quite strong, though I would have to grade them with a 'B'.

Because the album is memorable and it can be enjoyed repeatedly, I give it five stars.

Simply love this group. Improves so many experiences when they are playing in the background.

About the Band:
Stellamara can be best described as a female fronted world music / Eastern European folk band specializing in using traditional instruments and classical stringed instruments. The core band includes Hungarians, most notably vocalist Sonja Drakulich and folk instrumentalist Gari Hegedus, and Californians (Sonja was raised in L.A.). Though the original compositions are inspired by eastern European folk, the general genre fits

About the Album:
The Seven Valleys is Stellamara's second release, following the Star of the Sea. Though Sonja is credited as the only vocalist, excellent mixing has her taking the lead and providing the backing vocals. All of the tracks feature traditional / medieval instruments, with modern keyboards and violins, cellos, and violas being featured in many other tracks.

At times the tracks, such as Baraka, are fast paced, giving me the ability to imagine a belly dancer moving around like a whirling dervish. Baraka can be easily identified by the clapping. Other tracks, such as the instrumental piece Persephone, are slow and downbeat, giving the album a nice diversity. I personally prefer the more lively tracks, as I find myself listening to either the aggressive beats or switching pace and enjoying Sonja's quiet chants.

In order to better describe the Seven Valley's, I will attempt to compare some of the tracks to other notable darkwave / medieval artists. The opening track Szerelem is very similar in style to many of the heavenly sound of the Mediaeval Baebes Mirabilis. Other tracks remind me of the celtic / folk songs made popular by artists like Loreena McKennitt and Dead Can Dance. Middle Eastern influences (similar to the style of Vas and No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded covers of original Zeppelin tracks) is most prominent on Resulina (my favorite track). What I like most about Resulina is that the song goes through three distinct movements, giving it an epic like feel (if you do not buy the album, consider purchasing this track).

Recommended Tracks:
- Maliks
- Resulina
- Baraka


Overall it is a fun and very well paced album, and I'd love to see them live.

Similar Artists:
- Irfan
- Dead Can Dance
- Vas
- Mediaeval Baebes
- Faun
- Qntal
- Loreena McKennitt
- Gor