Ascensionism

Richard Bone

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 15, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• ASIN: B00004W3Z4
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #571,274 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Waters of Assiyah

2. Sister Samadhi

3. Kavvannah

4. Ariel Dane & The Seraphim Swing

5. Walkin' With The Dharma Bums

6. Ascensionism

7. Jhana

8. Sultry Sally's Meditation Alley

9. The Continuing Adventures of Jet Swami

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

In the early 80's Richard Bone was in the NYC band SHOX LUMANIA. They recorded the first release for the ROIR label. This was an "art rock" band which featured Stephanie Kaye (Lenny Kaye's wife), Anton Sanko ( who went on to record Solitude Standing with Suzanne Vega) and Richard on synth. Lenny Kaye was Patti Smith's bass player who became a well know rock producer. Lenny and Danny Fields were the driving forces behind Richard's first demo. Danny Fields, is of course, well known in the Rock field and his association with Iggy Pop. SHOX LUMANIA were the darlings of New York. It was not uncommon to find everyone from Klaus Nomi, Souixie Souix to Bowie & Devo in their dressing rooms. During that time Richard was signed, as a solo artist, to Survival Records UK. The label was run by the very popular UK band, "Drinking Electricity". The music, though melodic, was firmly based in 80's New Wave. Richard recorded two LPs and several singles for them. The Brit press referred to him as the American Howard Jones . When Survival Records insisted that he start recording more dance material, he left and started his own label Quirkworks Laboratory Discs. The first release was the aptly named, Quirkwork. This was followed by another release in a similar vein, X Considers Y. These were the last recordings in the syth pop vein and the last to feature Richard's singing voice.

The release of Ambiento in 1994 signalled the commencement of a new direction for the music of Richard Bone -- into ambient/space music.Though such releases as Metaphysical Mambo, Electropica, and the recent Coxa, integrate the use of Latin/tropical/jazzy rhythms, Bone sees his current mission as a "journey into the mystic."

In the last few years, Richard has delineated his works even more clearly, with the more rhythmic or upbeat works coming out on his own Quirkworks label, and his more atmospheric, almost traditionally "ambient" works such as The Spectral Ships and now Etherdome being released on the Hypnos Recordins label from Portland Or. Many devotees of more rhythmic and melodic music, though, find themselves seduced by the serene beauty of his ambient work, and conversely, fans of Richard’s ambient music often find their toes tapping to the infectious grooves of the Quirkworks releases.

Product Description

Concluding the trilogy begun with ELECTROPICA & COXA, ASCENSIONISM is a musical travelogue through the mystic teachings of Kabbalah and shimmers with the warmth, wisdom and hope emanating from the Ascension Schools high over Luxor, Egypt.

From the Earth plane of "Assiyah", through the joyous dance of "Sister Samadhi", to a musical conversation with Kerouac in "Walkin' with the Dharma Bums", these passionate melodies unfold like a flowering lotus. However, no journey of the spirit can be truly fullfilling without humor or optimism. So we find ourselves at "Sultry Sally's Meditation Alley", where red velvet walls and jasmine inscense conjour up images of the cosmic and the carnal. Finally we meet the man who will manipulate our aural fantasies for some time to come, Jet Swami.

Open your hearts, open your minds and let ASCENSIONISM carry you EVER UPWARD!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The essence of coolness in this sassy jazz, November 11, 2000

By	K. N. Nelson (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Richard Bone writes really awesome music. This album is one of the best in the really hip and popular genere of smooth jazz. As a devotee of ultra cool music, I have often found myself amazed while listening to our local equivalent of smooth jazz radio how many times I hear really conceptually limited music by famous artists who get repeated air play of their "corporate" stuff.

There is nothing conceptually limited in Richard Bone's music. As you listen to this album you will hear a creative genius who is his own man, tantalize your musical taste buds with a fusion of jazz wrapped around fresh, melodic, outrageous grooves, kissed with some knock out spiritual vibes, plus occasional ambient sounds sprinkled throughout to tease you with a sweet reminder of the natural world outside.

Waters of Assiyah, Ariel Dane & the Seraphim Swing, Ascensionism and The Continuing Adventures of Jet Swani are guaranteed to get your body, mind and spirit movin' to the grooves. The entire CD is simply terrific.

5.0 out of 5 stars Ambient, jazz, world fusion?, September 22, 2000

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

Richard Bone writes great music. That said, this CD is wonderful to listen to. I doubt if the sample of the first cut at Amazon is long enough to take you into the jazzy, elegant theme that follows the intro. The second cut is more up tempo, but it will give you a better idea of the complexity of the music and Mr. Bone's use of keyboards and percusion. The rest of the cuts follow along from the first two, and all of them are interesting, and have enough of a musical theme to them to keep them form being strictly more of that synth stuff. Richard Bone also does a completely different type of music which is deeply ambient and spacey, and can be found on Etherdome. In either case, the music is great!