Mystical America

Laura Sullivan

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 1, 2004)
• Original Release Date: August 1, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Delvian Records
• ASIN: B0002ZI2O4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #428,939 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Riding the wave of stunning success of her 2004 national debut album PIANOSCAPES FOR THE TRAILS OF NORTH AMERICA, Laura Sullivan is the latest artist to successfully emerge from the vibrant stream of music of GEORGE WINSTON, WILL ACKERMAN, DAVID LANZ and LIZ STORY. Produced by Chris Camozzi, PIANOSCAPES debuted in Apple’s iTunes Music Store at #3, stayed in the Top 10 for months, and continues to be in the Top 100. Growing up in the spectacular country near Mt. Shasta, California, Sullivan had a constant companion in a piano handed down through the family for generations and the tradition of music and constant study from the earliest age show in her works. Laura Sullivan will be a featured artist in a new TV show in 2004 called "Music Across America" produced by legendary musician and 2004 Grammy nominee STANLEY CLARKE. Sullivan is also touring the United States and making appearances including live performances at selected FYE stores, including special appearances and live performances with Delvian Records artist GARY BOGGS.

Product Description

"Mystical America" brings the magic of North America to the ear through the soul. This successful exploration takes the listener through a series of moving encounters with a perfect selection of some of the most sacred and enchanting places in North America, including Chaco Canyon, Mt. Shasta, Sedona, the Hawaiian Islands and Red Rock Ridge. Laura Sullivan will be a featured artist in a new TV show called "Music Across America" produced by legendary musician and 2004 Grammy nominee Stanley Clarke.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars from MainlyPiano.com, January 24, 2005

By	Kathy Parsons (Florence, OR United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

"Mystical America" is pianist Laura Sullivan's most uniquely beautiful work to date. Inspired by the wonder and mystery of various sacred and magical sites around the country, the music is peaceful and soothing, but provides plenty of substance to think about, enjoy, and dream. All of the tracks feature Sullivan's elegant and graceful piano, and others include guitar, keyboards, strings, and flute. Chris Camozzi, Scott Fuller, Mary Pitchford, and Diane Grubbe contributed their considerable instrumental talents to the project, and Camozzi also produced and arranged the CD. The twelve tracks are grouped into four sets of three pieces: Magical Creations, Sacred Symbols, Mysterious Messages, and Nature's Splendor, and the liner notes take us on a fascinating tour with a knowledgeable guide. All of the pieces are original compositions with the exception of "Mt. Shasta," which is a gorgeous arrangement of Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" (Sullivan has included a favorite classical piece on each of her albums). The CD also includes a packet of hand-dipped desert sage incense to intensify the experience.

The first of the "Magical Creations" is "America's Stonehenge," which comes from Mystery Hill in Salem, Massachusetts. A duet for piano and violin, the piece is both mysterious and lighthearted - an odd combination that works beautifully. "Chaco Canyon" comes from a complex in northwestern New Mexico that was the main ceremonial center for an ancient people. Acoustic guitar and piano with some keyboard washes paint a tranquil scene. Part of the complex is a series of roads that go out from the structures in a series of straight lines that extend for miles into the desert. Thought to represent the out-of-body spirit travel of the shamans, the music has a floating quality that conveys peace and wide-open space. "The Serpent Mound" (Ohio) is subtitled "Celestial Harmony." Ambient sounds enhance the gentle warmth of the piano, creating a delicate and serene soundscape. The "Mysterious Messages" pieces all have a light yet haunting quality. They are melodic, but somewhat less structured, and shimmer with gentle elegance - I especially like "The Heavener Runestone." My favorite set is "Nature's Splendor." "Red Rock Country" (Arizona), subtitled "Scent of Desert Sage," is a piano solo with a lovely rolling left hand and a sweet, simple melody. I had the pleasure of hearing Ms Sullivan play this piece on my piano at the Whisperings concert last summer, and it was hypnotic. My favorite track is "Hawaiian Islands: Born of Fire." A bit different from the rest of the album with its upbeat tempo, I really like the energy on this one! The closing track is a gorgeous arrangement of "Moonlight Sonata," a tribute to the majesty and beauty of Mount Shasta in California. Sullivan's piano is faithful to Beethoven's original, with subtle and poignant keyboard accompaniment added.

Laura Sullivan keeps growing and surpassing herself with each new release. "Mystical America" is a marvelous artistic achievement, and should be a treasure in anyone's music collection. Very strongly recommended!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection in all regards, December 7, 2004

By	Bill Binkelman, Wind and Wire (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

Seldom do all elements of a recording come together so seamlessly as they do with Laura Sullivan's Mystical America. From the liner notes to the cover graphics to the expert engineering to finally the exquisite music, this is a CD that sits at the top of this year's releases in the category of quiet contemplative instrumental recordings. Blending her melodic piano with perfectly executed synthesizer and acoustic instrument accompaniment, Sullivan achieves musical magic on this album, infusing a true sense of majesty and mysticism in the tone poems inspired by these special places in America. If you only buy one new age music CD this year, you'll be sorry if this is not the one you choose. I couldn't recommend the album more highly. Simply put, this is a masterpiece of serenity and beauty.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Musical Masterpiece, October 15, 2004

By	Steven Cravis "pianist and composer" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Laura Sullivan's CD Mystical America is a much needed, healing reminder of the natural wonders unique to America embodied in a musical masterpiece. Her affinity for nature and spirituality is expressed in total through her fingers on the piano, her song writing and arrangements, all which are flowing, infinite and natural. Listeners will feel both calmed and grounded by this exceptional CD.