RMR interviews the artists on Escape The Mind Vol. 3

The new volume release of the series of New Age Music - Escape The Mind, Vol. Three by Various Artists features award-winning and Grammy® Nominated artists from around the world. 90 Minutes of New Age Music for meditation and tranquility.

One of the most diverse independent labels world-wide, releasing all types of rock, jazz, Neo-classical and New Age music, New Jersey based Bongo Boy Records continues on with its excellent New Age music series with 2020’s Escape The Mind Volume Three. Featuring 92 minutes on 13-tracks from various artists spread over 2 CDs, ETM3 features some of the same artists that appeared on Bongo Boy’s first two ETM editions. Highlights are plentiful, including the lead-off nine-minute “Seven Chakra Gayatri Mantra” from famed singer Deva Premal, who is best known for her Sanskrit chanting, a new electronica instrumental called “Migration” from Robert Slap, a six-minute solo piano work from guitar / piano experimentalist Kevin Kastning, as well as an intriguing, mostly acoustic-based instrumental track from Denver-based New Age rock-fusion guitar ace Charles Brown entitled “Sunrise Serenade”. Not only does Escape The Mind Vol. Three feature a staggering range of New Age and World Music instrumental artists but there are also several mesmerizing vocal tracks, including a nine-minute, near operatic version of the Erik Satie work “Gymnopedie#1”, with added lyrics, performed by singer Jeralyn Glass. Another highlight on ETM3 is the adventurous nine minute “Ancient Canyons”, performed by Paul Temple’s Radiance Matrix, an instrumental track that blends Native American flute music with electronic New Age. With the music from all these gifted artists spread out over 2 CDs, that clock in at a combined hour and a half of music, there’s no shortage of superb tracks to choose from. Expanding the boundaries of instrumental and vocal New Age and World Music, Bongo Boy’s Escape The Mind Volume 3 clearly has something for just about every music fan. 

ESCAPE THE MIND, VOL. THREE by VARIOUS ARTISTS

Disc 1

1. Deva Premal - Seven Chakra Gayatri Mantra 9:11

2. Paul Temple's RadianceMatrix- Vajra Sattva Mantra - Diamond Light Transmission 15:24

3. Grayhawk - Guardians of Goddess Thien Hau feat. Hai Phuong 6:06

4. Jeralyn Glass - Vibrance 7:59

5. Jason Campbell and Robin Campbell - Reflect - Metal of Tao  5:07

6. Mirabai Ceiba - We Are The Mirror  6:31

 

Disc 2

1. Robert Slap - Migration 4:54

2. Paul Temple's RadianceMatrix- Ancient Canyons 9:07

3. Kevin Kastning - Construction 2a 6:09

4. Jeralyn Glass - Gymnopedie#1 8:45

5. Charles Brown - Sunrise Serenade 3:14

6. Bruce Lev - Rejuvenation 7:25

7. Scott Kuchler - Amitabha 2:23

WebSite: https://bongoboyrecords.com/escape-the-mind-vol3/

Worldwide Release by Bongo Boy Records, LLC

UPC 684417876986 | ISRC: USPXQ2060501-13

 

RMR interviews artists on Escape The Mind Vol. 3

ROBERT SLAP: “Migration" was originally conceived around 1992. and used sparingly on some meditation recordings I was producing for Valley of the Sun and Great American Audio. Some years later, 2002,'03, I got around to completing the whole Opus, which is in several movements and runs about 20 minutes, but I never released the entire track. The piece on Escape The Mind 3 is something I mixed just for that album, so I kept it around 5 minutes. When I first recorded the piece, I used a Kramer Pitchrider guitar-midi interface to voice the chords which have different spacings than what you would get on a keyboard. I used a Korg DW-8000 and that wonderful flute-like arpeggio just follows the chord changes. The DW was a fabulous sounding synth with built-in arpeggio and digital delay. When I started adding the melodies and harmonies with a keyboard, I used an Ensoniq ESQ and an EMU Proteus. I still use all my vintage gear from the 80's and 90's. As for Bongo Boy Records, I was looking for a label to release singles with, since I got tired of working on whole album concepts and writing endless production loops for TV and Videos. I met a few musicians out in LA at the Grammy awards show and they told me about Bongo Boy, so I have been trying to release one or two singles a year, I have 5 albums released through Bongo Boy. Escape The Mind Vol 1 & 3, Backroom Blues Vol 5, World Music Vol 1, and Let's Have A Rockin' Christmas. All my other works are licensed through the Numero Group or GMP production music library. I do not know anyone personally at Bongo Boy, but they have been a good resource, also. I don't listen to any other music at all, except for some Bebop and older classic standards from the 1930's and 40's. Just trying to catch up on what I missed while playin' in rock and R&B groups back in the 60's and 70's. I retired from playing live shows in 1996 and once in a while I'll sit in with old friends in Detroit when I have the chance. So that's my story in a nutshell, there have been many articles written about the birth a New Age music over the years, so I do get an interview now and then, or a radio spot, but I like to keep a low profile, the music industry has changed so much from when I released my first single in 1966. I just don't know how these young musicians can survive in this INDIE world. I guess I got lucky and managed to do what I always wanted to do. www.robertslap.com

Jeralyn Glass: “Vibrance” was written in 2019 together with Grammy Award winning pianist and arranger Laurence Hobgood and is the title song from the album which was in first round Grammy consideration. Here are some notes we compiled : “Vibrance”: The Music of the Universe. Infinite Possibility, Frequency. The Essence is Love…. Key of A♭ Manifestation, speaking and receiving the Truth with grace and ease. Touching the entire Chakra system. Laurence Hobgood note: "To a composer, A♭is has a certain somber quality — Mozart would have known it as the “key of the grave” (reference “affective musical key characteristics”.) This is not to imply that it’s negative or morbid; rather that it may be suited for naked, deep introspection as it doesn’t beckon or distract the ear with undue brightness. Also the progression of harmonies (chords) within the song is not simplistic. This is intentional for two reasons: 1) to balance the sense of seriousness with a sense of buoyancy, and 2) to inevitably lead to the lightest possible key, D major, A♭’s literal opposite (tritone) where the song ends."

“Gymnopedie” - We are made of Energy, Sound Vibration and Light. Especially using the notes of the heart (F) to the seat of inner vision and imagination (B♭). The Sacred Ratio of the perfect 4th. Laurence Hobgood note: "I chose B♭major not just because it was good for Jeralyn’s voice, but also because it's considered not just cheerful but aspirational. Also in this piece that makes E♭ major - considered the key of “love, of devotion, of intimate conversation with God” - strongly prominent, resulting in a potent combination. Reference: “affective musical key characteristics".  With an international career as a Broadway and classical singer which spans decades, I thought I understood the power of music. In 2015, following the loss of my 19 year old son, I began seriously exploring healing sound with the crystal alchemy singing bowls which I had been playing for 10 years. The effects were profound and not to be ignored. The pristine vibrations had an ability to help me go into the grief, even beyond where words, touch and medicines could go. The ancient modality of using vibration to dissolve illness, be it physical or emotional, to soothe the mind and to heal, became my go to. Implementing the singing bowls, modern sonic tools of transformation into my music, was life changing. The healing frequencies of the alchemies and their exquisite tones helped create safety, allowing me to feel and process the pain, which brought a ‘miraculous’ gift of healing, inner strength, and a clearer understanding and acceptance of life with all its sorrow and all its beauty.  The creation of both the original song “Vibrance" and the meditative, vocal version of Erik Satie’s "Gymnopedie #1", written/arranged by/with Grammy award winning pianist and composer Laurence Hobgood, was born out of a desire to explore the unique and uncharted combination of crystalline healing frequencies, meditation and jazz. Our intent is to uplift, inspire and touch listeners in a new way, Music as a Medicine. May our songs reach an audience of all ages who will benefit from these healing sounds. Laurence note regarding the composition of “Vibrance”: "Jeralyn expressed her intention motivating what would become the one original song in this project — essentially to describe the universality of vibration as the core substance comprising all types of energy: sound, love, emotion, creative thought, light and color, etc. I latched onto her key words and found ways to pattern them into the melody which was simultaneously emerging in my musical ear as she related her general idea. In this sense it was a true collaboration — two very different human approaches to the same agreed upon idea achieving a unified result."  https://crystalcadence.com

Charles Brown: “Sunrise Serenade” is a melodic/new age inspired tune in the style of Pat Metheny, that is reminiscent of his “As Falls Wichita” era. It features catchy guitar melodies with soaring keyboard and guitar synth solos. The keyboard work is courtesy of Matt Bassano. It’s available on the Bongo Boy Records release Escape The Mind Vol 3, as well as my own solo CD: Mystics. I’m using a combination of acoustic and electric guitars with Lexicon processing to replicate the classic Metheny sound.

I came across Bongo Boy through Facebook and I’ve appeared on their other compilation CD’s: The Backroom Blues series, and the “Emilio’s Rock Den” series.  I'll be featured on the forthcoming Bongo Boy Release Backroom Blues Vol 12, with my tune: "Six Pack Blues".  All of my Bongo Boy tracks can be heard at my Soundcloud page: soundcloud.com/user-972729743  

{Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Charles has been involved in the Denver music scene for nearly 40 years. In addition to his solo instrumental guitar CD’s, Charles is currently involved with the Denver based tribute band THE SUBSTITUTES that perform the music of THE WHO. Charles is also involved with the Denver band YARROW which performs Blues & Classic Rock.  https://www.facebook.com/CharlesBrownGuitarist}

Kevin Kastning: "Construction 2A" is the first half of a longer composition on my album Piano I (2019; Greydisc Records) entitled "Construction 2".  It was recorded late one night in January 2018.  The concept behind "Construction 2" was that of a strong compositional framework.  The emphasis for this piece was on the structure, even ahead of elements such as melody and harmony.  Piano allows me to focus on very different compositional elements than when I am on guitar.  I believe the cold dark January New England night is clearly a part of this piece, and has found its own hiding places within the structural framework of the composition. I am honored that this piece is a part of the Escape The Mind album series.  I met Monique a few years ago when she was working on publicity and press for me, and I look forward to continuing our partnership in the years to come. http://www.kevinkastning.com/

Paul Temple: Peaceful. Penetrating. Pure. These words have been used to de-scribe the music of Paul Temple’s RadianceMatrix, which creates beautiful, meditative music on Tibetan Bowls, enhancing their healing energies with flutes, man-tras and Tibetan throat singing.  He has toured the USA and Canada offering Deep Peace Concerts as a path to beauty and inner peace. www.RadianceMatrix.com

 “Ancient Canyons” is from Paul’s first RadianceMatrix album, Deep Peace Experience, released in 2015. The combination of Tibetan healing bowls and Native America cedar flute creates a potent evocation of ancient spirits from the myste-rious canyons of the Southwest. The compilation also has a recording of Pauls’ “Vajra Sattva Mantra” on which he does Tibetan throat singing with the healing bowls. The mantra is an ancient Tibetan transmission of the Vajra – or the diamond light in our hearts. This recording is from his fourth RadianceMatrix album, Sound Temple released in 2019.
 
Paul has a long affiliation with the magical mantra singer Deva Premal, who also has a track on the compilation. Deva’s singing is also featured on Paul’s album Radiance Mixes which went to #5 on iTunes World Music chart. Paul lives in Boulder, Colorado and offers regular live-stream sound transmissions through the RadianceMatrix Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Scott Kuchler: The track “Amitabha” was written and recorded about 5 years ago just here in my home. There are no keyboards on the track at all. I became involved in this sampler because my band The Opium Connection had been on a previous Bongo Boy sampler. I met Bongo Boy through my podcast, I've always been a fan of label co-founder Gar Francis, and I had interviewed him on my show in the past. I don't personally know any of the other artists on the album, and my track has no spoken words on it at all. It's an instrumental track. https://www.reverbnation.com/ScottKuchler