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The Sounding Board by R J Lannan |
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RJ Lannan is the reviewer for The Sounding Board. |
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| Light Body |
| By Peter Kater |
| Label: Mysterium Music |
| Released 9/25/2012 |
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| Light Body tracks |
1. Root Chakra
2. Sacral Chakra
3. Solar Plexus Chakra
4. Heart Chakra
5. Throat Chakra
6. Intuitive Chakra
7. Crown Chakra
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88 VS. 7 |
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According to some philosophies, mainly Hinduism and Buddhism, there are seven energy centers in the human body. Some call them chakras, others Tantras, but the fact is that these plexuses affect the body in some unseen way. Trying to demonstrate those energies using music is difficult, but not impossible. Trying to create those energies on piano is a work of genius and I can think of only one artist for the job, Peter Kater. I have been a fan of this German-born New Age pianist since his arrival on the scene some thirty years ago with a recording called Spirit. Fast forward to just about fifty album later and his latest metaphysical offering called Light Body. It has merely seven tracks on the CD, but the music can amaze your mind for a lifetime. I have reviewed many albums that feature Eastern philosophy themes and I have learned so much. Peter's album has offered me an astonishing new way to learn and I felt that it was a gift. What is most interesting is that there are very little, if any allusions to Middle Eastern music and yet the album is a complete success.
The Root Chakra is the opening number with the piano lead wafting in some echoing ocean while angelic voice drifts into your senses. There is a definite ebb and flow to the experience as the sound washes over you in waves. The root chakra governs the loins and oversees not only sexuality, but spirituality as well.
Well known multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless takes the lead with winsome oboe in the second tune The Sacral Chakra. This energy point governs reproduction, joy, and relationships. Kater introduces the joy of children’s laughter in the song giving it a cheerful and light sensibility.
To me the Solar Plexus Chakra is the most exciting and dynamic cut on "Light Body". There is a warm vigor to the tune as if it is powered by the sun. Heat, light and energy are bundled together to produce a melodious harmony taking us closer to our spiritual goals. This one is a favorite.
English horn and piano combine in the song Heart Chakra. The Anahata chakra controls love and the full spectrum of emotions available to the heart. The sweet voice of Trisha Bowden echoes throughout the tune like a divine caress while the simple piano score floats freely about.
The Throat Chakra (Vishuddha) allows us to communicate on several levels. It also governs hearing and sound, a most important aspect for yours truly. It is no surprise that the music resonates like ripples in a pond. It is a challenge to tell if the sound is approaching or receding, but the power of the music is undeniable.
Sometimes known as the Seeing Eye or Third Eye, the Intuitive Chakra regulates guidance in the life. From it we derive intuition and clarity of choice. Of all the cuts on the album, this one was more intricate and at times, a bit dark. Although our main theme is light, the darkness perhaps lies in the unknowing.
Finally, the Crown Chakra which many think is a portal from which the soul emerges at the time of physical passing. When one frees himself from the earthly plane it has reached Nirvana. Some hope to touch the face of God while others desire to become a small part of the universe. Kater's final tune achieves its own kind of lightness, both physical and otherwise.
Veteran composer Peter Kater allows you to join him on this delightful voyage of light and he does it with a deft hand using not the usual Middle Eastern elements, but contemporary piano compositions that soothe, heal and comfort in a way that I have never heard before. The path is now illuminated and we have only to follow. |
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Rating: Excellent  |
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- reviewed by RJ Lannan on 6/7/2013 |
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