Grammy Nominees for Best New Age Album Hacky Sacking Their Way to Nirvana
We've been waiting in anticipation all year for this and now it has finally arrived: the 2010 Grammy nominees for the Best New Age Album are out! Who are these kindred spirits? Let's take a look, shall we?
1. OCEAN by Michael Brant DeMaria
Can Dr. DeMaria please be my psychologist? I will tell him all about how I want to meet my inner moon woman and let him guide my tender soul toward enlightenment at the shores of infinity with his wooden recorder.
2. SACRED JOURNEY OF KU-KAI, VOLUME 4 by Kitaro
I want to go to to there
One big fan of Kitaro over at Music of Our Heart says, "My internal question has been magically answered as the Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai is the fourth in a series of a collection of works and peace-themed albums."
You know what internal question I want magically answered? Is if Fred Armisen can guest jam alongside us during our sacred journey to achieve front row seats at Wavy Gravy's new movie?
3. DANCING INTO SILENCE by R. Carlos Nakai, William Eaton & Will Clipman
Dancing Into Silence is an epic album title.
I pray each and every day for people to shut up, but no matter how hard I will it, it usually doesn't happen. I'm too polite (read: chicken) to ask anyone to stop talking or to please turn down Puddle of Mud. Therefore, I would like to be able to physically dance my way into silence. Perhaps someday I can hone such a skill.
According to Devaworld, R. Carlos plays the Native American flute, William jams on the harp guitar (WHO INVENTED THIS I WANT ONE) and Will is on "pulsing ethnic percussion."
Have you ever been ethnically pulsed or percussed?
Oh mai gad look at this fucking thing! What are you? I can't tell if you're a bad-ass sexy guitar or a gentle harp that will pull me gently into your lilypad-laden oasis of musical soundscape. You tricky beast, you!
4. MIHO: JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAIN by Paul Winter Consort
Saxophonist Paul Winter is the master of keeping it mellow. He plays his sax like a Pied Piper, guiding us to the top of the mountain with his sonic delight. Except that when we reach the top of the mountain we don't all fall into the sea stricken with Black Plague like the children in the German fairy tale. Rather, we camp around a bonfire and let Paul unharsh our mellows with his unmitigated woodwind.
Here is Mr. Winter's Winter Solstice that you can play when you're burning the Yuletide log on your TV screens this holiday:
The action starts at :45
5. INSTRUMENTAL OASIS, VOL. 4 by Zamora
I have never heard of Zamora before but I am now officially obsessed with him. He is my spirit animal:
I'd like to be able to tell you more about this splendid creature but I think his album covers illustrate his sentiments better than words ever could:
Can someone out there in Internetland please Photoshop me into each of these cosmic dreamscapes? You can enjoy Zamora for yourself by visiting his page at Amazon.
Welp, this is it for me. I've just officially had the best day at work ever, thanks to my research project into the astral plain.
OOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM