This gorgeous album features composer Suzanne Teng playing world flutes. Her mystical melodies are accompanied by Gilbert Levy on world strings and percussion, Dan Torres on guitar and oud, and Jon Ossman on bass and dilruba.
The music is sensual, evocative, and pulses with feeling. Each track combines a slightly different mix of instruments. There are 10 tracks on the album. The song titles reflect a highly diverse range of influences and inspirations for this instrumental music. Track 3: Kingdom of Mountains (title track) is the longest piece at 7:05 minutes. Teng introduces the composition with a lingering flute call. Other instruments are gradually integrated into the mix. The piece is compelling and masterful.
Actually, “compelling and masterful” would pretty much describe the entire album. Each piece has its unique features. The songs are built with Western harmonies but include such exotic instrumentation that the Asian qualities shine through. It’s a brilliant east-west blend. Track 6: Yunnan is probably the most Western-style song with its traditional folk-style guitar melodies. Throughout the songs, Teng’s haunting flute melodies add an element of restrained passion and mysticism.
Very highly recommended for ritual use, meditation, yoga, and any form of craft work to those who enjoy brilliant east-west blends. I look forward to enjoying this CD for many years to come!
~review by Elizabeth Hazel
Artist: Mystic Journey
Autumn Light Productions, 2017
10 tracks, 50:10 mins
CD $12.65, MP3 $8.99
