The "good New Age" music
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Printed Date: May 21 2024 at 14:02
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Topic: The "good New Age" music
Posted By: Gerinski
Subject: The "good New Age" music
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 06:57
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I guess there are already threads about this but a search did not return any useful results so I'm starting this new thread. New Age is a term which frequently causes loathing among proggers, as it may be associated with those horrible ambient and muzak albums you find in shopping malls or alternative medicine stores with titles such as “The healing power of music”, “Soundscapes from the Machu Picchu” etc, frequently made by some guy with a bit of musical knowledge and one sequencer software. I despise this kind of New Age too.
But also some really good musicians from the classical and jazz school jumped on the train of the New Age as an opportunity to make some money making decent music in the 80's and 90's. The output of decent music in those years was scarce and I, like many others, embraced some New Age as a way of keeping listening to good music. The artists fell mostly into 2 groups:
a) instrumentalists who recorded solo or soloist-oriented albums, such as William Ackerman, Alex De Grassi, Michael Hedges, Suzanne Ciani, Andy Narell, and including some which were closer to the prog scene like Rick Wakeman, Steve Hillage or Lyle Mays. b) full bands, mostly coming from the jazz or jazz-rock scene who softened their approach to fit into the New Age field. Some names that come to mind include Scott Cossu, Lito Vitale Cuarteto, Shadowfax, Spyro Gyra or Nightnoise. Windham Hill was of course the leading label promoting artists of this kind. While I do not consider this kind of music as challenging and fulfilling as genuine prog or jazz-rock / fusion, some of it was really good-quality music and I can enjoy it, and it provided some welcome musical quality during the years when genuine prog was at a low point. I attended several concerts which confirmed that the musicians were really top-notch and not just ambient soundscapes builders. So even if I don't listen much to those albums lately, I keep a sweet appreciation for them.
I’m not going to argue for inclusion of New Age music in PA, but did other PA members also enjoy some of the “good New Age”? |
Replies:
Posted By: irrelevant
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 07:05
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Zazen are referred to as progressive rock/new age. And it's actually really good I think! Here's an album if you want to listen:
http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/Atlantis+Rising/5741076" rel="nofollow - http://grooveshark.com/#!/album/Atlantis+Rising/5741076
------------- https://gabebuller.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - New album! http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385 |
Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 07:13
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You have mentioned a number of artists who I like. During the 80s, when prog became poor I went in search of ambient soundscapes and I have found in the newage what the actual prog was no longer able to give me. Cossu, Tibbets, Hedges, de Grassi and Ackerman are still some of my fav artists and I think that artists like Lucia Hwong and Micheal Manring deserve a place on PA (if I'm not wrong Manring is already in JR/F) ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 08:44
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Well, maybe we should start with the beginning of it all : Brian Eno and his ambient stuff. I will call new age ambient in the following lines. I think ambient owes a lot to electronic music, and especially german school. Best examples are Ashra and Cluster. Coming back to the english scene, Harold Budd is another name that shoul not be overlooked. His very first album has a jazzy feel that he dropped in later albums to concentrate on electronic instruments. You cited windham hill as a leading ambient label, but maybe ECM was and is still a serious competitor, with artists such as Bill Connors, Gary Burton, Eberhard Weber, Jan Garbarek's later works... A lot of proggers or jazz-rockers play ambient music actually : Mike Oldfield, Anthony Phillips, Kit Watkins, Patrick O'Hearn, Mark Isham, Robert Fripp... Ambient can be melted with pop : Talk Talk, David Sylvian, The Blue Nile, Kate Bush, Claire Hamill, Sally Oldfield, Cocteau Twins... but also with world music : Brian Eno, Zazen, Kitaro, some bands on the excellent Equilibrium label (Dwelling, Riccardo Principe's Corde Oblique, Ion) and on the french label Prikosnovénie (XVIIe vie, Stellamara). and dark music, we call this dark-ambient : the Equilibrium back-catologue is full of such stuff. Fusions with folk, metal and indus are also not rare. For nice ambient stuff I strongly recommend Clannad's 'Atlantic realm', Steve Roach's 'sigh of ages', Patrick O'hearn's 'ancient dreams', Virginia Astley's 'from gardens where we feel secure', Harold Budd & Clive Wright's 'a song for lost blossoms', Brian Eno's 'ambient 2 : the plateaux of mirrors' (with Harold Budd), Peter Maunu's 'warm sound in a gray field', Zazen's 'enlightenment', David Arkenstone's 'valley in the clouds', Vangelis & Neuronium's 'in london'. Slartibartfast should show up soon... ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 08:46
It's an Andy West project. Andy was bassist for Steve Morse's Dixie Dregs, so no wonder that is is prog-related. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
irrelevant wrote:Posted By: irrelevant
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 08:51
Well there ya go! I suggested them here but it seems no one could find a place for them. ------------- https://gabebuller.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - New album! http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385 |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 08:53
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^yes, I remember. I was surprised they were suggested for neo-prog, I would rather see them in eclectic, due to the "world" side. They certainly deserve a place here. Maybe they are still under evaluation, I don't have a clue. 'Enlightenment' is a briliant album. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: irrelevant
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 08:59
Haven't heard that one, I'm a fan of Atlantis Rising though. I'm surprised they're so obscure if one of the members was in Dixie Dregs. ------------- https://gabebuller.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - New album! http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385" rel="nofollow - http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=7385 |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 09:07
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^I am myself surprised at the number of artists/bands that never got the recognition they deserved...Most of the time, it's linked to a lack of hype around their works. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: colorofmoney91
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 09:50
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I don't really have a huge appreciation for straight-up new age music, but there are some ambient artists I do enjoy who walk the fine line, like Steve Roach, Robert Rich, and Harold Budd, and some of their material is reasonably proggy. ------------- http://hanashukketsu.bandcamp.com" rel="nofollow - Hanashukketsu |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 12:14
Thanks I'l have a listen! BTW I didn't know Andy West was in.
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Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 12:16
Don't have any of them, so much good music still to learn...
 will keep the list in mind! |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 12:18
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The new album from Echo Us is called New Age by some. To me, it's just a cool and interesting album.
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Posted By: Dayvenkirq
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 12:51
Oh, yes! I think I've mentioned it twice before on the forum that I deeply enjoy listening to "The Forbidden Forest: The Impressions of George Winston", performed by The Taliesin Orchestra (which is not an actual orchestra, but a few dudes playing them synths and stuff.) ***** / ***** I'm not a huge Enya boy, but if you asked me what song by her is the best, I would say 'Aldebaran'. **** / ***** The "Heroes of Might and Magic" game series (esp. III and IV, esp. III) has some excellent new-agey classical music mostly concocted by a talented gentleman Mr. Paul Romero. ***** / ***** If you do call Vangelis a New Age composer, then it goes without saying that his Blade Runner work is an excellent soundtrack album. ***** / ***** I think that covers it on my laptop and in my memory.
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 13:33
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I was one of those who got into prog as it was in decline and I like many of the artists that fit under the new age umbrella: Shadowfax, Michael Hedges, Alex DeGrassi... I think it gets a bit of a bum rap the same way Fusion got tainted by some of it's artists. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened... 
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 14:10
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This thread is full of names that I like, almost all these mentioned by Lucas. Kitaro is another artist that has released at least one fully prog album (Dream). ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 14:22
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^Thank you Luca. I still need to get more acquainted with Kitaro's music. Also, as we were discussing about Andy West and Zazen, his Dixie Dregs mate, Steve Morse, released in the late eighties an album strongly ambient-oriented : 'high tension wires', unfortunately often despised by the die-hard prog-rock lovers. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: Morsenator
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 14:49
Mike Oldfield's "The Songs of Distant Earth" is actually one of my favourite albums ever. I'm not a big fan of this genre, however. Most of it seems nice but kinda lacks the depth and freshness that I appreciate in music. Though I totally believe there are some very good ones mentioned in this thread, since I've only heard a few of them 
------------- You love the music, the music loves you! http://moonsofjupiter.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow - http://moonsofjupiter.bandcamp.com/ |
Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 15:01
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What are your thoughts on Yanni? I think I've only listened to one of his albums, once, and I come across him in concert on PBS occasionally. I find some of it a bit of a "guilty pleasure", and some of it is just terrible. Especially in concert he seems to "play up" to his audience. Meaning, a band member will have a solo of some sort and he'll grin and clap and cheer on the audience. Repulsive. But musically I like some of it. Not enough to pursue it, though.
------------- -- Frank Swarbrick Belief is not Truth. |
Posted By: Finnforest
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 15:04
Yup, some is great and some is dreadful......which makes it pretty much like every other genre of music. 
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 05 2012 at 15:12
before turning new age, Yanni played in an AOR band called Chameleon. Quite nice band. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 01:52
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Stephen Caudel is included in PA . His debut album Wine Dark Sea is one of the best of the genre. He has only recorded a small handfull of albums including Earth In Torquiose which is a more traditional instrument prog album and also very good.
Hadn't realised until I went on youtube this minute that he has recorded a live version of Wine Dark Sea with an orchestra. Very interesting.
How about something by the brilliant Mark Isham also?
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 01:54
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Mark Isham's "Tibet" and "Castalia" are both great albums. ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 01:57
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Must include some Suzanne Ciani as well
lovely
also something from Seven Waves
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 02:03
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Must include this
All recorded on a Sinclavier and the debut release on Peter Banks 'Private Music' label in the eighties.
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 02:09
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Oldfield |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 03:35
Oh yes, I have it and it's a very nice album.
I should say that within music that can be called New Age I tend to like more the kind closer to jazz and jazz rock than the ambient kind. I also like that with more classical influences like Anthony Phillips or The Enid but not excessively ambient.
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Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 05:23
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Maybe Bo Hansson's 'lord of the rings' could qualify as well. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: ExittheLemming
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 05:57
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I'm a big admirer of the OP's reviews but I'm sure that a well balanced, fair minded and equitable soul as Gerinski would agree that 75% of the problem debating the merits of otherwise of this type of music is the frankly repellant nomenclature and fan demographic used: I mean there are cave dwelling hermits who would turn their noses up at the prospect of 'New Age' innit?
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 06:02
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I know that if Mike Oldfield heard is music described as "New Age" he would go apesh*t. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Slartibartfast
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 06:02
Also Vapor Drawings. I found him through doing the soundtrack to Never Cry Wolf. He also does jazz rock/fusion albums. ------------- Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 07:37
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Lucas mentioned Claire Hamill as blending Ambient with pop, and as far as I know she has only done that on one album - an a capella album that uses mutlitracked voices to create ambient soundscapes - I've seen her reproduce this live with two backing singers and it is breathtaking.
------------- What? |
Posted By: lucas
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 08:12
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^yes, on 'voices'. This album is a true beauty. ------------- "Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood) |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 10:10
I don't know . There were a few artists who jumped on the New Age bandwagon in the eighties . Tangerine Dream - Underwater Sunlight and Vangelis - Soil Festivities (but don't tell Moshkito he might come after me with a big knife) even Rick Wakeman with his 'Airs Trilogy'. Oldfield more or less invented it with Hergest Ridge so I think he will have a wry smile. The producer of Tubular Bells , Tom Newman also got involved before Oldfield re-employed him for TB2 in the early nineties. It was a very interesting little genre that developed well beyond just whale sounds and the sound of a stream. Many creative people got involved so I doubt that Oldfield would throw a fit somehow.
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Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 12:20
^ I do know. He has said as much. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 12:32
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Musicians say a lot of things. For a time in the 80s it was fashionable to be "New Age" - you could guarantee some form of success by being New Age when being Prog was viewed as commercial suicide, just as Mike Oldfield and (gasp) The Enid forayed into "dance music" in the 90s. Now it is not fashionable to be "New Age" to the extent it is seen as a derogatory term, even within the classical guitar driven Jazz side of New Age. ------------- What? |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 12:48
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Well I agree with Mike. I'd not describe him as New Age. But that's not the point. The point was he'd be annoyed having his music described as New Age. Which he would be. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 16:50
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http://www.mikeoldfield.org/news/100427.htm" rel="nofollow - http://www.mikeoldfield.org/news/100427.htm
the above link refers to Ommadawn as being a pre-cursor to the New Age musical movement. I guess Oldfield doesn't take much notice of his official press releases then?
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 16:54
I also suspect Mr Oldfield knew exactly what he was doing when he recorded The Songs From Distant Earth.  ------------- What? |
Posted By: Gerinski
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 17:13
 yeah sure |
Posted By: Snow Dog
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 18:02
A Precursor doesn't make it part of it. ------------- http://www.last.fm/user/Snow_Dog" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 18:19
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I only use the term New Age loosely....
I admire a little known artist called Jean Pierre Limborg who has done music , kind of like spiritual ambient electronic with world/ethnic ingredients and stuff. His first album is one of my favourite albums. Some of his later also has a bit of chill-out ingredients, just soft relaxing grooves, but very well produced. Many of those later albums are made for different series that the record label has issued, for example a "Feng Shui" series, were one of those albums are by Limborg, others are by other artists . I really like a lot of the stuff he's made, the sounds and production and atmosphere is very appealing.
It's interesting to look at his influences listed at myspace:
"brian eno, peter gabriel, magma, dead can dance, bartok, mahler, the who, hadouk trio, trilok gurtu, robert wyatt, soft machine, hildegard von bingen, king crimson, daniel lanois, sigur ros, les voix bulgares, jan garbarek, björk, van der graaf generator, richard strauss, morton feldman, webern, von magnet, josef zawinul, los neutrinos, steve reich, sufjan stevens, yvinek, goldfrapp, beck, bhimsen joshi, philip glass, kishori amonkar...and so many wonders in this world, worth to fight for..."
"Somewhere between Dead Can Dance and Eno, trip-hop and world, ambient and emotronic, Limborg is following his own path of audacious and generous musician. " I only found one track on youtube but there's more on his myspace http://www.myspace.com/limborg" rel="nofollow - http://www.myspace.com/limborg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hglOzospcis" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hglOzospcis
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 18:21
1492 is great too!
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Posted By: wilmon91
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 18:33
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Moya Brennan – Two Horizons Nice album, I like this song
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: May 06 2012 at 18:55
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^ ah, Enya's big sister. Clannad and the Clannad clan (love them or loath them) have created some really nice music... ...and I think that is part of the problem with New Age for some people - it's too nice, even when it's complex and highly structured,or just well written and performed it comes over as "nice"... and once you hit that epithet you're kind of stuck in a limbo with nowhere to go and "nice" can never be "great". Shame because some great music has been produced under the banner of New Age. ------------- What? |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 07 2012 at 01:12
However labels as we all know are meaningless. Oldifeld is into some new agey things very clearly. How many near breakdowns has he had? I guess he needs some calmess. The Songs Of Distant Earth and Tres Lunas offer that in spades. Would he go 'apesh*t' being called 'New Age' . No he wouldn't but I expect he would point out the wide ranging body of work he has every reason to be proud of and that his music goes further than just the narrow confines of one genre.
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Posted By: octopus-4
Date Posted: May 07 2012 at 01:21
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Thinking of Oldfield and newage Song Of Distant Earth is what has come immediately to my mind. The novel on which the concept is based is quite newage, too. ------------- Curiosity killed a cat, Schroedinger only half. My poor home recorded stuff at https://yellingxoanon.bandcamp.com |
Posted By: clarke2001
Date Posted: May 07 2012 at 01:29
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http://www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2833" rel="nofollow - www.progarchives.com/artist.asp?id=2833 ------------- |