The music presented on this disc is a large step away from what normally comprises most of the reviews presented here, and yet it is being presented by at least 2 artists that have have been featured in the magazine before. How many of you sometimes use music to wind down, chill out, or alleviate the stress of things? Yet you don’t want this music to be bland music that you aren’t going to latch on to in any way, shape, or form? The music on Elders & Ancestors, is engaging without being overpowering, and yet it takes stress or pain and helps put them aside so that your body and mind can relax without letting completely loose and losing consciousness; you can drift peacefully on safe waters so to speak.
There are seven songs on the disc and April and (Brother) Paul Brown wrote five of the songs, they also co-wrote one with Tom Shinness and the other song is a Traditional song that is beautifully sung by Mike Farris (more later). A little background on the artists here; Bro Paul Brown is a keyboard player, Producer, and engineer, for a variety of artists that come to his Ocean Souls Studio to record, or he tours with as a keyboard player; he is touring with the Waterboys now . He did all of the above for an album by Bobby Rush, “Down in Louisiana,” was officially nominated for a 2014 Grammy for “Best Blues Album!” On this disc Bro Paul plays Hammond B-3, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Drums and Percussion.
April Brown (April and Paul’s story is well documented in the liner notes of this disc) is in early hospice care. A paralegal by trade she does have some musical background playing piano, however it was after she came back from a Cancer Wellness retreat (Wind River) she took up Native American Style Flute. She also contributes Drums and Percussion as well as doing the Lead Vocals on “Breathe” and “Sonnet,” she also wrote the lyrics for “Sonnet.”
Mike Farris won a Grammy in 2015 in the Best Roots Gospel Category for his album, “Shine For All the People,” does Vocals on track 6 and has been lead singer in The Screaming Cheetah Wheelies and more recently as a Soul/Gospel artist. Tom Shinness plays Harp Guitar, Cello and Bass Guitar (tracks 3.5 & 6), and Richard Cushing plays Sitar (track 3).
This is one of those discs that you are exceedingly happy that you have, and one that you wished you had during some past misfortunes. The music lets you relax into places that need to be explored, and evacuated. There is a beautiful sense of peace contained here. As an experiment i took it to my acupuncturist and used it while I was laying there with near about one million needles in me; it was like floating and watching the clouds drift by. I will try it at the masseuses the next time. We have all heard about music as a healing force and I and several others who tried it will attest to this. There is force here but it is a complete force not one that has to be put together. Beautiful!
by bob gottlieb
