NEW AGE MUSIC

New age music evolved out of a shared consciousness among composers and performers. Their credo held that music should be based on harmony and consonance, rather than dissonance; minus the hooks and rhythmic pulse typifying popular music; employ soothing instrumental sounds (e.g., prominence of piano, harp, flute, bells, string ensembles); and elevate space to a key role (i.e., the electro-acoustic enhancement of instrumental tones through reverb and echo). New age music began taking form in the latter half of the 1970s as baby boomers, approaching middle age and facing the full effect of career and family pressures, began exploring softer forms of pop music. A pivotal development was William Ackerman’s formation of the Windham Hill label in 1976; the label’s first superstar was pianist George Winston, whose December (Windham Hill #1026; 1983) spent more than three-and-a-half years on the Billboard “Top Pop Albums” charts. Despite the preponderance of electronic/space and acoustic folk-flavored albums during the 1980s, the commercial success of Enya’s Watermark (Geffen #24233; 1989) spurred a Celtic music fad within the genre. A broad, amorphous category, new age includes the following subgenres: 1. Electronic/computer music; 2. folk music; 3. jazz/fusion; 4. meditation music; 5. American Indian/indigenous music; 6. pop music; 7. progressive music; 8. solo instrumental music; 9. sound health music; 10. space music; 11. traditional music; 12. vocal music; and 13. world music. 1. Electronic/Computer Music. The rapidly evolving technology of modern society has placed the resources of a small orchestra within the means of most artists. This has facilitated the creation of innovative sounds hitherto impossible to achieve with traditional acoustic instruments. The key tools here are synthesizers-a large, expanding class of dissimilar instruments that often combine tape recorders, computers, and specialized digital equipment-and samplers (enabling a musician/programmer to blend snippets of recorded acoustic sound-e.g., a violin passage or bird songs-with electronic tones to generate new music pieces). David Arkenstone’s Valley in the Clouds (Mystique #62001; 1987)—built around shimmering textures set within a Third World ambience-elucidates these techniques in textbook fashion. Other leading practitioners include Wendy Carlos, Jean-Michel Jarre, Steve Roach, Klaus Schulze, Isao Tomita, Vangelis, and Yanni. 2. Folk Music. Based on influences derived from traditional folk and ethnic sources (e.g., Celtic, bluegrass), this style is usually acoustic and instrumental in orientation. Divided between original compositions and classic folk material in an upbeat mode, the sound is built around such instruments as six-and 12-string guitars, Celtic harp, flutes, and dulcimers. Notable exponents include William Ackerman-whose intimate vehicle for solo acoustic guitar, Passage (Windham Hill #1014; 1981) belies criticisms that new age lacks poignancy and soul-Checkfield, Malcolm Dalglish and Greg Larsen, Mark O’Connor, and Allan Stivell. 3. Jazz/Fusion. Representing a gentle rebellion against overly spacey new age music and frenetic jazz, this fusion style avoids the abstract dissonance typified by avant-garde jazz or classical compositions in favor of mood, texture, and flowing movement. Jazz crosses into new age territory when it avoids standard “swing” rhythms, its instrumentation is enhanced by synthesizers and the use of digital reverb, and it is not repetitious or

inaccessibly intellectual. It is distinguished from other new age subgenres, especially space music, by its rhythm and identifiable melodies. Typical instrumentation includes woodwinds, horns, percussion, keyboards, and string instruments. Among the better known artists are Beaver and Krause, who virtually defined the genre with Gandharva (1971; now available on Warner Bros. CD #45663 coupled with the duo’s 1970 release, In a Wild Sanctuary), which features ambient improvisations recorded in San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral; synthesizer player Peter Davison; former Big Band-rock violinist (Flock) Jerry Goodman, perhaps best known for his collaborations with Jeff Beck; Hiroshima; guitarist Pat Metheny, whose recorded work alternates between frenetic fusion workouts and more impressionistic sound-scapes; chamber music ensemble Oregon; electric violin virtuoso Jean-Luc Ponty; British guitarist John Renbourn, whose work includes elements of folk, jazz, and classical music modalities; and flutist Tim Weisberg. 4. Meditation Music.This style aims at expanding awareness into deeper and higher levels of consciousness. It removes negativity through careful arrangement of each note and one pattern. It isn’t always serene and gentle in nature; more dynamic forms often combine drumming and pulsing music to stimulate an active response within the listener (e.g., dancing). Key practitioners include Aeoliah, Chazz, Steven Halpern, and Laraaji. 5. American Indian/Indigenous Music.The accompaniment is provided by rattles, drums, and group chorus, depending upon the context and form of the musical presentation. The types of songs, their placement in a ceremony, and the textural form-meaningful words or vocalized sounds-reflect the worldviews of various tribes. Duple meter (patterns of two drum beats throughout) percussion patterns, a wide variety of tempos, and dynamic accents contribute to the distinctive quality of tribal music. The genre includes three subdivisions: sacred/ceremonial songs; social songs; and personal vocal and instrumental music. Among the notable exponents are Kevin Locke, A. Paul Ortega, and R. Carlos Nakai, whose gentle string and woodwinds arrangements-e.g., Winter Dreams (Canyon #7007; 1990; with William Eaton)—frequently grace the new age charts. 6. Pop Music.Of all new age genres, this one is the most energetic and accessible. It tends to be very melodic, often weaving acoustic and electronic instruments into a sonic whole. It has depth, using harmony, melody, and simple key modulations rather than creating spacelike sounds. Leading artists include Bruce Becvar, Checkfield, David Darling, the Durutti Column, Michael Hedges, and Liz Story. 7. Progressive Music. This category mixes the excitement and vision of progressive and experimental music with the sensitivity and warmth of the new age genre. Largely created by state-of-the-art technology and a wide array of electronic instruments, it’s cinematic in scope and imparts a feeling of momentum. Compositions deliver symphonic-sometimes psychedelic-crescendos intended to jar the listener’s perception of reality. Michael Oldfield’s hypnotic Tubular Bells (Virgin #105; 1973) created a sensation when placed within the soundtrack to The Exorcist. Mannheim Steamroller’s popularity-particularly with respect to seasonal titles such as Mannheim Steamroller Christmas (American Grammaphone #1984; 1984) and A Fresh Aire Christmas (American Grammaphone #1988; 1988)—is substantial enough to regularly place the group (essentially a studio vehi-cle for originator Chip Davis) high on the pop albums charts. Other notable practitioners Gavin Bryars, Cusco, Patrick Gleeson, Mark Isham, Daniel Lentz, and Patrick O’Hearn.