Topping
The Charts: The Hottest New Age Radio Artists Of 1999
by
Bette Timm
From the delicate keyboard compositions of Clara Ponty, to
the dramatic, dynamic
vocal melodies of Tim Wheater; from major labels like Windham
Hill, to Jamie Bonk's
debut album on his own independent label, the artists topping
this year's New Age
Voice radio playlists were as diverse as the genre they represent.
Yet all shared a
universal sound that captured the heart and soul of listeners
everywhere.
Eight recordings in all reached the number one position on
the NAV chart this year.
Interestingly, each album reflected a slightly different aspect
of New Age music today.
Says Jamie Bonk, one of the number one artists, "The music
on the NAV chart is
tremendously diverse. The artists are all quite different,
but true to their voices."
The first voice to reach the top in '99 was Jon Jenkins with
Flow (Spotted Peccary,
1998). Jenkins' esoteric style of ambient-electronic music
captured listeners' attention
and catapulted Jenkins to the number one position in January.
A dramatic recording
well supported with world music sounds, Flow marks a distinct change from Jenkins
first solo recording Continuum. And the future
for this talented artist looks to be as
unpredictable as the past. A progressive pop/rock project
with David Helpling and
Matthew Stewart is in the making, along with a solo follow-up
to Flow. Yet whatever
Jenkins does, we can be sure that it will have artistic integrity.
Jenkins feels his
responsibility as an artist is to "reach out, grab the listener
by the ears, drag them into
this other world and show them around a little bit." Jenkins
meets this responsibility
with alacrity. His Spotted Peccary label has a strong foundation
of respect in the radio
community for its commitment to artistic quality.
Perennial favorite Windham Hill graced the airwaves with the
familiar, yet innovative
tunes on its holiday release, A Winter Solstice Reunion (Windham Hill, 1998). Hitting
number one in February, this album features some of the best
artists from over twenty
years of successful Windham Hill recordings. Outstanding performances
by slack key
guitarist Keola Beamer, Liz Story, Mike Marshall, Darol Anger,
and label founder Will
Ackerman adorn the album. Produced by William Coulter, a long
time member of the
Windham Hill family, this recording really delivers. Songs
range from the familiar melody
"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," performed by Alex DeGrassi,
to Barbara Higbie's lovely,
sweet "Snowfall Lullaby." Radio stations, New Age and otherwise,
will want to expose
their listeners to these universal sounds for holidays to
come.
March definitely roared in like a lion with guitarist Jamie
Bonk topping the chart. Bonk's
self-titled recording spent eight months in the top ten and
twelve months in the top twenty
of the NAV chart ñ surpassing the previous record of
eleven months held by Lorenna
McKennitt's Book of Secrets. And what is even
more astounding is that Jamie Bonk
is Bonk's debut CD on his own independent label, Bonk Productions.
This incredible
success is likely due to Bonk's artistic skill in producing,
as well as writing and
performing his music. He says, "I'm always trying to connect
with listeners on an
emotional level. Whatever it is that may initially inspire
me to write, I like to make a
CD that is strong from beginning to end and flows naturally
from piece to piece." Bonk
describes his music as "instrumental music that moves between
and around a wide
variety of textures and moods." This textural, almost tactile
complexity is anchored by
the beautiful melody and rhythm that are central to Bonk's
music. Bonk is currently
working on a second solo recording which he hopes to release
in early 2000.
Tim Wheater dominated the NAV chart in April, May and June
with Incantation (Real
Music, 1999). Wheater, a profound and prolific artist probably
best known for his insight
into the healing power of music, explores new directions with
this recording. Incantation
reflects a more dynamic, mystical quest for Wheater. "It is
an exploration of my inner
journey to a place of open-heartedness, celebrating a multi-faceted
faith in the world and
all its mysterious beauty," says Wheater. Although his own
personal journeys into the deeper mysteries was the motivation
behind this musical endeavor, Wheater's intent
while composing was "very much to weave a journey for the
listener." He envisions
himself rather like a pied piper, playing a tune that he hopes
is "inviting enough to bring the listener to that place of
reflection within themselves." Future plans for Wheater include
numerous collaborations with others in the field, and an exciting
new project: a book on
the power of music to heal. Years in the making, he hopes
the book will be published
within a year.
Lisa Lynne is a musician who enchants the listener with the
sounds of the Celtic harp
and other magical stringed instruments like the bazouki, dulcimer
and mandolin. Seasons
of the Soul, (Windham Hill, 1999) Lynne's latest recording,
charted number one in both
July and September. When asked what qualities enabled her
album to reach the top of
the New Age charts, she responded, "I wrote this music in
a particular joyful state of
mind, and I like to think the listeners are picking up on
that, that it might be contagious."
Bringing life's experiences to her work, Lynne believes that
simplicity is the key, in life
and in music, and she hopes to convey simple pleasures through
her recordings. When
engaged in the conception of a new project, Lynne feels a
major obligation to the listener.
"I want to make records that are useful for stirring emotions,
and soothing the heart,"
she explains. The tranquil sounds she creates out of her rock
roots, spiced with world
music influences, result in uplifting songs that are powerful
and gentle at the same time.
Of future recordings, Lynne says she has noticed her Spanish
heritage creeping into her
music and plans to "just let the next music happen."
Clara Ponty is the daughter of jazz musician Jean-Luc Ponty
and a world class musician
in her own right. Number one on the August radio chart, Ponty's
The Embrace is an
uncomplicated yet distinguished effort, reminding the listener
that sometimes the best
way to make music is to keep it simple. Classically trained,
Ponty's precise strokes on
the piano are a delight to the ears. She is subtly backed
by an instrumental ensemble
which includes ney flute, cello, and light percussion. Ponty's
own gentle voice adds
depth and texture on three of the ten compositions. "My voice
lends color to the music
and allows me to transport the listener to the world I'm painting,"
she says. Making
music is a healing experience for Ponty, enabling her to deal
with life's challenges. "I
look for a sense of beauty, balance, and grace in my everyday
life," she says. "I try to
live my life as consciously as possible. Music is my way to
communicate and share my
experiences of life with others."
The year would not be complete without a number one hit from
R. Carlos Nakai, who
never fails to win awards in a variety of arenas. Nakai, a
Native American flutist,
describes his music as follows: "On one hand I'm heavily involved
with tradition in
my everyday lifestyle. On the other, as a performer and visual
artist, I find that I am
also creating new traditions everyday." His latest recording,
Inner Voices, certainly
breaks new ground, while bespeaking the ancient cultural tradition
from which Nakai
draws. Released in August, Inner Voices (Canyon
Records, 1999) quickly jumped to
the top of the chart, garnering the number one position in
October. A full orchestral
backdrop supports Nakai's beautiful flute melodies on this
new recording. Well respected
for his ability to meld various traditions, Nakai plans to
continue collaborating with other
genre giants like Peter Kater and Paul Horn.
In NAV's final airwaves of 1999, newcomer Peter Xifaras's
Appassionato crowned the
chart. A classically trained guitarist, Xifaras developed
his sultry style throughout his
years of performing, composing and teaching. The tracks on
Appasionato display his
compositional talents from nuevo flamenco to neo-classical.
Every track is rich with
emotion, richly textured and brimming with imagination. As
for the New Age genre,
Xifaras told NAV that he is very optimistic of its future.
"I think New Age will be much
bigger than it is today. In recent years, technological advancements
in communication
have allowed us to view and communicate with other parts of
the world giving everyone
instant exposure to the globe." As for his own future, Xifaras
already has themes slated
for his next 2 CD's in the works for 2000. Xifaras also adds,
"I'd like to see this genre of
music become the 'Top 40' of popular music for everyone. In
Bach's day, classical was
'Top 40'; in the 1940's big band was; so why not New Age?"
Congratulations to all of the artists that produced this quality
music, to the labels that
supported their musical vision, and to the numerous radio
programmers who have enough
passion and inspiration to present such music to the larger
public. As Lisa Lynne says
"I think the passion of the individual programmers has a great
affect on not only the
present state of the genre but the future as well. I think
they really listen and care about
what the audience is grooving on, using their own favorites
to turn people on to artists
that wouldn't normally get the exposure."
- Bette Timm - NAV Magazine - November/December '99
©1999
NAV
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