The Fountain Reviewed by Bill Binkelman, New Age Retailer
The Fountain
Reviewed by Michael Debbage, www.mainlypiano.com
It has been over ten years since John Adorney released his impressive debut Beckoning and since then he has gone from strength to strength with the bar being set in 2004 when he created Waiting For The Moon. His latest release The Fountain has all the elements expected from an Adorney creation and will not disappoint his fans. The Fountain is another commendable recording but is his opening track “Safe Haven” a self fulfilling prophecy?
Adorney is ever present on both keyboards and guitar and once again produces and composes all his material. Repeat vocal visits come in the form of Daya and Marcel Adjibi who appear on a total of 3 tracks. While Marcel’s sole appearance is on the lyrical and buoyant “Comme Le Vent,” Daya also assists with the harmonies. Meanwhile, she is given the spotlight on the more somber but hopeful “Even In Your Darkest Hour” that also includes complete lyrics. Otherwise the only other song where she contributes is via her vocal chants on the peppy “Every Breath.” It is here where we are reminded about the strength of John Adorney and his multi layered cross rhythmic arrangements that also feature him on guitar, keyboards, percussion and dulcimer.
The majority of Adorney’s creations this time around are mid-paced to slow atmospheric ballads that don’t necessarily grab the listener immediately. However, repeat visits to the songs will allow them to grow on you. More unusual is the almost cosmic keyboard work found on “The Water Jar” as well as the very exotic “Silk And Stone” that combines mystic elements of the Far East along with an offbeat reggae percussive arrangement. Otherwise, the album is interjected with optimistic moments found in the likes of the previously mentioned opener “Safe Haven,” “Echoes Of Thunder” and “Every Breath.”
While Adorney may have played it a little safe giving you that feeling of déjà vu, it does not change the fact that this is another commendable recording from a very reliable artist. Next time around it might be nice to see John taking more risks that he presented on the likes of “The Water Jar” and “Silk And Stone.”
Trees Of Gold
Reviewed by Michael Debbage , Wind and Wire
Back in 2004, John Adorney released his third effort, the superb Waiting For The Moon, and some may have wondered if Trees of Gold would fall in its shadow. Quite the contrary, as his newest creation is as valuable as the title would suggest, resulting in another stellar performance from John Adorney.
Much like its predecessor, Adorney flirts with several genres, mixing New Age, Classical and World themes into a conglomerate fusion of precious gold. The album starts with “Swept Away,” which includes the delicate chants of Daya that are in total unison with Adorney’s fluttering keyboards and soft rhythmic percussion. Though it is a very enjoyable composition, it is a little safe and is very reminiscent of the prior album’s opening track, “Always.” The same cannot be said for the title track, which includes sweeping strings, offbeat percussion and a choir that includes assistance from several label mates, including Diane Arkenstone. It probably ranks as one of Adorney’s better compositions.
Complex rhythmic patterns continue with “Yilowe,” which also includes the guest vocals of African Marcel Adjibi. Alongside Adorney’s more contemporary guitar work reminiscent of Dire Straits' Mark Knopfler, the song is a symphony of different worlds and cultures blending boldly, yet beautifully. Otherwise, there are even classical tendencies explored courtesy of the more regal “Shades Of Amber,” which features flutist Richard Hardy alongside Adorney’s cello work. Yes, John is an extraordinary multi-instrumentalist who also excels as a songwriter and producer.
Otherwise, John provides his listeners with many reflective and mellow moments best heard via the appropriately titled “Whisper” and the very soothing mid-tempo themes of “The Waterwheel.” Both songs feature Adorney entirely on guitar and keyboards with some very nominal percussion work that does not intrude upon the more conservative themes that are being explored.
Anchored in a field of gold, Trees Of Gold presents no fillers, with every song showing the class and quality associated with John Adorney. Though it may not branch out as significantly by borrowing from the successful formula of its predecessor, Trees of Gold shows there is still enough exploration that forges both familiarity and freshness at the same time.
Trees of Gold
Reviewed by RJ Lannan, New Age Reporter
Taking us away once again to a new land of hopes and dreams is John Adorney with his captivating CD Trees of Gold. Adorney has this incredible talent for combining lush, vibrant textures of sound and celestial voices that form colorful, evocative mental soundtracks. When you listen to a John Adorney album you can take a first class journey anywhere the mind can travel. The limit is somewhere beyond the imagined sky.
It appears that John has all his friends (as well as some family members) helping him on the album. John handles all the keyboards and piano, and we have seraphic vocalist Daya, Richard Hardy on flute, Shinn Jamison on oboe and Luke Tunney on flugelhorn. John introduces newcomer vocalist Marcel Adjibi for a unique accent to some of the compositions.
Taking just two words, ethereal vocalist Daya and John form a song that resounds with emotion and beauty. “Swept Away” is a song that delves into the heart of one possessed by love and extraordinary passion.
“Trees of Gold,” the title tune, reminded me of Karl Jenkins' Adiemus. Adorney has his wonderful music mixed with a complex vocal track that is both enthusiastic and emotive. Somewhere in the middle the song takes on a waltz motif as Adjibi's adventurous voice and Daya's sweet vocal trigger a musical metamorphosis. Our senses are delighted by the colors in the music as the trees turn auriferous. Everything changes.
“Yilowe” has just a few lines in it, but the words are unforgettable. Sung in African Goun by Marcel Adjibi, this beautiful tune is full of emotion that will touch any heart: "My Heart is calling. My heart is my home. Every breath a blessing." It celebrates being alive, and we need songs just like that. Life on some parts of the earth is precarious at best and no minute of existence should be taken for granted.
John's wonderful contemporary piano work is featured on “Whisper,” an idyllic tune that in its simplicity allows you to take hold of his coat tails and fly away to a quiet place. The evocative music allows you to close your eyes and open the portals of your mind and drift. This is my favorite on Trees of Gold.
I was torn as to which track I preferred as best of the album - “Arrival of the Guest” or “Man of the Red Earth.” The latter, a duet between Daya and Hardy's alto flute, is hauntingly beautiful as is John's score. It is the finale to the album and a very comforting tune. I looked it up, there's red earth on every continent on this planet and some on the next. It is a song for everyone whose roots push deep into the earth and emerge the stronger for it.
This is Adorney's fourth album. He had a hit with his last album, Waiting for the Moon. I believe that this album will garner him even more success. He has the wonderful ability to musically pave a road for travelers of the mind and get them safely to their destination. I don’t know where John goes to find his music, but I can tell you that it is a place I want to go to. You will too.
Rating: Excellent
Waiting for the Moon
Reviewed by Michael Debbage, Wind and Wire
Released on the independent label EverSound, this is John's third effort since 1998, but it’s clearly his best to date. His prior efforts were Beckoning andThe Other Shore, and both were impressive. But they also reflect a musician that is progressing in his compositional prowess.
The most impressive factor of the latest release is the artist's unwillingness to pigeonhole himself. While the album has a very smooth finish to it, via its production and compositional qualities, Adorney keeps it very interesting by flirting with several genres. Add the occasional limited vocals and chants from Daya Rawat reminiscent of Enya's style and you have an album that is so much more than just memorable.
Those of you that are purist when it comes to instrumental albums may want to adventure out and give this album an opportunity, as Daya is only prominent on "A Butterfly In The Well" and the title track. Otherwise, her vocals are used more for effect and are most successful on Adorney's very unforgettable upbeat-opening track "Always." Equally as strong is the optimistic "In Bloom," which includes an infectious chord progression mixed with a swirl of keyboard arrangements mixed in with some very mild vocalization.
Adorney has presented us with his best work to date and this ranks as one of the better releases of 2004. While Adorney may be waiting for the moon, much like the subject matter in the album title, the music is always accessible yet at the same time mysterious....
Waiting for the Moon
Reviewed by RJ Lannan, New Age Reporter
It was Thursday morning. The bedside alarm clock glowed a pale green 2:38 A.M. The storm had just passed and I could not sleep. I decided to do some work. Fumbling in the faint light, I found my portable CD player and touched PLAY. I laid there in the dark with the rain dripping off the roof and for the next hour, I was captivated by the music of John Adorney from his new release Waiting for the Moon. I have played the album several times over, and I get the same emotional jolt every time. Waiting for the Moon is, in a word, timeless.
“There’s a butterfly in the well, a cloud in the dirt, a wind through the heart of the mountain…” Daya’s vocal talents really excel on “A Butterfly in the Well.” The song exudes melancholy with Adorney’s wondrous lyrics and gentle fairy song score. In a childlike view on the world, the music reminds us that beauty is all around us, but sometimes it is short-lived.
The title tune, “Waiting for the Moon,” is a wonderful ballad. The angelic intonation of Daya’s voice thrills the senses ... a lot like Miriam Shockley does in all of her work.
“In Bloom” begins a bit like a John Williams film score, but then it takes a turn for the playful. Like a ride down a dusty road in a rag top, the music takes you away for just a little while, but then sadly, it returns you to the here and now.
The vocal refrain from “The Dance” is soft and sumptuous, like the light from a ring of candles in the bath. You lean back in your sudsy microcosm and dream luxuriant dreams. Freedom and fantasies are at your beck and call.
“Mavoh Mavoh” is an uncomplicated tune, but it is so emotionally transfused that I could hardly stand it. Like the opening tune, “Always,” the refrain is very simple, but the music is sensitively charged. This piano tune slices though your negative feelings like the first cut of a sharpened scythe upon spring wheat. Sung in the Goun African language, the chorus repeats, “I will love you from eternity to eternity,” and it echoes in your heart again and again. The song will make you feel something!
The music will touch you deeply and heal you like the smile of a newborn. It will drench you in emotion like a summer shower and refresh you like a zephyr. This CD is going on my Top 10 list for 2004.
Rating - Excellent
The Other Shore:
Reviewed by Ted Cox, New Age Retailer
In the stunning follow-up to his debut release, Beckoning, multi-instrumentalist Adorney has created a delightful collage of songs lightly infused with Asian, Eastern and Celtic. Daya Rawat’s multi-dubbed vocals on the infectious title track and “When the Flower Meets the Rain” are reminiscent of Enya’s breakthrough “Orinoco Flow” from Watermark. Also, on the spirited chant of “Kulan Tai Ulam,” her layered vocals rise with the world beat crescendo.
Adorney’s pleasing and melodic songs are gently fashioned on keyboards, with support from guitar, flutes, cello, oboe, horn, light percussion and bass. His guitar shines on the romantic “Thinking of You” while Rawat’s refrain echoes the title. Chris Bleth’s oboe soars in the darkness of the “Moonbird.” Acoustic guitars and cellos blend together on the contemporary “All In A Moment” instrumental, prior to the ambient space of “Entranced.”
This s a superb sophomore outing from an artist on the newly acclaimed EverSound label making beautiful sonic waves in the New Age music community.
Beckoning
Reviewed by Ted Cox, New Age Retailer
During the course of auditioning a couple hundred classical and New Age recordings a month, it is always a pleasure to hear music from a new artist unique and compelling enough to generate excitement.
Both Steve Ryals and I got that feeling when we heard Beckoning by highly talented multi-instrumentalist John Adorney. Following his musical debut with three tracks on Domo's Reflections compilation, Adorney presents this delightful, friendly, and enjoyable set featuring his prowess on keyboards, guitar, cello, percussion, and dulcimer. Richard Hardy adds the occasional flute, and Daya Rawat contributes wordless harmonic vocals.
Because of his instrumental diversity, each song takes on a unique sound, from gentle piano and guitars to pulsating percussion underpinning keyboards, all fashioned through multiple overdubs. Adorney captures the essence of a thoroughly delightful and pleasurable contemporary instrumental journey. This recording is bright, refreshing, and enjoyable.
Beckoning
Reviewed by Fred Puhan, Wind and Wire
It took a while for this album to grow on me. however, don’t blame the music, blame the reviewer -- I’ve been listening to a lot of EM and synth-based music recently, and Beckoning has come as quite a departure from that realm. But grown on me it has!
Beckoning reminds me of what attracted me to the world of new age music in the first place -- gentle melodies and intricate instrumentation. John Adorney is a multi-instrumentalist who conjures up tunes that sound like a small combo playing in a cozy club. His blend of piano, guitars and cello, mixed with a variety of supporting instruments such as penny whistle, bamboo flute and silver flute, bring forth songs that are “hummable,” which is to say that they imprint themselves gently on the consciousness. Before you are aware of it, a smile may grace your face, and perhaps even your toes may be tapping in accompaniment.
“When Will I Se You Again” is a pure pop ditty, its plaintive question is marked by creative chord changes and extremely “listenable” music. “The Gift” is similarly charged, reminding me of some of the seminal works by David Lanz and Paul Speer, who, by the way, were some of my earliest influences in this genre.
There are some departures from the piano-guitar-combo sound as well. Flute-laden “the Gathering” harkens from the Highlands, shifting into a Caribbean flavor with the addition of what appear to be steel drums. “Dance of the Moon and Stars” adds a Native American touch with the inclusion of flute and a feel of the outdoors.
Every once in a while it’s good to get back to one's roots. With John Adorney’s Beckoning, it may be possible to rediscover what first turned on the little light bulb that let us know, “Hey, this music is good!”