|
About this latest Sacred Sites
release, Rusty Crutcher writes:
"From ancient times, our ancestors
in many cultures have honored the Divine Feminine as the constant
re-creator of life. Earth-centered and embodied, we experience
Her in nature, in one another, and in ourselves, at once fully
human and fully divine. Glastonbury, England is one place where
the Divine Feminine is truly a felt presence.
"Enshrouded in morning mists
and a timeless, otherworldly energy, Glastonbury holds this story
in myth and legend. For some, She is Brigid, Celtic goddess and
Christian saint. For others, She is Mary, Mother of God. Still
others see Her story of power, passion and the sacred transformed
in the legends of Arthur and Guinevere.
"Like centuries of pilgrims
before, I was drawn to sit, listen and pray in Glastonbury Abbey,
at the Tor of Avalon, and in the tiny, candlelit chapel of Brigid.
Over the course of twelve days, I began to compose or transcribe
what I 'heard': ethereal female voices, cello, harp, flute Gregorian
chant, and more.
"Reminiscent of Celtic spirituality,
women's and men's contemplative life at the abbey, stories of
Arthur, Guinevere and Brigid herself, Isle of Avalon is a memoir
in music, sound and voice of my encounter with the timeless presence
of the Divine in feminine expression."
Sixty minutes. All original composition.
Titles include: The Chalice, Mists of Avalon, Fair Daughters,
Gate of Remembrance, Lady of the Lake, Ode to the Beloved, Isle
of Glass, The Age of Mary, Brigid's Song, Blessed Be.
"Recommended
wholeheartedly . . . Weaves a marvelously intoxicating spell"
- ambientvisions.com
"Treat
yourself to Isle of Avalon; you won't be disappointed!" -Katheryn
Sargent, Editor, AQUARIUS MAGAZINE
"Simply
beautiful . . . drifts into the mind like a pleasant memory."
-Robin Blackburn-Jerkins, SEQUIN GAZETTE-ENTERPRISE
"[A]
winning combination . . . melodies that ring true . . ."
- Lloyd Barde, BACKROADSMUSIC.COM
"Ethereal,
eloquent . . . A truly pleasurable musical experience." -
ARIZONA NETWORKING NEWS
"A timeless
tapestry of ancient and modern sounds" - Ted Cox, music critic,
NEW AGE RETAILER
"[A]
wonderfully delicate release. . . Perfect for moments of quiet
reflection." - Liz Doan, Senior Buyer, MUSIC DESIGN
From Katheryn Sargent, Editor, Aquarius Magazine:
Years ago Rusty Crutcher's ethereal Machu Picchu Impressions captured
my heart in a way that few other recordings have. So, perhaps
understandably, I had very high expectations for his newest album,
Isle of Avalon: A Pilgrim's Memoir. I was not disappointed. Avalon
is a sound journey to Glastonbury, incorporating elements of "Arthurian
legend, Celtic mystery and, contemplative Christianity" in
an exploration of "the creation-centered feminine expression
of the Divine." Inspired by his twelve-day vigil in the tiny
Chapel of Brigid, a Celtic Goddess who became known as a Christian
saint, and his visits to the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey and the
Tor of Avalon, Crutcher has created a mystical audioscape that
is simply unforgettable. Incorporating medieval harmonic elements,
bird calls and other nature sounds, chanting, tin penny whistles
flutes, keyboards, MIDI synthesizer and on-site environmental
recordings with accompaniment by Linda Larkin on Celtic harp and
Shawn Sanders on cello, Crutcher's sound portrait of these sacred
sites is rich and textural, This music brings a deep, peace, a
healing energy, an evocation of the powers of nature that will
enrich any healing environment. Treat yourself to Isle of Avalon;
you won't be disappointed, either!
From Ambient
Visions.com:
This release is my entry into the Sacred Sites Series by multi-instrumentalist
Rusty Crutcher. Liner notes let us know that the "Isle of
Avalon", (IOA), is the result of a pilgrimage to Glastonbury,
England where he paid many visits to the Glastonbury Abbey on
the Tor of Avalon. The foundations of nature sounds recordings
were made there as well. Isle of Avalon is inspired by more than
just the place itself as homage is paid to the literary work "The
Mists of Avalon" by Marion Zimmer Bradley as well. After
several sessions with this disc the Stephen Lawhead series "Song
of Albion" also comes to mind. The Music of Rusty Crutcher
has given me pause and brought forth a descriptor I shall term
Active Melodic Ambient music. The ambient portion is more the
sum of the whole than the individual layers themselves. Although
by no means minimalist or droning in its nature "IOA"
places an ambient window into your listening space much the same
as traditionally pure ambient recordings do. But with melodic
passages of penny whistles, flute, Celtic harp and Cello sharing
the forefront as evocative and gracefully lilting melodies dance
through the air. In concert with the, sometimes subliminal and
at other times wholly prominent, nature sounds weaving an active
presence about the room and your imagination. Readily eliciting
active participation with each piece of music. My personal favorite
track of the entire disc is "Lady of the Lake" which
embodies all of the aforementioned characteristics and weaves
a marvelously intoxicating spell of its own within the aural senses.
I'm also a sucker for long form tracks and this particular one
runs 11:57. This is followed by a Chant structure, entitled "Ode
to the Beloved", utilizing the Spectrasonics' Symphony of
Voices and is eerily reminiscent of what I would perceive as an
open window to a Druid's invocation within the confines of a Cairn
and evokes the image of contact with the Otherworld. "Isle
of Glass" continues the mystical journey and weaves more
of the legendary and magical ambience of "Mists" which
are always invoked by the minds own image of Avalon. The three
closing tracks act as a grounding return to the physical presence
of terra firma after the middle journey through the Mists of Avalon's
and the encounter with the Otherworld. Once again more melodically
active yet still possessing the ability to transport ones imagination
to another place in a more organic soundscape. In all a most excellent
journey for the soul and a sonic treat as well. This is an HDCD
recording, engineered, mixed, and mastered by Larry Seyer whom
many may know from his own "Elixirs For The Human Heart"
release earlier this year. The production and layering of tracks
are all of very high caliber and place this disc in the upper
crust of sonic pleasures. The depth and ambience is enhanced by
the superb soundstage placement and track layering and definitely
enhances the listening experience of "IOA". Recommended
whole heartily for those fans of Fantasy Fiction and especially
for those looking for that recording that is something special
and yet different from the classic Ambient Vision.
From R. Blackburn-Jerkins, The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise:
Generally, I don't like or dislike New Age-type music." Every
once in a while, though, I will come across a nice, relaxing CD
that is pleasant enough to catch my attention. Rusty Crutcher's
'Isle of Avalon: A Pilgrim's Memoir' is one such CD. Crutcher,
who is the saxophone player for the Austin Street Blues Review,
plays tin penny whistles, flutes and keyboards on the CD. He is
accompanied by Linda Larkin on the Celtic harp and Shawn Sanders
on the cello. Crutcher also composed, arranged and produced all
the songs on 'Isle of Avalon.' The CD is one in a series of recordings
inspired by places. The 'Sacred Sites' series includes music inspired
by Serpent Mound, Chaco Canyon, Machu Picchu, a solar eclipse
at Baja California, and the Amazon jungle in Peru. 'Isle of Avalon'
was inspired by the abbey on Glastonbury Tor and the chapel of
Brigid. You don't have to be a big Celtic folk music fan to enjoy
this CD. It's quietly Celtic - all soothing tones and haunting
tunes. All the tracks are simply beautiful, but the song 'Mists
of Avalon' has a particularly strong melody that drifts into the
mind and settles there like a pleasant memory. I wasn't sure what
to expect from a Celtic-inspired instrumental recording by a guy
I only know as the sax man in a blues band, but Crutcher has proven
his versatility to this listener. 'Isle of Avalon' is truly ambient,
providing a well crafted audio backdrop that's unobtrusive and
yet relaxing and uplifting.
From Lloyd
Barde, BackroadsMusic.com:
Here is the sixth in Crutcher's acclaimed "Sacred Sites Series,"
this time from venturing to Glastonbury, England, with ten soaring
melodies of Celtic mysteries, contemplative, sacred music and
Arthurian legends. This new CD honors the Divine feminine in a
spiritual journey in sound filled with heart and soul. "Isle
of Avalon" is an ethereal, evocative and inspiring recording,
offering music to touch, relax, and to heal. As usual spacious
flute and soothing keyboards are the winning combination, with
melodies that ring true. It's also a good reminder to revisit
Rusty's excellent earlier titles, such as his classic best-seller
"Machu Picchu Impressions".
From the
Arizona Networking News:
An ethereal, eloquent spiritual journey in sound to Glastonbury,
England that is inspired by ancient hills Celtic towers and abandoned
abbeys. The music is reminiscent of Celtic mysteries, early contemplative
Christianity and the Arthurian legends. Instrumentation includes
flutes, keyboards, Celtic harp cello, tin -penny whistles, onsite
environmental recordings and spoken words. A truly pleasurable
musical experience.
From Ted Cox, Music critic, New Age Retailer:
On Isle of Avalon, Rusty Crutcher journeys to Glastonbury, England,
in search of the divine feminine. Home to Druids, Celts, the goddess
Brigid, the Knights of the Roundtable, and Guinevere, Glastonbury
is rich in legend and lore - fertile territory for Crutcher's
compositions on keyboards, whistles, flutes, Celtic harp, and
cello. The album opens with Celtic flutes, keyboards, and nature
sounds. In "Lady of the Lake, an 11-minute electronic ambient
soundscape of floating keyboards, strings, and flute creates a
beautiful pastoral setting. "Isle of Glass," another
ethereal keyboard piece, is punctuated with birdcalls. Sampled
choirs offer Renaissance Miserere in "Ode to the Beloved"
and "The Age of Mary." "Brigid's Song" pairs
flute and Celtic harp into a gentle lullaby of reverence and peace.
By visiting the varied periods of time that have engulfed Glastonbury,
Crutcher has woven a timeless tapestry of ancient and modern sounds.
From Liz Doan, Senior Buyer, Music Design:
Part of the Sacred Sites series, this meditative album is a musical
exploration of the way in which the earth-centered spirituality
of the Feminine manifests the nurturing essence of the Divine.
Located on the boundary between the ancient remains of Glastonbury
Abbey and the Isle of Avalon, the tiny, candlelit chapel of Brigid,
Celtic pagan goddess and Christian saint, inspired Crutcher to
record nine soaring melodies reminiscent of both Celtic mystery
and Christian contemplation. Ethereal female voices, boys and
men's choirs, harps, strings, flute and nature sounds combine
to create this wonderfully delicate release. Perfect for moments
of quiet reflection.
|
