A mystical place of relaxation and "dreamthought"
RJ Lannan | Los Angeles | 03/23/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What News from the East?
RJ Lannan, New Age Reporter, March 10, 2005
The concept of Shambhala takes on many forms; a place for enlightenment to dwell within us or the kingdom of an illuminated society or perhaps a notion of a third dimension where compassion and dignity resides. Barbara Markay taps into the pulse of the planet and her perception of Shambhala to bring you an album of upbeat dance grooves, sultry Spanish percussion and ethnic-tinged instrumentals called Shambhala Dance.
As Markay suggests, the music provides meditation though dance. The seven track album has enough rhythmic music to keep you entranced for some time, so perhaps you may achieve a higher state or you may just enjoy swaying to the beat.
Joining Barbara on her journey to spiritual/musical enlightenment are guitarists Tim May and Alberto de Almar, violin player Eric Gorfain and vocalist Joseph Lecuona. Although there are only seven tunes on Shambhala Dance the shortest one is well over seven minutes and the longest is over nine minutes. Thus, there is much to energize and enthrall you within the fifty-seven minutes of music.
Atlantis is an incredible introduction to the power of Markay's music. In the song she begins with a strong beat and the tinkle of glass as Gorfain's ghostly violin score dances about to Middle Eastern rhythms and odd little nature sounds. You become fully engaged with the sad singing of the guitars and after a time, you feel as if your own heart beats to the music.
Filled with flamenco guitar and Middle Eastern zither, the tune Metamorphosis is guaranteed to get your pulse going. It has an innate beauty that calls to you like a zephyr from the desert on a starry night. You will be the one changing. Your Fire is my favorite of the two vocals on the album. Common Ground is the other. On Your Fire Markay's warm organic voice balances well with the Middle Eastern rhythm and Mediterranean guitar. It is a love song about the fire of passion.
"Your fire is calling me
Your fire will set me free
Your fire can give me all I need."
Message from Morpheus starts out with a decidedly funky beat. A bit surprising for this kind of album, but it soon transforms itself into a strange, flowing tune with a moaning guitar lead and a dance groove rhythm. The missive from Morpheus, the god of dreams, is that you need not be asleep to realize your dreams. Allow the music to take to that state between wakefulness and slumber. There you may find an answer. It is my favorite on the CD.
The final cut and one of the most dramatic songs on the album is her version of the mantra The Gayatri or prayer to the sun. The hymn is usually sung as the sun rises and it is an entreaty to the gods for blessings. As in many Tantric mantras, it is the belief in the power of magic combined with the compelling of the gods through prayer that makes the ritual produce positive results. Markay's eerie rendition featuring Sathya Sai Baba. The additional voices of Stacy Rasfeld and Aaron Loo give sway to the powers of the mantra.
As a budding pianist Barbara Markay garnered a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music when she was ten (perhaps she saw Michael Dulin hanging around in the halls). She graduated from the college division as a composer and pianist. She has had her own one woman show, Little Lulu, composed music for India's revered Sathya Sai Baba Organization and performed with rock stars Carly Simon and Eric Clapton. She also has two previously released albums, Change to Come and Heart Like a Song.
On Shambhala Dance Markay creates music that will escort you to a mystical place of relaxation and "dreamthought". My advice is to get up, shake the cobwebs loose and go with the flow.
"
Ride this rhythmic, sensual, sonic meditation ...
Ikori Nikolai | California | 07/22/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The sinuous rhythms of Shambala Dance won?t allow your body to stay still. This CD blends the best of trance dance grooves with intriguing melodies tantalizingly spiced with hints of flamenco and raga. This is world music at its best: playful percussion, multi-layered electronics and beguiling vocal lines that are a compelling mix of Western, Spanish, Brazilian, Indian and Arabic musical traditions. The music is addictive: a treat for the senses and a gift to the ear. The instrumental cuts wind through you, while the transcendent vocals inspire and lift your spirit long after the CD has ended. Buy this music for yourself, and for every one of your friends."
Track Listings (7) - Disc #1