"When you are in your solitude and want to express what is in your heart for God which has no words--put this CD on, close the door, and dance it out!" Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi This music is devotional and contempla... more »tive. Using selections from Scripture and ancient Hebrew prayers Jonathan Glass sings, plays guitar, hand-drums, bells and shakers as well as tambur and metalaphone taking the listener on a 77 minute flowing journey of the spirit. The music is influenced by Eastern musical traditions. Some Eastern instruments are used--tambur (ancestor of the Indian sitar) and metalaphone (used in Gamalan music of South East Asia)but more importantly the feel and the form of the music are more Eastern than Western. The opening piece "Yodea Taalumot" (Knower of Secrets) begins gently, slowly unfolds and builds to a passionate crescendo followed by gentle afterglow and a contemplative tambur solo. Tov Lehodot (It is Good to Praise) is joyous and uplifting--sung to the accompaniment of twelve-string guitar and much percussion. Glass performs solo throughout this album, making no use of overdubbing (layering sound over sound) and parts of the album make you wonder how he does it. Even the recording engineer is not sure! The fourth track on the album is a beautiful rendition of "Kohelet" (Ecclesiastes) in which Glass chants the final chapter of that book over the rich Asian tones of the metalaphone. The album ends with "Bikashti" (I searched)--a searing and intense interpretation of the verse from Song of Songs that speaks of searching but not finding. This music is original yet natural. If you are a spiritual seeker--especially if you are interested in deepening your appreciation of Jewish spirituality--this CD is for you.« less
"When you are in your solitude and want to express what is in your heart for God which has no words--put this CD on, close the door, and dance it out!" Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi This music is devotional and contemplative. Using selections from Scripture and ancient Hebrew prayers Jonathan Glass sings, plays guitar, hand-drums, bells and shakers as well as tambur and metalaphone taking the listener on a 77 minute flowing journey of the spirit. The music is influenced by Eastern musical traditions. Some Eastern instruments are used--tambur (ancestor of the Indian sitar) and metalaphone (used in Gamalan music of South East Asia)but more importantly the feel and the form of the music are more Eastern than Western. The opening piece "Yodea Taalumot" (Knower of Secrets) begins gently, slowly unfolds and builds to a passionate crescendo followed by gentle afterglow and a contemplative tambur solo. Tov Lehodot (It is Good to Praise) is joyous and uplifting--sung to the accompaniment of twelve-string guitar and much percussion. Glass performs solo throughout this album, making no use of overdubbing (layering sound over sound) and parts of the album make you wonder how he does it. Even the recording engineer is not sure! The fourth track on the album is a beautiful rendition of "Kohelet" (Ecclesiastes) in which Glass chants the final chapter of that book over the rich Asian tones of the metalaphone. The album ends with "Bikashti" (I searched)--a searing and intense interpretation of the verse from Song of Songs that speaks of searching but not finding. This music is original yet natural. If you are a spiritual seeker--especially if you are interested in deepening your appreciation of Jewish spirituality--this CD is for you.
CD Reviews
It touches my spirit
Anne | 11/30/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've played this CD many times, sometimes to help me prepare for a busy day by reminding me what I'm here for...sometimes to prepare for a period of contemplative prayer. I've shared it with co-workers and friends and all have been touched by the spirit of the music and the words. The musicianship and instrumentation is extraordinary. I'm so happy to recommend it."
Knower of Secrets
Nancy Flam | Northampton, MA | 10/30/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a beautiful, soulful, unusual recording of Jewish music to inspire contemplation and devotion. Through its tones and textures, "deep calls out to deep." It is really worth exploring."
Knower of Secrets
Nancy Flam | 07/31/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Knower of Secrets is a wonderful C.D. It is meditative, reflective, and comforting. While singing in Hebrew from Traditional Hebrew Prayer, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs, a translation is provided in English for the listener to follow along. Whether one understands Hebrew or not, the music transcends language, meaning is conveyed, and the soul is touched by its depths--a wellspring of prayer. I recommend this C.D."
Cool music!
David I. Bockman | Raleigh, NC United States | 07/28/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'm used to Indian ragas and gamelan music - the 'mysterious music of the Orient' - being used as settings for the Beatles and Yes. But when the lyrics have nothing to do with walruses and psychedelic colors, but instead speak of God, yearning, and the inevitability of decay, the effect is stunning AND deepening. While Glass' musicianship is fine and his voice pleasantly unaffected, it's the juxtaposition with these religious texts (masterfully rendered into thoughtful English on the album cover) that makes these tracks less performances than commentaries of deep profundity. I would not recommend this music to everybody at every occasion, but for someone ready to hear music that will transport them, 'Knower of Secrets' is uniquely positioned to do so, especially among the limited styles that are currently labelled 'Jewish music'."
Track Listings (5) - Disc #1