Music & More
by Mark Maxwell Abushady • New York City

CDs

Inspired...
by Denise Romas
www.deniseromas.com
There is a sparkling clarity to Denise Romas’ voice – pure and sweet – which is just one of the striking elements of this offering. Included are six original songs, two traditional folk songs (with a beautiful rendition of “The Water Is Wide”), and an “inspired” version of the old Zombies hit “She’s (He’s) Not There” offering proof of Ms. Romas’ talent as an arranger as well. “Passing the Torch” (a song to her son) and ‘Teacher’ (about a student who finds more love in a classroom than at home) are especially notable.

Fibonacci’s Dream
by Lawrence Blatt
LMB Music
www.lawrenceblatt.com
I listened to this one with a friend, who remarked “I don’t usually like guitar music, but I like this.” Lawrence Blatt, single handedly (playing all the instruments) performs a beautifully varied program of what he terms “eclectic modern mathematical compositions for the acoustic guitar.” The cuts flowed through so many genres: classical, Spanish, folk, rock; one cut seemed almost madrigal-like in form and feel. The liner notes revealed an explanation of the Fibonacci mathematical sequence, key to the composition of all of the selections. Is this why my friend, who is mathematically-oriented, awoke to this album? Can mathematically composed music be moving as well? The answer lies in this album.

Through a Dog’s Ear, Vol. 1
Music to Calm Your Canine Companion
by Lisa Spector
Produced by Joshua Leeds
for BioAcoustic Research & Development
www.ThroughADogsEar.com
Reading through the extensive booklet included with this CD, the premise for the recording – research into the effect of different types of music upon dogs – only made sense, and it’s almost surprising that an album such as this hasn’t surfaced sooner. Far from being a gimmicky repackaging of public domain classical compositions, the pieces, which include works by Bach, Chopin, Mozart, and Schumann, have been simplified and arranged to slowly reduce the heart rate. The notes include instructions for use in treating different anxieties (separation, thunderstorm, etc.). While I had no dog to test this CD on, my cat seemed very relaxed, and I just about dozed off right in the middle of the day! A worthy offering.

The Gift of Light
Steve Booke
Inner Sound Entertainment
www.isent.net
www.stevebooke.com
Energy Healer and Reiki Master Steve Booke combines his healing talents with his musical ones to create a mystically soothing CD. Divided into 3 cuts, "The Gift of Light," "Lower Chakra Balance, Align and Clear," and "Upper Chakra Exploration," were quite different from each other, with cut #1's beautifully gentle guitar and rhythms contrasting greatly with the snake-like roundings of insistent percussion and rhythms in cut #2 and the 'spacey' synthesized sounds of cut #3. Mr. Booke states that "all of the instruments on this recording were infused with very high frequency healing energy," and while it may be hard to judge its healing abilities for all, I found the music extremely soothing, especially hypnotic, calming, and conducive to deep relaxation.

Films

The Moses Code
Based upon the book by
James F. Twyman
Hay House
www.themosescode.com
www.hayhouse.com
In the last issue of Creations, I wrote: “The Secret” (film) will continue to spawn responses for years to come.” Yes, here is another, and with a look similar to The Secret (Drew Heriot directed ‘The Secret’ and produced ‘The Moses Code’). That being said, it is interesting to watch the evolution of these offerings, which have seemed to move from an emphasis on material and financial gains to spiritual gains and soul fulfillment, as well as uplifting the world and humankind.

In “The Moses Code” a possible new reading for the reference to God “I Am That I Am’ from the Old Testament is posed. While biblical and historical scholars might take issue, I found the film moving, positive, and uplifting. Is it perfect? No. Did I enjoy all of the speakers (which among many notables includes Cheryl Richardson, Michael Beckwith, Gregg Braden, Neale Donald Walsch , and Mary Manin Morrissey)? No. But I DID find tears streaming down my face listening to filmmaker Mikki Willis relate his finding of his soul’s purpose through the September 11th World Trade Center event. In fact, a dramatic story of turning an event wrought with negativity into a positive triumph of the human soul. If our country did not perhaps rise to the highest calling when responding to these events, many individuals did, and Willis’ presents a beautiful telling of one such story.

Additionally, the film touches upon Joseph Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’ writings, a brief examination of the number 40 in the bible, a moving lesson in forgiveness from James Twyman, and a reassurance that “. . . there is a destiny within all of us . . . we are presently not the person that can deliver that destiny. We grow into it as we say ‘yes’ to it” (Michael Beckwith). I believe we, and the world, need all the uplifting we can create. With that in mind, I recommend this film.

One
Created & Directed by Ward M. Powers
Co-Created by & Featuring Scott Carter
Circle of Bliss Productions
www.onethemovie.org
One is a movie from 2006 which has recently been released on DVD, and is available through the Spiritual Cinema Circle. “At 6:15 AM on April 13, 2002, a middle-aged father of three from the Midwestern United States suddenly awoke from a sound sleep with a strange notion to make an independent film exploring the meaning of life.” And with that statement from its creator, the film begins its exploration of oneness through interviews with Father Thomas Keating, Robert Thurman, Riane Eisler, Thich Nhat Hanh, Deepak Chopra, Barbara Marx Hubbard and an impressive gathering of priests, rabbis, imams, monks, nuns, yogis, medicine men, great thinkers and authors from Christian, Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish, and Native American traditions. Laypeople and leaders, universally acknowledged great thinkers and philosophers of our time as well as the “person on the street” are also included. The concept is explored through queries such as ‘Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?,” “What happens to you after you die?,” “Why are so many people depressed?,” “Can you describe God?”

Given the issues, the goals, and the speakers involved, One is a major undertaking. While the film sometimes has a self-consciousness that one would expect from novice filmmakers, the message and the messengers buoy the film to a place of integrity, which many a full-blown Hollywood production lacks. Viewpoints are recorded without bias (how miraculous is that?). And yet, that is the least that can be said about this film. As for the most, it provides an antidote to the constant barrage from media and the other forms of distraction we busy ourselves with, and brings to focus the compassion and consciousness we all must engender to heal the world – even through those whose viewpoints speak of an exclusiveness of belief. The film is studded with gems of wisdom which can act as little bells of awakening for those with the ears to hear. Common “sensicals” and universal truths – can these ever be stated too often? Highly recommended.

 

Mark Maxwell Abushady is an actor, singer, designer and photographer based in New York City.