Echoes of Tuvalu (August 2006) is a music CD on a mission. Designed to raise awareness of the far-reaching effects of global warming, these 14 mesmerizing ambient tracks draw from the rich culture of Tuvalu, a tiny group of islands in the South Pacific threatened by rising sea levels - a compelling reminder to take care for the planet. (echoesoftuvalu.com)

It keeps happening time and time again, every time we thing about world beat, how many times are we really just talking about Ireland and Jamaica? This set whisks us off to Micronesia and opens our ears to the whole range of possibilities that come from Polynesia, a source that’s nothing like Hawaii music or any “Sweet Lalani” ideas you might be having. Focusing on the peaceful side of the music, this enchanting collection is just what the doctor ordered for when you need something solid that can ease you down from the turmoils of the day. An instrumental holiday for those that don’t want to fly anymore since it seems like nothing more than a bunch more hassles every day.

If you're like me you can hardly believe what disaster du' jour the media is hawking until it hits close to home. For a group of Tuvalu islanders midway between Australia and Hawaii the headlines are quickly becoming a reality. With the sea rising all around them, they are losing real estate faster than you can boil water. The problem - global warming. I'm not knowledgeable enough to discuss the science of what is happening, but I can hear the sadness of loss versus the hope of deliverance in the album Echoes of Tuvalu. The music is electric, electronic and synthetic with a few exceptions. After listening more than a time or two I believe I could hear hidden deep between the notes the sound of prayers. Contributors include some of the most noted ambient artists in the South Pacific and the world. The list includes Amilcar (David Moreno), Australis, Matt Lorenz, Gulan, Thomas Bakas, Gabriel Garcia, Trevor Stewart, Mild, Aorphia, Jose Gonzalez Pirulo, Bernard Chavonnet and Jon Sebastian. Banding together they make one voice that cries out for attention to a plight that may not be righted by any mortal means. The question is, will history repeat itself and will another group lose their paradise? Gulan on the opening track Early Morning starts out with a simple melody, the awakening, and then the business of the new day get into full swing. Multi-layered synthesizer riffs build into a bright sunny day full of promise. Although I enjoyed all the cuts on the album if I had to choose a favorite it is Madrecita (Little Mother) from guitarist Thomas Bakas. It is a gentle, sprightly tune that is a cheery celebration of the natural bonds between parent and child, eco-system and planet, planet and universe. There is a love that can never be defeated, nor dissolved. The irony is that no island in the Tuvalu chain is higher than sixteen feet (5M) above sea level. However, the landscape anywhere on the globe can give inspiration. A mound, a hill or a mountain can make you open your eyes to the power of the planet. Jon Sebastian recognizes my favorite part of the country, the Smokey Mountains on the tune Mysty Mountain. Producer/instrumentalist Amilcar offers a pastoral contribution with the song Forgotten Islands. Gentle as a sea breeze and warm as the sun this tune epitomizes the rare beauty of one of the last Edens tucked away in an azure ocean somewhere in the South Pacific. This memorable tune complete with ocean wave sounds is definitely one to replay. The Flight of Jimmy Angel is the best tune on Echoes of Tuvalu. Try to imagine a man who, for all of his life is only aware of his own little part of the world. His limitations have been how far he could walk in a day. Now take that same man up into the skies in an airplane and let him look down. Somehow Jose "Pirulo" Gonzales has interwoven that breathless feeling of excitement, discovery and exhilaration into his song. I have encyclopedias and maps at my fingertips and only after listening to this tune could I fully appreciate how big the world really is. Every cut on Echoes of Tuvalu was an image building experience and I can't remember when I've enjoyed a compilation album more. Together the Tuvalu Islands make up just twenty-six square kilometers of land mass. But then paradise doesn’t have to be big to be perfect. If you want to learn more about the situation or to help click on www.echoesoftuvalu.com. Tuvalu mo te Atua.

Very very nice and peaceful music!I love it!!!