The acclaimed Jazz producer, composer, and performer Royce Campbell has released a New Age project on the Moon Cycle Records label titled, Ear of the Beholder. While over 30 Jazz albums can be found titled under his name as lead or co lead, an artist title of Eucalyptus Dream is what you should look for when shopping in the New Age music section. This is a first for Royce, who honored a request from his friends in the medical and healing profession to provide some music for people to relax with during their patient therapy sessions.  For Royce Campbell, this is quite a change of pace considering that during his 35 year career as a musician he has toured with the likes of Marvin Gaye, while also touring 19 years with award winning film composer and musician Henry Mancini. The large number of legendary Jazz musicians he has performed with is just too numerous to list. Along with his professional profile and having performed with this vast amount of talent from another genre, we gladly welcome Royce with open arms and can now proudly claim him as a New Age artist also.  His credits as a Jazz musician list 11 albums on U.S. Nationwide charts, with 4 in the top 10. With so much experience and success in Jazz, this leap into New Age music might be difficult for some people, but that is not the case here since those 35 years of experience and a broad music career have obviously eased that transition.  Royce explains a focus on the composing aspects, rather than just performing as a guitar soloist was the right approach with this change in genre album.  The Ear of the Beholder by Eucalyptus Dream is a debut where it is pretty clear Royce Campbell takes New Age music just as seriously as when performing in his familiar Jazz style.  Multiple influences abound while a landscape of picturesque thoughts rise to the surface, allowing the listener to relax and take in Royce’s style at their own pace sometimes with, but mostly without his usual guitar. The result of this daring transition is a successful leap into New Age.  This first album by Eucalyptus Dream is great in the fact that the music is truly New Age, having synthesized ambient rhythms, guitar, flute, choral vocals and some great percussion effects that are composed without the repetitiveness found in some music of all genres. Much of the album blends Western, Eastern, modern and ancient influences in a nicely composed ambient blend, easily surpassing the request of relaxing music his friends in the medical profession were looking for, and so much more.  It is unknown to me whether the artist title Eucalyptus Dream was chosen because of the abundant medical uses scientist’s have discovered in the more than 700 Eucalyptus tree and plant species. Perhaps that is the reason since the therapeutic dose of relaxation qualities found on this album are safe, reliable and effective, which does support that possibility.
                            Read more...
                        

                            
The project “The Ear of the Beholder” by Eucalyptus Dream uncovers new facets of Royce Campbell’s talent who is a renowned jazz guitarist.

The artist masterfully combines ambient keyboards with his expressive guitar and adds a few percussions and some other traditional instruments to his compositions. And all of them sound in a balanced manner. As a result he creates very melodious, emotional and at the same time true meditative music.

All compositions of the album “The Ear of the Beholder” need to be listened to attentively. They hide many nuances which unfold little by little before the listener.

The album “The Ear of the Beholder” is a breathtaking journey to unknown lands. On the other hand the music of Royce Campbell gives the listener an opportunity to release mind and soul from negative thoughts and dispirited emotions. It possesses a strong healing effect.

The album “The Ear of the Beholder” is a bright example of meditative music.

Serge Kozlovsky
http://sergekozlovsky.com
                            Read more...
                        

                            
I got this CD because of the label it appears on.  I love Royce Campbell's jazz recordings and thought this might be similar.  But Campbell seems to appear only as executive producer here.  This recording is pure new age and has nothing to do with jazz, or does it?!  
I am not usually a friend of new age music; it seems to just go on and on, meander without a real purpose.  Yes, for massages and yoga new age is appropriate but that's about it. Unlike jazz, new age music could never stimulate me in any way.  Or so I thought until I got this album.  
The first time I listened to this recording was while I was baking a pie, and a better pie I have never baked.  Then my partner and I listened to the album together, and it was one of the most intimate  experiences we have shared in our 15 years together.  Last week I had a deadline for an article I had put off writing for quite a while.  I put on the CD and wrote for six hours straight with the music continuously playing through my computer speakers.  My editor told me this was the best thing I have written in a long time.  You might think that I am kidding, but I am telling you the truth.
I admit that I am writing this review not as a new age aficionado but as a jazz fan.  That said, I think this is the best new age can be.  Each tune is a journey with new discoveries to be made each time you hear it.  "Isabella's Journey" is a trip around the world combining and connecting world musics in innovative, surprising, and mutually enriching ways.  The journey continues through each new track; the entire album is built like a classical suite, with movements that express mood variations ranging from subtle to substantial.  On the whole, this album presents a masterly balance of compositional construction and spiritual looseness.    
I wish I could find more information about this album.  I suspect that Campbell is heavily involved; it would explain the high quality of this recording.  This is new age music with a jazzy note.
                            Read more...