Joe Ross
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Sensitive & intimate music with flavorings of poetic contemplation
Playing Time – 43:43 -- Jayne Demakos presents a variety of personal folk harp and vocal renderings that include a lullaby (Hush), liturgical chant (O Viridissima Virgo), English folk tune (Fantasy on Kingsfold Tune), Ugandan traditional song (Ndere), popular songs (Slumber My Darling, Bird on a Wire), and a copious amount of original music. Half of the tracks (recorded in 2003-2004) comprise musical chapters in her Harp Journals, inspired by her contemplative practice of “being with music” in relation to her inner life. Each journal entry on “Hush” begins with Jayne’s short spoken word to introduce the imaginative musical piece that also includes Steve Gorn (bonsuri flute, clarinet) and Marc Abrams (bass). Other guest musicians appearing on the album include Samite Mulondo (backup vocals on “Ndere”), Nicholas Walker (viola da gamba on “Fantasy of Kingsfold Tune” and bass on “Bird on a Wire”), Seamus Egan (whistles on “Last of the Great Whales”), Charle Shew (percussion on “Last of the Great Whales”), Hank Roberts (cello on “Slumber My Darling”). Accompanied by kalimba, a favorite piece is the peaceful and reflective title cut that is dedicated to Jayne’s mother and additional lyrics written by Demakos. Understated percussion (Jeff Haynes), backup vocals (Peter Dodge) and vocal udu sounds (Samite Mulondo) embellish the dreamy meditative piece.
From the state of New York, classically-trained Jayne Demakos personalizes her sensitive music with flavorings of poetic contemplation. Crediting her teachers (Anthony Damiani and Therese Schroeder-Sheker), Jayne uses music “to heal, inform, celebrate, explore and sustain.” With both ancient Celtic and more contemporary new age approaches, Jayne also appreciates and incorporates Asian flavorings (hence her harp journals as a “musical haiku dairy” with bonsuri flute). With an objective to be touching and heartwarming with her tunes, Jayne is also immersed in the study of Music Thanatology (the provision of music for dying patients in hospice care). A pensive song like Stephen Foster’s “Slumber My Darling” is enchanting, but some vocal harmony could have perhaps embellished the arrangement. While I found some of the spoken words to be a tad distracting at times, “Hush” has a very calming and soothing overall effect as Jayne builds a relationship between her music and listeners. (Joe Ross, Roseburg, OR.)
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