Third Eye [The Sixth Chakra] - Glen Velez, Velez, Glen
Unity (The Seventh Chakra)
Velez has created dozens of recordings featuring his percussion, working in a variety of styles and ensembles. On this album, listeners have the rare chance to hear a meditative, simple solo effort. He plays bendir (a fram... more »e drum from North Africa) or bodhran, adding caxixi (a Brazilian rattle) or maracas. He overlays this with wispy voices that come and go. Touted as "healing" musical work that stimulates the energy centers of the body and mind it is also excellent listening music, played with subtle passion or firebrand virtuosity, building layer upon layer of complex rhythm using the most basic of tools. Velez makes a frame drum sing melodies like few percussionists can, and here you can have it without the usual extras --Louis Gibson« less
Velez has created dozens of recordings featuring his percussion, working in a variety of styles and ensembles. On this album, listeners have the rare chance to hear a meditative, simple solo effort. He plays bendir (a frame drum from North Africa) or bodhran, adding caxixi (a Brazilian rattle) or maracas. He overlays this with wispy voices that come and go. Touted as "healing" musical work that stimulates the energy centers of the body and mind it is also excellent listening music, played with subtle passion or firebrand virtuosity, building layer upon layer of complex rhythm using the most basic of tools. Velez makes a frame drum sing melodies like few percussionists can, and here you can have it without the usual extras --Louis Gibson
"I am a board certified music therapist that works with adults with developmental disabilities and geriatric clients. I use this recording to calm down those that are over-stimulated or acting out and also to stimulate those who are extremely lethargic. It seems to bring balance to the physical body, as well as the other aspects of self. I often assist clients in moving to the general pulse of different pieces and they respond qutie favorably. I listen to it myself and it can either ground me or bring me to another level of awareness....whatever I may need at that time!"
"A wonderful, moving experience. Glen Velez captures the essence of rythym, and sends his listeners on a deep inner journey. A beautiful recording that increasingly grows on you. Highly recommended for anyone interested in dance, drumming, spirituality, meditation, or good vibes!"
A great CD!
danceuponamoonbeam | United States | 02/25/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is ussually not my type of music but I was looking for a way to get in touch with my chakras and so I picked it up. Wow! This is great music. The pounding beat seems to wake up every cell in my body and I feel more alive and more energized. This music seems to tap into something primal, it seems to get into my blood and I just want to dance and feel my connection to my body and the earth. I have never heard a CD like this, it is unique and one of first the CD's I pop in my CD system when I'm feeling down or scared."
Dancing is Irresistable!
BBG | Raleigh, NC United States | 08/04/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Since having been mesmerized by an intoxicating "world rhythm" drum concert at Exploris museum last month, I've been feverishly searching for a CD with great, exotic drum music. I bought a few, but this is the one I now find I listen to all the time -- it makes my feet tap and body move while doing my work at the computer, it's perfect for deep meditation, it enhances driving, and is ideal for dancing with the kids in the living room (my teenaged daughter, her girl-friends, and her guy-friends who say they hate to dance all were gyrating around the room last weekend) -- it seems to fit everywhere and somehow "clarify" whatever else is happening while it's playing. Although curious about chakras, I don't know much about them; what I do know is that this music reaches in and moves me (and makes me move!) in unexpected ways. Each track increases in complexity of the rhythms, and some include breathy chants. At first I didn't much care for the 4th track, "Webs," because it seemed repetitive and had unfamiliar wind instruments, but like the rest of this CD I now appreciate its layers and place in the structure of the entire CD. (Anybody want to buy some barely-used but not-nearly-as-good other percussion CDs?) This is one of those rare CDs you're really glad to own."