Search - Mark Isham :: Castalia

Mountain Spring of the Gods

John D. Dooley | Southern California United States | 09/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A quote from the inner notes of the CD: "Castalia is a spring on Mount Parnassus in Greece, sacred to Apollo & the Muses & regarded as a source of inspiration"



Apollo maybe but the Muses definitely. This is one of my favorite Mark Isham CD's giving years of insight & pleasure. I bought the CD when it 1st came out in 1988 because I matched the song "My Wife with Champagne Shoulders" to a section of a "New York" slide show I made at the same time.



This is one of the first Virgin Records recordings that Mark Isham created after his early 1980's Windham Hill recordings.



Castalia does have a new age feel to the music but has a creative edge that makes it beyond the norm. At times the music becomes light Jazz & in one song "Tales from the Maidan" it's 'Real' Jazz. Every song is good but "My Wife with Champagne Shoulders" & the last song "The Gracious Core" are by far the most memorable. In fact the CD seems to flow from one song to another so that the last song "The Gracious Core" brings it off to a fine finish. This last song starts out as a rain storm, adds an angelic woman voice which states the strong main theme, then a lonely bagpipe enters, & the song ends with a full orchestra. The entire CD uses many different instruments such as bagpipes & Xianjiang tambourine which blend well with Mark Isham's "Miles Davis" like trumpet & keyboards. Sound is great with excellent production.



Do you what some mystery or intelligence for your listening pleasure? Give this CD a spin."