Search - Paul Avgerinos :: Sky of Grace

Voted Best Album of 1998 by Wind & Wire magazine

05/05/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hannah M.G. Shapero writes; The classically trained bassist Paul Avgerinos has returned with a new album in the same format as his 1992 Muse of the Round Sky , ( Hearts of Space ) . This new music drifts higher into a universe of ethereal sound-clouds , rather than the sunlit Mediterranean of the earlier album . Even when Sky of Grace has rhythm and percussion , it remains all contemplative , filled with a mood of mystical reverie . Avgerinos shows his competence as a composer and arranger on this album. He is a master of sound textures , especially with strings . He has some of the best people in the field playing for him : David Darling on cello and Brian Keane on guitars . Avgerinos himself plays both the bowed string bass and the electric fretless bass; his playing of these unforgiving instruments is so expressive that it sounds almost like a singing voice . Avgerinos' jazz harmonies , slowed down to an ambient pace, are very much his own-his style is easily recognizable. He also uses a sighing , crooning " choir " of electronically multiplied voices , who sing in better tune than any real human choir-a chorus of cyber-angels perhaps. These guide us through many tracks filled with sensuous languor and mystical yearning, such as the opening " Angel Breath " or " Graceful " , later in the album . On other tracks such as " The Calling " or " Dance of Life " , slow percussion and distant-reverbed guitar notes add a slightly harder quality . Track 8 , " My Father's Prayer " , is an imaginative interpretation of the sound and mood of Byzantine chant ( Avgerinos is of Greek descent , thus his father would probably have prayed Eastern Orthodox prayers ) in which the cyber-chorus keeps on low , repeated chant notes without singing identifiable Greek words or Byzantine melodies . It's a moving , serious piece , coming in the midst of an album which can honestly be called " New Age " . This album is a joy to listen to - hearing it brings a sense of release from cares and comfort for the weary soul . It does not try to push some " message " of facile " world consciousness " or " personal growth " on the listener . It gently weaves along with it's mood of cosmic warmth and a very welcome sense of wonder , twined together with crystal sound-sparkles and strands of singing strings"

Awesome!

Arva Bryant | 04/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Talk about goose bumps, hair sticking up on your arms with tears filling your eyes.

This music is so beautiful you can feel it in your bones.

Really good to listen to in meditation or bubble bath.

I Highly recommend."

ASTOUNDING Starchild Says!

Roger Dudgeon | NY | 08/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Paul did a wonderful job!!!!!!!!!! Creative sounds went into this making. The music was wonderful You get two thumbs up from me!"