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Release Date: 26-01-2004
Label: Spirit Voyage Music
Catalog Number: CDS001222
Barcode: 801898004824
Musical Style: Chant
Track Listing:
Description:
Thomas Barquee's The Sound of Om, is his newest release and an exciting new direction for this World Music artist. Comprised of seven Sanskrit chants, The Sound of Om resonates with depth and passion. The simple, ancient chants form the core of the recording, which is layered with an elaborate, exotic, and effective blend of Indian and Western instrumentation: bansuri, sarod, esraj, and santoor give equal time to keyboards, drums, percussion and bass, as well as electric and acoustic guitar. In less talented hands the result of this may have been disjointed, but Barquee's music is smooth and cohesive,creating an exultant, melodious world. An artist of uncommon sensitivity, depth, and breadth, Barquee created modern melodies that seem uniquely well-suited to the ancient mantras. Composing the music, Barquee felt guided by the mantra and experienced a strong synergy between the mantra and the music. In making The Sound of Om, Barquee traveled to Calcutta to record with some of the greatest living Indian musicians. This lends a rare authenticity to such a diverse recording. 'The Indian people were very generous and talented. They encouraged me to follow my intuition,' remembers Barquee. “After recording various classical Indian instruments I returned to Los Angeles to add a Western flavor.'
Biography:
Born in Hamburg, Germany in 1963, Thomas Barquee (pronounced BAR-key) began classical keyboard studies and piano improvisation at the age of nine. His prodigious musical abilities took him into the pop music world during his twenties, allowing Thomas to relocate to England, then Spain, and finally to Los Angeles, where he currently resides.
In the early '90s, Thomas' band Million Dollar Secret released the album Under the Surface which was followed by his solo effort, Long Way To Go. The latter disc was well received throughout Europe and yielded the Top Ten hit, Girls Talk. Having radio hits in the early '90s gave Thomas a whirlwind introduction to the dynamics of acclaim in popular music. In retrospect, he is philosophical about those years: I had some great touring experiences, especially in northern Europe, where my records did well. But in that arena, success goes as quickly as it comes.
After an independently released album, 1992's Dancing On My Own (recorded with English studio musicians and Duran Duran producer Colin Thurston) and Zulu Time (which he recorded in Spain in 1994), Thomas finally settled in Los Angeles. In southern California, he moved into music editing for film and made a gradual transition to composing for film and television. His credits include scoring episodic television and specials for CBS and the Discovery Channel as well as advertising work for innovative agencies like Wieden & Kennedy, Ogilvy & Mather and Dentsu, Young & Rubicam.
After several years in Los Angeles, Thomas realized the extent of his disillusionment with pop music. He began to develop a more personal, emotionally centered song form that reflected his musical and spiritual evolution. He experimented with ambient soundscapes and new vocal techniques, and became involved with yoga and meditation.
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