Today we did a deep dive into the history of New Age music. You can listen to an archived version of the show at WRIR’s website here.
The first block features artists that represent New Age’s disparate influences, from jazz guitarists to pioneers of experimental and ambient music. In block two, we hear some proto- and early New Age like Tony Scott’s Music for Zen Meditation, and explore the term “New Age” and its deployment as a marketing technique. We then look into the iconic Windham Hill Records label in a block largely featuring “soft jazz” like Alex de Grassi and George Winston. Enigma’s “Return to Innocence” and cultural colonization get a once-over, then we head into a Hearts of Space block for some Slow Music for Fast Times™. Icons of the genre like Enya, Vangelis, and Kitaro get their due, and the episode closes out with some New Age standard-bearers of today, like Leo Takami. Thanks for joining me and see you in two weeks!
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An extended (4+ hours) version of the playlist is available here.
The music playing in the background while I talked is all from the wonderful compilation I Am The Center: Private Press New Age in America 1950 – 1980 from Light in the Attic Records.
Here’s the Timothy D. Taylor piece on “Return to Innocence” that I mention in the show: A Riddle Wrapped in a Mystery: Transnational Music Sampling and Enigma’s Return to Innocence.
And finally, here are some links to articles I referenced in one way or another:
New Age Music Booms, Softly by John Pareles
The State of New Age Music in the Always On Wellness Era by Harley Brown
Trends: New Age Enters A New Phase by Don Heckman
New Age Artists Want A New Label by Roger Catlin
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Playlist:
Pat Metheny, “Electric Couterpoint II: Slow”
from Different Trains / Electric Counterpoint
Nonesuch - 1988
Dickie Landry, Gene Rickard, Joan La Barbara & Philip Glass, “North Star, Film Score (For "Mark di Suvero, Sculptor"): Etoile Polaire [North Star]”
from Glass: North Star
EMI Catalogue - 1977
Nesta Kerin Crain, “Gongs in the Rain”
from I Am the Center: Private Issue New Age Music In America 1950-1990
Light In The Attic Records - 2013
Weather Report, “The Elders”
from Mr. Gone
Columbia/Legacy - 1978
Paul Horn, “Agra”
from Inside the Taj Mahal
Legacy Recordings - 1968
Daniel Kobialka, “Over the Hills”
from Rainbows
LiSem Enterprises.Inc - 1989
Tony Scott, “A Quivering Leaf, Ask the Winds”
Verve - 1965
Deuter, “Aum”
from Aum
Kuckuck Schallplatten - 1972
Kay Gardner, “Fountain of Light: Transpersonal Chakra”
from A Rainbow Path
Ladyslipper Records - 1984
Steven Halpern, “Be-Muse-Ment (feat. Iasos)”
from Spectrum Suite (Bonus Version) [Remastered] [feat. Iasos]
Inner Peace Music - 1976
Will Ackerman, “Dance for the Death of a Bird”
from In Search of the Turtle's Navel
Windham Hill Records - 1998
Alex de Grassi, “Blue and White”
from Southern Exposure
Windham Hill Records - 1983
Linda Waterfall, “The Spell”
from Mary's Garden
Windham Hill Records - 1976
George Winston, “Sea”
from Autumn
Windham Hill Records - 1980
Shadowfax, “Ritual”
from Too Far to Whisper
Windham Hill Records - 1986
Mark Isham, “A Spangled Heart”
from A Windham Hill Retrospective
Windham Hill Records - 1998
Michael Manring, “Huge Moon”
from Unusual Weather
Windham Hill Records - 1986
Enigma, “Return To Innocence (excerpt)”
from The Cross Of Changes
Virgin - 1993
Constance Demby, “Chambers of the Heart”
from Set Free
Hearts of Space Records - 1989
R. Carlos Nakai, “Shining Mountains”
from Sanctuary
Canyon Records - 2003
Paul Lloyd Warner & Steven Kindler, “Prisms”
from Best of Hearts of Space, No. 1: First Flight
Hearts of Space Records - 2008
Vangelis & Irene Papas, “Neranzoula”
from Best of Hearts of Space, No. 1: First Flight
Hearts of Space Records - 2008
KITARO, “Aqua”
from Oasis
Leafage - 1979
Vangelis, “Dawn”
from The City
Rhino - 1990
Enya, “The Celts”
from The Celts
WM UK - 2001
Enya, “Boadicea”
from Oceans
Rhino - 1997
Clannad, “Theme from Harry's Game”
from Magical Ring
RCA Records Label - 1983
Mike Oldfield, “Maya Gold”
from Tubular Bells II
WM UK - 1992
Leo Takami, “Awake”
Unseen Worlds - 2020
Green-House, “Perennial Bloom”
from Six Songs for Invisible Gardens
Leaving Records - 2020
Robert Haigh, “Progressive Music”
from Black Sarabande
Unseen Worlds - 2020
Dolphin Midwives, “Satya Yuga”
from Liminal Garden
Sounds et al & Beacon Sound - 2018
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, “Tides VIII”
from Tides: Music for Meditation and Yoga
Touchtheplants - 2013
Julianna Barwick, “Safe”
from Healing Is a Miracle
Ninja Tune - 2020
