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Music buff's choice
... a dream come true. | Living A Dream - Katherine Jenkins (UCJ)
The Welsh soprano has been much in demand over the past year or two, with appearances at the G8 concerts, the VE Day commemorations and even at Chequers, by special request of Cherie Blair. Somehow she also found time to record this album, which blends classical arias, show tunes and traditional Welsh melodies in a sometimes bizarre mix - ‘David of the White Rocks’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’ nestling alongside ‘I Vow to Thee My Country’. It’s the more low-key pieces that triumph, ‘Torna a Surriento’ and ‘Ebben? Ne andro lontana’. After all, how many versions of ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Nessun Dorma’ do you need? |
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ChillArt - Wind down, stay cool, and chill out to ChillArt...
It’s difficult to imagine now that there was a time of innocence and optimism where the world was going to be changed by rock and roll, and that simply by adopting a pose or an attitude we could overhaul entire political systems and create a new way of life. That was before ASBO’s and hoodies, Tony Blair’s smile, Chelsea Tractors, George Bush (both of them), Starbucks redefinition of the word “tall” not to say misuse of “grande”, and a television service where the ritualistic humiliation of the poor, the stupid and the deformed is the delight of the masses and held in high regard by the Queen’s press. Oh, and new technology.
So we seek out islands of humanity and warmth, oases of pleasure and hedonism, communities of delight. We try to make the world a better place but frankly derive greater satisfaction from a new film or theatre production, a piece of music or art, and most definitely conversation with friends (and occasionally family). |
Soothe that savage beast inside of you, with ChillArt. |
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Which brings us to ChillArt, the modern equivalent of oil painting, the offspring of “video art”, the screen cousin of a light read.
Natascha McQueen, its creator, decided to do something positive, something to give pleasure - and no, that wasn’t a letter to Starbucks suggesting the word “small” - and came up with an idea which she’s turned into something new and, dare I say it, worth the money.
Her DVDs (there are now 4) take pleasure in illuminating nature and delight around the world, from a spider’s web in Hampshire, to a sunset in the South Pacific (over a place called Heaven, oddly enough). She’s lucky enough to have traveled widely with a high quality camera and brings us pictures from the desert, the highways and byways of America, the Indian Ocean, and Cornwall. And she’s put it all together with a variety of musical pieces (called “chillout” apparently) which seek to relax and soothe the savage beast in us all.
It works. The pictures can be background, foreground, the music up loud, down soft, or even muted. I’ve seen it played in company and have sat, quietly and alone, watching the lapping waters of a Venetian Canal or the swaying palms above Sunset Boulevard.
It won’t change the world, sorry, but if I’m going to hell in a handcart I’d like a DVD player with a copy of ChillArt (Aqua, Flame, White, or Verde) and a cup of coffee to go. A small one please. |
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