Merrill Collins - Ethereal Escapes (feat. Laura Halladay & Maksim Velichkin) album info will be updated!
| No | Song Title | Artist | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | The Fountain Of Jewels Activated (f... | Merrill Collins | 4:16 |
| 2. | Our Ears Tingled (feat. Laura Halla... | Merrill Collins | 3:59 |
| 3. | With Every Heartbeat (feat. Laura H... | Merrill Collins | 4:34 |
| 4. | Listening With Our Ancestors (feat.... | Merrill Collins | 4:30 |
| 5. | Our Peaceful Uprising Continues (fe... | Merrill Collins | 1:46 |
| 6. | Flowing Directly To Love (feat. Lau... | Merrill Collins | 2:54 |
| 7. | We Heard Earth Weeping (feat. Laura... | Merrill Collins | 4:06 |
| 8. | Remembering The Emerald (feat. Laur... | Merrill Collins | 3:18 |
| 9. | In The Bigger Picture (feat. Laura ... | Merrill Collins | 3:41 |
| 10. | With Our Timeless Elders (feat. Lau... | Merrill Collins | 2:48 |
| 11. | We Are Whole Together (feat. Laura ... | Merrill Collins | 3:23 |
| 12. | Living In Harmonious Worlds (feat. ... | Merrill Collins | 4:17 |
| 13. | Particles In Space (feat. Laura Hal... | Merrill Collins | 6:19 |
| 14. | Returning Home (feat. Laura Hallada... | Merrill Collins | 2:52 |
| 15. | Riding On Waves Of Gold (feat. Laur... | Merrill Collins | 3:19 |
| 16. | Triumphant Upon Arrival (feat. Laur... | Merrill Collins | 3:47 |
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Merrill Collins is a composer, keyboardist, producer and publisher who holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music. On her latest album, Ethereal Escapes: Echappées Ethériques II (a sequel to Echappées Ethériques), Collins plays grand piano throughout where she is once again joined by Laura Halladay on flute and Maksim Velichkin on cello. Combining classical music with contemporary improvisation, the trio musically interact with each other as if having a dialogue among sixteen compositions of which span an exact total of sixty minutes. “The Fountain of Jewels Activated” beautifully introduces the album with an improvised ensemble of cello, flute and piano, accentuated in parts by glistening chimes that recall a stream of running water. Laced with elements of the Far East, the piece sets the mood for the rest of the album, effectively conveying the aromatic and tranquil atmosphere of an oriental spa. One of my favorite pieces is “Listing with Our Ancestors”, which begins on a more solemn note with distinctive, billowing cello and piano in the lower registers. Airy flute hovers above like leaves dancing in the wind, as piano eases into the midrange where it ebbs and flows like a river, as if providing an elemental link to the comparatively earthier cello in what could be likened to the Celtic triplicity of land, sea and sky. Another highlight is “We Heard Earth Weeping”, which opens with the reverberating sound of a gong swirling amidst somber cello notes. Piano and flute join along in a gentle melody for a while, finally concluding with the return of the gong, its deeply echoing resonance perhaps signifying a grounding connection to the earth. I’m also particularly fond of “Living in Harmonious Worlds”, which boasts one of the most elegant and classically refined melodies herein as it imparts gently fluttering bursts of piano throughout its course. Concluding the album is “Triumphant Upon Arrival”, which initially begins with amelodic and minimal textures. Colorfully unfolding into a gently melodic ensemble, the piece effectively evokes images of a paradisal garden located somewhere in the Far East. Particularly suited to spa therapies and the like, the talented trio have presented an enchantingly elegant interweaving of new age, neoclassical and East Asian musical influences on this latest offering. Often seemingly evocative of the earth’s elements, Ethereal Escapes is an album that beautifully demonstrates a refined yet regal sense of nature’s beauty, reflection and solitude!
Pablo Picasso once said that “the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” Listening to Merrill Collins’ «Ethereal Escapes» got me thinking of that famous quote. Both stress and worries really seem to disappear when experiencing Collins’ genuine and heartfelt compositions. It is art with a purpose; to give your soul a much needed ethereal escape. I can’t say if any dust will be washed off, though the music will leave you feeling both relaxed and inspired. “Ethereal Escapes” is a sequel to Merrill Collins’ “Echappées Ethériques” (2016). Fans of last year’s album will feel right at home listening to “Ethereal Escapes”, though the new installation in the series is, in my opinion, a bit less dreamy and more visual. It too has also a larger focus on harmonies, which always pleases a New Age music enthusiast. “Echappées Ethériques” is also highly recommended. Get to know the artists Merrill Collins attended Ithaca College School of Music and Humboldt State University where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Piano, with a minor in composition. Merrill then completed a Master’s of Music Degree from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on a full scholarship. Her music label is called Spiraling Music, which features a catalog filled with various instrumental albums influenced by the work of artists such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Oliver Messiaen, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Herbie Hancock and many others. On “Ethereal Escapes” Merrill plays grand piano. She is joined by some extraordinary artists; Laura Halladay on flute and Maksim Velichkin on cello. What a marvelous trio! The album connects three stories Collins wrote in 1987 – a time when her birthday coincided with the Harmonic Convergence, one of the world’s first globally synchronised meditation events, which also closely coincided with an exceptional alignment of the planets (August 16-17, 1987). This adds a fascinating dimension to the music. Behind each song is a narrative to be discovered. In other words; this is a deeply inspired record. I’m always impressed by an artist that manages to pull off an “In medias res” effect (Latin; “in the midst of things”). As listeners, we are thrown into a situation and have to adjust our ears rapidly. It is not widely used in New Age music, but we know it well from classical music. On the opening track, “The Fountain of Jewels Activated”, the cello is making a kind of a “flanging sound” while the piano and flute are filling in nicely. The result is a striking, highly original tableau. You really can sense the jewel fountain rising on the horizon; the piano, backed by wind chimes, become ray of bright, colorful lights, washing over the listener. It is interesting to witness how the cello and flute fill the audio canvas with darker colors, even shade – while the piano is suddenly center stage, demanding attention, exploding like fireworks. We are, from the very beginning, drawn into Collins’ masterful musical poetry. Our Ears Tingled Second track is “Our Ears Tingled”. Wind chimes add a tingling feeling, while the slow melody is carefully constructed. It is like the cello and flute are having a conversation, and it is not clear where it is going to end. You just have to keep on listening. The song, like most on this album, has a hint of improvisation. Yet there’s a noticeable artistical idea that is holding everything together. It is all part of a grand plan. “With Every Heartbeat” is my favorite track on the album. Notice how the piano is like a heartbeat, while the flute and cello become like life itself, totally depending on the steady beat – and when the piano stops, it is all over. This song will very much appeal to fans of Secret Garden. It has a marvelous melody and atmosphere. I could listen to it all day. Spotless Recording I must mention the recording. I like how the room is being used; you can feel how the sound is travelling through air, without the loss of audio quality. It creates a more natural sound than placing the microphone “as close as possible”. The instruments are treated equally, which too gives it a live feel. “Listening with our ancestors” is meditative and instantly creates a connection to history and past lives. Especially the cello part has a wonderful Baroque touch. “Our peaceful uprising continues” is a short interlude before “Flowing Directly to Love” give us wings, travelling on a romantic jet stream. Then there’s a powerful and surprising contrast, violently dragging us back to reality. “We heard Earth weeping” starts – and ends – with a large and deep acoustic gong. Here there’s nothing but black colors and a feeling of utter sorrow. Yet at the same time there’s something truly beautiful here; like watching an explosion on a cosmic scale. What makes “Ethereal Escapes” into an extraordinary album is how it is both meditative and offers lot of variation in sound at the same time. Very few releases have this quality. Just listen to “Remembering the Emerald”, “In the bigger picture”, “With our timeless elders” and “We are whole together”. A truly rewarding listening experience. “Living in Harmonious Worlds” is a dance piece, originally composed by Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann. Over the years as a radio host I have learned that some of the most dedicated New Age music fans are painters. I’m sure that they, or anyone in a creative line of work, will very much enjoy this album. “Ethereal Escapes” has both colors, atmosphere and is, as above stated, highly visual. It is not just for escapes of the mind, but for work and reading too. In conclusion: “Ethereal Escapes” is close to a perfect release. I’ll end with the Picasso quote: «the purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.» I think Collins with “Ethereal Escapes” has captured the very essence of art.
"Ethereal Escapes" is a title that could easily suggest floating, free-form ambient music, but pianist/composer Merrill Collins and her trio have created an amazing album that blends contemporary classical and new age stylings into a unique sound that is accessible, substantial, and absolutely beautiful. Collins composed the music and performs on grand piano. The other members of her trio are Laura Halladay on flute and Maksim Velchkin on cello - superlative musicians who perform together seamlessly. All three have performed on international stages with a wide range of artists, bringing a wealth of experience and musicianship to this project. The album is subtitled "Echappees Etheriques II" and is a sequel to Collins’ 2016 release, "Echappees Etheriques," which also featured her trio as collaborators. Collins received a Global Peace Song Award in 2016 for her composition, “Every Man, Woman, and Child,” and has composed music for an impressive number of international events that include the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. For the most part, the sixteen tracks on the album lean more to the classical side than the new age, and most have strong melodies and great emotional depth. 10% of the proceeds from album sales go to the Institute of Individual and World Peace. "Ethereal Escapes" connects three stories that Collins wrote in 1987 - a time when her birthday coincided with the Harmonic Convergence, one of the world’s first globally synchronized meditation events, as well as an exceptional alignment of the planets. The music expresses the “utter vastness and beauty of the ether” (quoted from the liner notes of the CD). There are too many tracks to write about them all, but I’ll tell you about some of my favorites. The album begins with “The Fountain of Jewels Activated,” a peaceful and dreamy piece with sparkling wind chimes in addition to the piano, cello and flute. “With Every Heartbeat” opens with the piano setting a gentle rhythm along with a small gong. After this brief introduction, flute and cello join the piano in a slow, absolutely gorgeous piece that shimmers with grace - a favorite! “Listening With Our Ancestors” is a bit darker and more haunting as the three musicians take turns with the very poignant melody - I really like this one, too! “We Heard Earth Weeping” makes full use of the soulful nature of the cello to express the mournful tragedy of the theme. “With Our Timeless Elders” overflows with deep emotion and reminds me just a bit of Chopin and how he might be composing if he was alive today. “We Are Whole Together” seems to offer a message of hope as well as a call for unity. “Living in Harmonious Worlds” has a very classical/Baroque feeling and yet fits in perfectly with the present. Soaring, with passion in every note, this is another strong favorite. “Triumphant Upon Arrival” brings this excellent album to warm and soothing close. "Ethereal Escapes" is quite different from anything I’ve heard in a while, successfully merging classical and contemporary styles to create a strong call for peace and unity at a time when the world seems to be falling apart. Highly recommended!
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Ethereal Escapes (feat. Laura Halladay & Maksim Velichkin) music album wiki coming soon...
| Artist | Merrill Collins |
| Genre | New Age |
| Release | 21 July 2017 |
| Listeners | 3,275 |
| Play Count | 2,795 |
| Price | $9.99 |
| Tracks | 16 |
| Country | USA |
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