“Alaskan Soundscapes: Music for Wrangell-St. Elias and Kenai Fjords National Parks” by Jill Haley
Album Review by New Age CD and New Age Notes Radio Staff
Have you ever wanted to visit Alaska? Many people do. Personally, living in Arizona, I’ve not been one of them. Until now. This new album release, “Alaskan Soundscapes,” from Jill Haley, is a complete game changer. I think I may go. You may, as well.
Jill Haley is a well-known oboist, English horn player, pianist, educator, and composer, who has written and released nine recordings as an Artist in Residence in our United States national parks along with the beautiful album, “Wrapped in Light,” based on the Psalms found in the Bible.
Jill is a multi-talented musician who has made significant contributions to the world of contemporary instrumental music. Her “Alaskan” recording differs from her previous releases because along with her other instrumentation, delicate piano, oboe/English horn, guitar and bass (performed by husband, David Cullen), synthesizer, and double reeds, she wanted to add the sound of a string quartet to accompany some of this music. Her son, Graham Cullen, is a member of an Indiana based string quartet, The Eykamp String Quartet, and he contributed to four of the pieces on the album. It’s all gorgeous, every composition here, but those four pieces particularly so.
Jill’s adventures and experiences in Alaska – some quite remote and without modern amenities – shine through the music in a reverent and beautiful way. And so enthralled with the beauty of the state and the different lifestyle of the people there, she and her husband even visited a different area of Alaska – the Kenai Fjords – last summer. There, she was inspired to create additional music for the album, and so combined the music from the two places in an exquisite Alaskan soundscape that is this album.
All the compositions on this album paint vivid sonic landscapes, inviting the listener to relax and just “be there.” Through the warm and soulful tones of the English horn and the other exquisite instrumentation, Jill weaves intricate melodies that transport us effortlessly to the majestic and picturesque realms of Alaska. Her music on this album possesses a timeless quality, evoking a sense of relaxation and contemplation.
There is certainly no way to choose a favorite here at all, and no one would want to. The album opens with the wonderful, “Resurrection Bay,” which from the very first notes transports us to a tranquil scene of peaceful quietude where one might imagine overlooking the magnificence of the dawning day and we can feel our hearts filling with gratitude. This is simply gorgeous.
Following is the equally lovely, “Glacial Albedo.” Nicely paced, with perfect cadence, again, we find ourselves easily transported and immersed in awe inspiring scenery. “Seward Artistry” is a sonic painting in its own right. This is graceful, elegant, and melodic, putting the mind, body, and spirit immediately at ease.
What, in my opinion, is a highlight of this album are the four tracks featuring the string quartet and whose Native American titles capture the true essence of the pieces. These are the very melodic, soul-soothing, “Dena’ina,” the ultra-relaxing, flowing, “Athabaskin,” the quietly comforting, “Cikusinaq,” and the faster paced, “Chanshtnu.”
“Autumn in the Wrangell Mountains,” brings peace to the spirit with its lighthearted mood. The guitar is wonderful here as is the rest. “Kennicott River” perfectly captures the energy of a busy river. Melodic, with piano in the lower registers, we are carried along nicely. Again, quiet and peaceful, “Peeking Through” brings us to a place where we might imagine the sun peeking through the clouds every now and again. Jill’s horns are rich and inviting and the piano, deep and dark, together create an awesome serenity.
This special album, that we don’t want to end, closes out with the melodic, “Ribbons of Ice.” The piano line is soft and very pretty, and this is the perfect “goodbye” to the splendor that is “Alaskan Soundscapes.”
Maybe sometimes the real and true beauty of something can’t adequately be described in mere words, and one has to experience the “soundscapes” for themselves to appreciate every little nuance. The music found here on “Alaskan Soundscapes,” takes listeners on a journey, inviting them to connect not only with the natural environment but with their own inner thoughts as well. Beautifully done all through, and a great escape in every way.
Get it here: https://www.jillhaley.com or available on all major digital platforms.
