Shapes

Shapes a perfect foil for hard, sad times

On Wednesday, I spoke to a class full of exchange students from Tokyo, Japan. The focus of the class was pop culture, with an emphasis on music. In my introduction, I asked them why they listen to music. The students, all in their early 20s, said they listen to music to relax, to pass the time, to remember, to be happy, to be healed, to be comforted. They like the power of what music can do. Lately, I've been needing some good comfort music. That's why I've been listening to classical guitarist Dominic Miller's Shapes.

Shapes, released by Decca - home of David Lanz - is a 12-track journey into peaceful dreams. Not only does the CD feature Miller's intricate classical-guitar playing, but there are also background arrangements performed by the London Session Orchestra and the Budapest Film Orchestra, both conducted by Nick Ingman.

In addition, Miller called in a few musical guests to add their unique voices and instruments on some selections: Sting, Placido Domingo, Alejandro Lerner and trumpeter Chris Botti. They grace this reverent album in touching and classy ways. (Miller and Botti played in Sting's band for the Brand New Day tour back in 2000.)

Sting and Domingo perform together on Schubert's Ave Maria, and both do solo appearances as well. Sting is heard on Shape of My Heart, a tune co-written by him and Miller, and Domingo beautifully sings Ariel Ramirez's Misa Criolla (Kyrie). Lerner is heard on Bach's Mi Fe and Botti's easy trumpet rings with passion on Bach's Prelude No. 3 for Clavier.

The CD starts off with Bach's Mass in B Minor (Qui Tollis) and moves onto Albinoni's Adagio in G Minor. One of my favourite cuts is the CD's closing track, Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 14 Moonlight, which is brought to life, not with a piano, but Miller's mesmerizing finger-picking. Another is Edward Elgar's Nimrod (9th Variation) from Enigma Variations, which gives the feeling of peaceful sunny, green open fields... as opposed to the smog and cold we've had here lately.

Other soothing titles include Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1 and Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3, called Air on a G String for this CD.

Shapes is a CD to take for a spin when life gets heavy. It's the perfect foil for hard times and sad times.

© The Deseret News (USA) | Feb 2004

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