Discover Music, Discover Narada

Advent of CD

When CD was first introduced they cost more than $30 a piece. Philips came out with the CD player but it was Sony who marketed it successfully. Most of us were lost in transition. The innocent low cost cassette tapes and to some extend the vinyls were going the way of the dinosaurs. There were umpteen times they got entangled in the cassette players and the worse was when they were in the car. Otherwise, they get moldy. Meantime, those who swear by vinyls are not wrong but dirt gets trapped too easily and the inconvenience of changing stylus. CDs offer the best of several worlds - doesn't get entangled, if it gets moldy it could be easily cleansed. However, not many folks know that CDs doesn't produce the best sound at first just like DVDs won't give you the best sound and pictures as opposed to LDs. Overtime, CDs became more affordable so having lost most of my treasured songs and music, I have to seek those songs, singers and bands that I found special.
As dad loves playing with hi-fi, I did enjoy some quality sound for a long period of time. Such exposure and playing in a band where there have been some amazing music pieces helped me to identify different sounds, sections of an orchestra and various instruments. I learned how to enjoy the unique special sounds of each musical instrument. Chinese musical instruments like the Guzheng (zither with large resonant cavity), erhu and pipa are equally amazing. So when I got back my rock groups and the songs I like, I progressed into audiophile recordings - audiophile vocals or instruments.


New Age & Jazz


My first brush with New Age came in the late 80s when I walk into a CD shop and from the music in play I heard something new, different and ethereal. It was Kitaro before he became really famous. I mean he could be basking at Scotts Road and nobody except me would have bothered. This were the music:

Tenku (天空) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVZlVhBgkUg and......................

Cosmic Energy (for those who belong to the cosmos) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0cRfQKcVCM

You know when you attend a Chinese wedding dinner the invitation card says 7.30pm they do not start till 9pm, 8.30 pm if you are lucky. You have already tolerated late comers then they don't just put food on the table. They go through the usual routine carrying the food hovering above their heads with fire and lights walking around. Worse, they kept playing the music of Kitaro - Matsuri so much so that it makes me tired of it even though I love it when I used to let it flow on my speakers - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1pLmcVKH6o. Before Matsuri I watched the documentary Silk Road and discovered Kitaro giving it as well - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ulc51ZOGQk. Watch this clip and do not tell me it is not beautiful, come on. Since, I have a collection of Kitaro but the wedding dinners nearly killed them.


Then Kenny G with the soprano sax mesmerised us with Songbird - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FMpC_1-Mhs,






I nearly wanted to do dreadlocks for my hair until they started playing Kenng G particularly Songbird in the lifts, at shopping centres and even in the loo. Arrrgghhh! Too late, I've got his selection of CDs, now he's famous.
Narada - Discover Narada


That was when I met Dave Boo of Sembawang Music when he was just having that one shop in Sembawang. He would personally recommend me many of these which he personally liked. The first encounter was music label of Narada where they are rich in Jazz,Celtic,World, Latin, Guitars, Vocals,Collections, New Flamenco, Piano and Keyboards. The very first Narada CD was Discover Narada. Narada started in 1983 dedicating itself to music that touches the heart and stirs the imagination. Narada has sensibility and perspective. Artistic yet aesthetic. When you play Narada pieces, you feel expansive land, beautiful wilderness and cultural diversity. An indescribable joy. Let me give you the samples:


Listen to Bernado Rubaja's Americana: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjn19e-uWOI


Bernado Rubaja is an Argentinian who travelled extensively to Europe, North America to broaden his musical awareness including to small villages and remote regions throughout South America in order to experience intimate look at people and their music. In his music he brings together instruments from all of the Americas.


Now let Hans Zimmer present you the Millennium Theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGqU_B192Q


Narada - Alma Del Sur - Presents music folklore of the Americas - Tangos in Argentina, Samba in Brazil, Cueca in Chile, Joropo in Venezuela, Cumbia in Colombia and Marineras and huayno in Peru.


Grand Piano? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEiefGdQbHQ by Bradley Joseph.


Shenandoah by Eric Tingstad & Nancy Rumbel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNhYWRMNddU






Listen to top Flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GbYXdoRS60 with Cafe Mocha.


I can't help being mesmerised by Flamenco. Ole? Ole!!!




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