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PGM 1266 'RECESSION 2' : nov. 27-dec. 4

In a normal year, the autumn season brings music with smoky timbres, dissonant harmonies, descending progressions, and gentle melancholy. This year we have to include the emotions that accompany a devastating global disease, isolation, and loss. We're challenged to reach into our battered hearts and summon up additional generosity, to give thanks for what we have.

Now the days grow short, the nights grow long, and a chill descends on the land as the northern hemisphere slowly tilts away from the sun. It's a time for quiet reflection and the cultivation of inner strength to confront the challenges ahead. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, ambient, chamber and sacred music for a haunted autumn, on a program called RECESSION 2. Music is by KEVIN KELLER, ÓLAFUR ARNALDS, DAVID DARLING, GUNNARD DOBOZE, and MAX RICHTER.

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PGM 1265 'SCORPIANO' : nov.13-20

 

The evolution of the pianoforte into the modern piano since the 18th century created an artistic platform for both players and composers. By the 1970s solo piano recordings emerged as a vehicle for personal expression and statements of musical identity. Ubiquitous and flexible, the piano supported virtuosity and musical complexity as readily as simplicity and sentimentality. Recordings ranged from the intense improvised outpourings of KEITH JARRETT and the folk impressionism of GEORGE WINSTON, to the "generative music" algorithms of BRIAN ENO.

Today the solo piano medium can be truly personal, while on a deeper level, quiet, spacious, serene ambient music addresses a collective psychological need for relief from the tension and intensity of daily life. That still leaves room for many different approaches. Along with typical new age sweetness and trancey minimalist repetition, we find artists attracted to dark worlds, somber tone colors, and dissonant harmonies, with sophisticated production techniques that add textural complexity and intrigue to the conventional sound of the acoustic piano.

As we transit the house of Scorpio in this plague year 2020 transmission of Hearts of Space...a darktime excursion, on a program called SCORPIANO. Music is by JILL TRACY, MATTHEW LABARGE, DAVID NORLAND, and BRUNO SANFILIPPO.

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PGM 1264 'DESCENDING DARK 3' : nov.6-13

In the cooling, darkening months of autumn, time seems to slow in the natural world. The leaves change color, wither and fade, while the animals are busy stocking up for the winter to come. For humans, this year is a somber season. In a time of pandemic, we're challenged to adapt to protective measures, and carry on with normal life in abnormal times.

The music of the season features downward progressions and complex harmonies. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a dark ambient autumn journey, on a program called DESCENDING DARK 3. Music by JEFF PEARCE, JEFF GREINKE, HOLLAN HOLMES, ERIK WØLLO & MICHAEL STEARNS, SAM ROSENTHAL, AL GROMER KHAN, ROBERT RICH, NIK PARKIN, and PATRICK O'HEARN.

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PGM 1263 'LAMENTO 4' : oct.30-nov.6

In troubled times, when dark forces disrupt our lives and challenge our communities, we find solace in the music of lamentation. It's an age-old expression of pain, grief and heartache—a step on the path to catharsis and healing.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, Renaissance, Baroque, folk and contemporary songs of loss, longing, and lamentation, on a program from guest producer ELLEN HOLMES called LAMENTO 4.

Music is by PALESTRINA, ZELENKA, MORAGO, ISAAC, CORREA de ARAUXO and BRITTEN, performed by JORDI SAVALL & HESPERION 21 and MATTHEW BARLEY,  plus folk and traditional songs by CHARLES STANFORD, THE KRONOS QUARTET, and NIEL GOW, and contemporary instrumentals by PATRICK HAWES, BARRINGTON PHELOUNG, ROSS EDWARDS, and MAX RICHTER.

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PGM 1262 'MYSTIC CANYONS' : oct. 16-23

The gentle tones of the Native American cedar flute have propagated far beyond their origin — a rare case of a humble ethnic instrument succeeding on natural charm and sonic appeal. Resurrected from decades of cultural neglect by native musicians in the mid 20th century, it proved to be a versatile and satisfying instrument for both amateur and professional musicians. We like to revisit it in the fall, when its pentatonic minor scale seems to magically express the deepening energy and complex colors of the season.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a Southwest autumn journey featuring the Native American flute called MYSTIC CANYONS. Music is by COYOTE OLDMAN, JONN SERRIE & GARY STROUTSOS, SCOTT AUGUST, JOHNNY WHITEHORSE, JAMES MARIENTHAL, SHERRY FINZER, JOHN HULING, and KENNETH HOOPER.

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PGM 1261 'SACRED SONGS 2' : oct.9-16

The traditions of sacred music and contemplative song are found in almost every culture on earth. They bring beauty, peace, and emotional fulfillment to millions. Since the mid 20th century, the sacred sounds of exotic world cultures have become increasingly popular with western listeners, even though they sound nothing like western sacred music. Despite our increasingly secular culture, sacred song maintains a special place in our holiday celebrations, and contemplative music provides a much-needed balm for battered spirits.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, deep song, devotional chant, sacred hymns, and contemplative instrumentals from Spain, the Middle East and India, on a program called SACRED SONGS 2. Music is by ADAM HURST, YUVAL RON & flamenco singer ESTRELLA MORENTE, MICHEL BANABILA, AZAM ALI & LOGA RAMIN TORKIAN, DEVA PREMAL, and SERENA GABRIEL & STEVE ROACH.

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PGM 1260 'CALM ABIDING' : sept.25 - oct.2

The theory and practice of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist meditation seem ideally suited to confronting the stressful challenges we're now living through in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Through a form of meditation called śamatha or "single-pointed attention," the meditator achieves vipaśyanā — in English vipassana or insight — "seeing into the nature of things." In Sanskrit, śamatha means "tranquility of mind," often called "calm abiding." Śamatha has five progressive stages: stable attention, powerful mindfulness, joy, tranquility, and finally, equanimity. The practice of calm abiding leads to insight.

Without any formal connection to Buddhist meditation but because of common goals, we can find śamatha in the deeper, quieter, more contemplative forms of ambient music. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a Buddhist-inspired ambient meditation, on a program called CALM ABIDING. Music is by ROBERT RICH, SPUNTIC, SAM ROSENTHAL & JARGUNA, NUMINA & ZERO OHMS, and KEITH BERRY.

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PGM 1259 'MASTERS OF SPACE' : sept.4-11

Maybe it was just a coincidence, a timely convergence, but the era of space exploration that began in the 1960s was also a formative decade for electronic music. At the time, German experimental composer KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN observed that there was a natural relationship between his electronic music and images of cosmic space. Maybe it was the drugs, but it seemed right.

In Germany, the late 1960s saw the rise of the "Kozmik Musik" genre; electronic nebulae blossomed all over Europe and the English speaking countries; SUN RA toured the world and played his own brand of Afro-cosmic funk, while JOHN COLTRANE and his wife ALICE released the album COSMIC MUSIC.

In the 1970's the COSMIC COURIERS record label was established, PROGRESSIVE ROCK went cosmic and became SPACE ROCK, BRIAN ENO invented Ambient, and PINK FLOYD became the biggest selling band in the world after Dark Side of the Moon. It was Good Times for space fans.

Today, electronic spacemusic is an established genre with a nice article in Wikipedia and a steady stream of significant new music from masters of the craft. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a classic journey in the electronic starfields, on a program called MASTERS OF SPACE.

Music is by ERIK WØLLO & MICHAEL STEARNS, DAVID HELPLING & JON JENKINS, JON DURANT & ROBERT JÜRJENDAL, PHILLIP WILKERSON, and JEFF GREINKE.

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PGM 1258 'SIX STRING UNIVERSE' : aug.28-sept.4

In stressful times, we seek the comfort of the familiar, the predictable, the tried and true. And in music, that often means returning to the joys and pleasures of the acoustic guitar. It's not just the foundation of what JOHN FAHEY memorably called "American primitive guitar;" in addition to its role accompanying singers, as a solo instrument it's a rich vehicle for personal expression, creative innovation, and contemplative immersion.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we touch all those possibilities, on a program called SIX STRING UNIVERSE. Music is by CHRIS HAUGEN, FLOW, ALEX DE GRASSI, RICHARD OSBORNE, MATTHEW MONTFORT, and CLAES NILSSON.

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PGM 1257 'VISIONS OF INFINITY' : aug. 21-28

Let's talk about electronic music. As with acoustic instruments, we have freedom of expression with the core musical variables: melody, rhythm, tempo, and harmony. But we've gained the ability to create the tone, the timbre, the character, and even the spatial dimension of the electronic sound. In fact, the space or ambience of the sound becomes a fundamental artistic choice. Electronic music can create "soundscapes"—immersive images of virtual environments.

Unlike the literal sound images of acoustic instruments, these electronic images can be deliberately amorphous...boundless...endless...unlimited. They can imply vast, fluid, diffuse, virtual spaces, whose dimensions are perceptually infinite.

We can even make this quality the subject of the music, and call it "spacemusic"—a descriptive term that arose organically in the early days of popular electronic music. Today, ambient-electronic artists are creating sonic images of infinity—endless virtual spaces we can expand into, bathe in, savor, and explore.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, the quest for unlimited spaces in electronic sound, on a program called VISIONS OF INFINITY. Music is by DEEPSPACE, STEVE ROACH, KEVIN BRAHENY FORTUNE, MAX CORBACHO, and JEFF PEARCE.

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PGM 1256 'TECHNO-TRIBAL' : aug 7-14

Centuries ago, a music emerged out of the world's deserts and tribal cultures. It was built on trance-like rhythms and the most primitive instruments: flutes, rattles, and drums. Against all odds, in the late 20th century elements of this ancient indigenous music were embraced by electronic musicians searching for an earthy, vital sound to balance the dematerialized tones of electronic instruments, and ground the atmospheric soundscapes of ambient.

Their quest led to a hybrid electro-acoustic genre originally called "techno-tribal" and later "tribal ambient." In retrospect, it was part of a wider movement ethno-botanist TERENCE McKENNA famously termed The Archaic Revival. Why would a sophisticated, technologically advanced culture want to revive an ancient, supposedly primitive one? In an era where our experience is increasingly mediated, artificial, and virtual — we seek authenticity, direct experience, and a deeper connection to our environment, our history, and our inner worlds.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, ambient electronics meet flutes, rattles, drums, and drones, on a journey across the desert mesas, wind-blown dunes, and rocky plains of the tribal ambient soundscape called TECHNO-TRIBAL.

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PGM 1255 'DESERT CROSSING 2' : july 31-aug 7

MENA is an acronym for the geographical region of the Middle East and North Africa, encompassing give or take 19 countries with a long, complicated history and a shared musical culture. Political conflict and anti-music fundamentalism in the region over the last 50 years led to a diaspora of MENA musicians to cities all over Europe, Canada and the U.S.

Leaving one's home and native culture is almost always difficult and unpredictable, but for music it can be a good thing, exposing musicians to new influences, new creative relationships, and unexpected cross-fertilizations. The classic example is DICK DALE, the inventor of Surf Rock—the original 1960s fusion of Middle Eastern scales and tremolo electric guitar drowned in reverb.

Today the rich traditions of Middle Eastern and North African music combine freely with jazz, rock, rap, electronic, ambient and even new age, in a brilliant diversity of sound and style.On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, the trance-inducing rhythms and deep modal melodies of the MENA diaspora, on a program called DESERT CROSSING 2.

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PGM 1254 'TERRASONIC' : july 24-31

Over the last 75 years, composers were gradually freed from creating music with notes on paper, and the limitations of acoustically generated sounds. Slowly at first, then in a rush of innovation in the 20th century, they were given the tools to create music directly from recorded and electronically generated sounds. The electronic studio itself became the master instrument, and imagination was unbound.

It's hard to overstate how revolutionary this was. It led to a much expanded palette of musical sounds, an explosion of popular electronic dance music, and immersive music with a focus on imagery, ambience, and virtual travel in sonic space. Composers became "sound designers," and listeners became sonic cosmonauts.

Environmental sounds captured by high quality portable recorders lent a new psychological dimension to music, making us more aware of the natural ambient sounds around us. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey in electro-acoustic spaces at sea and on land, on a program called TERRASONIC. Music is by ATOMIC SKUNK, ISHQ, RUDY ADRIAN, and LONEWARD.

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PGM 1253 'SUMMER DRUMMER 2' : july 10-17

The seductive sound of the Hang, ladies and gentlemen, a 21st century Swiss offspring of the steel pan drum. Gentle and tuneful, the handpans, as the new percussion family are called, are the perfect thing for delighting the ear and bringing joy to the heart during this disrupted and constrained summer of 2020.

After months of enforced confinement and social distance, the warm weather brings thoughts of summers past, filled with sun, sport, and vacation pleasures, while the steel drum's Caribbean origins in Trinidad and Tobago suggest images of island adventures, white sands, and emerald waters. It's a vision that's irresistible in normal times, let alone now.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a virtual vacation in the seductive soundworlds of the Hang, on a program called SUMMER DRUMMER 2. Music is by JAMES HOOD, LAURA INSERRA, HANG MASSIVE, HANG DRUM PLAYER, and THE MANY RIVERS ENSEMBLE (featuring HANG MASSIVE).

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PGM 1251 'MUSIC for QUIET MOMENTS' : june 19-26

Despite a career in contemporary music that began in the legendary days of the 1960s, the brilliant English guitarist, composer, bandleader, innovator and collaborator ROBERT FRIPP has never become as famous as his friend BRIAN ENO—another brilliant Englishman Fripp worked with on several influential proto-ambient and pop records in the 1970s, with artists like DAVID BOWIE, BLONDIE, PETER GABRIEL, DAVID SYLVIAN and others.

Fripp co-founded the seminal progressive rock band KING CRIMSON in 1968, and has been its principal guitarist and fearlessly innovative leader through over 50 years of on-again, off-again activity. As a prog rock guitarist, Fripp can fill arenas with massive walls of sound, but he's also a student of the teachings of the Armenian mystic philosopher G.I. GURDJIEFF, and has a more cerebral, contemplative side.

Through his work with Eno, Fripp developed an analog looping system he called Frippertonics. Looping repeats musical phrases with a delay and layers them on top of themselves, turning musical fragments into continuous streams of sound. When combined with Fripp's sophisticated guitar technique, Frippertonics has produced a series of refined electronic soundscapes.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, the sublime soundscapes of ROBERT FRIPP, on a program called MUSIC FOR QUIET MOMENTS. We'll feature the first four releases in a projected series of 50 weekly installments available online at Fripp's website DGMLIVE.com for exactly 99 cents each.

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PGM 1250 'DIVINE SURRENDER' : june 12-19

It's been over 60 years since western musicians began taking Indian music seriously. And no wonder — it's so completely different from western music, it might as well have come from another planet.

Nevertheless, beginning in the 1950s, Indian classical musicians led by RAVI SHANKAR and ALI AKBAR KHAN, established a dialog with European and American classical artists like violinist YEHUDI MENUIN, and in the 1960s, famously with pop artists like GEORGE HARRISON of the BEATLES.

The last 40 years have seen creative cross-fertilizations in many genres, from film music to rap, folk music to ambient electronic. At the same time, the emotional devotion at the core of Indian music has taken hold in the west with the bhakti tradition of devotional chant, bhajan and kirtan.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, the slow, sensuous sound of Indian devotional chants and ambient instrumentals, on a program called DIVINE SURRENDER. Music is by AL GROMER KHAN, HANS CHRISTIAN, MARK SEELIG, CRAIG PRUESS, BEN LEINBACH, and RAGANI.

[ view playlist ] [ view Flickr image gallery ] [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 1249 'ETHEREAL ELECTRONIC' : may 29-june 5

In the early 20th century, the Theosophists and the Rosicrucians theorized an ethereal plane—a nonmaterial level of reality above the physical plane.

When applied to music, ethereal implies subtle, light and airy, immaterial and weightless. It's a word that's often used to describe electronic music, where sounds are not produced by physical instruments and have an abstract, immaterial quality. This music can take us to virtual spaces and imaginary worlds.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, synthetic journeys on the subtle planes, on a program called ETHEREAL ELECTRONIC. Music is by NICHOLAS GUNN, DAVID ARKENSTONE, GILES REAVES, KEVIN BRAHENY FORTUNE, PAUL AVGERINOS, BING SATELLITES, IASOS, and ERIK WØLLO.

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PGM 1248 'SIX DEGREES OF AMBIENT' : may 22-29

FOR DECADES, globalization has been a fact of life. And even before Covid-19, it was becoming controversial. Now, with critical supply chains being disrupted by the pandemic, we're having a bit of a rethink. Whatever happens with global trade, one thing is certain: the global exchange of music, film, art and media is a cultural fact of life that will remain as vibrant and creative as ever.

San Francisco is the home of Six Degrees Records, a company that's been dedicated to crossing musical borders since 1996, with the provocative slogan "everything is closer than you think." They live the idea, releasing a wide range of traditional and progressive music from around the planet.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an Anglo-American ambient journey, on a program called SIX DEGREES OF AMBIENT. Music is by ANOTHER FINE DAY, TOM MIDDLETON, BOB HOLROYD, TOM GREEN, HALFTRIBE, ANDREW HEATH, DARSHAN AMBIENT, JEFF PEARCE, RICHARD NORRIS, and MARK ISHAM.

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PGM 1247 'DEEP SERENITY' : may 8-15

The relentless pace of the modern world just had a global reboot, and the reason wasn't even human. It's beyond ironic that it took a rogue microbe to force the world to take a time out. Sheltered in place, working from home, reaching out with video and electronic messages, we're moving toward a world that's going to be slower, more limited, and less intense than before. After that, who knows? We might like it better.

For ambient and contemplative musicians, speed—or to use the musical term—tempo, has always been an artistic choice. And for centuries, a select group of them have chosen to make music that's slow, quiet, and heartfelt. If it sounds better than ever these days, it's because we need it.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey from serene to introspective, on a program called "DEEP SERENITY." Music is by FLOW, PAUL WINTER CONSORT, AUKAI, GINA LENEÉ, KATHRYN KAYE, TOM EATON, PATRICK O'HEARN, and DAVID NORLAND.

[ view playlist ] [ view Flickr image gallery ] [ play 30 second MP3 promo ]

PGM 1246 'DRIFTING IN SILENCE' : may 1-8

Flying.   Drifting.   Floating.
Three kinds of virtual movement we find in ambient music.

Flying...is moving through space with speed, purpose, and destination.
Flying is active.

Drifting...is horizontal. You surrender to prevailing forces and let them move you.
Drifting is passive.

Floating...is vertical. You hang suspended, neutrally buoyant, in equilibrium with gravity.
Like drifting, floating is passive.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we drift wide and quiet, on a program called DRIFTING IN SILENCE. Music is by DRIFTING IN SILENCE, MASSERGY, CLIVE WRIGHT, STEVE ROACH, PHILLIP WILKERSON, VIR UNIS, JOHN FOXX + HAROLD BUDD.

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PGM 1245 "ELEGIES FOR THE FALLEN' : apr. 17-25

One of cruel ironies of 2020 is that spring here in Northern California is the loveliest we've seen in years. As we absorb the terrible news about a global pandemic against this lush, verdant background, the "cognitive dissonance" is deafening.

The plants and animals don't know about the virus and are having a wonderful time, while the humans have to fight a ruthless bio-terrorist that can turn our fellow citizens into involuntary assassins, and paralyze our whole society. So in this season of hope and rebirth, we celebrate our steadfast first responders, heroic doctors and dedicated nurses, while we mourn our sick, our suffering and our dead.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a program called ELEGIES FOR THE FALLEN.

Music by MICHAEL WHALEN, DAVID HELPLING & JON JENKINS, JON HOPKINS, CHARLES B. KIM, A WINGED VICTORY FOR THE SULLEN, and KEVIN BRAHENY FORTUNE.

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1244 'ESCAPE FROM PANDEMICA' : apr. 10-17

It's a scenario straight out of dystopian fiction: attacked by a killer microbe, disrupted by a changing climate, challenged by economic dysfunction and social inequity, locked down, isolated and afraid — inhabitants of a beleaguered planet leave earth and seek solace in virtual cosmic travel. Who can blame them?

On this transmission of Hearts of Space,we leave earthbound troubles behind for a moment and take a cosmic electronic journey, on a program called 'ESCAPE FROM PANDEMICA.' Music is by CSILLAGKÖD, RAMP w/MARK SHREEVE, STEVE ROACH, HAROLD BUDD, MULM, REMOTE VISION, JARGUNA, and PAUL SAUVANET.

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PGM 1243 'SEVEN DAYS WALKING' : mar. 20-27

Since the mid-1990's Italian composer and pianist LUDOVICO EINAUDI has quietly become the most ubiquitous contemporary classical artist in the world. His music has been heard on hundreds of soundtracks, advertisements, solo albums, and live concerts.

We've programmed his music on Hearts of Space since 2004, with a retrospective show in 2008. His music is often described as minimalist, meditative, and introspective. All true, but his style of minimalism is profoundly lyrical, emotional and sensitive, in the great humanistic tradition of European Romantic music.

In the winter of 2018, Einaudi began to compose music inspired by solitary walks in the Italian Alps, which ultimately became a seven-album box set of impressions, soundscapes, and variations. I'm STEPHEN HILL, and on this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, a selection of highlights from the set, on a program called SEVEN DAYS WALKING. Einaudi plays a Steinway nine foot concert grand piano, with FEDERICO MECOZZI on violin and viola, and REDI HASA on cello.

Ludovico Einaudi's musical journey in the Italian Alps: SEVEN DAYS WALKING — on this transmission...of Hearts of Space.

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PGM 1242 'ASTRAL TRAVELER 2' : mar. 6-13

In esoteric cosmology, a plane is a region of reality corresponding to a level of being. The concept is found in many religious and esoteric teachings extending back for thousands of years.

The concept of an "astral" plane dates from the Neo-Platonic era in the 3rd century AD, and is said to be occupied by the soul and spirit before birth and after death, as well as all consciousness. In an era where truth and science are under attack, it's hard to dismiss metaphysical ideas about the organization of reality. They provide an important framework for personal spiritual beliefs in an increasingly secular age.

Ambient and electronic musicians have long been drawn to these themes because of the ability of electronic instruments to create subtle vibrations and imaginary worlds of sound. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey in the subtle planes and celestial spheres, on a program called ASTRAL TRAVELER 2. Music is by JONN SERRIE, TELOMERE, CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, JIM OTTOWAY, IMMERSION THEORY, MEG BOWLES, JAJA, and DAVE LUXTON.

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PGM 1241 'SPACEJAZZ 8 : ATMOSPHERES feb. 28-mar. 6

Some of the most dynamic and exciting contemporary music is made by jazz musicians. They combine absolute mastery of traditional acoustic instruments with the unpredictable language of improvisation. But along with this powerful creative music, there's always been a slower, more contemplative side of jazz, which led to a much-loved repertoire of mellow, relaxed jazz with high musical standards. When combined with the spatial sensibility of contemporary ambient, we call it "spacejazz."

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, the space where jazz meets ambient—on a program called SPACEJAZZ 8: ATMOSPHERES. Music by SHAI MAESTRO, JAKOB BRO, GERHARD DAUM, TORD GUSTAVSEN TRIO, MARCIN WASILEWSKI TRIO, TIGRAN HAMASYAN, and EIVIND AARSET.

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