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PGM 1172R 'THE TRANSCENDENT PIANO' : sept.30-oct.7

With its bell-like high notes, rich bass tones, subtle touch dynamics, and endless chordal, melodic and rhythmic possibilities—the piano is indispensable for many genres of contemporary music. In the history of the national Hearts of Space program, we've done more than 50 shows focused on the piano. The guitar may be the world's most popular instrument, but for range, versatility and personal expression, the piano takes the prize.

When played with sensitivity and imagination, the acoustic piano alone is capable of taking us into rarified spaces. Today in Europe, a new generation of classically trained, technically creative and musically talented Ambient musicians are exploring minimalist trance patterns, combining the piano with traditional chamber instruments, extending it with electronics, and transporting the instrument into new dimensions of contemplative sound experience.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, a program of recent discoveries called THE TRANSCENDENT PIANO. Music is by NILS FRAHM, MAX RICHTER, ANGUS MACRAE, DUSTIN O'HALLORAN, DMITRI STÖKL, KAI SCHUMACHER, STEN ERLAND HERMUNDSTAD, and BRUNO SANFILIPPO.

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PGM 1326 'RECESSION 3' : sept.23-30

As the sun sinks below the equator and into the southern hemisphere, what used to be an orderly transition from summer heat to autumn cool is now disrupted by extreme weather events. Seasonal changes have become more unpredictable, and we must learn to navigate the new reality of our intensified climate — droughts, heat waves, mega-fires, monsoons, floods, hurricanes, cyclones, and a new class of superstorms are all on the menu, bringing new challenges to a changing world.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a fond look back on those formerly gentle seasonal transitions, on a late summer/early autumn journey called RECESSION 3. Music is by DAVID HELPLING, ERIK WØLLO, MEG BOWLES, IAN BODDY, and STEVE ROACH.

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PGM 1325 'HANS ZIMMER's SCORE FOR DUNE' : sept. 16-23

Of all the great science fiction of the 20th century, FRANK HERBERT's 1965 novel "DUNE" has been perhaps the most enduring and successful, giving rise to five sequels by Herbert, nine additional novels, and a committed world-wide audience. It was prescient in its visions of future politics, religion, ecology, technology, and the power of women in society.

After two unsuccessful attempts to film the novel by directors ALLEJANDRO JODOROWSKY and DAVID LYNCH, and a Sci-Fi Channel mini-series, in 2017 a new film version was commissioned by Canadian director DENIS VILLENEUVE with music by HANS ZIMMER, which went on to win six Oscars.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we devote the entire program to HANS ZIMMER's magnificent score. Synthesizers, solo vocals and chorus, world-winds and percussion, newly invented instruments, and influences from North Africa and the Middle East, create a powerful organic-electronic world described by Zimmer as "retro-futuristic."

Hans Zimmer's academy award-winning score for DUNE...on this transmission...of Hearts of Space.

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PGM 1157R 'ENDLESS SUMMER' : sept.9-16

Summers...are famously long and hot, and in the superheated days of late summer, time seems to expand in front of us. And it's not just because it's the season for natural disasters — we're back to school and back to work, packing new activities into our schedules while memories of summer fun still linger in our minds. 

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, languid guitars, ethereal electronics and subtle rhythms for the season, on a program called ENDLESS SUMMER.

The title comes from a classic 1966 surfing documentary, but it's been repurposed hundreds of times. We'll do the same, from a concept and music research by guest producer DAVID J. EGAN. Music is by DIATONIS, MATTHEW STEWART, LEO ABRAHAMS, BJORN MEYER, TONY GERBER, EIVIND AARSET, HAMMOCK, and BYLA.

Laidback, expansive ambient guitars for the season: ENDLESS SUMMER...on this transmission...of Hearts of Space.

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PGM 1223R 'ELECTRONIC DIMENSIONS' : sept. 2-9

The transition from 'electric' to 'electronic' was one of the great technical achievements of the 20th century. Electronic engineering emerged out of the telephone, radio, film and television industries, and military communication and weapon systems during World War II. The earliest devices for creating electronic music actually date from the end of the 19th century. By the 1920s and 30s we had compact, playable electronic instruments like the Russian Theremin, the French Ondes Martenot, and the German Trautonium. 

Development of recording technology led to experimentation with record players and tape recorders to manipulate sound and create new kinds of music. Electronic music expanded exponentially in the 1960s and 70s with the arrival of practical electronic synthesizers, fueling an era of explosive creativity. Today electronic music extends from mainstream dance music to experimental noise, with literally thousands of sub-genres, and an unlimited palette of sounds and creative possibilities. 

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a journey in the infinite tone-worlds of electronic space, on a program called ELECTRONIC DIMENSIONS. 

Music is by FOURTH DIMENSION, BLUETECH, ESKOSTATIC, BETWEEN INTERVAL, SCOTT LAWLOR, and ALPHA WAVE MOVEMENT.

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PGM 983R 'SUMMERTRONICA 5' : aug. 26-sept. 2

Does a season have a sound? ANTONIO VIVALDI obviously thought so, and THE FOUR SEASONS remains one of the most popular classical pieces of all times. So did electronic music pioneer WENDY CARLOS, who created SONIC SEASONINGS, the first album of synthesized environmental sounds, all the way back in 1972.

What's the sound of summer for the ambient musicians of today?  Well first, it's warmer: languid, even sultry; it's lighter, more airy. From heat waves to gossamer breezes, cooling ocean sprays to the nighttime cricket chorus, in summer — save the occasional thunderstorm, tornado or hurricane — we inhabit a kinder, gentler soundscape.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we round up a flock of warm weather electrons and fly the blue skies of summer...on a program called SUMMERTRONICA 5. Music is by DAN POUND, GENERAL FUZZ, MARCONI UNION, ISHQ, S7VEN, and BVDUB.

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PGM 1324 'WEST AFRICAN SPIRITS' : aug. 19-26

For the almost 40 years we've been producing Hearts of Space, our mission has been to bring you "Ambient, Space, and Contemplative music from around the world and across the centuries."

We've done it in dozens of countries and musical genres. Yet despite its rich and influential musical culture, we've only managed to create a handful of programs of the music of Africa. And within Africa, the music of West Africa and its signature instrument, the 22-string harp/lute called the kora—stands out for its melodic beauty and charm.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space from guest producer DAVID J. EGAN, we focus on the gentle joy of West African music and the kora, on a program called 'WEST AFRICAN SPIRITS.' Music is by RODERICK McLEOD & VINOD PRASANNA, AYUB OGADA, SONA JOBARTEH, STEPHAN MICUS, SEBATIERRA, ABLAYE CISSOKO & VOLKER GOETZE, and DEREK GRIPPER.

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PGM 1072R 'HYPNOTRONIC' : aug. 12-19

Back in the late 18th and early 19th century, a German doctor named FRANZ MESMER had a far out theory about energy transference between animate and inanimate objects. He called it "animal magnetism."

A Scottish doctor named JAMES BAIRD developed the idea and called it "nervous sleep" or "neuro-hypnotism," and later just "hypnosis." The word comes from the Greek hypnos for "sleep" and osis "to put to sleep."

These days, thanks to the American Psychological Association, we have a formal definition of hypnosis as "a state of consciousness created by 'hypnotic induction' and characterized by relaxation, focused attention and increased suggestibility, with alterations in perception, sensation, emotion, thought or behavior." Others define it as psychological regression, dissociation, or an altered state of functioning.

However you define it, hypnosis has a lot in common with ambient music, which also creates a relaxed state with focused attention. Whether it causes increased suggestibility and altered perception...well, that's up to you.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, electronic music for mental alteration, on a program called HYPNOTRONIC. Music is by ORCHESTRA SOLITAIRE, CHRONOTOPE PROJECT, THIERRY DAVID, HOWARD GIVENS & CRAIG PADILLA, A PRODUCE, PHILLIP WILKERSON, STEVE ROACH, and VIC HENNEGAN.

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PGM 1323 'TRIBAL AMBIENT REVISITED' : aug. 5-12

The timeless sound of prehistoric hand drums, brought to the present with space-defining ambient electronics. In the 1980s, elements of ancient indigenous music were embraced by electronic musicians searching for an earthy, vital sound to balance the dematerialized tones of electronic instruments, ground the atmospheric soundscapes of ambient, and gain the power of ritual experience.  

The genre was originally termed “Techno-Tribal,” but as the Techno label became associated with electronic dance music, it was renamed “Tribal Ambient.” Today, the period of discovery is long over, but a core group of electro-acoustic artists with a taste for psychedelic experience and a talent for rhythm, continue to refine the sound and release new albums.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, another report from the creative intersection of tribal rhythms and ambient electronics, on a program called TRIBAL AMBIENT REVISITED. Music is by BYRON METCALF, FRORE & SHANE MORRIS, STEVE ROACH & MICHAEL STEARNS, SERENA GABRIEL, BIFF JOHNSON, and REMANENCE.

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PGM 1322 'PHRYGIAN PHANTOMS' : july 29-aug. 5

In traditional music, a mode is a set of notes or tones that go together to create a distinctive, culturally valued ethos or character.

Modes go back to ancient Greece, and have been redefined over the centuries. In Greece the 5th harmonic minor mode was originally called the Dorian or Aeolian mode, and later the Phrygian mode, inspired by the passionate people of the kingdom of Phrygia in the wild Anatolian mountains of modern day Turkey. It was part of the modal music system of the Medieval Catholic church; and in the folk and classical music of Spain, the Phrygian dominant mode is known as the “Spanish gypsy scale,” because it’s found in Flamenco, and the hypnotic Berber rhythms of North Africa.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, we return to the distinctive sound of the Phrygian mode as it echoes down the centuries to the contemporary Spanish-Moorish soundscape, on a program called 'PHRYGIAN PHANTOMS.' Music is by guitarists MILOŠ, OTTMAR LIEBERT, ADAM HURST, BENEDETTI & SVOBODA, JOSÉ LUIS MONTÓN, and the fusion group AL-ANDALUS.  

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PGM 1080R 'CEREMONY' : july 22-29

The subtle, melodic rhythms of the PANArt "hang" — arguably the first new musical instrument of the 21st century. It's a descendant of the steel pan drum, the product of Swiss craftsmanship and perfectionism. And in the hands of a musician with the right sensibility, it's a vehicle for innerspace travel.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, summer spacemusic for the hang and some of its siblings in the resonant percussion family, on a program called "CEREMONY." Music is by JAMES HOOD, LAURA INSERRA & DARREN GIBBS, CHRISTOPHER OF THE WOLVES, TRYSHE DHEVNEY, and RAVID GOLDSCHMIDT.

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PGM 1151R 'SUMMER VISIONS' : july15-22

Summer...invites us to relax, take a break from work, and have a bit of fun. I know, it's hard to tune out the noise of our contentious politics these days, but even the most ardent partisans need to rest and recharge for the battles ahead. So in summer we travel, we explore, we play, we dance, we celebrate with family and friends.

The music of summer is lighter, happier, more active. And for some ambient composers, it's an opportunity to envision a better world by creating idealized sonic environments. On this transmission of Hearts of Space, ambient atmospheres for the perfect summer, on a program called SUMMER VISIONS.

Music is by AMBIENTALISM, PETER CALANDRA, EDAMAME, PETE KUZMA, TAKASHI SUZUKI, ASHANEEN, ISHQ, and IASOS.

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PGM 1084R 'TRANCE PLANET' : july 8-15

It doesn't take much: a quiet drone, soft skin drums, and hand claps in this case — but it opens up an immersive perceptual world that's encoded in the word "trance."

Trance music has a surprisingly long provenance, stretching back from the electronic beats of today to the mists of prehistory. Whether fueled by psychoactive substances, ecstatic group experiences, or just applied boredom, the world of trance music has proven both durable and adaptable. There's acid trance, epic trance, euro-trance, tech and progressive trance, vocal trance, and dream trance — just to mention the electronic dance variations.

From the traditional acoustic drumming of North Africa/ to the relentless pounding of 140 beats per minute on the electronic dance floor, repetition and the power of extended, slowly changing rhythms are the foundation. Add infinite feedback guitar and Ambient electronics, and you have a sonic vehicle for travel to exotic virtual spaces.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an ethno-tronic journey on psycho-active trance rhythms, on a program called TRANCE PLANET. If the name sounds familiar, it was used in the 1990s for a series of World Music compilations on the late Triloka Records label.

Music is by TIM GERWING, FRORE & SHANE MORRIS, MICHEL BANABILA, ROBERT RICH, JON HASSELL, MA JA LE & VIR UNIS, and STILLPOINT.

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PGM 1321 'VANGELIS 2' : july 2-9

We continue our tribute and retrospective for the singular recording artist and film composer VANGELIS, who joined the immortals in May 2022 at age 79.

EVANGELOS ODYSSEAS PAPATHANASSIOU was born in Greece in 1943. He showed a natural early talent for music and was entirely self-taught. In his 20s he was the keyboard player in the hugely successful Greek progressive rock band APHRODITE’S CHILD, but he chose to abandon a conventional pop music career and began working as a film composer in Greece.

In the early 1970s he moved to Paris, where he worked with French film director FREDERIC ROSSIF creating lush electronic scores for animal documentaries. They became so popular they helped establish him as a solo recording artist. In 1975 he relocated to London in and built Nemo Studios, where he created his Academy Award-winning electronic score for CHARIOTS OF FIRE, and classic scores for BLADE RUNNER, MISSING, ANTARCTICA, THE BOUNTY, 1492: CONQUEST OF PARADISE, ALEXANDER, the 1980 PBS documentary series COSMOS, and many others.

His gift for opulent melodies and a retrogressive style based on 19th century Romantic classicism was balanced by his early embrace of the tools and techniques of electronic music—a highly effective combination of old and new.

Vangelis never learned to read or write music, but he and his engineers pioneered a virtuoso working method and technical setup that allowed him to compose, play, and record simultaneously, often in one “take.”  On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, we celebrate the second half of his stellar career, on a program called VANGELIS Part 2.

=    We'll feature music from his solo albums SPIRAL, OCEANIC, NOCTURNE, JUNO TO JUPITER, and ROSETTA;
=    and film scores for OPERA SAUVAGE, 1492 CONQUEST OF PARADISE, and BLADE RUNNER.

It’s Part 2 of our posthumous retrospective of VANGELIS, on this transmission…of Hearts of Space.

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PGM 432R 'VANGELIS' : june 24 - july 1

"Out of the chaos of noise," he says with typical modesty, "I function as a channel through which music emerges."

SO POWERFUL is this gentleman's music, that his name on a film soundtrack has marquee value equal to the director or the actors;
SO INFLUENTIAL is his sound that an entire generation of film and television composers have been affected by his style;
SO POPULAR is his music that his records leap musical boundaries and find their way into the collections of thousands of listeners to all categories of music;
SO EXTENSIVE is his talent, that after almost 30 years, he continues to fascinate record buyers, making both enormously commercial and deeply personal albums.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a tribute to Greek composer VANGELIS, who died in May at 79 after a brilliant career as a popular artist and film composer. 

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PGM 1320 'INDO-TRONICA 4' : june 17-24

When the definitive history of cross-cultural musical fusions and hybrids is written, there will be an honored place for the congruence of Indian classical and ambient-electronic music.

Of all the experiments that were attempted after electronic instruments matured to the point of viability in the mid 20th century, this combination was one of the earliest and most successful. Synthesizers expanded the role of microtones and drones in Indian music, while raga and tala—the traditional melodic and rhythm systems of Indian classical music—brought a welcome sophistication to electronic music. It's an area we've explored since the earliest days of this program.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, another journey where Indian classical meets ambient/trance, on a program called "INDO-TRONICA 4."

Music is by DAVID HELPLING with NIDHI BHATMULEY and BENJY WERTHEIMER, DAVID PARSONS, WOUTER KELLERMAN & DAVID ARKENSTONE, DJ CHEB I SABBAH, MYCHAEL DANNA, BEN LEINBACH & JAI UTTAL, and AL GROMER KHAN.

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PGM 942R 'CINEMOTION' : june 10-17

In the evolution of cinema, music has been a parallel language, evolving along with the visual and dramatic language of film.

In the beginning it was live accompaniment by piano, orchestra, and let's not forget The Mighty Wurlizter! Then came recorded sound, and film music flowered into dozens of subgenres, from conventional to experimental.

Whether it's a traditional score for orchestra, a vehicle for popular songs, a fusion of western and world music, a dark and twisted electronic journey, or a subtle ambient tone painting — music is there to create context, to energize, to express the internal feeling of the characters — and deepen our emotional connection to the story.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, an hour of choice ambient music for contemporary film, on a program called CINEMOTION. Music is by HANS ZIMMER, DAVID NEWMAN, GREG EDMONSON, LISA GERRARD, and RICHARD MARVIN.

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PGM 1319 'SPACETIME' : june 3-10

We can thank Albert Einstein's math teacher for the concept of this program. In 1908 Professor HERMANN MINKOWSKI presented an interpretation of Einstein's Theory of Special Relativity that unified time and the three dimensions of physical space, into a single four-dimensional continuum called "spacetime."

So physicists began with three-dimensional space, added the dimension of time, and came up with four-dimensional space. Ambient musicians have done just the opposite. All music exists in the dimension of time: ambient electronic music lives in time, and creates the impression of virtual space in us.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, a four-dimensional journey, on a program called SPACETIME. Music is by GLOBAL COMMUNICATION, LEMONGRASS, TIME TRAVELER, THE GREAT NORTHERN, BLUETECH, S7VEN, ALPHA WAVE MOVEMENT, and ALTUS.

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PGM 1318 'MINIMAL GROOVE 2' : may 27-june 3

It's a marriage that seems preordained: the appealingly simple, tonal repetitions of minimalism, and the ancient, irresistible kinetic energy of rhythmic grooves. A group of experimental, percussion-oriented composers in Europe and the U.S. have recognized the potential of this combination, and set out to create a genre.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...beguiling, time-warping rhythms meet ambient atmospheres, on a program called "MINIMAL GROOVE 2." 

Music is by THIERRY DAVID, NEN, DON LI, REPERCUSSION UNIT, LOOP 2.4.3, MICHAEL JON FINK, and HANG MASSIVE.

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PGM 1317 'TRANSONIC' : may 20-27

Acoustic versus electric: once upon a time it was an issue — infamously with Bob Dylan's plugged-in performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Electric won that round, at least for guitars and popular music. But by the mid 1970's acoustic was back, with the rise of Windham Hill Records and its purist approach to so-called "American Primitive" guitar and piano.

Many innovations have come and gone in the evolution of music since then. We still have purely acoustic folk, jazz, new age, and classical music, but without much fuss, electro-acoustic hybrids have become increasingly mainstream. Acoustic instruments provide a familiar, comforting, organic sound, and support musical expression; electronics expand the subtle dimensions of tone, imagery, and ethereality. Together they make a potent contemporary combination.

On this transmission of Hearts of Space, we explore the transition from acoustic to electro-acoustic, on a program called TRANSONIC. Music is by WILL ACKERMAN, JEFF OSTER, & TOM EATON, DAVID MICHAEL, WILL ACKERMAN solo, RYAN JUDD, TOM EATON solo, JEFF PEARCE, RUSSEL WALDER, and DAGOBERT BÖHM.

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PGM 1214R 'ANCESTRAL VOICES 2' : may 13-20

All most Americans know about Vietnam is that we fought a long and pointless war there in the 1960s and 70s. Today, if you live on the west coast, more likely than not there's a delicious Vietnamese restaurant in your community. But the ancient cultures, and the music of Southeast Asia and Vietnam in particular, is a mystery to most of us. 

A select group of Western composers and musicians have been drawn to these cultures, along with Southeast Asian musicians who've relocated to the West. They're creating a new fusion of traditional and contemporary music. 

On this transmission of Hearts of Space...subtle sounds from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Southeast Asia, on a program called ANCESTRAL VOICES 2. Music is by GRAYHAWK, LÊ TỰ CƯỜNG, PEETER VÄHI, RICHARD HOROWITZ, PHAN KIM THÀNH, VANESSA VÕ, LÊ TUẤN HÙNG & ĐẶNG KIM HIỀN, TRÍ NGUYỄN & THE ILIOS QUARTET.

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PGM 651R 'KLAUS SCHULZE: CONTEMPORARY WORKS' : may 6-13

It's been more than 30 years since the German genius for music and technology encountered psychoactive chemistry at the end of the 1960s. The rest, as they say, is history; but when that history is finally written, the name of one musician will dominate the tale.

KLAUS SCHULZE was there from the very beginning, starting as a drummer in a psychedelic rock group, then embracing electronics when the first synthesizers arrived in Germany. He was a member of both of the seminal German electronic groups — Ash Ra Tempel and Tangerine Dream, then headed off on his own — thereby inventing the identity of the solo electronic musician, working in his personal studio to create original music.

Perhaps more than any single composer, he developed a musical language for electronic spacemusic that's become so pervasive and influential, it's now part of the environment. And since the early 1970s, his music has been one of the foundations of the sound of this program.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, we bring our long love affair with the music of Klaus Schulze up to date on a program called KLAUS SCHULZE : CONTEMPORARY WORKS.

Long careers in popular music are rare; long and prolific careers are exceptional.  But the output of Klaus Schulze has been so extraordinary that even his most dedicated fans are often overwhelmed.  By 2001, his discography included 35 solo albums, some 36 collaborations, and a group of monumental retrospective box sets, ranging from 10 to 50 albums each.

The new millennium did not diminish his creativity. In 2000, he released a new 10 CD set called CONTEMPORARY WORKS I, and followed it up in 2002 with a 5 disc set called CONTEMPORARY WORKS II.  As you can see, the problem in bringing you Klaus Schulze is not one of supply, but rather, of selection, from an overflowing fountain of new music. 

All the music on this program is taken from CONTEMPORARY WORKS 1 and 2. The deep focus electronic images, the sense of flying, floating, and cruising majestically through space, the soulful tones of the cello, English horn, oboe, and guitar, the entrancing cyclic rhythms –– all combine to make this music a distinctive and satisfying experience. 

Klaus Schulze died on April 26, 2022, at the age of 74. No other artist has had such a profound influence on the sound of contemporary ambient, techno, and trance music.

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PGM 1316 'PLANETARY UNFOLDING' : apr.28-may 6

Popular electronic music was born out of the creative ferment of the 1960s. As a result, it took on some of the character of the cultures from which it emerged. In academic settings, it was dry, intellectual and experimental; in Germany, technical and mechanistic; in France, lush and romantic; in England, it was integrated into Progressive Rock; in the U.S. and Japan, it became part of the commercial record business, with electronic versions of classical works by Bach, Debussy, Satie and Pachelbel. While in California — as you might expect — it was embraced by grassroots psychedelic and spiritual subcultures creating music for a New Age.

In Los Angeles and San Francisco, sonic explorers like TERRY RILEY, MICHAEL STEARNS, STEVE ROACH, KEVIN BRAHENY, IASOS, and DON ROBERTSON discovered the power of electronic music to take listeners on virtual journeys across time and space. Soon, an international cohort of electronic musicians—aided by drugs and new instruments—began to create an informal genre of electronic "spacemusic."

A young rock guitarist from Tucson, Arizona named MICHAEL STEARNS became fascinated with electronic music and moved to Los Angeles in 1975 to be part of the emerging scene. He learned to program synthesizers, started an independent record label, and began releasing his own music in 1977.

In 1981 he produced a classic of California electronic journey music called PLANETARY UNFOLDING. Long out of print, it was remastered and re-released by Projekt Records in 2022. Combining early analog synthesizers with natural ambient sounds, ethereal chorales, and powerful electronic effects, it's a profound journey across time and space.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE, we feature PLANETARY UNFOLDING in two continuous "sides" (remember sides?) with an interlude by MICHAEL STEARNS from THE SOFT TOUCH OF MORNING LIGHT, and complete the hour with additional music by MICHAEL STEARNS from WITHIN: THE NINE DIMENSIONS.

MICHAEL STEARNS' PLANETARY UNFOLDING...on this transmission...of Hearts of Space.

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PGM 1315 'ECSTATIC RHYTHMS 2' : april 22-29

The Turkish-born, Montreal-based musician MERÇAN DEDE has long been a mainstay of our Middle Eastern ambient programs. In a world of hyper-conservative Islam that bans music entirely in some countries, Merçan Dede is a member of the diaspora of Middle Eastern artists who've reluctantly abandoned their homelands in search of personal and creative freedom.

Deeply influenced by the spirituality of the mystical Islamic sect of Sufism, his fusion of traditional acoustic sounds of the Middle East — the ney, the kanoun, the saz, and the oud (plus the Western violin) — with rhapsodic vocals and electronic soundscapes powered by the infectious rhythms of the darbuka hand drum — has brought him many awards, appearances at major world music festivals, film scoring work, and collaborations with other important artists.

On this transmission of HEARTS of SPACE — the microtonal melodies, trance-inducing rhythms, and electronic ambience of Middle Eastern music you can trance to...on a program called ECSTATIC RHYTHMS 2. We feature MERÇAN DEDE, plus Persian-fusion from ZIKR PROJECT, LOGA RAMIN TORKIAN and MAMAK KHADEM.

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PGM 1107R 'AN EASTER CELEBRATION' : april 15-22

THIS WEEK Christians around the world observe the Easter holiday, remembering the epic story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. The powerful themes of death and rebirth, and the related celebrations of Holy Week, give the event a depth and majesty that mark it as the most important Christian festival of the year.

As you'd expect, Easter has inspired some of the most sublime and exalted music of the Christian tradition. On this transmission of Hearts of Space from guest producer ELLEN HOLMES, choral and instrumental classics from across nine centuries of Christian sacred music, on a program called "AN EASTER CELEBRATION."

Music is by WILLIAM BYRD, HILDEGARD VON BINGEN, RIHARDS DUBRA, PATRICK HAWES, GABRIEL FAURE, OLA GJEILO, MANUEL CARDOSO, ANTOINE BRUMEL, JOHN JENKINS, HEINRICH SCHUTZ, J.S. BACH, LISA GERRARD & PATRICK CASSIDY, ARVO PART, and EDWARD ELGAR.

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