CD: Spiritual Rhythms by John Richardson

By Vernon Marshall View Profile
John Richardson is a master of the evocation of an earlier spiritual culture. I did wonder how he could improve on his Spirit of the Redman, as masterly a recreation of Native American rhythms as ever there has been recorded. He does, however, continue to surprise and delight. His great skill is with percussion and on this CD there is a variety of percussion techniques and instruments. More than this, though, he has weaved into his love of the drums, a sympathetic use of the human voice, together with other instruments. The electric guitar sounds so appropriate and sensitive here. There are six tracks on a disc that lasts just over an hour. The major track, Spiritual Rhythms, that bears the same name as the CD itself, is a masterpiece. It is a piece that the hearer could enjoy hearing on and on. I did not want it to end. There used to be a time when alternative music like this all sounded the same. Not any more, thanks to CDs like this. If you liked Spirit of the Redman, or any other of Richardson’s works, you will like this one also.