phenomeNEWS - This Month's Music Review

This Month's Music Review
by Greg Ozimek

Robert Plant the screeching, wailing lead vocal for the Heavy Metal band Led Zeppelin (1968-1980) spoke with Terry Grosse of National Public Radio (NPR) station WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, in August of 2007.

Plant, who prepares for a concert, now as he did then, by having, as he said, “A couple of hot cups of coffee, tea, keep quiet, don’t talk to anybody, sit in the dark for 5 minutes and go” (on stage). This technique, with no vocal warm up, was, he said, all about vocal dynamics – of easing into a song and an evening’s performance.

He strongly recommends everyone else sing gentle scales for half an hour to warm up and then have a rest laying down, however.

Grosse, who is always well prepared for her interviews and certainly knew she was, misquoted the lyrics to Stairway To Heaven which Plant wrote. Kindly, Plant was quick to jump in, correct and to give his interpretation. The correct words:

“If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow
Don’t be alarmed now
It’s just a spring clean for the May Queen”

“Stairway To Heaven developed as a piece of music one evening between Jimmy (Page) and myself (it is about) that kind of tone, that idiom about returning to nature, to look for all the signs, to be aware of our environment... I thought it was an appropriate idiom to move into because of the majesty of the chord movement.”

His favorite renditions of Stairway was by Roger and The Goose Bumps and also the version Hairway To Steven by Deck Chairs Overboard, an Australian punk band

Grosse’s book All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists was published by Hyperion in 2004.

Now, for something completely different. From Hard Rock royalty to clear spiritual insight and sweet expression.

Norma Gentile is the sound shaman extraordinaire and her rich soprano voice is The Voice of Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), as she communicates in sublime ways the nuances of Hildegard’s devotional experiences.

Hildegard of Bingen was an artist, author, counselor, dramatist, linguist, naturalist, philosopher, physician, poet, political consultant, prophet, visionary and a composer of music. She is the first composer for whom a biography exists and one of her works, the Ordo Virtutem is one of the first known liturgical dramas.

To our great fortune Norma is now on iTunes which means we are able to update our iPods with Norma’s music. We can purchase the tracks of her CD albums, but even more enticing is that Norma has given us a taste (actually more like a smorgasbord) of her other endeavors – her special healing sessions, for free – and they are a treat! Go into iTunes and search for Norma Gentile. Of course, Norma is on the Web at www.healingchants.com

Norma has a new CD, Songs of Spirit with Tibetan Singing Bowls, Schruit Box, Guitar, Tibetan Flute and voice.

Songs of Spirit is largely based on the music, works and life of Hildegard of Bingen. The music is healing, gentle and helps energies in a space (home, office, land, etc.) release and supports you and your endeavors.

After many years of deep meditation and immersion in the silence, Songs of Spirit is exactly the kind of sound-form you would welcome and want to allow yourself to be immersed in, to fill your soul and bound out of yourself in powerful and sublime waves of expressive intent. This is the good stuff. We have Norma to thank for dedicating her life to her voice, study of Hildegard and much more than this body of work.

Quite possibly, Norma Gentile re-creates the whole environment, both subtle and obvious, that would bring stillness and a deep smile to the face of Hildegard herself.
Bravo! Norma Gentile.