Visionary new age music for nourishing and rejuvenating body, mind and spirit
Visionary new age music for nourishing and rejuvenating body, mind and spirit
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Echoes of Love by Omar Akram CDs and digital downloads available for purchase at:
The music of Omar Akram is a marriage of passion and grace, of adventure and relaxation, of beauty and raw earthiness.” —Music Design
Recently wed Omar Akram unfolds a true love story with his latest recording. Sultry rhythms, soft caresses and the fire of new romance reflect love’s many shades, as exquisite piano, violin, guitars and world percussion set the mood.
| 1. Echoes of Love 4:46 |
| 2. Take My Hand 4:53 |
| 3. Lovely Day 4:44 |
| 4. Miracle 4:11 |
| 5. Finally Home 4:15 |
| 6. Draw Me Close 3:48 |
| 7. Free Spirit 3:43 |
| 8. My Hope Is You 3:33 |
| 9. Rejoice 2:42 |
| 10. Cry For Love 4:41 |
| 11. Open Skies 4:56 |
| 12. Merry 2:37 |
The back cover of Omar Akram’s Echoes of Love notes that the pianist was recently married and that the album “unfolds [as] a true love story,” which is evident after only a few tracks. The CD features a melting pot of instrumentalists on keyboards, guitars, bass, drums, violin, flutes, percussion, and tabla. By turns soft and gentle or sassy and vibrant, the music is suffused with romance and liberal doses of global influences, especially Mediterranean. Love is, after all, the universal language … or is that music? Echoes of Love is a sure winner and would make a great Valentine’s Day gift, so display it with merchandise aligned with that “day for lovers.”
Omar’s last two releases have been nothing short of impeccable that to expect our listening pleasures to be quenched a third time would be really pushing the expectation boundaries. Well, it appears that during the last three years Omar has propelled himself into the upper stratosphere of high creativity continuing to finalize his very unique musical voice. His effortlessly musical saga continues to integrate World Themes seamlessly with elements of Smooth Jazz and commercial New Age nuances that made the genre a success to begin with. Needless to say Echoes of Love is a lush and vivid album that is without a doubt Omar’s most complete album to date.
The vast majority of the album is soaked in exotic ethnic instrumentation courtesy of Brian Kilogore as well as the Indian bongos called the Tabla courtesy of Melad Youssofi. Add Charlie Bisharat’s violin, Mark Hollingsworth’s flute as well as the gentle guitar work of Ramon Stagnaro then you have a true band to work with. Drench it in the songwriting and performance of Akram and producer/performer Gregg Karukas then you have all the ingredients of a slow low heat that ferments into a sweet intoxicating exotic musical escapade of romanticism.
The music is largely at a mid-tempo pace with no super stellar standouts like the prior album’s “Run Away With Me.” However there is absolutely no dip in quality throughout the entire album. Not one single second of the forty nine minutes is misused with every song hitting all of its cues that every distinct note appears to be perfectly placed. In fact the album’s closest musical cousin to the aforementioned comes courtesy of the lively and accessible “Free Spirit” which focuses on Akram’s piano that also flirts with Bisharat’s violin and Stagnaro’s smooth guitar. It is bookended by probably the album’s two mellowest compositions. On the front end there is the slow simmer of “Draw Me Close” while on the backend of “Free Spirit” you will find one the album’s more reflective moments found in the simple but elegant “My Hope Is You.” Here Akram’s graceful piano work with Bisharat’s more conservative violin performance makes for a match in musical heaven.
Closing out with the totally stripped down piano performance found on “Merry,” Echoes of Love through its entire 49 minutes never lets you down as a listener. Simply put, Omar Akram has now made three albums in a row that are immaculate. It is performance but never calculated, but by the contrary sensationally inspiring.
[On Akram's latest release] he really embraces world jazz as part of his sound. Landing somewhere in a gulf that fuses flamenco with middle eastern with amorphous world jazz, Akram serves up a winning combination that makes great adult alternative listening. Light years away from his early new agey roots, this is full bodied music that’ll stand on its own legs away from the yoga mats. Irresistible stuff that never lets you down.
This is one CD that I could put in my player on continuous play!
It’s been five years since Omar Akram’s last album, Secret Journey, and ten years since his debut, Opal Fire, was released under his first name only (as was Free As a Bird in 2004). One of the more colorful and impassioned artists on the Real Music label, Omar has reemerged a bit mellower and more relaxed as a new husband and soon-to-be first-time father. His world music vision is still a very big part of this album, but there is a much more romantic feeling to this release than some of the high-energy tracks on previous albums. That’s not a complaint by any means — it just shows an evolution and where Omar is with his music at this stage in his life. Most of the twelve pieces were co-composed with Gregg Karukas, who also plays keyboards, piano, drum, bass, and percussion programming as well as producing, arranging, mixing, and engineering the album. Akram performs on acoustic piano, also backed by Charlie Bisharat on violin (always a treat for the ears!), Ramon Stagnaro on guitar and bass, and other exceptional musicians. Echoes of Love opens with the title track, a warm and inviting piece with a gentle rhythm spiced with just a touch of mystery. I love “Take My Hand,” a tender love song that overflows with the sweetness and optimism of new love. It begins with just the piano, adding violin and guitar as well a subtle percussion as the piece evolves. “Lovely Day” takes on a more Middle Eastern flavor with sampled vocals and stronger rhythms as well more exotic instrumentation. Akram titled his song, “Miracle,” the day he learned he’d soon be a father. Piano, violin, flute, and hand percussion create a mood full of wonder and a quiet kind of joy - another favorite. “Finally Home” has more of the fiery dynamics and intensity we’ve come to expect from Akram, and Bisharat and Stagnaro are the perfect partners to send the spirit soaring (with a big happy grin). “Free Spirit” could be the most radio-friendly track on the album. The catchy rhythm and hummable melody make for an intoxicating mix. “Cry For Love” is a gorgeous slow-dance ballad — graceful and poignant. Is there a more expressive violinist than Charlie Bisharat anywhere? I think not! “Open Skies” picks up the tempo bit with a cinematic expression of freedom and vast open space. Composed by Gregg Karukas, it has a little different feel that works beautifully. The last track, simply titled “Merry,” is Akram’s first recorded piano solo, and is a lovely tribute to his bride. Longtime fans of Omar Akram’s music will not be disappointed with Echoes of Love and if you are new to his music, check this one out! It is available wherever Real Music releases are sold, including Amazon and iTunes. Recommended!
The diversity of efforts that are presented on Echoes of Love are substantial. Each track provides listeners with a different side of Akram. This transforms Echoes of Love into a title that is tremendously personal while still standing on its own as a solid musical composition. The titular track on Echoes of Love is five minutes of expansive compositions that twist and subtly turn into something tremendously different at the effort’s end. This track flows nicely into “Take My Hand.” There is a warmth — almost heartbeat like in feel — that touches upon all points of the track. Akram’s skill on Echoes of Love is that he creates in music what individuals feel in love. “Draw Me Close” is the track that is needed for the middle of Echoes of Love. Where many artists begin to wind down at the half-way mark, I feel that Akram is able to renew himself with this track. The track marks a shift to shorter tracks; these more poignant efforts (“Draw Me Close,” “Free Spirit,” “My Hope Is You,” and “Rejoice”) keep a listener firmly focused on the disc. “Rejoice” ends at the two and three-fourths minutes mark; this pointed close allows Akram to move towards a wide-open ending to Echoes of Love. Make it a point to pick up Akram’s Echoes of Love from your local well-stocked music store or from the Real Music store directly. This is an unqualified hit in terms of overall quality and Akram’s ability to place himself onto the title. Here’s to hoping that Akram can ride the success of Echoes of Love and can follow up in a short while with a similarly strong disc. Top Tracks: “Echoes of Love”, “My Hope Is You”. Rating: 8.7 out of 10
The music of Omar Akram is a marriage of passion and grace, of adventure and relaxation, of beauty and raw earthiness. He crafts soundscapes that capture the peaceful nature of relaxing in the backyard on a lazy afternoon. Yet, within those compositions is the spark of a daydream; a fantasy of traveling along the Mediterranean coast, exploring its towns and countryside treasures. With this new album for Real Music, newlywed Akram contemplates the nature of love with a collection of twelve songs set in his characteristic style. Piano and strings join with Spanish guitar, while rumba-tinged rhythms and lush new age textures create a sound that is pleasant and exotic. Guest musicians include Charlie Bisharat on violin, Gregg Karukas on keyboards and Brian Kilgore on ethnic percussion. The kiss of romance burns bright in each of the songs, with their tender melodies and clear warmth. Listeners with a love for grand instrumental music will certainly enjoy this release.
Again Omar brings his multicultural upbringing to bear on this new recording. That mixed with the love he has found in his romantic life and recent marriage, the passion moves from slow, gentle piano to upbeat Cuban, Brazilian and Samba rhythms. As the son of an ambassador his upbringing brought him to many exotic cultures where he embraced and studied the music. Romantic and exotic, this enchanting recording is a universal expression of love.