Published on Sep 7, 2001
In four-and-a-half years of running this site, I think we’ve
come close to reviewing every genre of music, except for strict
classical (which will be changing soon) and opera. But nothing
prepared me a few months ago for a disc which arrived in the mail
from instrumentalist Gerald Jay Markoe.
It was inevitable, I guess. We’ve reviewed traditional music
from Nepal, filk music, Celtic music – we’re even getting world
music from countries I’ve never even heard of. (Memo to Duke: That
reminds me, I’ve got to put together a package for you.) But
Zen Meditations flipped me out. Imagine – a disc that not
only featured music to help you in trying to achieve oneness with
the cosmos, but it even came with instructions for basic
meditation. (In all fairness, I did practice meditation for a while
in college – it was a course called Basic Microeconomics. I went
into such a trance that the janitor had to peel me off the ceiling
with his broom. Man, even Jolt Cola couldn’t get me interested in
that snooze-a-thon… and I
still don’t know how I got an “A”.)
It’s bad enough that I know I’m alienating the metalheads who
came in to read the Emperor review today just by featuring this
disc. But I’m going to alienate everyone by this admission: I
actually
like this disc – to a point, that is. Okay, stop laughing,
and let me explain.
I am not into this whole-earth contemplate-your-navel cosmic
bullshit scene – never have been, never will be. Cripes, I can’t
even
see my navel. (I practiced existentialism for a while – that
is, until I decided the whole philosophy was absurd.) So, hopefully
Mr. Markoe will forgive me if I don’t exactly take on this disc in
the manner originally prescribed. (Not that I didn’t appreciate the
crystal he sent with the disc, though.) Fact is, putting a disc in
front of the average person and saying something about Zen
meditation will make them run from the room faster than the
audience during a melee at
The Source Hip-Hop Awards.
So, let’s instead take this disc on as a collection of world
music-based new-age tracks. That’s right… I said “new age”. Not
all of it is like Yanni. Turn down the lights, and clear your mind
of the preconceptions you may take into this disc. Now, take a deep
breath, press “play,” and close your eyes…
Ommmmm…ygod, I’m actually
liking this disc, you might say to yourself. In all truth,
Markoe takes the lessons he’s learned having practiced Zen
meditation for 40 years and creates a soundtrack that allows the
mind to relax. Admittedly, you have to have some liking for music
with a distinct Tibetian or Asian flavor, but if you accept the
music as it is,
Zen Meditations proves to be a disc which is quite
enjoyable.
Normally, when I say a disc could put me to sleep, I mean it as
an insult. But in the case of
Zen Meditations, I could honestly see myself playing this
disc in the background after having an absolutely rotten day at the
office (which I seem to have more and more of as I get older), and
allowing myself to pass into slumber with this as my soundtrack.
Just sitting in front of my computer listening to this disc the
first time, I actually felt better – tensions running out of my
body, mind slowing down from a day of solving problems… or at
least not making them worse. Markoe has, in fact, perpetuated the
concept of the
Environments records from some 25 years ago (especially with
the nature sounds scattered on this disc) and created a relaxation
piece that, for an hour, takes you away from the nonsense of the
day-to-day world and allows you to just be with yourself and your
innermost thoughts.
And, in a sense, isn’t that one of the whole purposes of Zen
meditation?
So why do I only like
Zen Meditations to a point? By the time you get to the final
tracks on the disc, like “Enlightenment” and “Naturalness,” it does
feel like the concept is beginning to wear a little thin.
(Admittedly, even these tracks have their moments.) Still, not a
major point.
So, there you have it: a review of
Zen Meditations pretty much free from the cheap-shots one
might have expected me to take. This disc probably isn’t for
everyone – but it probably should be. This is a surprisingly
wonderful selection – and proof positive that some of the best CDs
aren’t found in the weekly Best Buy circular. Pick this disc up,
take a chance on Markoe and his music. I mean, what do you have to
lose, besides your life’s stresses for an hour?