Dmae Roberts explores her own spiritual roots through a presentation of the Awakened Being of Great Compassion, the Bodhisattva Guan Shi Yin. Her moving theme: a daughter struggling to find a home in her multi-racial, multi-cultural background, particularly in terms of her mother's and grandmother's very different spiritualities. This theme speaks to many women and men in similar situations. Guan Yin's influence in Asia is so profound it parallels in many ways the cult of the Blessed Virgin in Roman Catholicism. Guan Yin has distinct resonance with Asian Buddhist women and Ms. Robert's haunting piece brings out the nuances with sensitivity and creativity. While avoiding a facile happy ending, she reaches instead an honesty that inspires hope in the listener: mothers and daughters can stay related through compassion and respect despite the gulf between East and West. This radio work includes story-telling, sound-effects and Chinese language used as aural spice. Suitable for any Asian-related cultural programming.
Comment for
"Art of the Song #6 with Cosy Sheridan" (deleted)
Review of Art of the Song with Cosy Sheridan (deleted)
A two-part review: 1) Art of the Song; 2) Cosy Sheridan's music.
1) Art of the Song kept my attention throughout. Nicely paced interview, lots of music from the performer, and two additional program units that analyze songs and songwriting.
Each part well done, they could stand alone as information and entertainment. Together, the package convinced me to listen to their other broadcasts.
2) Cosy Sheridan, the featured songwriter, deserves wider recognition; she is a 21st century bard, in that she brings topical issues forward and presents then in the context of ageless mythical insights and "true to the roots" folk tunes. Her musical sources include both Broadway and Joan Baez yet her songs chart out an intellectually keen and painfully humorous space all her own. She writes about womens' struggles with the lies of advertising and media pop the blisters so that healing can begin. I like listening to Cosy Sheridan.
Comment for
"Paul Winter Consort and the Sounds of Nature" (deleted)
Review of Paul Winter Consort and the Sounds of Nature (deleted)
Had I heard this first on the air instead of on PRX I would have gone searching for more information on Paul Winter and on this program.
Superb, mature reporting on Winter's magical intersection of music, nature and sound.
We've seen animals sing in Disney animation; Winter invites real animals into his consort and respectfully jams. Where Disney makes fish, birds and mammals faux humans, Winter shows the kinship in sound, the shared source of chanting, singing, and horns.
Matisyahu's talent would surface in any community; he's committed, he's gifted; his values are rooted in his heart. That he raps Hassidic content from a Reggae container makes him a standout.
This piece could inspire youth, immigrants, Hasidim, minorities, shy musicians, the religiously insecure, to greater confidence and courage.
We knew him when. You don't have to be Jewish...
I felt I lost touch with the narrator's guiding hand halfway through. A touch more structure would have enhanced the piece.
Merle Kessler makes you laugh at Unitarianism's blandness; at the same time he gently treads on the toes of extremists, in this case, Muslim extremists.
His zingers hit the mark, he's consistently inoffensive, but in the boiling-point climate of world-views at war, both internationally and domestically, he manages to tell the truth without wounding.
In the tradition of Mark Twain, Will Rogers, H.L. Mencken.
Comments by Rev. Heng Sure
Comment for "The Journey of Lady Buddha"
Rev. Heng Sure
Posted on January 02, 2005 at 07:58 PM | Permalink
Review of The Journey of Lady Buddha
Dmae Roberts explores her own spiritual roots through a presentation of the Awakened Being of Great Compassion, the Bodhisattva Guan Shi Yin. Her moving theme: a daughter struggling to find a home in her multi-racial, multi-cultural background, particularly in terms of her mother's and grandmother's very different spiritualities. This theme speaks to many women and men in similar situations. Guan Yin's influence in Asia is so profound it parallels in many ways the cult of the Blessed Virgin in Roman Catholicism. Guan Yin has distinct resonance with Asian Buddhist women and Ms. Robert's haunting piece brings out the nuances with sensitivity and creativity. While avoiding a facile happy ending, she reaches instead an honesty that inspires hope in the listener: mothers and daughters can stay related through compassion and respect despite the gulf between East and West. This radio work includes story-telling, sound-effects and Chinese language used as aural spice. Suitable for any Asian-related cultural programming.
Comment for "Art of the Song #6 with Cosy Sheridan" (deleted)
Rev. Heng Sure
Posted on December 04, 2004 at 10:55 AM
Review of Art of the Song with Cosy Sheridan (deleted)
A two-part review: 1) Art of the Song; 2) Cosy Sheridan's music.
1) Art of the Song kept my attention throughout. Nicely paced interview, lots of music from the performer, and two additional program units that analyze songs and songwriting.
Each part well done, they could stand alone as information and entertainment. Together, the package convinced me to listen to their other broadcasts.
2) Cosy Sheridan, the featured songwriter, deserves wider recognition; she is a 21st century bard, in that she brings topical issues forward and presents then in the context of ageless mythical insights and "true to the roots" folk tunes. Her musical sources include both Broadway and Joan Baez yet her songs chart out an intellectually keen and painfully humorous space all her own. She writes about womens' struggles with the lies of advertising and media pop the blisters so that healing can begin. I like listening to Cosy Sheridan.
Comment for "Paul Winter Consort and the Sounds of Nature" (deleted)
Rev. Heng Sure
Posted on December 03, 2004 at 05:16 PM
Review of Paul Winter Consort and the Sounds of Nature (deleted)
Had I heard this first on the air instead of on PRX I would have gone searching for more information on Paul Winter and on this program.
Superb, mature reporting on Winter's magical intersection of music, nature and sound.
We've seen animals sing in Disney animation; Winter invites real animals into his consort and respectfully jams. Where Disney makes fish, birds and mammals faux humans, Winter shows the kinship in sound, the shared source of chanting, singing, and horns.
This piece would be great in any season.
Comment for "Hassidic (yes, Hassidic) Reggae"
Rev. Heng Sure
Posted on December 02, 2004 at 08:52 PM | Permalink
Review of Hassidic (yes, Hassidic) Reggae
Matisyahu's talent would surface in any community; he's committed, he's gifted; his values are rooted in his heart. That he raps Hassidic content from a Reggae container makes him a standout.
This piece could inspire youth, immigrants, Hasidim, minorities, shy musicians, the religiously insecure, to greater confidence and courage.
We knew him when. You don't have to be Jewish...
I felt I lost touch with the narrator's guiding hand halfway through. A touch more structure would have enhanced the piece.
Comment for "Towards a bland Islam"
Rev. Heng Sure
Posted on December 02, 2004 at 09:56 AM | Permalink
Review of Towards a Bland Islam
Merle Kessler makes you laugh at Unitarianism's blandness; at the same time he gently treads on the toes of extremists, in this case, Muslim extremists.
His zingers hit the mark, he's consistently inoffensive, but in the boiling-point climate of world-views at war, both internationally and domestically, he manages to tell the truth without wounding.
In the tradition of Mark Twain, Will Rogers, H.L. Mencken.