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review by Michael Woodhead Without doubt, low whistles and flutes have become some of the most popular and recognized instruments in New Age music, particularly in the Celtic and World genres. It has a very distinct sound, and blends well with many other instruments. On Tears of the Forest, Talbert St. Claire plays Overton and Chieftain low whistles fully on a variety of different pieces with a minimum of background accompaniment. As he says, "It's an album that blends together slow-airs along with the instrumentations of Eastern India, Native American, environmental elements, various synthesizers, Acoustic Guitars, Bass Guitars and various other effects." On this album, he presents his own unique style and creativity. You'll find that many of the tunes are slower than most low whistle pieces, usually heard on jigs and reels, because Talbert wanted to catch the emotional impact of many Celtic songs. "Many musicians tend to concentrate on the jigs and reels and avoid the slow airs, which is the heart and soul of Irish music." Although there are thirteen well-performed tunes presented on the album, I found that I couldn't listen to more than three or four at a time&emdash;not because I don't like the music or the instrument, but because of the rather melancholic nature and sound of it. The soulful, emotional, almost sorrowful aspect of the music certainly touches the inner man. "The May Morning Dew" is an improvisational piece based on a traditional tune that Talbert plays with Dave Dvorak. I'm always fascinated by improve music, the different nuances that result from such works, and this tune is a delightful rendition. It's interesting that when I heard "The Mystic Burren", I thought that it to be a very sad-sounding song. Imagine my surprise when I read later that Talbert thought the same thing. Another rather mournful piece is "The Fire in the Hearth" (complete with a crackling fire in the background). Here, I got the feeling that someone is sitting in front of the fireplace, staring into the flames, and thinking of a lost loved one. Many songwriters often write tunes for their lovers or wives; Talbert performed "Victoria's Air" for his wife, symbolically using two low whistles, one lighter and one deeper to represent courtship and the now-'seasoned' relationship. It has a very Japanese feel to it. All in all, Tears of the Forest is a very passionate, simple, but well-executed album. My Favourite: "Moon of Enchantment" CD Length: 75:03 minutes |
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