|
Journalism
For over 20 years, Michael Diamond has written monthly columns covering music, media, and the arts in nationally published magazines. In that time he has written about a wide variety of artists including pop, rock, and world musicians such as Sting, Michael Jackson, the Moody Blues, Carlos Santana, Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart, Third World, and more. He is best know for his reviews of New Age music with artists such as Enya, Steven Halpern, Paul Winter, Yanni, Jean Michel Jarre, Kitaro, Brian Eno, and many others. He has also written editorials on topics such as world peace and the effects of violence in the media. Included here is a small sample of his writing.
|
|
|
RAVI SHANKAR PROFILE
Body Mind Spirit Magazine
After an exclusive interview with Ravi Shankar, Michael Diamond wrote this article on his life, his music, and his special relationship with George Harrison:
Silence... as the dark embrace of night yields to the pre-dawn blush of the morning sun.
Silence... except for the gentle lapping of the water against the hull of the houseboat. Piercing the veils of sleep, a sound, deeply mystical and achingly beautiful, weaves it's way into the receding dreams of the students who are beginning to awaken to continue their studies with the great master. The sound of Ravi Shankar tuning his instrument reminded the young disciples how fortunate they were to be in the presence of such a gifted soul. The year was 1966 and a young George Harrison, on sabbatical from the Beatles reminisces: "we lived on a houseboat in the lake, just Ravi's advanced students, himself, and me. They'd wake us up before the sun and give us tea and biscuits, and you'd see boats go by pulling these floating gardens, and next door, I'd hear Ravi doing morning practice with the sitar. It was a very privileged position to be in, just to hear him."
Now over thirty years later, Harrison, no doubt, shares some of the same feelings. Although he is still a student of the master, his relationship has evolved into that of a colleague and close personal friend. Ravi Shankar's new album "Chants Of India:" - which Harrison played on and produced has just been released. A remarkable achievement for a man of 77 who has suffered two heart attacks. But then again, remarkable achievements have been the keynote for Shankar's momentous career. Having received such accolades as being called "the single most recognizable world music artist", "an icon of world music", "a model musical ambassador", and "the Godfather of world music"... Shankar manages to maintain a sense of perspective and humility: "I always feel I can do more. I am never satisfied. I think whatever I do is not enough. Mastery is one word I never use".
| click here to return to top of the page |
|
| |
|
|
JON ANDERSON PROFILE
Body Mind Spirit Magazine
Lead singer for the rock group Yes, who also collaborated with Kitaro
and "Chariots Of Fire" composer Vangelis is interviewed and profiled
by Michael Diamond.
Magic, fantasy, and wonder are but a few of the words that come to mind in reflecting on the music of Jon Anderson. Over the past three decades, he has spun many wondrous musical tales in his role as lead vocalist for the progressive rock group Yes, that shared the same lofty musical atmosphere as groups like Genesis, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Pink Floyd, and the Moody Blues. Anderson has also been prolific as a solo artist and collaborator, producing albums with other spiritually minded artists like Kitaro and Vangelis. Not one to rest on his past achievements, he has recently been busy working on a new Yes album, as well as a solo album entitled "Toltec", based on the teachings of Carlos Casteneda.
Themes of spirituality have been woven through the tapestry of Anderson's music since the beginning of his career. He has also put his principles into action as an activist for the planet and its indigenous peoples. In his own words: "I am excited to be part of something which I see as providing a stimulus for people to experience music as a healing art. It's up to us to create alternatives that will allow them to experience optimism and to realize their dreams." He sees all life as "revolving around a spiritual energy that infuses everything. The best way to access this energy is to do what you love the most." Luckily for us, the thing Anderson loves to do the most is to make the music that has inspired many to a vision of a better world.
| click here to return to top of the page |
|
|
|
|
PORTRAIT OF A DREAM WEAVER:
A Profile of Suzanne Ciani (exerpt)
Body Mind Spirit Magazine
The career of recording artist Suzanne Ciani is featured in an exclusive interview with Michael Diamond at her San Francisco Bay studio.
Looking up from her array of synthesizers and digital recording equipment, Suzanne Ciani pauses to watch the waves caressing the northern California coast far below her cliff-side abode. a large hawk glides silently by, while the horizon drinks the last drops of color from the golden purple sunset that fills the panoramic view from her studio windows. As the lights of San Francisco begin to twinkle in the gathering darkness across the water, it is easy to imagine that this breathtaking vista has been the inspiration for the seven albums of lush romantic music that Suzanne has produced in the past ten years. This, however, is not the case. As a relatively recent arrival in California, the last lights she saw twinkling from her studio window were those of New York City where she lived and worked for nineteen years, carving out a unique niche for herself in what is perhaps the music capitol of the world.
In the dawn of the electronic music era, when synthesizers were unwieldy beasts that bore more resemblance to telephone switchboards than to musical instruments, Suzanne was there learning and mastering the emerging technology. In a relatively short time, she went on to become one of the most well known sound designers in New York, doing innovative studio work for the likes of Columbia Pictures, Kodak, General Motors, United Airlines, and many of the world's largest companies. It was this aspect of her work that afforded her the financial and music industry resources to begin her career a solo recording artist.
Although her professional work at the time was highly commercial, her personal musical style was far from top-forty. Since that time, music that utilizes layers of synthesizers, sequencers, and drum machines has found mass acceptance as exemplified by popular artists like Yanni and Kitaro. While many musicians paint sonic masterpieces from a digital palette, few are able to coax such softness, sensitivity, and human feel out of their circuitry as Suzanne Ciani.
Sitting in Suzanne's studio, surrounded by the latest, state of the art equipment, it is interesting to note the juxtaposition of all this high-tech electronic gear and the decidedly acoustic oceanic scene that unfolds on the other side of the window a few feet away. Suzanne explains, "Most of my inspiration comes from nature. The sea has always been an inspiration for me. The rhythm and the motion of the waves, that to me is music." The concept of waves has always played an important part in her music, including the title of her first album "Seven Waves", and the name of her newly formed record label, "Seventh Wave."
From playing with many of the top studio musicians in the world, to being a guest on the David Letterman Show, to playing at the Olympics in Barcelona, Suzanne has certainly achieved a level of success that many musicians only dream of. But then, transposing dreams into reality has been the true magic of this gifted artist.
| click here to return to top of the page | |
|
|
|
|
VIDEO REVIEW (excerpt):
MOONSHADOWS
ENYA
New Frontier Magazine
Of all the artists associated with the New Age music genre, few have so captured the imagination of the public as the recording superstar Enya. With three captivatingly popular albums, and an increasing number of major film soundtracks, Enya has carved a niche for herself in contemporary music. The basis for her success is, of course, her totally original and distinctive sound, which defies classification. Upon receiving Enya's new music video "Moonshadows", I wondered what kind of visuals they could have used to fit the many moods of Enya's music. My questions were soon answered as a masterpiece of sight and sound unfolded before me.
The stormy atmosphere of "Exile" segued perfectly into the next selection entitled "Storms In Africa". Although the song is about storms, the "feel" of the song is more upbeat and offers an invigorating change from the preceding one. This is one of the most visually stunning of the lot, and shows Enya and two children singing, superimposed over a montage of African scenes including animals, a close-up of a flying eagle, drummers and dancers, and other powerful graphics.
The fourth presentation on this delightful video is titled "Evening Falls", and offers yet another stylistic departure. It is a haunting ballad about memories, and was shot in black & white sepia tone. The special effects employed gave a strange wavering feel to the video that, at times imparted an underwater ambience. This piece captured that misty ethereal quality that so many people find appealing in Enya's music.
The special effects used are state-of-the-art, and the overall look of "Moonshadows" is nothing short of breathtaking. This Enya video is a total trip, which I recommend to anyone, even those who may not normally be given to flights of fantasy.
| click here to return to top of the page | |
|
|
|
|
TV REVIEW/ EDITORIAL
SISKEL & EBERT SPECIAL PRESENTATION:
IS HOLLYWOOD SELLING WAR TO KIDS?
This is a magazine column, reviewing a TV show, about newspaper movie critics. How’s that for multi-media? Recently, Chicago film critics Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel presented a special show on their weekly “At The Movies” TV program. Entitled “Is Hollywood Selling War To Kids”? The show presented some hard facts and raised some serious questions for parents, as well as for all people of conscience. One of their contentions was that following the Viet Nam War, we had films like “The Deer Hunter”, and “Coming Home”, which showed the physical, emotional, and psychological ravages of war and questioned the “institution” of war in general. It was ok then to portray men as sensitive, vulnerable, and possessed of a range of normal human emotions. Now, here we are, scarcely more than a decade later, up to our bandoliers in Rambo-mania. The show cited “Rambo”, “Commando”, and “Invasion Force” as examples of movies that glorify war and sell the super-macho male image to impressionable young (and not so young) minds. They also reported on the marketing of related items such as toy grenade launchers for five year olds, exploding train sets, and the sickest of all... shrapnel bubble gum. But a main point they brought out was that behind the “entertainment” facade of films like this is a statement that war is not hell, war is glorious, and that slaughtering hundreds of “gooks” and “commies” with a machine gun is the essence of masculinity.
One of the most interesting parts of the program was when they showed a film collage of actual war footage interspersed with Hollywood war scenes. The contrast was dramatic and impactful. It took a lot of courage for these film critics to fly in the face of a huge mega-trend and call attention to such a timely issue. But this is real courage, not single-handedly taking on entire battalions of enemy soldiers in a fire fight. With the world in the throes of nuclear proliferation, do we really need more films that glorify war and create a consciousness of “us vs. them?” This is a time when it is most urgent that people come together, not separate further. Films have an almost God-like ability in our society to influence people’s perceptions. This gives filmmakers an awesome responsibility, one that is often abused. I was impressed recently by an interview with Steven Spielberg, who in speaking of his film “The Color Purple”, said that his objective was to put aside all the special effects and make a film that glorified the human spirit. This is what we need. This is what will inspire people to greatness. It has truly been said that “when the power of love replaces the love of power, our world will know peace”.
| click here to return to top of the page | |
|
|
|
