Album Review: Traveling the Blissful Highway by Darlene Koldenhoven

Review by Lissette Cascante

Acclaimed soprano soloist and classically-trained pianist Darlene Koldenhoven boasts one of the most diverse portfolios a musician could ask for. Hailing from Chicago’s south side, and raised in a musical family, the GRAMMY® Winner and three-time GRAMMY® Nominee, with her radiant smile and her powerful 5-octave range voice, has traveled the world performing solo as well as with top industry names such as Yanni and many others in concerts and events, conducting workshops, teaching music, even appearing in blockbuster movies (both Sister Act films with Whoopi Goldberg.) Additionally, Darlene gives of her time and talents not just as an entertainer but as an advocate contributing her efforts to charities and worthy causes dear to her heart, such as her Music Matrix Foundation, to help make the world a better place.

Having already produced and recorded twelve albums on her label TimeArt® Recordings, one of which I had the pleasure of reviewing in 2021, an exquisite production for solo piano titled The Grand Piano Spa, Darlene returns with yet another masterful creation to add to our collection, this time in the New Age category with an all instrumental album of twelve tracks titled Traveling the Blissful Highway.

Darlene’s experience and exposure to varied cultures, countries and traditions have contributed positively to her broad and diverse vision of humanity and our world which comes through in her musical compositions, and especially shines on this album. She performs on keyboard synths, background vocals, singing bowls, Australian rainstick, Native drum and shaker. Four of the tracks are accented with Darlene’s vocalese which adds a subtle ambience to the pieces. She also surpasses herself in this project as producer, engineer, composer, and arranger. Collaborating on the album is an impressive ensemble of accomplished and award-winning musicians, detailed on the liner notes – such as GRAMMY® Nominated multi-flautist Ron Korb and GRAMMY® Winning violinist Charlie Bisharat, among others – incorporating a fantastic variety of instrumentation throughout the album.

A lover of travel myself, I was excitedly drawn to the theme of the album. As a long, expansive highway stretches before our musical horizon, we can sit back, relax, and embark on a scenic “auralscape” allowing our imagination to take us to our desired escapade. An uplifting melody, “Cheerful Mohana” opens the album, inviting us to leave our cares behind and embrace a more spontaneous, bohemian side of life. The album offers a nice combination of lively and soft, meditative songs which keep the listener actively engaged in the process but also promotes a carefree and calm state of being. As we glide alongside the musical notes, sounds of birds and nature, native flutes and drums, and a vast array of exotic instruments add to the wonder of our sensory cruise.

“Jade Dreams” the third track for example, transported me to balmy beaches and tucked-away coves in remote places, Bali comes to mind; while “Tropical Chill” with its ocean wave sounds, flugelhorn and breezy rhythm presented for me a relaxing beach sunset view somewhere in the Caribbean enjoying a favorite tropical beverage. “Dot Calm” took me to the rainforests of Costa Rica, reminding me of my late father’s beautiful birth country. Along the way there are ancient stars to gaze at as in “Native Star” the tenth track with its haunting flute melody, and Irish green misty mornings to savor as in “Highland Mist.” My favorite track on the album, “Osmium Glow,” is as rare and precious a melody as the precious metal it’s named after. There is indeed a glowing quality and mystique to this lovely tune. “Blissful Highway,” another favorite with its transitory feel, ends the album, but the blissful sensation endures as we return from our musical excursion refreshed and renewed, ready for the next adventure. It’s only another listen away.

Traveling the Blissful Highway is an album you will want as your musical companion, to help make your life journey a more enjoyable and beautiful discovery.  

~Lissette Cascante for Auralscapes 

For more information please visit the artist's website. Traveling the Blissful Highway is also available at Amazon, Apple Music and more.

New Release: The Grand Piano Spa by Darlene Koldenhoven

Review by Lissette Cascante

Darlene’s impressive and diverse resume includes everything from her starring role as a nun in the hit comedy film Sister Act alongside Whoopi Goldberg, to her stunning soprano vocal performances with Yanni: Live at the Acropolis – not to mention her beautiful repertoire of widely-acclaimed new age, classical crossover and contemporary instrumental music. 

The first week of its release, Darlene Koldenhoven‘s solo piano album, The Grand Piano Spa debuted at Number 4 on the Billboard Classical Crossover Albums Chart week of May 29, 2021. 

This should come as no surprise as I have always found her music to be instrumentally beautiful and gently uplifting. It had been quite a while since I heard such a graceful, soul-soothing piano album. Hearing pure piano flow from Darlene’s fingertips truly exults her talents as a pianist-composer and her gifts in musical artistry. 

The whimsical tunes entwined in “Wisteria” for example, the album’s opening track, reinforces itself as a pleasant experience in the stems of our senses. With a sort of classic George Winston vibe, it creates emotions of joyful and carefree days.

The minor keys in “Into the Light”, the second track, conjure up a more contemplative, inner mysticism, like one approaching reverently the early morning of a new day. 

“Delphi’s Dream” to me is like a constant stream of inner solitude and serenity. This piece slowly twirls and spins as crystalline notes dance around the main melodic centerpiece. Repeating piano keys throughout seem to encircle a scene in foggy, dreamy sequence.

In “Quiet Read” Darlene manages to create the quiet space we all crave at times in the sole company of a good book.

Again, she magically succeeds in conjuring up images for us with the beautifully titled track “Spring Dance”. The flutter of butterflies perhaps, birds chirping, flowers blooming; nature blossoming and dancing all around us in the spring.

“Reverie”, my favorite track on the album, with its enchanting melody is like a meditative journey on a slow river, calming all fear of the unknown.

Our innermost thoughts are exquisitely expressed in “Soliloquy” as the extended key throughout the song seems to speak for the listener in the background of the melody. In “Clover Fields” the artist invites us to be present and enjoy the scenes of beauty and contentment the flowing melody creates for us as we walk “audibly” or perhaps even physically or virtually through “fields of clover.”
 
And finally, the last track contains the most important message in the entire album for me: “Simple Life” is a lovely musical reminder to cherish the simpler things in life. To “disconnect” from the noise and clutter of the material world and be more conscious in every experience, and just enjoy the simple things in life – like listening to beautiful, relaxing piano music… 

The Grand Piano Spa is one of the most graceful and mesmerizing piano albums of the year! 

~Lissette Cascante for Aural Awakenings

To get this album please visit Darlene Koldenhoven's  website. Her music is also available through Amazon, iTunes, Bandcamp and more. 

Album Review: Chromatones by Darlene Koldenhoven

Darlene Koldenhoven has enjoyed a long-standing musical career that boasts some impressive highlights, including having performed as the soprano soloist at Yanni: Live at The Acropolis, as well as her portrayal as a choir nun in the blockbuster comedy Sister Act. With several solo albums to her credit, Darlene’s musical style ranges from classical crossover, to new age vocal to contemporary instrumental. Her latest album, Chromatones, is a purely instrumental work based on the music of her previous release, Color Me Home. Both albums feature the same compositional lineup, however, the songs themselves have been retitled yet nonetheless still capture similar meanings and visual interpretations as those ascribed to their original vocal renditions.

With Darlene at the helm as producer, composer, arranger and engineer, she also lends piano, keyboard, native drum and shaker. Likewise, the album variably features contributions from a line-up of familiar names that appeared on her previous album, such as David Arkenstone, Wouter Kellerman, Ricky Kej and others.

Chromatones opens pristinely with “Golden Dawn”, a lovely piece that makes great use of bird song and ocean waves, which soon introduce a gently colorful ensemble of piano, flute and string instruments. “Mourning Doves” follows with dove cooing before blossoming into a flowing piano melody enhanced by radiant flute and solemn strings. “Red Savannah” ensues as the instrumental rendition of “Kalahari Calls” from Color Me Home. This piece is my favorite on the album, with the all-instrumental arrangement further bringing out the subtle textures possessed within the composition’s seemingly idyllic, tropical soundscape. Introduced by the serene sounds of wading through water, “Swans on the Seine” possesses a romantically whimsical air about it with its dreamy blend of harp and clarinet. Next, “Terra Affirma” features a softly sweeping and somewhat cinematic arrangement of piano, horn and strings that are brushed throughout by sparkling chimes and harp. Another favorite is the ensuing “Native Bloom”, which opens with mysterious Native flute intonations that are soon joined by sparse piano notes, rain-sticks and tribal percussion.

While the title “Vibrant Worlds” may suggest a song that's decidedly energetic and upbeat, this gentle piece of music is more like a lovely lullaby that features a comfortingly beautiful violin melody throughout. Next up is “Chromatones” – a dreamy yet vibrant composition that certainly earns its title-track status. Comprised of synthesizers and hammered dulcimer, the piece subtly evokes some of the works of new age music veteran Constance Demby. “Prism of Time” gently follows with a beautiful duet of piano and flute – while the ensuing “Painted Desert” showcases flugelhorn. The final piece, “Waltzing in Planetary Time”, is a delicately melodic and tender composition that highlights acoustic guitar and English horn, bringing this colorful listening experience to a serenely sentimental close.

With Chromatones, Darlene Koldenhoven has beautifully crafted an enchantingly exquisite musical tapestry of new age piano ensemble music. Once again weaving a colorful spectrum of tones and textures throughout these elegant compositions, her latest album is sure to engage, uplift and delight the listener’s spirit! ~Candice Michelle



For more information please visit the artist's website. This album is also available at Amazon, iTunes and Google Play.

Album Review: Color Me Home by Darlene Koldenhoven

Darlene Koldenhoven is a Grammy award-winning vocalist with an impressive resume that includes her role as the soprano soloist in the Yanni Live at the Acropolis performance, as well as having appeared in the movie Sister Act portraying a choir nun. Her ninth album, Color Me Home, is an exquisite eleven-track excursion which Darlene produced, engineered and composed the lyrics and music for, as well as sings, plays piano, synthesizer, native drums and shakers on. Beautifully and thoughtfully packaged, the CD includes a coloring book depicting images of nature, perfectly illustrating a spectacular collage of diverse arrangements and instruments. In what could perhaps be best described as a fusion of classical crossover, contemporary instrumental and new age vocal music with an often-touch of subtle world elements, the album’s track lineup alternates between sung lyrical compositions and instrumental pieces that feature wordless vocal intonations. Joining Darlene on this musical adventure is a team of talented artists, of which includes Tom Scott, Brent Fischer, Ricky Kej, Wouter Kellerman, Charlie Bisharat, David Arkenstone, Rocky Dawuni, Gayle Levant, Jeff Oster, Al Jewer, John Sarantos, Mike Miller, Lyn Bertles, Nick Vincent, Courtney Jacob, and Vanil Veigas.

“First Light” opens the album with the rolling, soothing sounds of ocean waves coupled with singing birds, before soon introducing a lovely ensemble comprised of piano, keyboard, oboe, flute, piccolo and violin. Further enhanced by its radiant wordless vocals, the composition seemingly paints an image of golden sunrays pouring through the trees of a lush forest, in what feels like a magical storybook having come to life. “The Pleasure of the Mourning Dove” follows next, a piece that aptly begins with the cooing of a dove. Here Darlene offers up a lyrical melody, her soprano voice perfectly complementing the song’s elegant arrangement of piano, violin and viola. “Kalahari Calls” is easily one of my favorite compositions herein; its African safari flavor and leisurely chill vibe conveying a sunny, tropical terrain filled with luxuriant jungles and rainforests. A mesmerizing ensemble of flute, piano and tribal percussion is further accentuated by airy wordless vocals that seem to whirl about its beautifully exotic landscape. The sound of wading through water introduces “Song of the Swans”, another lyrical song that possesses a somewhat mythical feel. Darlene’s soaring soprano vocals in tandem with the classical touches of clarinet and harp seem almost cinematic, as if a narrative has unfolded about a fairytale princess or sleeping beauty who has found herself in an enchanted land. Characterized by native flute and drumming, “Indian Summer” is another one of my favorite pieces on the album. Here I’m reminded of a glorious sunset softly illuminating a vast canyon. This image is further crystalized by sparking piano and swirling chimes, along with both siren and tribal-esque voices that seem to soar above the terrain. Equally captivating is “Ode to Our Orb”, another piece accentuated by Darlene’s soaring wordless vocals, as well as features the additionally amazing talents of David Arkenstone on guitar, along with Ricky Kej and Vanil Viegas on keyboards and rhythm. The composition’s earthily sensual and shimmering soundscape combines elements of ambient, world and contemporary instrumental music, and feels as blissfully rejuvenating as that of standing beneath a waterfall in a paradise lagoon.

Imbued with a brilliant radiance and richness throughout, listening to Color Me Home is akin to observing light hitting a giant crystal prism that emanates all colors of the rainbow. Immaculately produced, the album’s sound quality is superb and the guest performances outstanding, overall culminating in a soulfully rewarding experience that’s filled with joy, serenity and global adventure! ~Candice Michelle

For more information please visit the artist's website. This album is also available on Amazon and iTunes.

This review was originally published on Journeyscapes Radio on 02/23/17.