Album Review: Santa Plays the Stick by Michael Kollwitz

Having listened to and reviewed prior albums in his impeccably soothing Serenity trilogy, lifelong Chapman Stick player Michael Kollwitz dons more festive attire and gets into the Christmas spirit on his latest album, Santa Plays the Stick. An innovative stringed instrument created by Emmet Chapman, The Chapman Stick closely resembles the neck of a guitar, except that it’s played more like a piano.

Currently living in Sedona, Arizona, Kollwitz formerly resided in Hawaii for a time, and prior to that, in Sacramento, California. Naturally, the many breathtaking natural vistas, which encompass everything from the red rocks to the blue Pacific, are frequently conveyed through Kollwitz’ music, while his instrument often emits a warm and woodsy sound of which particularly on this album, seemingly evokes the warmth of a cozy fireplace, or a forest cabin in the winter.

Spanning approximately 50 minutes long, Santa Plays the Stick is comprised of 15 pacifying arrangements on solo Chapman Stick, with gentle layers and additional effects created via his instrument. He also lends playful improvised elements and a bit of leisurely twang throughout.

Opening with the peaceful lullaby, “Away In A Manger”, the album also includes several lovely renditions of other traditional carols such as “The First Noel”, “Angels We Have Heard on High”, and the tender finale, “Silent Night”. He also covers contemporary favorites like “Deck the Halls”, “The Twelves Days of Christmas” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.

Additionally, Kollwitz produced four compositions on this album that effectively capture the atmosphere of the winter season. The first of these, “Pile of Presents”, is aptly ornamented by an icy and sparkling effect throughout. He also impresses us with other originals like “Snow Ride”, “December Wedding” and “Basket Full of Joy”.

Finally, I appreciate how the album’s title and artwork conveys a sense of humor on the part of the artist, although make no mistake about it, Michael Kollwitz’ musical ingenuity and talent are not to be taken lightly.

Like finding a hot spring in the middle of an ice lake, Santa Plays the Stick is the perfect seasonal album to add warmth, joy and relaxation to your holiday listening experience! ~Candice Michelle


For more information please visit the artist's website. This album is also available at Amazon, iTunes and other retail & streaming platforms.

Review: Serenity III by Michael Kollwitz

Michael Kollwitz is a lifelong master of The Chapman Stick, a unique stringed instrument created by Emmet Chapman that resembles the head and neck of a guitar but is played more like a piano. The third installment in his soothing Serenity trilogy, Serenity III is comprised of sixteen balmy passages that are comfy, cozy and beautifully pristine.

Having formerly resided in Sacramento, CA before relocating to Hawaii in 2007 until eventually settling in Sedona, AZ, Kollwitz seemingly infuses a part of each of these beautiful locations into the essence of his work, with his pieces often evoking a vast range of scenic beauty stretching from the red rocks to the blue Pacific.

Warmly melodic and deeply tranquil, additional textural threads and tones all produced on The Chapman Stick are subtly woven into the compositions, effectively casting them with a dimly-lit ambience and creating additional depth to get lost in. Not surprisingly, the album’s song titles are mostly inspired by natural landscapes, reflective moods and positive states of mind, which is exemplified on beautiful pieces such as “Smooth Sailing”, “Winding Down”, “Crystal Caves” and “Forgive and Forget”.

Debuting in the top five of the Billboard New Age Chart, Serenity III just might be the best album yet in Kollwitz’ mesmerizing Serenity series. Like it’s two predecessors, this album will transport the listener to a leisurely paradise wherein all of one’s troubles are left far behind.

Although adept at creating peaceful musical environments that encourage feelings of wellbeing and personal contentment, Kollwitz clearly manages to avoid falling into predictably cliché “new age” traps, nor could his thoughtful compositions ever be relegated to mere background music. Rather, Kollwitz' style is expressively unselfconscious, yet down-to-earth and refreshingly humble in approach.

Certain to appeal to a wide-range of listeners in need of some relaxing sonic vibes, Serenity III is another a top-notch album of atmospheric instrumental delight! ~Candice Michelle



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

Aural Awakenings: Episode 24

Artist  – Track – Album & Buy Link
Mythos – Kawakari – Eros
Sarah Brightman – Follow Me – Hymn
Peter Sterling – New Horizons – Magic Kingdom
Scott Reich – Instar – Follow the Light
Manika Kaur – Tu Sultan (feat. James Yorkston) – Tu Sultan [Single]
Michael Kollwitz – On the Lake – Serenity III
Ron Korb – Patagonia – World Café
Rémi Orts Project – Saguenay River – Peaceful Moments (The Ocean Story)
White Sun – Maha Kal Sat – White Sun III
Tom Caufield – In the Realm of the Senses – Deep Cuts from the Moral Wilderness
Reneé Michele – Tabula Rasa – The Space Within
Sangeeta Kaur – Adoro Te Devote – Mirrors

Review: Serenity II by Michael Kollwitz

Michael Kollwitz is a lifelong master of the Chapman Stick – a guitar/piano type of hybrid instrument in both its sound and functionality, which resembles the head and neck of guitar but is played more like a piano by using two-handed tapping. Having previously lived in Sacramento, California before relocating to Hawaii in 2007, Kollwitz’ latest album, entitled Serenity II: More Peaceful Music on the Chapman Stick, was recorded in beautiful Sedona, Arizona. His 22nd album to date – and 2nd album marketed in the “new age” genre – Serenity II embarks along a similar musical path as its equally mesmerizing predecessor, Serenity, in the form of 16 instrumental compositions that were inspired by the book Steps to Knowledge: The Book of Inner Knowing by Marshall Vian Summers.

The album opens with “The Presence”, an earthy and soul-soothing piece that perfectly sets the mood for the rest to follow, as a balmy melody washes over the senses like a warm current. Kollwitz’ signature sound is intimately cozy and leisurely, as he seemingly merges the equally spellbinding albeit naturally contrasting environments of the Hawaiian pacific with the Arizona desert, often within the same composition. The melodies mostly possess a dreamy, fluid quality that is frequently enhanced by atmospheric backlighting in the form of subtly shimmering and suspended tones, which lend the compositions additional depth and richness.

Thoughtful song titles allude to themes of personal reflection, whether it be inwards upon one’s own feelings and emotions or outwards upon surrounding natural landscapes, as one might easily imagine themselves cozying up by a fireplace, relaxing by the Oceanside, or peering out into a sunset canyon from a mountaintop.

While it’s difficult for me to choose a favorite track on this album – being that every composition is as equally compelling as the next – after repeated listens, I did find myself particularly drawn to “Climbing the Mountain” and “Blue Skies”.

Although an electric instrument, the Chapman Stick emits an organic sound that would naturally appeal to fans of atmospheric and relaxing acoustic music. All in all, fans of Michael Kollwitz’ previous album, Serenity – as well as Jeff Pearce’s stylistically similar landmark album on the Chapman Stick entitled Rainshadow Sky – are enthusiastically encouraged to add Serenity II to their personal collection! ~Candice Michelle

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

Review: Serenity by Michael Kollwitz

Michael Kollwitz has been playing the Chapman Stick for over forty years, having recorded his first solo album on this widely lesser-known instrument in the early 2000’s. A guitar/piano type of hybrid named for its inventor, Emmett Chapman (of whom Michael had the serendipitous opportunity of crossing paths with in the 1970’s), the Chapman Stick resembles the head and neck of a guitar but is played more like a piano by using two-handed tapping, and it possesses the capacity of producing a diverse range of sounds. While there aren’t many stick players on the music scene, I became familiar with its innately soothing sound upon hearing Jeff Pearce’s solo Chapman Stick recording, Rainshadow Sky, several years ago – so I’m certainly delighted to have discovered another master of this instrument! Having previously lived in Sacramento, California, Michael would perform on his stick while dressed as a 19th century gold miner, and he even opened for acts such as The Beach Boys and Goo Goo dolls. After moving to Hawaii in 2007, Michael encountered Carlos Santana who praised his talents, and later Mick Fleetwood who inspired him to play traditional Hawaiian music on the instrument. His 2017 album, Serenity, is a continuation of that Hawaiian influence and offers fourteen compositions spanning just over an hour of Pacific-imbued tranquility.

Right from the opening piece, “Mountain Sanctuary”, it’s the beautifully calm and intimate melodies themselves that emerge as the most captivating element on the album – expressed through the vehicle of Michael’s equally beautiful instrument. Evocative of the sand and sea, the listener’s mind is easily transported to a Polynesian paradise via the leisurely arrangements of softly layered textures and atmospheric tones. Providing a listening space in which to relax and unwind, these lulling soundscapes can be appreciated as either background music or via active listening engagement. The song titles themselves suggest themes of both landscape and life experiences – such as the composition, “A New Life”, which inspires a sense of hope and remembrance; “Quiet Full Moon”, an introspective piece that portrays a scene of the lunar light reflecting upon the waters; or “Joyful Reunion”, which elicits a gentle mood of winding down after seaside festivities. One of my favorite melodies on the album is that of “Simple Pleasures”, which seemingly sways and gently rolls like ocean waves in the glow of a setting sun.

Amazed by how this rather simple looking instrument can produce these subtly dimensional soundscapes, Serenity perfectly showcases the sheer sonic beauty and gentle emotional expression of which the Chapman Stick is capable. For those unfamiliar with the body of Michael Kollwitz’ work, this album is a most excellent starting point, as well as easily his finest, thereby offering a suspended moment to get lost in, where the blue seas, clear skies and cool breeze is seemingly endless! ~Candice Michelle

For more information, please visit the artist's website. This album is available at Amazon and other retail & streaming platforms.