Karl Jenkins: Blending European classical music and Ethnic world music into the melting pot of musical flair

It's difficult to distinguish the breed of music that Karl Jenkins produces. Between vocalise African chant, rolling beats, and fierce classical violins, one could easily say it earns a category all its own. It's a fresh and exhilarating take on global music.

I broke out of my carefully constructed musical box (which included only the works of Beethoven and Bach and a couple in between) sometime between college music courses and a thousand and one different pieces. There was a point in time when the striking African vocals, tribal-like rhythm, harmonic dissonance, and irregular timing true to many of Jenkins works (particularly in Adiemus) would have crawled under my skin. Today I can hardly get enough of it. Part of the appeal lies in its drastically endless variety. If you like Celtic, it's for you. If you prefer Latin, you'll find a fair share to enjoy. If your preference is Classical, you will also find something to curl up and savor. And furthermore, there is a terrific blend of highly spirited versus somber minor, especially in The Eternal Knot.

The reason I love sharing Karl Jenkin's works is because I feel they are too original to go unheard. We Westerners all love our European baroque, classical, and romantic music. But what if you blend these Western elements with elements from other world music? Well- you get...Jenkins, basically. There is something raw, fresh, and rejuvenating about the styles Karl Jenkins incorporates.

The technical label for his music is "New Age". And with its high level of artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism, and usage of synth and acoustics, it's not hard to hear why. If you want to be inspired, energized, relaxed, uplifted, or motivated, you won't be let down. If you want to find out what the hype is all about for yourself, check out the discography listed below:

http://www.karljenkins.com/discography
Also, here are a couple of my favorite selections:









Be sure to check out all of the Karl Jenkins CDs. If you want a good deal- Amazon is the way to go. Either way, don't just settle with Youtube. Support the composer.


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