The Journey & The Labyrinth- The Music of John Dowland -DV

Songs from the Labyrinth (Music by John Dowland) In choosing to cover the music of John Dowland (1563-1626), who is known as the "melancholy madrigalist" from his output of cheerful ditties like "Flow My Tears," Police bandleader Sting has entered into a whole new realm of austere eeriness. Originally inspired by the gift of a...	In Perugia The Famed Singer/Songwriting Ex-police Man Meets the Jazz Master!	The Police - Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out "We're done," says Stewart Copeland near the end of Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, his homemade documentary about the rise and eventual fall of the group that ruled the planet during their '70s-'80s heyday. "When you get to where you're going, the ride is over." Yeah, bu...	My Funny Valentine: Sting at the Movies Japanese only 18-track album, includes the title track featuring Herbie Hancock, 'English Man In New York', 'Murder By Numbers', 'Shape Of My Heart' and more. Universal. 2005.	You Still Touch Me
Last Session Former Police chief Sting & legendary jazz composer/pianist Evans together recorded live at Perugia Jazz Festival on July 11, 1987. Import-only release, never issued in the States. Features 10 tracks, including Police classics like 'Roxanne', 'Murder By Numbers' & 'Tea In The Sa...	Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 A good overview of Sting's radio hits and popular album tracks with only one major omission ("Mad About You"), Fields of Gold also offers three previously-unreleased songs. "This Cowboy Song" and "When We Dance" appear on no other album, while "We'll Be Together" is an alternate ...	Real Live Roadrunning (with DVD) Live footage of Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris before a sold-out crowd at the Gibson Amphitheatre on June 28th, 2006. More from Emmylou and Mark Knopfler Wrecking Ball Pieces of the Sky Angel Band Shangri-La ...	Van Morrison At The Movies: Soundtrack Hits If Hollywood's marriage with pop music is too often a marketing-driven shotgun affair, there remain musicians whose artistry can't help but elevate whatever film project they're associated with. This 19-track compendium underscores that notion, gathering a career-spanning collect...	An Ancient Muse It's been nearly a decade since Loreena McKennitt's last studio album, The Book of Secrets, but An Ancient Muse picks up the caravan exactly where she left off on her mystical journey through the cultures of the Middle East and northern Sahara. The Canadian singer opens this albu...

Gorgeous music
This is the public TV Great Performances show with Sting singing the works of John Dowland, and Sting's voice is exactly right for the music and the poetry of this renaissance poet. There are discussions of Dowland by some Dowland scholars (not dry at all) and Sting talking about why he chose to do this, and many beautiful indoor and outdoor settings of Sting and his lutenist collaborator playing/singing. I have not tired of this.

Unusual Recording
Sting being one of my favourite artists, this CD is away from the normal music from Sting we have come to love. This is a very insightful CD and shows the man's talent for all that it is.

Incredible
This CD and DVD package is simply outstanding. Not many pop artists could pull this off, let alone with such poise and success. The music is (of course) very different to anything you've heard from Sting before, but make no mistake, this is a visual and aural masterpiece, beautifully recorded and filmed.

Sting & Dowland: A (Nearly) Perfect Union
I've listened to Sting's latest album: "Songs from the Labyrinth" comprised of some 23 songs by John Dowland; interesting choice for a rocker I always felt could be the reincarnation of a medieval troubadour. Those who would complain about lack of authenticity should be reminded that there were no opera singers in Dowland's time. Sting's voice, in all reality, is probably far closer to how these songs were sung than how we more typically - but incorrectly - hear them today by "trained" voices. Now the review: Bloody marvelous! Aside from a moment or two of vocal quirkiness (exaggerated by microphone) it is evident from the onset Sting clearly loves this music. He shows himself to be thoroughly comfortable with the style the music's melissmas and leaps presenting no difficulties, and using his sometimes ravaged voice to telling effect wedding all, hauntingly so, Dowland's sometimes overwrought and sentimental lyrics. Accompanying him on lute, and spectacularly, is Edin Karamazov whose brilliant playing makes the instrument sound like an entire medieval band. Karamazov gets to shine on several solo numbers, including a dazzlingly difficult Galliard which threatens to take your breath away. It very nearly did mine. Certain songs will stick in the memory, particularly the more heart-aching ones "Flow my tears" and my personal favorite here, "Have you seen the bright Lily grow." It is in these numbers where Sting, Karamazov and Dowland all seem to flow from one purpose, one entity and, after four centuries, the timelessness of song reveals itself as relevant now as it ever was. Added to the CD is now the PBS documentary/concert which is equally stunning: I, predictably, was captivated by it. I would have preferred a longer, more in depth concert, but what was offered up was pretty impressive. Several Dowland scholars discussed the phenomenon that was John Dowland, how virtually nothing about his origins have ever been discovered, and how he just sort of "showed up" in history - almost fully formed as a musician from nowhere. The songs were presented both live in a concert at St. Lukes in London, as well as "video" formats, e.g., Sting in his garden; Sting times 4 sitting around a "madrigal table" singing harmonies with himself (and rather well might I add), parlours, and walks around his famous "Labyrinth." For the "House & Garden" set there is plenty of footage of Sting's GORGEOUS homes: the 16th Century Lake House in Wiltshire, and the 2000 year old gardens of his casa d'Italia, Il Palagio. A pleasant surprise from one of rock's finest artists who's still setting challenges for himself: Bravo!

"Sting"-ing Voice!
Sorry, but Sting's voice was not well suited for this type of music. Kudos to him for looking into Dowland's music not to mention playing this most difficult instrument and singing simultaneously but still there are thousands of voices that could have handled this style better. Jon Anderson of "Yes" might have worked very nicely with his straight tone (assuming it needed to be someone famous- though someone not so famous would have been more refreshing). I found his singing grating, winey and kinda amateurish. It would have been nice too if there was an indication briefly of song title being performed on screen. On the plus side the settings were absolutely gorgeous; really moving and learning some of Dowland's life story was compelling. Watch or tape the repeat this Wednesday on PBS at 2am.