photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Randy Armstrong: Echoes of Tomorrow (UMP Records)

“Songs of Hope, Love, Peace and Unity”; that’s the subtext of the notes that grace this album by uber-accomplished guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Randy Armstrong. Echoes of Tomorrow is the latest release in a series of instrumental projects and albums the world music-oriented artist has shared with the universe.

image courtesy of Rock Rose Music

Armstrong is the co-founder of Do’a World Music Ensemble, Unu Mondo and the Beyond Borders Octet. His collection of instruments from around the world includes over 300 odds and ends from the United States, Canada, India, West and South Africa, Croatia, Belize, Cuba, Scotland, and Puerto Rico. He has performed at Carnegie Recital Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City and has been an international music ambassador for several arts commissions and the New England Foundation for the Arts.

photo courtesy of Rock Rose Music

As with many of his previous releases, Echoes of Tomorrow defies description in its vast display of musical terrain. Call it “contemporary jazz,” “world fusion,” “folk,” “Americana,” “new age,” or whatever you like, Armstrong does it all and seamlessly crosses all boundaries from one track to the next.  All of the dozen tracks here feature Armstrong overdubbing the majority of the instruments, with drummer Jose Duque on most of the cuts and tabla player Marty Quinn and bassist Volker Nahrmann only on track two, called “Courage.”

Songs like “Choosing Love,” “Compassion” and “Forgiveness” stir inner emotions and pull at your heartstrings while transporting you to a better place existentially and spiritually.  Tunes like “Finlandia—Song of Peace” and “Ode to Sibelius” have a classical arrangement and cadence to them. And the album closer “Born in Appalachia” harkens back to Armstrong’s childhood roots.

This is a really strong record that will touch all your senses in a profound and meditative manner. Hence, it features music that is tailor-made for these troubled times.