9/16/2018

New Age World Review: Monica Williams-Journey of Tears

Release Date: September 21, 2018
Label: Heart Dance Records

Journey of Tears is a collection of original works by flutist/composer Monica Williams with guest artists on the album including fingerstyle guitarist Darin Mahoney, New Age flutist Sherry Finzer, and vocalist Alexa Nadramia.

There are 10 tracks to absorb on Journey of Tears. It reflects humanity, our daily struggles, our victories, our pleasure, and our pain. It is all about the growth one can experience through all the human emotions. This how Monica Williams relates to her listeners through her music. Hopefully, after we listen our realizations and experiences become clearer and more purposeful.

Monica’s love for the flute started while attending Eastman School of Music. The worldly colors and textures the instrument could produce with calming soundscapes were what attracted her. I was never a real big fan of the flute, sometimes in the context of rock music it sounded good but then I started hearing it in a different way. 

This type of world music is sprouting and growing via the new age genre and culture and it has opened many doors for me. To put it in an all-inclusive perspective, the way I usually do is to say it touches my mind, body, and spirit. This is the quintessential triangle of life. It is through recordings like Journey of Tears where I discover and rediscover new realities and levels of spiritualism.

Monica plays beautifully throughout all the tracks and it reaches an apex on the curtain closer “The Great Beyond.” It is gorgeous flute solo with the angelic voicings of Alexa Nadramia. The vocals add another element that is not found in the previous tracks and it is an amazing way to end the musical journey that this talented lady offers. The tracks run is over eight minutes, and every second of it is pure new age world music heaven. If this music does not give you a glimpse of a way to get closer to your higher power then I do not know what would.

Monica Williams is a multi-talented individual that has so much to offer in her music. She is also an accomplished teacher with 35 students currently. So not only is she sharing the sounds of various hybrid flutes, she is sharing her knowledge with others. That is the true meaning of passing the torch to the next generation of musicians.

Journey of Tears is an enormous success and although I am setting the bar high for folks that have not heard the album yet, I am certain that you will not be disappointed in any way. If you happen to enjoy earthy textured flute music, you will think your nirvana has finally arrived.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
September 14, 2018

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Review Provided By New Age Music Reviews

Tracks: 
01. Raining Tears
02. Conversations Within
03. New Horizons
04. Unconditional Love
05. On the Edge
06. Finding Peace
07. Constant Change
08. Wandering
09. Love From A Distance
10. The Great Beyond
 

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