Desription

Infinite Voice

Album Description

Infinite Voice by Darlene Koldenhoven is a glorious masterpiece of vocal-instrumental music, transcending what is both relaxing and captivating, musically and emotionally. This is Darlene Koldenhoven’s fourth album on TimeArt® Recordings, produced by the Grammy® Award winner herself, known world-wide for her memorable, featured soprano solo in the Yanni, Live at the Acropolis DVD PBS special.

Infinite Voice truly stands alone in classical crossover design for its appealing innovative approach in blending classical with non-classical, from Stravinsky to Sting; with elements of world music, smooth jazz, new age, and Darlene's inspiring original compositions and arrangements. Weaving this all together is Darlene's celestial voice: that eloquently moving, ethereal, angelically clear, expressively strong, five-octave voice. The term “Vocal Alchemy” comes to mind when listening to how Darlene transforms traditionally instrumental music, into vocal music, as she turns her voice into an instrument, or pours out her heart in a melody with lyrics that touch the very depths of your soul.

Infinite Voice is compelling enough to move and delicate enough to transport. The 12 tracks are powerful yet peaceful, performed by world-class musicians and sung by one of the world's greatest voices, spinning fine gold out of beloved opera melodies from classical masters to magical themes from contemporary popular artists. The listening experience is sensational and satisfying.

To create Infinite Voice, Darlene called upon some of the world’s most accomplished, award-winning composers, arrangers, and instrumentalists. Besides performing all the vocals on the album, she collaborated on a number of the arrangements, did her own keyboard and programming work on much of the album, and contributed her own imaginative arrangements, compositions, and lyrics. The result is simply gorgeous music: a collection of timeless, haunting and passionately sung melodies, a metamorphosis of simply beautiful music.

Infinite Voice by Darlene Koldenhoven is truly a magnificent masterpiece of musicianship and performance. Her Infinite Voice shall be just that in the annals of time, be it for pure musical enjoyment, or for its meditative and restorative effects, an important addition to your musical catalogue.

Song by Song Description

Sous le dome epais (vocalise) (3:36)

Darlene called upon Larry Steelman to collaborate on the arrangement and track of a most sensual version of Sous le dome epais from Lakme (1883) by Leo Delibes. (Darlene sang the Yanni version, “Aria,” in his Yanni, Live at the Acropolis concert/video.) Darlene and Larry’s setting takes you back in time with an Indian princess, Lakme, and her handmaiden to an 1800’s garden river in India, complete with white swans. Koldenhoven and Steelman skillfully blend the elements of the composition together with tabla, sitar, sounds of water and birds, soothing synth sounds, and Darlene’s floating vocal duet lines. The arrangement between voice and accompaniment blends the original 6/8-meter into 4/4 while maintaining the basic harmonic and melodic structure of the original piece. Darlene chose to open the album with her arrangement of this piece as a vocalise. Closing the album is the full version with the normally, sung recitative, spoken in the French, with the aria also sung in the original French.

Pavane (5:11)
For the Pavane, Darlene chose Brad Cole to work with on arranging her concept of juxtaposing the Faure Pavane in F# for Orchestra and Chorus, Opus 50 (1887) with the Ravel Pavane pour une infante defunte (1899). Supported by a gentle 6/8 smooth-jazz rhythmic foundation and dancing pizzicato strings, Brad’s contribution to the arrangement of the melodic vocal lines rise and fall together beautifully, allowing Darlene to end the piece in a vocal improv reaching the heavens.

Canto Invierno (3:58)
Canto Invierno (song of winter) was written by Oscar winning composer and Grammy winner, Dave Grusin, from his album, Two Worlds, with Lee Riteneour. Darlene played the original piano and string parts but sang the syncopated, haunting melody originally played on guitar. A sense of frost in the air radiates from the vocal timbre Darlene uses on this ‘winter’s song.’

Pastorale (1:36)
The Stravinsky Pastorale (1907) adds a surprise element to the album. Light-hearted and somewhat traditionally orchestrated by Brad Cole, over a machine-like ostinato, we hear a simple tune reminiscent of Russian folksong played on English horn by Keve Wilson along with harmonies that suggest Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. Darlene kept to Stravinsky’s original vocalise while joyfully handling his typically asymmetrical, “cubist” melody.

Casta Diva from Norma (6:52)
Representative of Darlene’s love for 19th century Italian opera appears here with Bellini’s Casta Diva from Norma (1831). The combination of Brad Cole’s gracefully moving track along with composer Bellini’s soaring vocal lines masterfully and passionately sung by Darlene in the original Italian lyrics, brings to mind visions of Norma, the druid priestess in long robe, calling on the full moon, the ‘chaste goddess,’ to bring peace onto earth. Appealing to the subtle character of this popular bel-canto aria, Darlene opens the arrangement with solo acoustic guitar, exquisitely played by Mike Miller, to enhance the intimate evening scene. The sensitive interplay between Pedro Eustache’s tenor recorder duet lines, originally sung by opera chorus, and the melismatic vocal line, evocatively sung by Darlene, further develop the mood of the mysterious aria. Darlene’s flawless vocal technique allows the concluding cadenza to heavenly echo the final plea for peace on earth.

Enchantment (4:35)
Enchantment by Chris Spheeris and Paul Voudouris was a major success on the smooth jazz and new age radio charts as a solo oboe instrumental from their Enchantment CD. Darlene chose Doug Lenier to program their original track arrangement with some magical touches. Arranged by Darlene is the arousing melodic and harmonic interplay between oboe d’amore, brilliantly played by Keve Wilson and Darlene’s ‘enchanting’ vocalise.

Song of My Soul (3:13)
Song of My Soul is a sublime outpouring of vocal majesty as Darlene explores most of the full color spectrum and range of her voice. She expresses and emotes from the depths of her soul to flying with the angels, in what was mostly improvised in one take over a melodic and harmonic structure composed by Darlene Koldenhoven & Patrick DeVuono. Darlene arranged and programmed the track, Patrick programmed piano, and Keve Wilson played the yearning oboe theme in the solo section. In this song lies a Voice from another dimension…from the rich low range to the breathtaking control and dynamics of her high upper register. The dramatic orchestral swell to the suspenseful vocal navigation in the bridge of the song will leave you delightfully hanging on the edge of your seat.

Infinite Voice (4:48)
Infinite Voice, the title track composed, arranged, and programmed by Darlene, reveals her penchant for the unusual meter, here in 7/4. Darlene’s lyrics invite us to be open to the guiding infinite voice of love. Juxtaposing the orchestration so that some motives subdivide in 4+3 while others are in 3+4, lends itself to giving the listener a sense of infinite time, mirroring the time of the ever-expanding universe, the unlimiting sense of God's time ever evolving. Pedro Eustache adds to the world music element of this track with sensual duduk lines, chromatic Persian nay, and digeridoo. Darlene embellished the world music coloring by playing tuned quartz crystal singing bowls, chimes, Tibetan gong, rainstick, and finger cymbals. Mike Miller adds a mysterious element with e-bow guitar and acoustic guitar. Darlene uses her voice in a variety of ways, from pop phrasing, to Middle Eastern wailing, to fascinating classical improvisations. The final section builds, almost bolero like, with stirring solos, conversationally played and sung by Pedro and Darlene.

Saint Agnes and the Burning Train (2:38)
Saint Agnes and the Burning Train composed by Sting originally as a guitar piece from his album Soul Cages, here takes its shape ever so passionately sung by Darlene in her lower range as a vocalise. Her sparse yet effective track arrangement with the African udu pot and pizzicato strings, serves to support the syncopated and urgent Sting melody. Mike Miller’s acoustic guitar accompaniment brings a bit of Spanish flair to the track.

Gabriel’s Oboe-Nella Fantasia (5:55)
In difference to the more traditional harmonization of Gabriel’s Oboe-Nella Fantasia, Darlene Koldenhoven and Larry Steelman’s version is a uniquely presented jazz re-harmonization of the theme from the Ennio Morricone’s score to The Mission. The piece opens a cappella with Darlene sweetly singing ‘The Brother’s’ theme while Pedro Eustache plays the Gabriel’s Oboe theme in counterpoint on Boehm flute. Then we hear Keve Wilson re-establishing the oboe theme as Darlene caresses the lovely melody in a gentle vocalise. Mike Miller splendidly accompanies her on acoustic guitar using the traditional harmonic progression. This section is a peacefully blossoming introduction for the revelation of the energetic performances of the main song, Nella Fantasia – the Gabriel’s Oboe theme with lyric by Chiarra Fereau. Darlene sings the Italian lyric about a beautiful fantasy of peace for all humanity. Pedro Eustache plays a sprightly duet figure on bass pvc king bansuri and r. king bansuri which punctuate the driving rhythms building in Larry Steelman’s invigorating rhythm track, enhanced by Mike Miller’s rousing acoustic guitar. The brilliant coda, builds with multiple, interweaving, improvised jazz solos with Pedro on Boehm flute, Keve on oboe, and Darlene on a classical-jazz vocalise, supported by a full choir (sung by Darlene) pulsing in poly-rhythms. The final cadence crescendos to an exhilarating finish with libere, freedom. Koldenhoven and Steelman's artfully expressive arrangement is truly a thrillingly bold approach in celebration of the hope and joy expressed in the lyric.

Sheep May Safely Graze (3:41)
The atmosphere of Sheep May Safely Graze by J.S. Bach (also known as 'Schafe konnen sicher weiden') is pastoral. Darlene arranged and performed this piece using elements and motives of the original Bach piece from The Birthday Cantata No. 208 (1713). An ostinato of Javanese angklungs subtly pulses in the ambient background, while the track seems to peacefully breathe along with Darlene’s soaring vocalise. The result recalls a dream state; hearing bits and pieces of the Bach piece come and go. Darlene also sang all the male choir parts in German and female angel choir. For an unexpected solo color in the piece, she chose a fretless bass, ‘singing’ in its high register. Using rubato tempos, Koldenhoven develops her arrangement of the Baroque master’s themes, joined by the orchestration and lilting vocals, creates a blissfully timeless event, almost like floating through the ethers on a cloud.

Sous le dome epais from Lakme (6:12)
The closing full length version of Sous le dome epais from Lakme has the Recitatives spoken in French instead of sung. This time we get to hear her again on both parts, singing most beautifully in the original French. The final cut on the album sensually brings an invitation to leave your cares behind and enjoy yourself under the awe-inspiringly wonderous garden canopy of Sous le dome epais from Lakme.

Additional Performing Personnel listed alphabetically:

Brad Cole: keyboards, co-arranger (Phil Collins, Michael Bolton, Natalie Cole, Lionel Richie)
Patrick DeVuono: keyboards, co-arranger (Big Joe Turner, Jeff Barry, B.B. King)
Pedro Eustache: world music woodwinds (Don Henley, Sir Paul McCartney, Yanni, Shakira)
Doug Lenier: keyboards, programmer (Carl Anderson, Nancy Wilson, Gloria Loring)
Mike Miller: acoustic guitar, e-bow guitar (Chick Corea, Better Midler, Yellow Jackets)
Larry Steelman: keyboards, co-arranger (Johnny Mathis, Dizzy Gillespie, Mick Jagger)
Nick Vincent: cymbals (Hilary Duff, John Fogarty, Frank Black)
Keve Wilson: oboe, oboe d’amore, English horn (Rita Coolidge, Joe Zawinul, Ezequiel Vinao, Peter Scheckele)