Alma Records is a Canadian label run by master bassist Peter Cardinali. Many of their releases feature the fret (and fretless) work and production of their majordomo. This 1995 release, by South African guitarist Aidan Mason, is a superb introduction to the world of Alma Records. It is also a remarkable and romantic hour of what the artist calls "New Age Blues."

The trouble with New Age music is that to achieve the goals of relaxation and meditation the music tends to be slightly unfocused and vague. This is not the case with Mr. Mason. His compositions are constructed carefully to provide a mellow mood and yet they show enough virtuosity in the playing to maintain the listener's interest from start to finish. In many New Age recordings I find myself drifting off to do something else, it all sounds so seamless; but with Mason's album the gentle sonic wash was punctuated by Cardinali's superb bass playing and Mason's own beautiful guitar stylings.

At times you will hear a lick that reminds you of Clapton, or David Gilmour. In fact a couple of times I fully expected to hear a cutting Stratocaster solo come blistering in over top, but Mason plays it cool, and calm. There is a Third World influence on the song writing. You cannot quite put your finger on where the influence is from. It's not Cuba or the Africa of recent World Music hits, but it's definitely someplace warm and serene. The percussion, subtle and solid, comes from a quartet of talented drummers. Jorn Andersen and Gary Craig lay down the rhythms and Rick Lazar and Brian Leonard add shakers, rain sticks, bongos, congas, cabassa, and other percussives to keep the tunes moving. Cardinali's fretless bass is rhythmic and fluid, and his keyboard effects simple yet effective.

Aidan Mason's guitar work is the feature though, and he is wonderful, with a light touch that is sure and precise. His guitar sounds like it is right in the room with you. The song titles give you a sense of his mandate, "Reason to Live," "View From a Distance," "Hotel de Paris," "Where Two Oceans Meet,", and so on. It's like soundtrack music to your life. Listen to this music loud. It is a glorious experience, relaxing yet completely involving.

[David Kidney]