Martin Lass Sonnet CD

No one disliked categorization more than Duke Ellington, who used to argue that there are only two types of music: good and bad. But realistically, a certain amount of categorization is necessary. If an artist's music is going to sell, it has to be marketed and promoted -- and part of the marketing/promotion process is describing the music you're trying to sell. Martin Lass is one of those artists whose music isn't all that easy to categorize. A classically trained violinist, Lass provides gentle instrumental music that has a strong classical influence (although it isn't classical per se) and occasionally has hints of Celtic folk. For the sake of convenience -- and for marketing purposes -- Lass has been described as new age, which is probably just as well because Sonnet is calm enough to appeal to the new age market. And when one sees words like "healing" in the liner notes, it is obvious that Lass is going after new age audiences. Although Sonnet is the violinist's first U.S. release, it isn't his first album -- before Sonnet, he recorded eight CDs that were released in Australia. If Sonnet is essentially new age -- and new age is as good a description as any -- it's important to know what type of new age it is. The term new age is a lot more far-reaching than it was in the '80s; it is used to describe everything from spacy, atmospheric, electronic sounds to rhythmic stuff with world music leanings. Sonnet is an example of the more classical-influenced new age, and even though the material falls short of mind-blowing, all of it is pleasant and sincere. ~ Alex Henderson

Martin began the violin (classically) at the age of eight, after being inspired by Yehudi Menhuin on a television special. (Some 12 years later, Martin's childhood dream came true when he got to meet and play with Menhuin.)As a performer, Martin reached the pinnacle of success in Australia (where he lived from the age of 11) after making a quantum leap from classical into popular music. He has appeared on virtually every Australian television show featuring live music, has released 9 CD recordings in Australia (including one gold album), has won the Australian Mo Award for Best Instrumentalist seven times in a row and has toured Australia numerous times. He has since relocated to New York to further his career as a performer, composer and writer. (This album is his first US-based release.)The intent of Martin's music is to touch you inside, to open your Heart a little more, to summon the place within you that longs for Contact with life, that longs for the experience of Love, that longs to Return Home to the place where all beginnings and endings are One...

Recorded at Galactic Studios, Nyack, New York.

Solo performer: Martin Lass (various instruments).

Personnel: Martin Lass (violin, piano, keyboards); Richard Heckman (flute, oboe).

Audio Mixer: Martin Lass.

Recording information: Galactic Studios, Nyack, NY.

Photographer: Martin Lass.NAPRA Review (11-12/02, p.63) - "...His strong relationship with his muse is matched by verve, skill, and discipline..."