Dreams
SKY: Dreams. Magic Music 101 (46 min.).
Northern California resident Sky has remixed and re-released this late 1988 title with diverse results. The good news is that Dreams is now finally available on compact disc. But the newly added random piano parts both add and detract from this album. The deep electronic flavor is somewhat lost and the album comes of less dark and mysterious and more windhamhillish. Which for some listeners is a definite plus. Whatever your personal taste, what continuous to make this album a classic is its last track, the nearly fifteen minutes version of "The Shores of the High Priestess." It has all the rich qualities we discussed at the beginning of this column.
-reprinted with the permission of Forest, producer and host of the syndicated radio program, Musical Starstreams and owner of the ambient record label Waveforms.
Born in Silence
"Born in Silence is an artfully created musical adventure... It is the rare kind of release where a true diversity of musical styles shine harmoniously."
-Rob Moore, Program director of the Breeze Network-
Music for movement, relaxation and healing.
SKY, Born in Silence
These perfect rhythms, delicate melodies and rich harmonics are deftly executed and interesting. For any lover of meditative, spiritual music that also has a good beat and provocative presence, this will provide great pleasure. Sky presents both his inner world of silent meditation and his outer world of structured sound in his music. Born in Silence is a synthesizer orchestration with a harpsichord melody line. Gemini Dance features David's full-throated Cello and the delightful rhythms of Sky's electronic ear. This is a dance in the rain splashed flower garden on a May morning. For Lovers gives another voice to the Cello, combining it with classical guitar. Warm and sweet, it expresses the feeling of its title with languid grace. The Storyteller dramatically unfolds layer after layer of musical plot and character. Synthesizer, piano and guitar all play there parts joyfully and gently. Welcome incorporates the Cello in a synthesizer tapestry with deep base notes and a similar emotion to For Lovers.
This music is versatile and can be used for dance as well as guided meditation or massage. or Andreas Vollenweider fans there is some similarity here, although Sky's music is very much his own. Recommended highly.
-Heartsong review, Mary Heckler (1989)-
SKY-Born in Silence
A blending of classical and new age: Sky creates a beautiful marriage of acoustical and digital sound. The songs appears out of silence in a very inviting and magical hue. The music is awake; subtle hints of jazz though ever so faint keep the music alive and moving. Excellent for the awakened and the awakening.
-The Guide publication-
Born in Silence by Sky.
Born in Silence is soothing, yet interesting in its various melodies, instruments and moving energy. Sky weaves together classical guitar, flutes, piano, Roland synthesizer and samplers, percussion and drum programming as well as the sounds of cello and voice into a flowing whole.
I use it for background sound while writing or reading. It integrates the energy, smoothing out any rough edges. Massage practitioners and alternative healers will want to use it during healing sessions.
Playing this music in a bookstore or gift store will add warmth and healing energies without putting your customers to sleep. During several of the selections you may even find them tapping a toe to the rhythms.
Guest musicians included in Born in SIlence are David Zoeckler playing piano, Lisa Frueh piano, and Evelyn Pontonio voice.
-Reviewed by Arlene Arnold-
Beyond Passion
Sky
Beyond Passion
A glistening, inspired listening experience with skillfully compose pieces, arranged to create an almost startlingly evocative performance. There's a rich range of moods and sounds coming together. Sky's synth work is artistic, vital, alive, never overdone, present throughout weaving its spell without sounding synthetic or overwhelming. The quieter side 1 flows from a compelling melody on soft keyboards, to New Life which picks up in tempo and mood. The Magician is well named for its otherworldly beauty, a seductive wordless vocal, and fragile, lovely synth work. Powerfully eloquent, Reflection opens with Tibetan and crystal bowls sounds that fade to make way for a light and searching sonata of violin, synth, cello.God of Thunder intensifies the mood with David Bellakrishna's passionate violin.(God does the weather). Now Beyond Passion, thunder and lightening passed, harp and synth combine with pensively peaceful, unrushed renewal at the seashore, as waves gently slosh. 1624 AD has an expansive, classical sound with majestic interwoven patterning between harpsichord, synth, clarinet.
There is a natural flow to this album that makes it a unit more than most. I have high praise for Sky's synth work. His sense of beauty, musical capacity, compositions, and performance are outstanding. All too often the synthesizer dominates and dulls the senses, but here one can enjoy the rich subtleties of synth. Very highly recommend as a musical trip you want to take while winding down, winding up, driving, playing, expanding your horizons. It induces a deep sense of hope and well being, of having been and going somewhere beautiful.
-Heartsong review-
Khemennu, Land of the Moon
Khemennu, Land of the Moon by Sky. Magic Music. "In the old times, a region of the upper nile was known as Khemennu, Land of the moon." First, Sky takes us through the watery doorways of the spirit. The midsection dance with spicy Middle Eastern vitality, but just when you are about to order another drink, the party's over and the Oarsman plunks you into the boat. A pensive trip across the river brings you crashing to your initiation, a haunting plateau of enlightenment. You are welcome back to the body hearing songs of wales, a pounding heart, and a snappy, bluesy refrain of a new beginning. Sky composed, arranged and played synthesizer, sitar, flute, acoustic guitar and percussion on this awesomely unique recording. The synthesizer provides hundreds of sparkling effects, but Sky's live collaborators on voice, violin, accordion,saxophone, pedal steel guitar and boat oars create very exciting arrangements.
-Carol Wright, New Age Retailer-
SKY "Khemennu"
Sky's fourth release "Khemennu", is remarkably coherent considering the amount of ground he covers."Khemennu" refers to an area of the upper Nile River known as the land of the Moon. Spacy synthesizer impressions, mid-tempo grooves with soothing sax, acoustic guitar meditations and tender piano etudes are embraced . Nature sounds delight and vocalization by Jennifer Youngdahl further help to vary the terrain on this peaceful yet lively journey.
-Backroads Music Heartbeat-
Roses in the Sky
Sky is an artist whose music always seems to possess a little extra magic. On his new "Roses in the Sky," he delves into the space music realm that have highlighted his previous release, while showing a new sensitivity, a romantic feeling perhaps, that really carries "Roses in the Sky." Like the gorgeous cover art, there's a tender, velvety sense, with gentle rhythms moving along intimate guitar passages, nature sounds and timely upbeat portions that are both spacious and airy, as the title suggests.
-Backroads Music Heartbeat-
Sky
Roses in the Sky
A striking cover of roses against a night sky drew me to pick up this jewel of an album. Playing it through once convinced me to review it. Sky composed the music and also plays acoustic and twelve string guitar, piano, synthesizer, drums and bouzouki. Roses in the Sky is music to dream by, gentle and sweet, lovingly played, simply a delight to listen to. My favorites include "Newland", "On wings of freedom", "Love forever" and "the Meadow" (all six parts), though the entire album is excellent. Roses in the Sky will create a lovely ambience in your store; perhaps add some incense, a candle or two, and voila - a lush mind scape in which to enjoy this deeply peaceful, meditative music. Highly recommended.
-Carol Wright, New Age Retailer-
Roses in the Sky by Sky
Having been a fan of Sky's music for many years, it is always a pleasure to hear his latest release, Roses in the Sky, is certainly no exception. This recording is pretty much a solo effort with Sky playing almost all the instruments, including acoustic and twelve string guitar, bouzouki, piano, synthesizer, and drums. In contrst to some of his other albums, this one has a more simple and less multi-layered sound, yet maintains the beautiful melodic sense that is a trademark of Sky's music. Roses in the Sky provides a gentle journey on a sea of tranquility.
Michael Diamond
-Body Mind and Spirit Magazine-
Union
Sky "UNION"
The sixth release by Sky is one of the best to date. Broad world influences take shape in romantic songs with space music elements, a meeting of synphonic and mystic music. With song titles like 'Sunday on Mars' and 'Dancing in Jerusalem,' and Sky's abilties on several instruments like bouzouki, flute, sitar, piano, classical guitar, keyboards and percussion, there is a beautiful journey in store for the listener. There is a very cohesive flow to the music which invites the listener for serene, evocative travels. We are awaiting first copies of this for sale, but having already heard the music. I suggest giving this title some consideration for music imbued with lot of feeling and an accomplished musical mastery.
-Backroads Music Heartbeat-
Love in Grace
Ripple Music's Autumn Listening Guide
Back to top
The Twins
Nominated for The New Mexico Music Awards in 2010.
Sky The Twins
Sky, born Ronny Bunke, is a multi-instrumentalist from Ahlen, Germany. He began his musical career as a drummer in a rock and roll band. He changed directions in 1978 and again in 1985. He released his first album in 1988 and by 1999 had released five more. He relocated to Santa Fe, NM, and did not release any music for the next ten years. The Twins is a double CD comprised of two separate albums. Silent Ears was recorded in 1997 in India and in 1998 in Nederland, CO. Mesa Twins was recorded in 2004 and 2005 in the high deserts of New Mexico.
Mesa Twins is a broad-brush recording created with an acoustic piano and synthesizers with orchestral sound cards. While this is not desert ambience in the classic sense, Sky has captured the essence of the desert in a unique fashion. His expansive atmospheres evoke feelings of being alone in a vast barren land. It is an ideal setting for introspection and meditation.
Silent Ears is completely different in the structure and very similar in its invocations. Sky combines field recordings with in location live recordings. He used a bouzouki, a flute, a Ravanahatta (similar to a violin, perhaps it forerunner), a sitar, a tambourine, a synthesizer, a harmonica and an acoustic guitar. The simplicity of the sound design is the beauty of the album. Sky recorded the bouzouki, flute and Ravanahatta at various locations in India while the soundtrack (field recordings) played in the background. He enhanced the music with the other elements in the studio. The atmospheres evoke feelings of isolated beauty and singleness of purpose.
This is a brilliant release! Sky has created two masterpieces and combines them for a monumental experience. It is an important contribution to the new age.
Awareness Magazine-Jim Brenholts
Back to top
Sky is one of those enigmatic artists whose style of music can not be categorized or pigeon-holed. While many of his sonic creations have definite classical overtones, others show such diverse influences as modern pop and medieval courtly music.
On the heels of two well received albums, Dreams and Born in Silence, this new recording by Sky is a real masterpiece. Beyond Passion finds the california composer/multi-instrumentalist weaving magical, musical spells with his keyboards, guitar, flute, voice and crystal bowl. Even the first phrases of his opening track seem to transport me back to some candle-lit ceremony in a medieval castle. With the embellishments of cello and haunting wordless vocals, this graceful composition evokes images of elegant lords and ladies in a princely setting.
The eclectic nature of Sky's music is further revealed by the delicate, music-box melody of "The Magician" the resonating crystal bowl introduction to "Reflection", and a powerful symphonic structure of "God of Thunder". But the track that sends me into another dimension is the "Dawn of Man". This piece starts as a mystical flute solo and slowly evolves into a sensual, rhythms tapestry of classical guitar, piano and percussion, ending in a elongated crescendo, ala Ravel's Bolero.
In addition to highlighting Sky's prowess on a wide array of acoustic and electronic instruments, Beyond Passion draws upon the talents of many prominent musicians from the new age and classical genres. David Bellakrishnan, from the Windham Hill label, provides fluid violin melodies on three of the tracks, while David Zoekler adds the support of his velvety cello, and Marco Zonka rivets several compositions with his brilliant percussion. Even God is listed on the credits for providing the sound of thunder!
Beyond Passion seems to have universal appeal. It is etheric enough for the most ardent New-Ager, yet it also has much to offer fans of classical and adult contemporary music.
-Ken Gruen, New Frontier Magazine-
Back to top
Library
Radio show
Reviews
Instrumentation
Contact