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Rhythm of the Ancients To call Medwyn
Goodall a "one man band" would be an understatement.
To describe him as a kind of musical United Nations would be accurate.
From his home in Cornwall, England (the very southwestern tip),
Goodall has created a magical mix of instrumentation blended from
the familiar sounds of the marimba , Spanish guitars, French horn
and Mexican panpipes, with the not sure familiar like the ocarina
(a small wind instrument) to the charango (a 10 stringed mandolin).
And as if it is not enough that Goodall wrote and arranged all
the tracks on this album, he plays all the instruments, and for
good measure, he designed the album cover. However, there is no
ego in this overachiever's creation. No jockeying for centre stage
as each instrument, in each cut, cooperates with rather than overwhelms
its fellows. The result is a fascinating blend of harmony, which
has the ability to transport the listener to the South American
jungles. Drums taunt, panpipes soothe, and the subtle use of congas
and bongos, hints intrigue. No particular cut comes to the forefront
on Rhythm of the Ancients, rather they cooperate as a tribe, to
come forward in equal strength. A blend that left me thinking
of Andreas Vollenweider, and perhaps Zamphir in technicolour.
If you are looking for some relaxing listening, a little outside
the box, Rhythm of the Ancients is worth considering. By
Liz RIvard
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