An Earth music legend finds much to celebrate on his new CD…
Paul Winter – Horn of Plenty – Living Music # LMU-58 – CD – 67:02 – ****
(Paul Winter – soprano saxophone; Eugene Friesen – cello; Paul Halley – organ, piano; Henrique Eidenmann, Jeff Holmes, Warren Bernhardt – piano; Oscar Castro- Neves, Zan McLeod – guitar; Jordan Rudess, Jim Beard – keyboards; Jerry O’Sullivan, Davy Spillane – Uilleann pipes; Peter Slavov, Eliot Wadopian, Dave Carpenter, Russ Landau – bass; Rogerio Boccato, Glen Velez, Ted Moore – drums; Mickey Hart – RAMU; Vardan Grigoryan – zurna;
Dorothy Papadakos – pipe organ; Damish Draghici – pan flute; Arto Tuncboyaciyan – percussion, vocal; Theresa Thomason, Dmitri Pokrovsky Singers – vocals)
Just in time for Thanksgiving this year, world and earth music legend, Paul Winter, finds much to celebrate on a new CD, Horn of Plenty, (even in these times of turmoil), in preparation for a concert premiere at the Cathedral of St. John in New York City on Saturday, November 29, 2025. Paul has his annual Winter Solstice concert, (this year it will be December 14-16) at the same venue, so there is double the pleasure this year for fans of the 86 year old saxophonist, who has recorded over 60 albums, of which seven have won Grammy Awards.
Winter has been noted for decades in combining world music instruments and musicians, utilizing recorded whales, (and on this release, wolves), along with his soprano saxophone, into intoxicating, soothing auditory landscapes. This new album is an anthology of some of his favorite solo pieces brought into new fully fleshed arrangements, with guest artists. He dedicates this CD to Dr. Roger Payne, a dear friend, who loved music and brought humpback whales’ “songs” to the world.
What makes this album so special is the wide range of world and environmental influences presented. Whether it be a wood thrush bird calls on the Bach inspired, “The Well-Tempered Wood Thrush,” Roger Payne’s blue whale recording mixed with Paul’s soprano sax on “Blues Cathedral,” or Jerry O’Sullivan’s Uilleann pipes, and Dorothy Papadakos’ pipe organ on “Land of the Pipers,” it’s a National Geographic musical tour.
Winter honors Dr. Payne on “Song for Roger,” in a trio setting (sax, piano, and cello), and the timber wolf recording on “Wolf Eyes,” will certainly get your attention. Our world tour continues on “Garden of the Earth,” a traditional Russian tune, with deeply moving vocals from the 14 members of the Dmitri Pokrovsky Singers. Next is a “stop” to Bulgaria with Paul blending native music with a love of Bartok and Balkan dancing on “Harvest Faire.” Here Winter uses nine musicians, with instruments ranging from pipes, pan flutes, cello, keyboards, and guitar,
The thirteen tracks end with “Icarus,” a Ralph Towner composition, composed in 1970 for Winter’s Consorts, it has remained the group’s theme for over 50 years.
If you can’t be in The Big Apple for Paul’s first Thanksgiving concert later this month, a worthy substitution would be the purchase of this wonderful release. In a world of discontent, this musical respite is much needed.
-Jeff Krow
Paul Winter – Horn of Plenty
Tracklist:
Dolphin Morning
The Well-Tempered Wood Thrush
Grand Canyon Sunrise
Caravan at Dawn
Blues Cathedral
Primavera (Spring)
Land of the Pipers
Song to Roger
Wolf Eyes
Garden of the Earth
Triumph
Harvest Faire
Icarus
