Here’s a snazzy instrumental album that bridges some of the gaps between New Age, jazz, world fusion, Americana and folk music. Randy Armstong is a New Hampshire-based multi-instrumentalist whose arsenal also includes sitar-guitar, South African marimba and Native American flute, and Echoes of Tomorrow shimmers with music meant to inspire and soothe.
Backed by just a few musicians, this record takes a much different path than some of Armstrong’s previous work -- which often featured several musical guests. The record opens with the five-song “Choose Love Suite,” which was, according to Echoes of Tomorrow’s liner notes, “commissioned by a grant from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts in 2022 as part of the theater production: Choose Love - The Musical. These original compositions were inspired by the work of the ‘Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement,’ a foundation created as an international educational program after the Sandy Hook Elementary [School] shootings. The program emphasizes the human qualities and attributes of Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion.’ The beautifully reflective suite segues to the album’s second half -- a musical sojourn that doesn't flow as seamlessly as the first half but still reflects Armstrong's melodic tendencies and delicate stylings.
All 11 tracks are meticulously produced to make these songs sound both pristine and authentic.
Track Listing
1. Choosing Love
2. Courage
3. Gratitude
4. Forgiveness
5. Compassion
6. Together
7. Memories of Tomorrow
8. Finlandia -- Song of Peace
9. Ode to Sibelius
10. Light of Unity
11. Born in Appalachia
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