Walkabout is the product of the neo-beatnik "Happenings" in the Fort Collins, Colorado area. You have never heard anything like this CD! It is a brand new listening experience that will totally fascinate you. Be sure to read the inside of the cover for the details on recording dates and how the pieces were composed. There are stories, poetry, sound art and a diversity of musical instruments that will blow you away! There are also non-musical items, such as beer bottles and a horse trailer, that are transformed into musical accompaniments.

The layering on this CD is absolutely otherworldly! To get the full effect, turn off the lights and quiet yourself in a relaxed position. Then start the CD playing and close your eyes. You will be drawn so deeply into the songs and tunes that you will completely forget the world around you. Each time you listen to this CD, you will discover something new. The louder you play it, the more parts you discover.

This CD is impossible to classify as anything except world music. "Humma" features the Indonesian Gamelan Orchestra, "Tunas Makar" of Denver with flute by Pak Made Lasmawan and poetry by Gina Lalli. "Baba Ghanouj" and "Grand Pageant" were composed for the production of Midsummer Night's Dream by OpenStage Theatre & Co. The story, "Trevor the Tulip," was written by 5-year-old Cassius Rorke-Wickins. "The Good, The Bad & The Daffy" features what the CD cover refers to as "Appalachian breathing technique." We Southerners refer to it "hambone." "Straight Native" has 14-year-old Navajo JR Bia rapping out a message that all should hear.

The talent on Walkabout is amazing. In addition to the ones already mentioned, it includes the Red Mesa Ramblers from Tsakurshovi on the Hopi Reservation, Mangala Tiwari on vocals, Andrew and JR Bia on vocals, Ron Close on didjeridoo, Pamela Robinson on baritone sax, Peter Knudson on percussion, Rod Garnett on flute, Marty Rein on bass guitar, Mark Rosoff on a bundt pan, and Paul Taylor, Russ Hopkins and Jerry Palmer being multi-talented from beginning to end. They jointly produced this piece. It includes the following groups and bands: TVS & Two Fingers, Happening I Band, Happening II Band, and Happening III Band. There is a special excerpt of the story, "Clancy of the Overflow," by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson.

You will not be able to pick just one of these pieces as a favorite. I am so torn between "Frogs" and "Bottles," although the massive layering just thrills me throughout this CD. "Frogs" combines water sounds, whistling, Native American chanting, singing and turtle shell dancing in the background, with didjeridoo frog sounds. I distinctly hear the frog say: "Checking on the food." "Bottles" is the one with the beer bottle tune, of course. It fascinates and thrills me to no end. But so does "Horse Trailer," where they banged out the percussion sounds on Andrew Bia's horse trailer and then added the didjeridoo later.

If you like the Stomp productions, you will go bonkers over this collection of killer sound art! If you are not familiar with Stomp, get this CD and enlighten yourself about true sound art! It is a top-of-the-line production and will make your life much brighter!

- Rambles
written by Alicia Karen Elkins
published 21 June 2003