Hot on the heels of her Best Vocal Album win for “Color Me Home” at the ZMR Awards in New Orleans mid-May, Grammy winner Darlene Koldenhoven is set to release a completely instrumental album, 10th on her own label TimeArt on June 1st titled Chromatones. Pure, intensely colorful melodic New Age instrumental music with a gentle pulse, creating a refreshing sonic landscape of our world, to calm, focus and cherish life.
Kathy Parsons of MainlyPiano.com says, “Darlene Koldenhoven’s Chromatones is pure instrumental magic that is sure to lift your spirit as it soothes your soul. Overflowing with warmth and grace, I think we have a winner here!”
Chromatones is inspired by the music of “Color Me Home,” (which has to date won an impressive 17 awards and 32 nominations in a variety of competitions as well as debuting #1 on the ZMR Radio Charts worldwide and winner of Best Vocal Album 2017) with all 11 of her own compositions and arrangements she brilliantly arranged for instruments only. A very impressive offering for this Grammy® Award-winner and three time Grammy nominee.
As the producer, composer, arranger, pianist, synth performer and as a certified sonic therapist, Darlene brings her healing touch throughout production and musical values of the recording. In a genre where vocals are not often used, Chromatones may appeal to a broader New Age audience. Eliminating the vocals and re-arranging the orchestration has revealed a beautiful new transparent canvas for the intensely colorful, instrumental side of the artist and her music to shine through.
Keith “Music Man” Hannaleck says in New Age Music Reviews 4/2/18, “The new age and world elements come together in an explosion of sound and bright colors, painting your consciousness into the music effortlessly. . . There is so much to offer on Chromatones . . . I think Darlene Koldenhoven has hit a high watermark with this recording. . . This is music for the heart, soul, and mind of any listener. I think this will be in the running for a Grammy.”
Darlene plays acoustic grand piano and synthesizer solos & programming, engineering while 19 guest soloists (5 are Grammy winners) paint the canvas of each track with live flutes (Wouter Kellerman, Joanne Lazzaro, Courtney Jacob), Native flute (John Sarantos), oboe (Earle Dumler, Tom Boyd), English horn (Al Jewer), clarinet (Tom Scott), violin (Charlie Bisharat, Lyn Bertles), flugelhorn (Jeff Oster), drums (Nick Vincent), guitar (David Arkenstone, Mike Miller), harp (Gayle Levant), marimba and bowed vibraphone (Brent Fischer) with percussion chant (Rocky Dawuni) on Red Savannah; additional keyboard, synth percussion on the title track and album mastering (Ricky Kej, Vanil Veigas) and mixing engineer, Steve Shepherd.
Rotcod Zzaj of Contemporary Fusion Reviews puts it this way, “Darlene’s instrumental work is simply beyond compare . . . I can easily see Native Bloom garnering multiple awards. There is mesmerizing magic woven into the title track, Chromatones… the string washes and synth lines on this song alone make it well worth the purchase of the album . . . and carries the weight of the ages right to your doorstep . . . Most highly recommended.”
Darlene produced “Chromatones” for maximum restorative benefits while listening. Evocative titles such as Golden Dawn, Mourning Doves, Red Savannah, Swans on the Seine, Terra Affirma, Native Bloom, Vibrant Worlds, Chromatones, Prism of Time, Painted Desert and Waltzing in Planetary Time help to create a visual map of the radiant, sonic world one experiences upon listening to “Chromatones;” allowing the listener to totally relax or work refreshed and focused, surrounded by the comforting sounds of nature and her polychromatic music.
Candice Michelle says on JourneyScapesRadio.com, “With Chromatones, Darlene Koldenhoven has beautifully crafted an enchantingly exquisite musical tapestry of new age piano ensemble music. Once again weaving a colorful spectrum of tones and textures throughout these elegant compositions, her latest album is sure to engage, uplift and delight the listener’s spirit!”
“Chromatones” is available as a pre-sale now on Amazon and iTunes and everywhere fine music is sold, streamed, or broadcasted beginning June 1, 2018. Check out the “Chromatones” sampler at YouTube and check out “Color Me Home” too. For more information and to purchase, visit her website DarleneKoldenhoven.com and be sure to connect on all social media.
A press release by TimeArt Productions