People often ask me; can you recommend a meditation album that actually works? Being a meditation music enthusiast, I’m always surprised by the question – but I also know that there is a real difference between “pretty, uncomplicated, and relaxing” meditation albums and music with genuine healing qualities. Sherry Finzer’s Naked Flute – where Connections is the latest addition – is in the latter category. Recorded at The Tank, CO, Connections links up with the listener’s heart and soul in a deep and meaningful way – making it very easy for me to recommend it to everyone in search of music with genuine healing qualities.
Sherry Finzer is a Phoenix-based flutist, performer, and composer, and runs Heart Dance Records – a label consisting of artists with a focus on healing music. She specializes in the low flutes – alto, bass, and contrabass. Her musical journey has taken her from classical to jazz, pop, world, and flamenco, to New Age and meditative music. Her most recent albums are Desert Suite (2021), Solace (2021, together with City of Dawn) and Renewal (2021).
You may pre-order the Connections on Bandcamp.
Resilience
The album opener is called Resilience. It is a powerful, bold, and unrestrained piece that fills The Tank all the way to the top. The album is off to a great start! But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself:
The listener will instantly feel its energy. Distant River is a contrast, taking the album into new territory. Nature feels close enough to touch. There is a lovely hint of Native American flute.
Moving on, there is something victorious about Pete’s Journey – but also a sense of loneliness, too. This duality shows Finzer’s brilliance as a composer and performer. The melody twists and turns, rises and falls. Notice how Finzer uses silence too. The silence in The Tank is loaded.
Homecoming
All journeys have an end, and the next part of the album communicates feelings of love and belonging; Homecoming, Ephemera, and Peace at Home. It is uplifting music in every sense of the word.
At this stage, we venture into new territory. The music is more reflective and thought-provoking. Through the Vail and Red Hawk Hill make the mind wander. The title track is magnificent! Its sound is quite sharp with a sense of magic and mystique. It is very much in the spirit of Paul Horn, making The Tank sound like a cathedral.
A New Day
Now the album gets a bit lighter – and perhaps a bit slower too. The optimistic A New Day makes you think that anything is possible. Bella’s Moon, Highland Waterfall, Wind Spirit, and Ever Same, are meditative jewels, as complex or as easygoing as you want them to be. Brilliant!
The album ends in the realm of the spirits. The jubilant The Greatest Blessings is beautiful beyond words before The Crossing Place takes us to a vacuum, a great nothingness. The only constant is the sound of the flute. Suddenly there are hints of a rhythm, a percussion on Journey with Spirits telling us that it is all soon over. This healing and inspiring voyage in music has come to an end. The listener is left with a deep sense of gratitude and peace.
In conclusion: “I believe art is a connection, like passing on a flame,” Wangechi Mutu said. Sherry Finzer’s new album has classical qualities – or classical connections if you will. But it is also distinctly modern, in part thanks to the unique sound in The Tank. Pieces like Resilience and Connections will do well in any playlist of quality New Age music, not just music meant for healing. But it is in this department the album has the most to offer.
Sherry Finzer’s newest addition in the Naked Flute series is a true find, an album that you want to keep just as much for its beauty as for its healing qualities. Highly recommended!
For more information and music samples, visit sherryfinzer.com.
You may pre-order the Connections on Bandcamp.
BT… Do you know of any solid double blind, peer reviewed, scientific studies showing the physical healing ability of music? Not anecdotes… not wishful thinking. This might be where you and I differ in our love for this music. I support telling folks that New Age music is beautiful and uplifting, and can inspire an emotional boost. but I don’t encourage people to believe that it can actually “heal” medical issues. I may be wrong.. there may be well documented science… but as of now, I haven’t seen that. I would love to think that is the case, and read the research so I can change my whole take on it. But I’ve seen enough charlatans, trying to peddle the nonsense of the “Ancient Solfeggio Tones” (that literally make ZERO sense when you actually look at what those tones are supposed to be and what frequencies they are, and whose “effects” were debunked years ago) and actual vile evil people selling “snake-oil” promising to sell people music tracks that will cure someone’s disease or lately, promising to prevent and guarantee they survive COVID. This is a genre that I think gets easily taken advantage of and I think we really need to be protective of it, and not let it be used to take advantage of desperate people, many going through the worst times of their lives. I noticed in your review you say Connections has “healing qualities” but never really promise anything specific. I’m honestly not sure if that’s good or bad… But, maybe I’m just really sensitive to that phrase, and always take it to mean physical healing when it can also mean mental/spiritual. I will say though, that some of the people that have reached out to me over at r/NewAgeMusic have definitely been the “snake oil” types.. and they show their true colors when I even try to ask questions about their medical claims. Anyway, if this isn’t a discussion for here… just let me know and I’ll pull it. I still love reading the guide… ‘healing’ is just a trigger word for me when it comes to New Age Music.
Hi Jason,
I suffer from severe tinnitus and depression that comes from being unable to cope with years of this constant tinnitus. I am being treated by the VA for both medical/psychological issues. I can assure you that New Age Music, especially Sherry Finzer’s flutes, have helped me to cope and survive. Did it “cure” both? No. Did it help me to live a better life? Yes. I think living a better life and surviving each day with physical/psychological issues can be considered healing. Please research “Music Therapy” and VA. You’ll find that the VA uses music therapy to help veterans with their issues. They have with me and I survive each day running Sherry Finzer’s music through the masker program in my hearing aids. I hope my explanation helps you understand how New Age Music heals me. Take care.
Thank you for sharing your experience Bobby and I am very happy that music therapy is working for you. As someone that has achieved direct results form listening to music… I have so many questions I’d love to ask. Unfortunately, I need to step away right this second. but wanted to at least drop a quick reply to you and to Sherry above.
Hello Jason,
Thank you for commenting here. I thought maybe I should clarify that I have never made a snake oil claim to be a healer. Each song on this album was created for a person who reached out to me to let me know how my music had helped them to heal, so that they can continue healing, or get through depression or grief. My listeners are the ones that claim that my music is healing. Many tell me that my music helps with tinnitus, many tell me that they put my music on when dealing with bouts of physical pain to help them get through it. Several have used my music to get through grieving from the loss of loved ones. I have no scientific proof, nor do I need to have it to validate the music that I create. My validation comes from the emails, phone calls, comments and connections that I have made with so many people who are suffering, who have explained to me how my music has helped them to heal. I believe it is us to the listener to decide whether the music is healing or not. If you desire more information perhaps this article from Psychology Today will help https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/urban-survival/201907/the-healing-power-sound-meditation. Thanks and have a blessed day!
Sadly, I posted a LONG reply to you a few days ago.. but apparently must not have hit post, as it’s clearly not here. The long and short of it was that I hope I did not offend… I did not mean to imply that YOU, in any way, were one of those peddling ‘snake oil.’ I am a huge fan, and absolutely love your music. So please accept my apologies if it seemed I was targeting you or your new album specifically. I appreciate your comments, and the replies of everyone else here. I think you may be very right that the definition of healing might be best left to the listener. What our favorite music helps us deal with is very personal and unique to every one of us… and I am honestly very glad that there are those that find relief in beautiful music. I am looking forward to hearing all of the new album, and thank you for years of amazing music!
Thank you so much Jason! I just want to keep creating and watching the power of music help to transform and heal people! Thank you for listening to my music and I hope that you enjoy this special project.
Hi Jason!
I just wanted to pop in and lend my perspective as someone who has studied Sound Healing at an accredited institute and college this year –
I truly think Sound Healing should be called “Vibrational Healing” because that phrase encompasses the truth of the vast experience of healing that can be created through “sound.” Most important thing to know is that a core teaching of physics is that everything has a vibration! Here is a link to the Sound Healing Research Foundation: https://soundhealingcenter.com/shrf/ It’s a very long webpage, but there’s lots of information there about the research on the effect of consistent tones, sleep disorders, pain management, PTSD, bodily frequency mapping and more.
There are certainly and unfortunately a lot of promises out there made by practitioners in many different modalities in the New Age sphere. I think the largest difference here is in perspective! Many people see themselves as healers. Neither I (even as someone soon to have a certificate in sound healing) nor Sherry choose to use that label purposefully. In truth, we are facilitators of healing. Sherry uses her flute and ability to channel these beautiful pieces as a way to lend that vibration to her clients and community. It’s never about her, and always only about the peace that is coming through the vibrations of her flute! The Tank has a magnificent effect on these vibrations as well – I hope you enjoy the album 🙂
Jason we r here to help ya open your mindset to healing us a good thing! Ella 🥳 I’m so glad to hear and feel your awesome human vibrations of compassion & cool awareness towards positive support concerning mental health & music therapy! It works! Heals!
I am some great living proof of Sherry Finzer’s musical healing therapy! The brain is a powerful mindful muscle! Sherry became my juicy flute musical therapist without even knowing last year! LOL 🤷🏽♀️ I’m blessed with Menieres Dis…ease vertigo nausea 😉 tinnitus noises all day just awful, PTSD, anxiety, depression and multiple injuries from fighting wildfires for 26 years. When I heard Sherry’s flutes, 💕💃🏽💪🏽 I found a special place inside self, the exact vibrations… all my trauma began to ease up. I found sleep, peace, ease! I am currently doing so well! Sherry Finzer is healing me thru our compassion & real awesome new age music! The new Connections album came from sharing true human stories of healing; I know cause I’m so so proud to be soaring from the Tank on Red Hawk Hill! 🙏🏽
Dr Rick Hanson.net has a huge bag of info on our powerful working brains. 🙋🏻♀️🔥🐠deb