This is a CD of 10 sacred mantras, set in softly rhythmic arrangements that sway gently to the lovely voice of Lea Longo. She provides a description of what each mantra means in both English and French. This is a wonderful CD for anyone who enjoys chant but is looking for a new sound. Very nicely arranged and performed.
"Zen Voyage" is a a very fine and pleasant album and I immediately started playing it in my radio show of folk, roots & world music here at Radio Voce Spazio, as you can see from the alleged playlist. Lea has a very soulful voice and surely has dones a really fine work as the arrangements are particularly subtle, even when there is some intense use of electronics, so that the music can always spread a quiet sense of peace and serenity. More songs from "Zen Voyage" will surely follow on air in the next weeks of course. In the meantime let me please thank you once again for your kind attention and wish you all the best.
Allergique aux musiques new-age à la Enya - la "transposition musicale du coma", écrivait jadis mon collègue Jean-Christophe Laurence -, j'envisageais avec scepticisme l'écoute de ce CD de Lea Longo intitulé Zen voyage. Surtout qu'à l'endos, la pochette promet que "ces mantras, formules sacrées chantées en textes sanskrit, aideront à trouver en vous une énergie positive et spirituelle..." Manquerait plus que l'encens au patchouli, me disais-je. Eh bien surprise: ce n'est pas si ringard que cela et, surtout, c'est franchement efficace pour trouver le sommeil. Si on le réserve pour ses séances de relaxation ou de yoga maison, Zen voyage peut être un agréable accompagnement sonore.
Desde Canadá nos llega el nuevo trabajo de Lea Longo, una mujer con una dulce voz que nos sumerge en ese estado de bienestar en el que a todos nos gustaría estar. "Zen Voyage" es un viaje musical en el universo de la cultura zen, aquí nos encontramos con diez magníficos mantras basados en textos sanscritos, textos sagrados que sirven para sumergirnos en un estado de relajación y de bienestar con nosotros mismos. La propia compositora nos dice que "Zen Voyage" es un trabajo que le permite revivir esa paz, ese bienestar interior en cualquier lugar, en cualquier momento...
No lo dudemos y dejemonos llevar por este "Viaje Zen" hacia nuestro interior para lograr ese estado de ánimo que no siempre podemos conseguir pero que si nos gustaría mantener, trabajos como el de Lea Longo son el camino más indicado para poder lograrlo.
"I needed this CD for so long ! It brought me energy and concentration. This album is a MUST"
Détendez-vous, restez calmes et écoutez Zen Voyage : une musique pour allumer vos sens et apaiser votre esprit.
"Je me suis littéralement senti transporté lors de l'écoute de Zen Voyage. Une musique qui m'a aidé à me concentrer, à stimuler ma créativité"
"Franchement efficace pour trouver sommeil. Zen Voyage est un agréable accompagnement sonore aux scéances de relaxation ou de yoga"
"Ces magnifiques mantras et mélodies aériennes nous ramènent à une essence de vie des plus pures"
Lea Longo lance son nouvel album, «Zen Voyage»,
L'auteure et interprète Lea Longo lance son nouvel album, "Zen Voyage", cette semaine.
Le disque est présenté comme un voyage musical dans un univers zen et spirituel. Inspirée par un voyage en Inde où elle a étudié et pratiqué le chant et grande amateure de musique d'ambiance et de musicothérapie, Lea Longo en est à son deuxième album.
Certaines des pièces de son précédent album "Miserably Happy" se sont retrouvées dans le film "Cheaper by the Dozen", les séries "Dawson's Creek", "Party of Five" et "North Shore".
SUCCESS STORY FOR LEA LONGO
Lea Longo is based in Montreal, making her the most distant attendee of the Top Producers seminar. "I was able to play one of my songs for Michael C. Ross," Longo said, "and he was immediately interested in working with me on co-producing and re-mixing it for the American market." This confirms what many in the business have known for years, that Ross has great ears. Since that time, the song called "Ugly," produced by Dan Cinelli, has won two song writing contests, the Canadian Music Week National Songwriting Competition, and Montreal'sMix96SongwritingContest.
In addition, the song has been placed in heavy rotation on Mix 96, a top-rated commercial station in one of Canada's major markets. The musical director for the station praised the record, calling it "an uplifting song, bright, with hooks from start to end."
Now, with Ross behind the board for the next version of the song, the U.S. market will soon be heading Longo's voice. "I am very excited about the new mix that Michael is doing for the American release of this song," Longo stated. This isn't the only breakthrough for Longo this year. Her song, "Someone Like Me," was in the 20th Century Fox movie "Cheaper by the Dozen" starring Steve Martin. And since she sings in four languages (English, French, Spanish and Italian), there is tremendous potential for her as a global artist.
"I heard a lot of songs that day at the L*A*M*P event," Ross stated. "Lea's was by far the best. I remember saying to myself, 'I would love a chance to beat that demo'. Well, I am getting my chance. It has been great to see all that Lea has been able to get going on her own. It just shows some of the opportunities independent artists can take advantage of, when they make the extra effort."
"Confessions" FEATURED on DAWSON'S CREEK.
It's clear why this Canadian songbird's work has paddled up "Dawson's Creek". Her Songs are uptempo, acoustic/electric pop rock and it's all crafty,deftly arranged and well produced.
“I heard a lot of songs that day at the L*A*M*P event,
Lea’s was by far the best”
Canadian Music Week and the Songwriters Association of Canada announced Lea Longo, from Montreal, PQ as the grand prize winner of the National Songwriting Competition. With her song “Ugly” which was chosen by a panel of industry experts, Longo beat 11 other finalists. Steven MacDougall of Halifax Nova Scotia was the first runner-up.
Presented by Mix 99.9 and sponsored by Standard Radio in association with the Songwriters Association of Canada and participating radio stations, regional winners performed two songs each at the Songwriters Showcase at The Rivoli in Toronto.
“Ugly” is rocking up the ordinarily bland Mix 96 here after this local sensation won Montreal's Mix 96 songwriting contest. To add more fuel to Lea's crisp mix of rock, pop and southern hints is her recent winning of the National Songwriting Contest that took place last month in Toronto during Canadian Music Week. On top of that, this local songstress and chanteuse is now pushing her latest disc, Miserably Happy. It's a fresh sound that has instantly memorable hooks with verses that build to big choruses, making it no surprise that her music has already seeped south, appearing on TV's Dawson's Creek and, more recently, in Steve Martin's last flick Cheaper by the Dozen. Once again, Montreal produces a great talent with little fanfare....
“ It only took one listen to think, INSTANT ADD!”
“Rich percussion rythms and swirling melodies support Longo's stellar voice and make for a solid, no-cracks-in-the-surface sound.”
NATIONAL SONGWRITING WINNER ANNOUNCED ON MIX 96“Ugly is a HIT! It is Up-bright with hooks from start to end”
La Montréalaise Lea Longo, membre de la SOCAN, a obtenu le grand prix Auteur-compositeur, présenté par la CMW et l’Association des auteurs-compositeurs canadiens et commandité en partie par La Fondation SOCAN. Elle a battu 11 autres finalistes grâce à sa chanson « Ugly », sélectionnée par un jury composé d’experts de l’industrie. Steven MacDougall de Halifax a terminé au 2e rang. Les gagnants régionaux interprétaient deux chansons chacun lors d’un événement tenu le 6 mars au Rivoli, à Toronto. Le grand prix comprenait une bourse de 10 000$ et plusieurs autres prix, incluant un lancement promotionnel par BMG Music Canada.
At the Fine Arts Open House held on Friday, October 1, during Homecoming 2004, Lea Longo, BFA (jazz studies) 95, was presented with an Artistic Achievement Award by the CUAA Fine Arts Chapter, the third such award given by the chapter. The winner of Canada’s National Songwriting Competition this year, Longo says that winning the competition was truly surprising — and great.
The national award and recognition opened doors for her in the music world; in September, Universal Music released her new album, Miserably Happy, which features a number of songs written by Longo, along with others co-written with her producer and guitarist. (Listen to the song “Ugly” from Lea’s latest album.)