Reviews

Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Copyright Information

REVIEWS

"...a great album and I highly recommend it."
--Bill Binkelman
New Age Reporter

"Beautiful, mystical, sensual, warm, inviting..."
--Mark Abushady
Creations Magazine

"Al Conti has done a superlative job...I'm Hooked!"
--Kathy Parsons - Mainly Piano

"...a finely textured milieu that's both cinematic and meditatively narrative."
--Mark Tucker - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange

"We haven't listened to such exciting 'New Age' in a long time..."
--Rotcod Zzaj
Improvijazzation Nation

"Absolutely a joy to listen to..."
--Matt Rowe - Music Tap

"A feast for the auditory senses..."
--The Book Watch

To go directly to a specific review, click a link below

Album: Scheherazade

Album: Poeta
Melliflua | Innerchange | RadioMike | Songcatcher's Radio | KRBS Radio

Album: Shadows
Melliflua | Serge Kozlovsky| RadioMike

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: New Age Retailer
Reviewer: Bill Binkelman
Date: March, 2009

Drawing inspiration from the Persian folk tale of a kidnapped princess who told 1,001 nightly tales to her captor, multi-instrumentalist Al Conti spins a culturally rich musical web, both ancient and modern, on Scheherazade. Comparing quite favorably to the classic Chris Spheeris CD, Culture, Conti mixes exotic ethnic rhythms, piano, lush layered keyboards, wafting flute, and discreet contemporary electronica beats and texture. The resulting musical "stew" is indeed flavorful - tasty and spicy still "going down easy" for less adventurous listeners. World music influences from the Middle East and Northern Africa pepper many tracks, such as "Shahryar" and "Seven Veils to Midnight," while Spanish guitar brings passion to "A Thousand Tales," and the closing "Heart Triumphant" is suitably romantic.

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: New Age Reporter
Reviewer: RJ Lannan
Date: March, 2009

From the ancient book of Kathasaritsagara, we learn in music the story of a woman who saved a kingdom. The story of the 1001 Arabian Nights begins with the maiden Scheherazade telling the sultan enticing stories to assuage him from his murderous deeds. Al Conti's latest release Scheherazade brings to life the exciting tales of Persia, India and Egypt and the heroic woman who, through love, guile and spirit saved her people from a lifetime of loss. Going beyond Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov's somber version of the tale, Conti brings light, life and color to the story with his multi-instrumentation talent and composition skills.

Conti uses many traditional (keyboard, synthesizer) and well as ethnic (tablas, hurdy-gurdy, sitar) instruments to shade his music and with a little help from guitarist Andre Maquera, manages to weave a beautifully textured tapestry of the starlit desert, the saving words of a Persian raconteur and the secrets behind the palace door.

The enchanting tale begins with the introduction of Scheherazade, the Prime Minister's daughter, in a tune called The Daughter of the City. Bright piano, warm drone, ethereal vocals and ethnic percussion unite to tell of Scheherazade's beauty and her sacrifice. She must tell the sultan a tale that lasts until daybreak in order to stave off her own execution. The music suggests that there is more than just a pair of mysteriously beautiful brown eyes behind the veil.

Dunyzade is a charmingly dulcet tune named for the sister of Scheherazade. It is Scheherazade's sacrifice that keeps her sister from certain death. This bittersweet piano tune is shimmering at times, with a soft background symbolizing Dunyzade's youth, beauty, and her time of uncertainty. Will she be safeguarded by the fantastic stories of her sister?

With a fountain gushing merrily in the background and the song of birds all around we imagine the lush, verdant beauty of the Palace Gardens. Rare blossoms unfold around us and the smell of new, green growth greets us at every turn. And amongst this verdant beauty and the aroma of jasmine is Scheherazade softly speaking her adventures of Ali Baba, Sinbad the Sailor and Aladdin and his lamp.

Heart Triumphant is the resolution of the tale. Scheherazade has won over the heart of the sultan, her sister is set free and the story, as in all good stories, allows the characters to live happily ever after. It is the music of a heart victorious by simple words and glorious sacrifice. The music is not one of celebration per se, but of a successful conclusion. Isn't that the way all tales should end?

Award winning composer Al Conti is true to his theme throughout the album and I liked it for that. This world famous Argentinean musician shares his talents with global charity events, does production work on television commercials as well as programs. He has a knack for infusing his ambient music with passion, and yet keeps his themes accessible for many types of listeners enveloping ambient, New Age and World genres. The music is exciting and yet satisfying. So much so that I am going to look up his other prominent album, Shadows. ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: LA Yoga
Reviewer: M.R.M.
Date: March, 2009

Al Conti is a composer and performer who offers a global sound that travels deep into the stirring fields of the Middle East and North India using a thin blanket of rhythmic accompaniment to bring an impassioned feel to his music. Conti has a nice compositional feel for calm and peaceful melodies that keep you hooked without putting you to sleep. I found several tracks on this album quite inspiring. I particularly enjoyed “Desert Nights,” which blends Arabic scales with rich augmented textures that lures you into a welcoming and sprightly fantasy world.

Conti is a composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist who plays piano, acoustic guitar, violin, electronic keyboards and percussion. This mean that his albums are made up of much of his own handiwork. I like the way he produced this record and though it did feel a bit repetitive, I was pleasantly surprised by his ability to arrange consistent melodies around soft percussive accompaniment.

In addition to his music career, Conti is committed to supporting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (leukemia.org), Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) and Until There’s A Cure (until.org), which combats the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Conti recently joined Kevin Bacon, Jessica Alba, Shelley Morrison and other celebrities in lending his name to the Until There’s A Cure foundation to help raise awareness and funds for research. alconti.net –– M.R.M.

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Heathen Harvest
Reviewer: Lysander
Date: March, 2009

I supposed it was naive of me to think that not every genre has a scene. I was thinking - or maybe hoping - that new age music wouldn't have one, but whatever the new age scene is, Al Conti seems to be dominating the top end of it. Scheherazade has garnered praise from various corners of the new age world, not least 'album of the month' three months running for New Age Reporter. That's not necessarily because of a lack of entries in the genre but because Scheherazade is quite a classy piece of work. I'm sure the new age clubs and tea emporia are bustling with eager Luddites thrilled at hearing this music in its intended setting whilst eyeing up the bead and dreamcatcher displays.

Scheherazade, Al Conti's third work, is based very heavily around the theme of Arabia, fully represented in its melodies and artwork. The latter is rather modest in its execution, bearing only the slatted eyes of some jilbaabed nymph and a desert skyline. Inside the digipak, Al stands moodily - and frighteningly - close to a lit torch in a basin while wearing one of those traditional Arabian waistcoats that seemed to do terribly well in Lawrence of Arabia or down at Archway Kebabs. The press release that came with the disc is worded with staggering prolixity but at least it gives you enough time to concentrate on the man behind the muzak, if you could be bothered to read all the way through it. It seems that Al had a lot of exposure to the erotic folk tales of Arabian Nights when he was younger, hence the inspiration for this album. I certainly would have preferred that over the copy of The Joy of Sex on my parent's bookshelf that always seemed to fall open to page 48, which, beset with diagrammatic drawings, is probably the closest anyone will come to seeing their own conception.

Scheherazade is a very toned down and subtle work. There are no energetic, bombastic rhythms mashed out on tabulars, or the rousing battery of Asian percussion: each song is done with a subtle style and different layers of grace. There's a lot of variety in the album though it excels in the slower and more sultry moments such as the calming Dunyazad and the mystical Palace Gardens. Conti knows how to to create mystical atmosphere and the album's certainty not lacking in inspiration or methods through which to transmit it.

Even though Scheherazade employs a lot of instrumentation, not all of this is unsampled. There is a heavy use of guitar, violin and piano, whereas other instruments such as the udu, sitar and hurdy gurdy appear to be synthesised. Yes, this is no surprise for many artists in the genre but at least Conti is able to do it without it sounding too contrived, putting the instruments in where they fit rather than intentionally jabbing them in to fill out the album's variety and sleeve notes. Thankfully, this doesn't detract too much from the quality of the music: Scheherazade is a highly atmospheric piece for those who wish for their incidental music to be undemanding, ethereal and emotive. It may pale in comparison to bands like Vas and Irfan, but it's impressive what the imagination of one man is able to conjure..

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Mainly Piano
Reviewer: Kathy Parsons
Date: February, 2009

"Scheherazade is an instrumental portrait of the narrator of the legendary '1001 Arabian Nights.' Hypnotic and exotic, the music weaves its own magic as it tells Scheherazade’s tale. Her story revolves around an Arabian sultan or king who was betrayed by his first wife. Determined to never again be hurt by love, the sultan vows to marry a new bride every night and have her executed in the morning. This soon takes a terrible toll on the population of young women in the kingdom, so Scheherazade offers herself as the king’s next bride. After a night of passion, Scheherazade tells her new husband a story before they go to sleep, the first of the “1001 Tales.” She entrances him with her story, but stops before the end. Desperate to hear the rest of the story, the king allows her to live another day. She does this night after night until the king finally realizes he is in love with her.

Al Conti has done a superlative job of creating a fusion of world music with a strong Middle Eastern flavor. Utilizing traditional instruments from Persia, Arabia, and India, Conti adds piano, guitar, violin, and electronic keyboards to the rich blend, creating a musical palette with a wide range of colors. Born and raised in Argentina, Conti has traveled extensively and lived in several parts of the world. He has had an acting career on American television, in commercials, and onstage in the US and abroad. “Scheherazade” is his third album. It is impossible to not think of Yanni’s early work when listening to parts of this album with its passion and unbridled joy in making music. I’m hooked!

“Scheherazade” begins with “Daughter of the City,” a magical piece that sets the stage. Exotic sounds and rhythms surround a simple but seductive melody played on the piano. Conti lets us know right away that this is going to be a very different musical experience! “Desert Nights” is slow, sultry, and very beautiful, with flute casting a spell. “Shahryar” is the sultan, and his piece is much darker and more mysterious. “Seven Veils To Midnight” recalls their first night together as Scheherazade puts her plan in motion. Strong rhythms quicken the pulse as excitement builds. “A Thousand Tales” is my favorite of the tracks. A little more western, perhaps, but the gentle melody and infectious rhythms are as compelling as Scheherazade’s stories. During her days, Scheherazade finds a quiet place in the “Palace Gardens” to craft her next story. The gardens have their own magic and mystery. “Eternal Majesty” is a graceful, stirring portrayal of Scheherazade’s courage and cleverness as she becomes the heroine of her own timeless tale. “Heart Triumphant” brings this magnificent legend to a close as the sultan officially recognizes Scheherazade as his queen.

“Scheherazade” was on many “best of” lists for 2008, and if you haven’t yet discovered the magic of Al Conti’s music, I highly recommend it. It is widely available at online music outlets and download sites. Check it out! ” ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange
Reviewer: Mark S. Tucker
Date: February, 2009

"Though this sounds like an orchestra alongside a group, Scheherazade is actually just one man, Al Conti, who has mastered percussion, winds, synth, piano, guitar, and a subtle proliference of instruments popping up all over the disc. The music is intelligent New Age winding back to its progrock forebears by way of Klaus Schulze, Michael Hoenig, Kitaro, and the gentler scions of the classically based genre. This instrumental song cycle is based, of course, on the storytelling myth of the enchanting woman after whom the ancient myth was titled, but it could just as easily be interpreted alongside Kitaro's Silk Road as an exotic panorama of distant lands moodily portrayed.

It goes without saying that the primary sound is Arabian, but Conti interpolates echoes of Australian aboriginal, Western symphonic, and various kindred modes, aligning them perfectly within a finely textured milieu that's both cinematic and meditatively narrative. Much of the travelogue is stately but spacious, allowing the mind to wander bemused and wide-eyed. More than a few passages are mindful of Camel's gorgeous slow melodies in their later period.

This is the composer's third release, and he's nailed everything necessary for a solid release, far surpassing the too frequent treacle offered on the Private label or the saccharine Hearts of Space. Nearly an hour long, Scheherazade is both balm and thoughtful dissertation, open to several approaches. I suggest a warm summer's night, wine, stars above, a significant other, and an uninterrupted block of time. On the other hand, it will serve as a solitudinous oasis just as easily and as fruitfully. No matter the situation, though, the CD is an absorbing and cathartic experience on a sublimer level than most." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Creations Magazine
Reviewer: Mark Abushady
Date: February, 2009

"Beautiful, mystical, sensual, warm, inviting – all that we would expect from the mythical “Sheherazade” who lends her name to this album. Given Rim Creations Magazine Cover sky-Korsakov’s legendary and beautiful treatment of the 1,001 Arabian Night tales, I wondered at giving another musical work the same name, but Al Conti pulls it off in the way he approaches his subject. Subtlety and grace are evident in every cut, as well as seductive rhythms with which the album begins. Over the course of the album, more of a “new age” influence takes over, reaching its peak in the final and most serene cut, “Heart Triumphant.” This is the soft and wistful side of the storyteller, and a wonderful album to dream to. What amazed me in this offering was the lack of self-consciousness in the music (as well as the performance), and the quality of the language, which over the course of the album seemed to encompass all that is melodic in the various languages of our planet. I believe these songs. The shape of the tones and words are evocative and expressive without involving left brain comprehension. The back-up musicians are also excellent, and take the term “world music” to a new level." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Improvijazzation Nation
Reviewer:Rotcod Zzaj
Date: January, 2009

"We haven't listened to such exciting "New Age" in a long time... and probably won't for some time to come. Mr. Conti weaves intriguing Middle Eastern themes into music that will enchant you (nearly) as strongly as the woman behind the veil on the CD cover. 10 compositions designed to put you in the relaxed mood you deserve, or inspire you to dream the things you've always wanted to dream. "Sultry" and "seductive" are the words that come to mind while listening to his beautiful music. The synth-weaves on the intro to "Shahryar" will hold your ears spellbound, and when the percussion and flute kick in, you won't have any difficulty imagining yourself on the back of a camel wending yourself through a magical/mystical desert. My special favorite track, though, was "Seven Veils to Midnight", in great part because of the robust and well thought out percussion sections - not to mention the superb recording quality. For those who are fans of New Age, as well as those just beginning to explore this musical terrain, I give this a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: The Book Watch/Midwest Book Review

Date: January, 2009

"Titled after the legendary Arabian heroine who stopped a sultan's slaughter of his brides by marrying him and telling him an unfinished story each night, so that he would spare her the next day to hear the end of the story, Al Conti's "Scheherazade" is a musical album that composed to weave its own, instrumental interpretation of Scheherazade's legend. The songs each embody a stage of her journey, from traveling to the sultan's palace to sharing passion with him, finding a quiet place in the gardens during the day to think up each new tale, and finally teaching the sultan's cold heart how to love once more. The haunting music bears a Middle Eastern influence from exotic instruments such as the hurdy gurdy, udu, sitar, tablas, and tribal drums, seamlessly blended with contemporary Western instruments such as piano, violin, cello, and acoustic guitar. A feast for the auditory senses, passionate, wondrous, and highly recommended as a gift for music lovers as well as for public library music CD collections." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: The Light Connection Magazine
Reviewer: Chiwah
Date: January, 2009

"In One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, the fine art of story tel The Light Connection Magazine cover ling is said to have saved the life of the beautiful and talented Scheherazade. Seduced by the magic of her stories, the spiteful ruler who had sworn to take a new lover every night and have each one killed in the morning found himself utterly captivated, unable to resist the urge to bring her back for more. Finally his heart softened and he took her as his new queen. It is those stories she is said to have spun, night after night– tales that originated throughout Persia, Arabia and India more than 1,100 years ago–– that served as the inspiration for the ten musical adventures featured on this disc bearing her name.

Scheherazade 's distinctively Middle Eastern flavor comes across via the sounds of the exotic hurdy gurdy, udu, sitar, tables and tribal drums. At the same time, the artist has blended in piano, violin, cello and acoustic guitar to appeal to the Western ear. The mix is nothing less than astonishing, moving quickly from east to west and back again in a richly textured musical fabric woven of highly contrastive threads.

Al Conti is a composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He plays piano, acoustic guitar, violin, electronic keyboards and percussion. Born in Argentina of a family known for its artistic talent, he is also an actor with TV, stage and film credits. Scheherazade, his third musical album, made a quick leap to #1 position on the international New Age Reporter airplay charts when it was released." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Daily Vault

Date: January, 2009

"This is a thematic project or concept album. Scheherazade (pronounced sheh-hair-uh-zahd) is the fictional character dreamed up about a thousand years ago in places like Saudia Arabia, Iraq, Iran and even Pakistan and India. She was a storyteller who saved her own life and the lives of other would-be queens by telling the king a story every night, but stopping right at the climax so that he wouldn’t be-head her in the morning because he wanted to hear the rest of the tale. Everyone knows some of the stories – “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,” “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,” “Sinbad The Sailor” – mostly from Disney films and various cartoons. But Al Conti’s instrumental music is supposed to capture the essence of the characters and the story behind the stories told in “A-Thousand-and-One Arabian Nights.” It’s a little confusing, but if you get the book (or books, if you want all the tales) you can figure out the details (there also is an explanatory paragraph on Conti’s website at alconti.net, but I don’t know why he didn’t include it with the CD). Most of the tunes start with a rhythm element, usually some exotic drum sounds. Then the piano comes in (or a synthesized ethnic string instrument sound) plunking out the basic melody in a very simple fashion. And here is the punchline. It works. The melodies are simple, but the arrangements (primarily synthesized, it sounds like) are fairly complex and deeply textured. The music, a combination of age-old world music instruments and modern instruments, somehow emulates a time and place long-since-passed – the Mid-east deserts, the sultan or shah’s palace, various characters and intrigue in the night. When the music representing Sultan Shahryar came on, I could immediately envision a flute player coaxing a snake out of a basket. And with “Seven Veils to Midnight,” you can easily image belly-dancers doing their stuff. There are a variety of moods, feelings, tempos and textures on the recording. Bottomline, this is very highly enjoyable new age music with various world music elements layered in. The word is that the CD has already topped the new age airplay charts. I can hear why." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Smooth Jazz Therapy

Date: January, 2009

"In seeking inspiration from other genres, contemporary jazz is undoubtedly on its firmest ground when sampling the moods and motivations of R & B. However, of late, artists from the distinctly left field of New Age music have begun to make themselves heard and, although they have not always found an easy fit with the rhythm and melody that typifies all that is good in smooth jazz, one performer who has something to bring to the party is instrumentalist Al Conti. His latest CD ‘Scheherazade’ is a compelling and seductive blend of Middle Eastern and world influences so strong that the listener could be excused for almost smelling the sweet scent of incense in the air.

The album’s mix of exotic instruments that include the hurdy gurdy, udu, sitar and tablas merge delightfully with violins, cellos, soulful guitar solos and a smattering of ambient vocals. It’s a combination that has served to cement the position of ‘Scheherazade’ in the upper echelons of the New Age Reporter Top 100 where it held down the number one spot in both October and November of 2008. Of course ‘Scheherazade’ is the name of the narrator from the legendary stories ‘One-Thousand-and-One Arabian Nights’ and Conti uses the CD’s ten original world-fusion tunes to tell the famous storyteller's tale that is now more than 1100 years old.

His 2007 release ‘Poeta’ was used as part of National Public Radio's (NPR) fundraising efforts for that year and the track ‘Quest for Orpheus’ received a ‘Best of 2007’ award from Mystic Soundscapes Radio. Conti’s work has been described as delicious and peaceful music that expresses a lovely humanity and positive spirit. With ‘Scheherazade’ these qualities are abundantly displayed and provide a mellow antidote to the stressful times in which we all now live.
Conti is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina but now calls Vermont home. It’s a long way from these chilly climes to the stifling heat of Arabia but ‘Scheherazade’ brings it almost within touching distance." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: NewAgeMusic.nu

Date: January, 2009

"Scheherazade (pronounced: sheh-hair-uh-zahd) is a word the whole new age scene has learned over the last three months. Al Conti's third album, released late last year, is a magical and mystical voyage in 1,100 year old stories, originating from Persia, Arabia and India. Al Conti uses a large number of exotic instruments (like udu, hurdy gurdy, tablas and tribal drums), creating the most wonderful Middle Eastern ambience heard in a long time. But don't worry if you're not that into Middle Eastern music: he also plays piano, cello and acoustic guitar. And I must also note the tasteful synth backdrop, which builds up the atmosphere on every track." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: NewAgeMusic.nu - Top of 2008

Date: December, 2009

"Scheherazade has taken the new age music scene by storm. Al Conti's third album has been on top of the internet radio play lists for several months now, and the success will probably continue because it is an incredible, epic album. The story of Scheherazade comes from the One Thousand And One Arabian Nights. It is an unforgettable voyage in time and space." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Ambient Visions
Reviewer: Dene Bebbington
December 2008

"Scheherazade is Al Conti's third album in as many years, and is his musical rendition of her story - queen Scheherazade was the storyteller of 1001 Nights. As one would expect from the title and Al's previous work, it's a fusion of new age and world musical styles. I don't know for sure what has influenced Al's music, but it's hard for me not to draw a comparison to some of Yanni's music – particularly the more traditional styles on Live at the Acropolis.

Mentally transporting us to the Middle East is the opener “Daughter of the City”. A pensive drone, various shaking and rattling sounds, and a heraldic flute gets the piece going before it moves to a melodic passage led by piano and accompanied by percussion. Here you can imagine a woman walking the bustling and colourful streets of her city.

This is one of those albums that can't be described without using the word “evocative”. Many of the tracks work well at conveying a sense of time and place. In “Gold and Spices” hand beaten drums consort with the Eastern flavour of hurdy gurdy and dulcimer. It builds up to include a lovely, modern sounding, hypnotic rhythm as though we're passing through a bazaar where gold and spices assault one's senses.

In contrast to most tracks, “Dunyazad” pares the melody and percussion down to a minimum. A slow contemplative piano is joined by sparing bell tinkles and laid back hand beaten drum.

Yet again Al Conti has delivered an album full of warmth. The theme of Scheherazade suits his romantic style and ability to play several instruments. With it he's scored a musical hat-trick – three pleasing albums in a row with nothing bad to say about them." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: The Borderland - Music Watch
Reviewer: John Peters
Date: December 2008

"I'm a bit of a sucker for music that has an exotic and ethnic feel to it, and from the very first track (Daughter of the City) Al Conti's new album was pushing all the buttons for me. Liberally spiced with a middle-eastern vibe, this album is a beautifully melodic instrumental album rich in colour and simply great tunes. As far as I can make out Al Conti is the only musician on the album, which means it must have taken a long time to put all the instrumental elements together. I can't think of many albums received here for review that I have listened to for pleasure after the review process, but this will be one of those few. Yes, it is a cross between New Age and World, which in many cases results in bland, bland, bland music, but this is really great stuff - wide-screen and very cinematic, you could imagine this music wafting amongst the pyramids or over the desert dunes. As you would expect from the title of the album the track titles (Desert Nights, Shahryar, Seven Veils To Midnight, A Thousand Tales, Dunyazad) take their cue from the tales of the Arabian Nights, and I think captures the wild romance of the stories. Scheherazade is also a great album for testing out your hi-fi - crystal clear sound, wide soundstage. This is one of the best albums I've heard this year, so highly recommended to those of you who enjoy quality instrumental music." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: MusicTap
Reviewer: Matt Rowe
Date: December 2008

"The music heard on Al Conti's latest album, Scheherazade, is a brilliant piece of moody atmosphere with the charged sounds of the Middle East within its core. Using ancient instruments such as the hurdy gurdy, udu, sitar, tablas, and tribal drums, and incorporating more conventional instruments like the piano, acoustic guitar, violin, and electric keyboards, Conti's story-telling of Arabian Nights-like tales using all instrumental music is a thrill to immerse in. Scheherazade was the regaler of the Arabian Nights stories and this set of 10 instrumentals is her tale.

Some of the tunes here are absolutely a joy to listen to especially in an immersed setting where there is nothing but you and the sound of the music coming from your speakers and/or headphones. There are a few more contemporary sounding tracks that break the spell a bit. “A Thousand Tales” is one of those despite its obvious melancholic beauty. But the slack is made up by wonderful tracks like the mysterious opening tune, “Daughter of the City,” and the following tenderness of “Desert Nights.”

If you're a Prince of Persia game fan, this album is a grand soundtrack to that concept and for immersible game playing. For the rest of us music lovers that enjoy an instrumental romp of this kind of world music style, you'll love the unfolding musical tales set in place. Conti has a story-line set out for each track as it progresses through the album. Unfortunately, that is not available within the confines of the CD, booklet or otherwise. And perhaps he meant for the music to speak on its own, which is absolutely fine with me. This music is splendid atmosphere for much needed relaxation and appreciation." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: All Music Guide
Reviewer: William Rhulmann
Date: December 2008

"For his third album, Al Conti takes as his theme the "Arabian Nights" stories, as told by Scheherazade to the sultan to keep him from executing her. The theme provides Conti with a reason to investigate Middle Eastern styles and instruments. Those instruments are not detailed in the CD package, but clearly include an Indian tabla and other percussion instruments from the Middle East and Asia Minor, as well as sitar. To these, Conti overdubs Western string instruments, various keyboards, and guitar. (André Maquera plays guitar on one track, "A Thousand Tales.") There are also wordless vocals here and there, and, on "Palace Gardens," nature sounds of water and birds. The effect the composer/performer gets is both rhythmic and soothing, appropriate for music to accompany those intriguing stories that kept a monarch up so many nights. Of course, the music can be enjoyed for purposes of relaxation, meditation, and background mood setting, whether one is cognizant of the inspiration behind it or not." ~

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Wildy's World Blog
Reviewer: Wildy
Date: December 2008

"Your first thought upon seeing Al Conti is that he looks familiar. You know you've seen him somewhere before. A longtime actor, Conti has appeared on "As The World Turns" (among others), numerous commercials and even done some live theater work in New York and elsewhere. He gave up acting in 2004 to compose music full time, and has recently released his third album, Scheherazade (named for the narrator in the classic Arabian Nights tales). Conti mixes traditional middle eastern instrumentation with the more western sounding piano, guitar, violin, synth and percussion to create a stunning and eloquent collection of ten real world flavored new age compositions.

Daughter Of The City is the musical representation of Scheherazade herself, the woman who would save the female population of Arabia through 1,001 tales spun meant to stave off her death. Legend holds that Arabian Sultan Shahryar, whose heart had previously been broken decided to never be hurt again. His plan was to marry a new woman each day only to have her killed the next morning. Scheherazade began telling Shahryar stories each night, leaving the ending until the next day. The Sultan was so enraptured with Scheherazade's stories he'd let her live to hear the end of the story. While Scheherazade spent each day concocting new tales, she was also working on the Sultan to soften his heart. In the end the Sultan realized he loved Scheherazade.

Desert Nights has a feel of the ancients to it, and a gorgeous melody that soothes the ears. Shahryar seeks to enfold the majesty and power of the Sultan within its staves, and achieves its purpose with a sense of mystery and despair. Seven Veils To Midnight is Conti's representation of Scheherazade's honeymoon night, and combines an almost ambient musical sensibility with driving rhythms and strong minor key melodies to give the hidden sense of pleasure, anxiety and magic. Other highlights include A Thousand Tales; Gold And Spices and Eternal Majesty.

Al Conti writes incredibly expressive music that crosses boundaries you might have imagined as impregnable. Conti makes you forget your misgivings as they float away on the rise and fall of his moving and poignant songs. Scheherazade is a prime example of how New Age music can be vibrant and new. It's a gorgeous musical representation of the classic tale and a must-hear." ~

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: Keys And Chords
Reviewer: Patrick Van de Wiele
Date: December 2008

"Conti is actually an Argentinian by birth, but now lives in Vermont, USA. Seventeen years ago he suffered an ailment and that was when he started to work seriously with music, and because of his love for it he will keep himself busy with that fulltime. He comes from a musical family, and therefore when he was young he was surrounded music. He already has brought out two albums of new age music, which were well-received complete, and for which he already received two ASCAP Awards. This is now his third project and it is a concept album, with the whole dedicated to the journey of one specific Persian woman, Scheherazade. By means of her wisdom for a thousand-and-one-nights, she was able to divert the tragic destiny of the women who preceded her. She is now known for her courage and strength. At the first notes you already hear the Middle-Eastern environment which calls for the use of hurdy gurdy, udu, sitar and tabla, but also utilized are violins, cello, ambient singing and acoustic guitar. You are almost able to smell the fragrance of and see a belly dance. The album has already obtained the top of the New Age Reporter airplay chart, and that is not astonishing if you listen to this music -- new age with influences of world music, in a mix of mystery and romanticism. If you love mysterious instrumental music, as I do, and thereby have glady established in your house this type of musical environment, then this CD is certainly something for you! Examine also the beautiful cover that moreover Conti himself or his company made." ~

Rating: Five Stars

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: New Age Reporter
Reviewer: Bill Binkelman
Date: November 2008

"Somewhere in the press material which accompanied this album from Argentine-born (now residing in Vermont) multi-instrumentalist Al Conti was a statement that compared Scheherazade to the music of Chris Spheeris. I temporarily assumed the role of a Missouri native and thought “Show me!” Well, Conti did more than show me; he schooled me completely. Conti’s latest release sounds like a literal follow-up to Spheeris’ most ambitious album (and my personal favorite from among his many recordings) Culture. Scheherazade has that same culture-fusing new age/world beat music, featuring high production values, solid instrumentation, a mixture of romance, mystery, and drama, as well as the same likable accessibility that make Culture such a delight. In short, this is a great CD and if you enjoy instrumental music played on keyboards, guitar, wind instruments, and percussion, with a strong Mediterranean/North African/Middle Eastern influence, you need to grab onto a copy of this.

This is Conti’s third release but it’s the first one I’ve heard. I like to think I know most/all of the “accomplished” new age music artists recording these days. Just goes to show that even with many hundreds of reviews under my belt, I can still be a “newbie.”

Of course, the album’s title should make it clear that the music here is meant to convey the mystery, romance, daring, and excitement of the classic Persian myth/folktale of Scheherazade, a woman who kept a king transfixed with her nightly-told stories (1001 of them), thereby saving her own life and eventually winning him over and becoming his queen. Song titles such as “Desert Nights,” “Seven Veils to Midnight,” “A Thousand Tales,” and “Gold and Spices” underscore the literary connection.

“Daughter of the City” opens the album amidst a sensation of subtle awe and majesty with sweeping keyboards, wafting flute, delicate lively piano, and light tabla rhythms - an outstanding first track! The aforementioned “Desert Nights” dials up the sultriness with gently pulsing hand drums, bell trees, piano refrains, and sensual flute taking the lead. Once can almost imagine Scheherazade moving in time with the sensuous music. Sparse and reflective, the piano-dominated “Dunyazad” (Scheherazade’s sister) reveals Conti’s softer more pensive side, whereas “A Thousand Tales” sees the artist step up to the plate on both piano and guitar in a lively number with a more predominant Mediterranean flavor (making this one of the most Spheeris-like cuts on the CD, even sounding a bit like the latter’s album, Eros). The presence of tamboura on “Palace Gardens” carries the listener eastward from there with some pan-Indian flavor, accompanied by more contemporary sounding midtempo beats, piano and guitar. “Eternal Majesty” continues to evolve the sound in a more modern direction, adding subtle dashes of electronica and chill-out, including some tasty semi-glitchy beats. Like the folktale it’s based on, the album ends happily with the subtle power and drama of “Heart Triumphant.” Conti has a real knack for never rocketing into overkill. The song’s title had me concerned as I braced for overblown melodrama or faux sentiment, however, the artist shows impeccable taste and remarkable restraint, exercising discretion and showing a strong command of nuance.

The more I delved into Scheherazade, the more impressed I became with Conti’s wide musical versatility in regards to tempo, mood, musical style, and production, no matter what he was attempting to do (kudos are also due to engineer André Maquera). Talk about a Renaissance man, Conti even did the album’s artwork, which is well done to say the least. Frankly, Scheherazade blew me away. It’s a great album and I highly recommend it. For Spheeris’ fans, this one’s a no-brainer, and it should also prove worthwhile for those who enjoy Middle-Eastern/North African desert flavored instrumental new age music." ~

Rating: Very Good+

CD Review: Scheherazade
Publication: A Ultima Fronteira (Radio)
Reviewer: Roberto Valdes
Date: November 2008

*Please see translation below

"Al Conti es un compositor de origen argentino, hijo de padres Italo/Alemán, su madre fue bailarina clásica en el prestigioso Teatro Colón, uno de los teatros de Ópera más grandes del mundo, mientras que su padre es un profesor y poeta laureado. Entre sus antepasados, Al tiene como pariente al conocido autor del Siglo XIX, Miguel Cané.

"Scheherazade" supone su tercer trabajo, después de las publicación de los exitosos "Shadows" y "Poeta" en el 2006 y 2007 respectivamente. Su música continúa siendo bella, tranquila, emocional, compleja, llena de sentimientos, con preciosas guitarras y pianos, cellos y violines, todos ellos acompañados de instrumentos más exóticos como el udu, sitar, tablas...

"Scheherazade" está inspirado en "Las mil y una noches" de ahí esa preciosa portada donde sobre el desierto observamos esos ojos profundos donde se reflejan el espíritu de la obra, un disco donde la música nos transmite ese espíritu, nos traslada a esas latitudes, donde los sonidos nos acarician suavemente, el piano, las guitarras, los sitares, las voces corales...

Estamos ante un precioso trabajo que nos traslada al universo de "Las mil y una noches", música que nos évoca esa historia con bellos sonidos que nos invitan a movernos, desde el principio hasta el final, un trabajo que nos va llevando a caballo de la música, interpretrada con maestría y mezclada con esmero.

Translation:

'Scheherazade' is Al's third work, following the well received 'Shadows' and 'Poeta' in 2006 and 2007 respectively. His music continues to be beautiful, tranquil, emotional, complex, filled with feeling, with lovely guitars and pianos, cellos and violins, all accompanied by more exotic instruments like the Udu, Sitar and tablas...

'Scheherazade' is inspired on 'The 1001 Nights' from whence this beautiful CD cover stems where we observe, over deserts sands, such deep penetrating eyes in which the spirit of this work is reflected. An album that transmits us that spirit, takes us to those latitudes, where the sounds smoothly caress us, the piano, guitars, sitars, vocal choirs...

Here, we behold a precious work that takes us into the universe of 'The 1001 Nights,' music that evokes such story with gorgeous sounds inviting our bodies to move, from start to finish; a work that takes us on a horseback ride to the sounds of the music, masterfully interpreted and mixed with great care. ~

CD Review: Poeta
Publication: Melliflua/Audion Magazine
Reviewer: Dene Bebbington
Date: October, 2007

"Poeta is Al Conti's follow-up to his ambitious debut album Shadows. The theme this time around is the exploration of emotions felt through the poetry of music. To achieve this he employs a wide range of instrumentation from classical violin and cello to ethnic instruments such as hurdy gurdy (what a great name!) and sitar. The result is like some of Yanni's music -- Live at the Acropolis springs to mind – where Western and Eastern sounds and style meet somewhere in between.

There's a mythology aspect in some tracks, especially the opener “Orpheus” and then “Dreams of Iliad”. In “Orpheus” tinkling glissandoes and a taut drone begin as an intro then flutey refrains convey an image of Orpheus calling for his lost love. A rhythm of drums then comes in, adding to the drama. There's a lot of nuances to be discovered in this piece, including some clever snippets of sound like disguised voices. The mood is lighter in “Dreams of Iliad”; here a contemplative piano melody plays out over smooth resonant pads and a percussive rhythm breaks in followed by angelic wordless vocals.

Towards the end are a couple of pieces where the instrumentation is pared down to mainly acoustic elements. A harp plays a gently reflective melody in “Sacred Spaces”, joined only by discreet pads. And then in “Sonnet in C” a lovely tune on piano takes the lead against a backdrop of almost silent humming until string instruments come in to round off the track.

Again Al Conti has managed to compose an album full of accessible music that will delight the listener. Lazy autumn days or romantic evenings could be enhanced by this album. And in the realm of expressive emotional music Poeta succeeds in realising its vision through the poetry of music. It's warmhearted without being twee; and the range of instrumentation used is testament to Al's talent as a musician." ~

CD Review: Poeta
Publication: Innerchange
Reviewer: Cherie Lassiter
Date: October, 2007

"Be still my heart. From the first track of Poeta by artist Al Conti, I was transported, swept away and totally enchanted. Multi-faceted musician, Conti includes piano, guitar, sitar, strings and a touch of haunting vocal to his latest work.

A man with a muse, Al conveys through his music a sense of love, longing, passion, and peace that speaks to the heart and soul. In track one, “Quest for Orpheus,” you join Orpheus on a quest to retrieve his lost love. Lose yourself in track 7, “Abstract Desire,” and find adventure with track 2, “Dreams of Illiad.”

If you are a hopeless romantic listening, to Poeta will render you hopeful, and if you have forgotten dreams tucked away in your heart, Al Conti will find them and bring them back out into the light.

Originally from Argentina and the son of a poet and a ballerina, romance and poetry are as natural as breathing to this artist who was surrounded by music, literature and art his whole life.

This music is a great accompaniment to healing, meditation, massage, or just pure romance. I look forward to hearing more from this gentle, yet powerful, artist." ~

CD Review: Poeta
Publication: RadioMike
Date: September, 2007

"Al Conti has appeared on the show before. All the great ones do. And like before, when his music gets classified as New Age, it sends images of Yanni and Indie fans running for the hills. Conti’s music has those New Age elements, but dig in to the feast. There is much more here to hear when you open your mind. This is delicious peaceful music that would be at home as a meditation accompaniment as well as a soundtrack. Someone just call us. We’re ready for our close up, Mr. DeMille." ~

CD Review: Poeta
Publication: Soncatcher's Radio
Date: August, 2007

"Our listeners are loving your music."

CD Review: Poeta
Publication: KRBS Radio
Reviewer: Sue Few
Date: July, 2007

"It (Poeta) is indeed, a lovely and personable cd with music for everyone to enjoy."

CD Review: Shadows
Publication: Melliflua/Audion Magazine
Reviewer: Dene Bebbington
Date: December, 2006

"Al Conti is an actor and musician who's now released his debut album Shadows. Billed as a journey into the darkest corners of the heart where only you can go it's a collection of new age instrumental songs featuring piano, keyboards, drum effects, and some chanting vocals.

The opening track “Faith” sets the overall tone for the rest of the album to come. A sassy percussive rhythm opens up before piano comes in to play an uplifting melody speaking of the positive and hopeful aspects of faith. String effect pads later round off the piece adding a hint of the symphonic.

Piano features throughout much of the album and Al is equally at home with the slower reflective pieces and faster upbeat tunes. Besides the new agey pieces with piano and strings we also find some electronic based numbers. On “Reflection” reverbing synths constantly slither around the soundscape against a backdrop of drum percussion and periodic sections including Gregorian style chants a la Enigma. Something like a whistle or recorder also comes in now and again adding a bright pointy edge to the music.

A feat that Al has pulled off and which even some established musicians do not always manage is to create an album of consistently enjoyable tracks. There's not one I dislike or want to skip over. Permeating the album is a lovely humanity and positive spirit. This is epitomised on the closing track “Longing for You” where cosy warm synth pads and gentle string chords form a backdrop for electric piano notes fading off into the distance. Even though this piece is about longing for someone special it creates a warm glow inside.

Accessible thoughtful new age melodies and a few foot tapping numbers make listening to Shadows a relaxing and pleasurable experience. It's a worthy debut sure to appeal to new age fans." ~

CD Review: Shadows
Reviewer: Serge Kozlovsky
Date: December, 2006

"This is not just one more album in genre of new age music. A debut project “Shadows” by Al Conti presents melodies that have been passed through a perception and splashed outside. They are imbued with a life’s experience of the composer, achieved through sufferings of his heart. Compositions of “Shadows” reflect a way through pain and sufferings to gladness and light. Al Conti is not afraid of having a look into depths of his underself in order to find his own “I”. And the “Shadows” album is a very individual one.

In Al Conti’s music there is a free rein of self-_expression which is inherent to new age. Moreover his tunes are very positive. Nevertheless beyond the effervescent joy and optimism one feels an abundant experience of outlived losses and regrets. And it does not hang dormant, it emphasizes bright music of the album with deft touches.

“Shadows” is music of the present. While listening to this album you don’t want to be puzzled with the question what happened to you before, what kind of a person you were earlier, and the only desirable thing is to feel yourself at this very moment and enjoy life as far as it is really beautiful. And the main question now is not what you were but what you became after all that had happened and where you are now.

Al Conti’s music helps to look to your present and future optimistically and to realize that the shadows of bygone fears have no power over you, and the bitterness of past sufferings has been left somewhere behind a long time ago. And you are just listening to Al Conti’s melodious compositions and enjoy life. And you really have the things to be enjoyed!

The “Shadows” album brings out clearly that new age music is successfully developing and improving. And listening to inspired, full-of-life compositions of Al Conti you just rejoice in sensing of another spiritual reality. And again you fully appreciate that our world couldn’t exist without it." ~

CD Review:Shadows
Publication: RadioMike
Date:December, 2006

"Al Conti classifies himself as a New Age musician but he is more than that to say the least. New Age has its moment and its place but Conti is injecting his with a slight almost undetectable edge. It’s that edge of difference that keeps us coming back to listen, again and again, to his intricate piano based electronica influenced melodies. There is much more you can do with this music than relax. It all depends upon how you want to be challenged." ~