SERENA, previously released as “Doors of Perception”, offers a tranquil blend of gentle acoustic instrumentation, perfect for massage, meditation, stress-relief, yoga and the healing arts. Like the other CDs in the AT PEACE ® COLLECTION, SERENA provides a full hour of peaceful but not boring contemporary, acoustic instrumental music. The hypnotic blend of guitars, Balinese gamelan, piano, keyboards, drums and percussion are all performed by musician/composer Michael Benghiat, complemented by ensemble performances of Stephanie Bennett on harp, Karen Guthery on flute and Brice Martin on flutes and recorders.
FROM THE MUSICIAN:
I enjoy creating music that leads you inward. We all find ourselves refreshed by just the simple act of stopping for a moment and really relaxing. I try to create a musical world that facilitates this. I grew up in a home surrounded by music, with parents who not only treasured music but encouraged learning about music from a variety of cultural and ethnic heritages. -- Michael Benghiat
REVIEWS:
Multi-instrumentalist Michael Benghiat offers listeners the gift of luxurious calm with the impressionistic melodies of his AT PEACE series of albums. And what a gift it is! SERENA (originally released as Doors of Perception) features gentle flute harmonies that float on the air like leaves in the wind. The quiet warmth of the harp dances around the piano melodies. A little percussion here and there keeps the pace. The abstractness and pure serenity of the melodies makes it a natural choice for massage practice, as does the album’s session-appropriate 60 minute running tie. SERENA features one new track – the beautiful “Soleil” - which did not appear on the original release. -- Music Design In Review
Running time: 60:51