Tribal drums from all over the planet, soaring native flutes, guitars, shamanic atmospheres, spirit rattles and wilderness sounds awaken you to the dance of life. David & Steve Gordon, creators of the #1 best seller, Sacred Earth Drums, take you on their greatly anticipated new musical journey. With their world instruments and studio artistry, the Gordons have the power to entrance and summon the sacred dance. The healing power of the drum moves you... to dance, to dream, to live!
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Track Title |
Time |
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1. Enter The Sacred
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7:42
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2. Empowered
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6:40
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3. Eagle Dance
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6:04
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4. Ancient Way
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8:03
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5. Thunder Dreamer
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7:29
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6. Reverence
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6:40
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7. Spiritwalk
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6:47
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8. Four Direction Wind
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5:30
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9. Enter The Sacred Part II
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3:37
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Release date: May 26, 1999
Published Reviews
NAPRA Review
Another sure-to-be-best-selling Native-inspired drum and flute release by the pioneering brothers of New Age environmental sound, this album takes a small but definite step away from typical "New Age" toward the contemporary instrumental in composition and arrangement. A few tracks we are treated to David or Steve's gentle vocals. On one work, male and female voices alternate with each other in delivering their traditional chants, one Nez Perce Indian and one in Sanskrit. As with Sacred Earth Drums and Sacred Spirit Drums, Drum Medicine may be recommended as appropriate for relaxation or for New Age shamanic ritual.
The New Times
Anyone who has enjoyed the Gordons' Sacred Earth Drums or Sacred Spirit Drums can move on confidently to the even more enjoyable Drum Medicine. The spirit of the earth and the energy of the wind are captured by various drums
and flutes, occasionally joined by keyboards, guitars, and Native voices. The lyrics are sometimes presented in Lakota, sometimes English, sometimes Sanskrit.
David and Steve Gordon made nature recordings during their meditations in the Sequoia National Forest, which set the mood for, and were blended with, their music. They have created music for the soul and the body, music for dreaming, dancing, and healing, or "music to move your body and spirit," as their label accurately calls it.
Whole Life Times
The beat can make you better. In the spirit of Sacred Earth Drums, Sacred Spirit Drums and Ancient Power (a collaboration with Deborah Martin), the brothers Gordon add another sacred sound journey to their 15-plus years of composition and channeling. Retreating to the Sequoia National Forest when they need to recharge, David and Steve speak for the trees. Not too much of a departure from their earlier drum-based Shamanic excursions, Drum Medicine has more melody and variety to soothe your senses. Worldwide tribal drums, native flutes, guitars, rattles and wolf, eagle and coyote sounds mesh with Lakota songs, with encouraging themes such as "Enter the Sacred," "Empowered," "Reverence," "Spiritwalk," and other feel-good grooves.
Wind and Wire
I think that Native American fusion music is probably one of the most difficult subgenres to perform well. When you look at artists who have
fared poorly (from the disastrous attempt by European synth band Cusco
to the earnest but unfocused effort from Jonn Serrie), you wonder why
anyone would try to operate in this field at all. But, some artists can
make it work, such as Andrew Vasquez, Gary Stroutsos, Douglas Spotted
Eagle and John Huling. Added to that list, based on this album at least,
are the Gordon brothers, David and Steve. Drum Medicine, their third
"drum" recording, is far and away their best of the lot. It expertly
blends well-played and incredibly well-recorded Native drums and
percussion with evocative wooden flutes, atmospheric synths, minimal
vocals and even instruments like electric and slide guitar. That's quite
an accomplishment.
While I normally prefer the quieter pieces in this genre, I must admit
that the multiple layers of drums and hand percussion on Drum Medicine
won me over. With heavily-echoed flutes playing against polyrhythms and
undercurrents of synth washes, this recording is designed for louder
volume playback to achieve the best results. The album has a dense mix,
but never sounds busy (quite a feat, in my opinion). Take "Eagle Dance"
with layers of rhythms, flute, acoustic guitar, keyboards, and rattles -
all seamlessly sewed together. Other highlights of this well-done album
include the mysterious "Ancient Way" and "Spiritwalk" which throws some
pan-African percussion into the mix.
The flutes on Drum Medicine may remind some listeners of Coyote Oldman
to some degree, but the layers of drums and other instruments instantly
set this apart from the pioneering flute duo. What impressed me the most
with this recording is how David and Steve could be this respectful and
yet never resort to fake solemnity or ponderous heavy-handed cliche. In
the end, Drum Medicine is quite accessible, yet it does not co-opt
Native American music or ideology to achieve its success. At least not
to my way of thinking.
New Age Retailer
Drum Medicine is the long-anticipated sequel to David and Steve Gordon's Sacred Earth Drums and Drum Medicine. Both titles continue to do very well, though I expect Drum Medicine will eventually surpass these titles in sales. The reason is simple. The Gordons have simply outdone themselves. While keeping with the spirit of their earlier drum-based shamanic music, they have crafted a more melodic, accessible album featuring a global-fusion sound. Steve plays some hot guitar riffs in addition to flute, drums, rattles and more. David handles piano, vocals, keyboards, and assorted percussion. You'll also hear American Indian voices and Sanskrit chanting as well as nature sounds such as birdcalls. Perfect for all kinds of movement, dance or inner journeying, Drum Medicine will likely prove to be the Gordon's most popular work to date.
— Steve Ryals
Heartbeats
Drum Medicine is an unqualified success, as it combines tribal drums, native flutes, guitars, shamanic atmospheres, spirit rattles and nature sounds in a meaningful celebration of sacred dance. Together the Gordon's guide you on a moving journey into the healing power of the drum, drawing heavily from Native tradition with a tastefulness and reverence that allows for the liberal incorporating of western elements and sensibility. Steve and David deliver all the way with their array of log drums, rattles, djembes, etc. in tandem with the melodies which range from haunting to dynamic, digging into the earth, soaring across the sky, flowing through the water or stoking the spirit fires. Highly recommended.
— Lloyd Barde,
Amazings
By combining the New Instrumental Music with the essence of the Folklore of the Native Americans, David and Steve Gordon have created a series of themes based on percussive rhythms with tribal traits, ethereal environments sustained by synthesizers, and melodies that combine a classical romanticism with the mysticism of Indian traditions. All this, together with subtle touches of Jazz and Pop, besides some almost subliminal brush-strokes of Ambient.
— Marcella Cirignola
New Age Voice Magazine
The album opens with a respectful entry into sacred space, an invitation evoked by layered instrumentation, dominated by the Gordons' impeccable native flutes and hand drums. Subsequent pieces call forth various aspects of the spiritual journey. While some are sung in Lakota,the rhythms hearken to the larger world. As in their previous albums,technical competency and ease with synthesizers and modern recording studio capabilities add a contemporary dimension to timeless sounds. A perfect sequel to Sacred Earth Drums, the medicine involved has more to do with global vision than individual concerns. Some of the proceeds will be donated to the Rainforest Action Network and the U.N. Center for human Rights to aid the world's indigenous people.
— Antoinette Botsford
Space Junkies Magazine
The incredible sounds of the tribal drumming, native flutes, acoustic guitar and spirit rattles are combined with authentic tribal chanting and nature's sounds and creatures to create an atmosphere that promotes healing through music. "Drum Medicine" soothes the soul, the mind and the spirit.
— Michele Palulis
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