2014 has been a good year, but it’s also been a sad one for me as I’ve lost some of my best and oldest friends. Most of them were friends from way back, and brilliant musicians that never got the recognition they deserved. Here is a song called “Old Friends” which I wrote many years ago, from my album “Spring Rain” performed live at the Jane Mallet Theatre in Toronto, Canada. I dedicate this song to my friends everywhere, but especially to those that I’ve lost this year, and in the past.
Hennie
“Spring Rain” appears on the album, Spring Rain (a reworked version released in 2003).
My approach to the composition of New Age, Electronic and Environmental music has definitely been influenced by my having played a lot of jazz in the past. In composing “Atmos”, I decided to draw on some of my jazz roots and have this song morph from a New Age genre into an “Easy Jazz” vehicle for solos and the result……a lot of fun! I especially enjoyed playing it live in my 2009 concert, and am pleased to be able to share it with those of you that weren’t able to attend. Enjoy!
Hennie
“Atmos” appears on the 2010 album release, Moving On.
A video of relaxing nature scenes at dusk, set to the track “Introspection” from my album Mirage.
Dusk….when the sun is setting, I usually find myself reflecting on the day’s events, and enjoying moments of relaxation and peace. While searching for visuals for this track, I was reminded of the words of some of the great philosophers and writers:
“But if these years have taught me anything it is this: you can never run away. Not ever. The only way out is in.”
– Junot Díaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
“Study yourself. Find your strong points and make them stronger as well as your weak ones and strengthen them. Study yourself carefully and you will see yourself as you really are.”
– Theron Q. Dumont
“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
– Carl Jung
“The deeper I go into myself the more I realize that I am my own enemy.”
– Floriano Martins
If you like the track, or want to buy the whole album, it’s available on:
“The Heart of Africa” is a really special song for me. Not only is it the first track on my first ‘full’ African themed album Temba from the African Tapestriesseries, “The Heart of Africa” really evokes Africa for me and brings back memories of my birthplace. Since the only other video available of this song is from my 2001 concert in Toronto, I thought I’d take some time to put a new video together for the song, using various visuals that I think speak to the music. I hope you enjoy watching this video as much as I did making it!
If you like the track, or want to buy the whole album, it’s available on:
Spectrum has won “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album” and “Best Electronic Album” in the ZMR 2011 Music Awards! See the winners on ZoneMusicReporter.com.
Spectrum is a new release by Hennie Bekker available on CD and as an album download. Spectrum is a celebration and showcase of Hennie Bekker’s remarkable strength as a multi-genre artist, featuring a colorful sequence of music from some of his most memorable albums, including the best selling Spring Rain, Summer Breeze, Temba and Reverie.
Spectrum unfolds with an uplifting array of Bekker’s musical footprints, inviting the listener on a peaceful instrumental journey through a lifetime of timeless musical expression, from echoing soundscapes of the ancient African jungle, to romantic piano and modern ambient sounds.
“Rarely have I heard a recording artist able to cover such diverse musical terrain and do it so well. From tender piano melodies, to dreamy ambient soundscapes and earthy African-influenced grooves, Hennie Bekker is a consummate composer and masterful musician.” ~Michael Diamond – Music and Media Focus
John. P Olsen of NewAgeMusicWorld.com has written a really nice article on the award winners – read the article here. You can also read his fantastic review of Spectrumhere.
A beautiful relaxing video of clouds viewed from the sky, set to the song “Alone in a Dream” from Hennie Bekker’s chart-topping CD “Spectrum – An Anthology of Relaxing Instrumental Music” (originally from the CD “Mirage”).
If you like the track, or want to buy the whole album, it’s available on:
Spectrum is a wonderful collection of 14 songs pointing to the diverse abilities of a world-class musician. Spectrum is a relaxing album that accents the entire range and variety of award winning Hennie Bekker. The highly prolific Bekker has composed and produced over 60 albums, and over a thousand compositions and collaborations.
Hennie Bekker is a multi-platinum artist who has spent his entire music career exploring a wide array of genres, from new age, electronic, world music, and acclaimed nature soundscape albums. His work with Dan Gibson’s Solitudes – Exploring Nature with Musicseries was so popular the albums achieved gold, platinum, double and triple platinum status.
Hennie Bekker is also one of three leading members of the techno/dance group BKS. The group BKS won a prestigious Juno Award from the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), which is the equivalent to an American GRAMMY® award. You can include film scores, television and radio recordings in his long list of achievements as a musician. Presently, Spectrum is the #1 album in Zone Music Reporter’s Top 100 Chart for November 2011.
Spectrum – An Anthology Of Relaxing Instrumental Music is like a “best of Hennie Bekker album” by the wide range of melodic songs on this impressive album. Of the 14 songs total, eleven songs are recordings selected out of his rather extensive music collection. Hennie Bekker from Canada, who was born and raised in Africa and lived in England, brings a world of experience to his music. Take a minute to sample Spectrum, and the world-class music of Hennie Bekker.
Read the full album review on John P. Olsen’s pages for Hennie Bekker.
Spectrum is a new release by Hennie Bekker available on CD and as an album download. Spectrum is a celebration and showcase of Hennie Bekker’s remarkable strength as a multi-genre artist, featuring a colorful sequence of music from some of his most memorable albums, including the best selling Spring Rain, Summer Breeze, Temba and Reverie.
Spectrum moved into #1 on the ZMR Top 100 Airplay Chart for November 2011! See the chart on ZoneMusicReporter.com.
Spectrum is a new release by Hennie Bekker available on CD and as an album download. Spectrum is a celebration and showcase of Hennie Bekker’s remarkable strength as a multi-genre artist, featuring a colorful sequence of music from some of his most memorable albums, including the best selling Spring Rain, Summer Breeze, Temba and Reverie.
Spectrum unfolds with an uplifting array of Bekker’s musical footprints, inviting the listener on a peaceful instrumental journey through a lifetime of timeless musical expression, from echoing soundscapes of the ancient African jungle, to romantic piano and modern ambient sounds.
“Rarely have I heard a recording artist able to cover such diverse musical terrain and do it so well. From tender piano melodies, to dreamy ambient soundscapes and earthy African-influenced grooves, Hennie Bekker is a consummate composer and masterful musician.” ~Michael Diamond – Music and Media Focus
Spectrum is a new release by Hennie Bekker available on CD and as an album download. Spectrum is a celebration and showcase of Hennie Bekker’s remarkable strength as a multi-genre artist, featuring a colorful sequence of music from some of his most memorable albums, including the best selling Spring Rain, Summer Breeze, Temba and Reverie.
Spectrum unfolds with an uplifting array of Bekker’s musical footprints, inviting the listener on a peaceful instrumental journey through a lifetime of timeless musical expression, from echoing soundscapes of the ancient African jungle, to romantic piano and modern ambient sounds.
“Rarely have I heard a recording artist able to cover such diverse musical terrain and do it so well. From tender piano melodies, to dreamy ambient soundscapes and earthy African-influenced grooves, Hennie Bekker is a consummate composer and masterful musician.” ~Michael Diamond – Music and Media Focus
Autumn……my favorite time of the year. It’s a time of beauty and gratitude; the gift of beauty that Autumn brings is available to all. Jacky and I usually take a drive down to Vermont around this time of year as it’s especially beautiful down there. This year I found myself too busy to get away, so I spent some time shooting video of the Autumn colors here in Toronto, and set it to the song “Iridescent Morn” from the album Autumn Magic in my Kaleidoscopes series. I hope you enjoy…
If you like the track, or want to buy the whole album, it’s available as a digital download on my website, and individual tracks from the album can be purchased on iTunes.
Spectrum has won “Best Contemporary Instrumental Album” and “Best Electronic Album” in the ZMR 2011 Music Awards! See the winners on 
