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:
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 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.
I’m really pleased to be posting this live video of “Freefall”, a track from my June 2010 album release Moving On. The video was recorded live at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in Toronto, Canada in May 2009, and is the first video to be posted from the show. “Freefall” is somewhat of a departure from my more laid back material, but still incorporates a melodic approach.
New Year’s Eve is usually hectic — parties, dinners, commitments… However, the passing of 2009 and the birth of 2010 was somewhat of a change to our regular routine. We found ourselves in Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, situated on the west coast of Mexico, which was was perfect for this ‘Snow Bird’ (Canadian) to migrate to during the brutal Canadian Winter. New Year’s Eve was a time for relaxation — and a little experiment.
At six in the evening, the camera was planted on the beach and left to run and hence the magic was captured. I don’t like to use the word ‘Spiritual’ as I feel that it has too many different connotations to different cultures and beliefs, but just sitting on that beach at that time of day was food for the soul.
After returning to Canada, I fell back into the daily routine. However, I found myself being drawn back to this video. I felt an urge to put my mark on it, combine it with music and capture the essence of the moment. I thought the reason I was being drawn back to it was to rekindle the memories. It wasn’t.
I listened to a number of my CDs sometimes with the video playing and sometimes without. Many tracks blended with the video — especially tracks from Exotic Spa and Music To Promote Sleep. It was, I came to realize, the need to relax — feed the soul — that kept bringing me back to to the video.
While listening to the CDs without the video running, I found that the music induced a similar feeling of relaxation. You can experience it, too — at home. I chose the title track Journey On from the Exotic Spa CD because Exotic Spa can help you create your own relaxing environment.
For all of you who have been asking for Christmas Spirit, I am please to let you know that I now have listed on my web site Christmas Spirit as a digital download for $9.99.
Yes, it is the complete album with your traditional favourites. I have crafted a downloadable, high quality mp3 for your enjoyment. The album features my relaxing, new age inspired arrangements which are sure to please.
I want to thank all of you who previously purchased the Christmas Spirit CD. The words you used in your comments — uplifting, festive, rediscovery, wonderment, beauty and so on — now live on on my web page. I admit to using your words of appreciation to create the album description — Thanks!
I was hoping the Christmas Spirit CD would also be available, but it just wasn’t meant to be this year.
Spectrum has been selected as one of the Best new Age Music Albums of 2011 by John P. Olsen of 
For all of you who have been asking for Christmas Spirit, I am please to let you know that I now have listed on my web site 
