“In The Stillness Of The Stars” by Margee Minier-Tubbs and Premik Russell Tubbs
Album Review by New Age CDs and New Age Notes Radio Staff for New Age Notes Magazine
Now, here is a very interesting album. Most of us in the New Age genre are quite familiar with Premik Russell Tubbs, an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist, composer, recording artist, producer, and instructor with a music career spanning five decades. Premik is the on-call wind player for Grammy®- winning producer Will Ackerman, founder of Windham Hill Records. To date, Premik’s artistry appears on over 300 albums.
Premik’s wife, Margee Minier Tubbs, is a prolific songwriter, composer, lyricist, spoken word poet, vocalist, and multi-faceted European/American artist in her own right, with a diverse international background and many distinguished accomplishments. She also studied classical and jazz piano throughout her life, ballet, and modern dance for 15 years. As well, Margee was the producer on the Grammy®-nominated album, “Shayan,” by Charu Suri.
Premik and Margee have collaborated on a few other albums beginning in 2024. “In The Stillness Of The Stars” their new album, is perhaps the most “celestial” of those.
Joining Margee and Premik on the album are Zach Brock on violin, Stéphane Wrembel on guitar, Swaminathan Selvaganesh on kanjira, Charu Suri on piano, Anita Lerche on vocals, Patrick Carmichael on percussion, Steve Finkelstein on ocean drum, and the album features Premik on flutes, EWI, soprano saxophone, and keyboards while Margee performs vocals, Tibetan bowls, Koshi chimes, kalimba, gong, and various bells and windchimes from her garden. The album is mastered by Corin Nelsen.
Margee and Premik describe the 7-track album as “a New Age/cosmic sound healing/peace journey to heal the heart, written from [our] hearts and souls.” From the first notes, we can feel that vibe.
The album opens with the 7-minute song “11:11.” Those who are familiar with this “angel number,” know this is a powerful symbol, whose message conveys synchronicity, intuition, spiritual awakening, and alignment with the universe. So, it’s a great place to start for this album. The shimmering swells of Premik’s flute along with Zach Brock’s violin weave together into an otherworldly soundscape. The addition of Margee’s Tibetan bowls, bells, and Koshi chimes, and soft, whispery vocals, seems to open a portal for all that is to come in this album.
Following is the title track, where in a beautiful 18 minutes, we have plenty of time to gain a new perspective, connect with the mesmerizing mystery found in the stillness of the stars, rediscover our oneness, awaken our awareness, reflect upon ethereal dreams, connect with eternal love and ultimately find peace. This is really wonderful with the dreamy vocals of Anita Lerche and Margee’s soft spoken word adding light and texture to the flowing music. Just lovely in every regard.
With its decidedly Celtic vibe, “Ariitea (White Prince Coming Down From The Heavens)” showcases Premik’s outstanding flute artistry. Along with his mastery of the EWI and the addition of Zach Brock’s violin and Stephanie Wrembel’s acoustic guitar, we can easily imagine a whimsical place where perhaps Ariitea’s horse magically transforms into Pegasus and soars through the celestial heavens. We love the “gallops” at the end too.
One of my favorites on this album is “Lumière (Prayer to the Archangel Mikaël)” This is a plea that the archangel might give us the strength and courage to open our eyes to the light and open our hearts to love. I love the flowing guitars, violin, saxophone, light percussion, and of course, Margee’s lovely, soothing spoken word.
Gentle bansuri, twinkling chimes, keyboards, and Margee’s soothing spoken word and ethereal vocals make the almost 8-minute “TaraShanti (Love’s Eternal Angel)” super relaxing. “TaraShanti” translates to “Star Peace,” and here we can feel ourselves traveling through the stars and meeting Love’s eternal angel of peace. We are enveloped in her love and healing prayers, guiding us from darkness and into the sacred light.
The fun and uplifting “Star of Shayan” features the piano of Charu Suri, along with keyboards, bansuri, percussion, and Native American flute. This is a joyful, celebratory song.
This spirit-elevating album closes out with “In The Silence Of The Night.” Premik’s flute is again extraordinary here, and Zach Brock’s violin combined with Margee’s Tibetan bowls and Koshi chimes, carry us away on a supremely celestial journey through the infinite stars and softly back to grounded earth. All very nicely done.
Get it here: https://margeeminier-tubbs.bandcamp.com/album/in-the-stillness-of-the-stars
