SINCERO:
Improvisations on Gregorian Chants
Sincero, (Latin for "sincere,") is a culmination of work our ensemble has been bringing to life at the chapel in Nazareth House of Los Angeles since the Advent Season in 2014. In this music we present the a cappella vocal of Andrew Robert Bennett sung in Latin, as it would have been in the original Gregorian chants of the early centuries. Our instrumental improvisations of the 21st century offer fresh ways to listen to these timeless melodies. In the calmness of this music we can pause and reflect on divine qualities. Sincero is suitable for meditation and can also simply be a beautiful listen. Across all time, the themes of these chants are the opening of the heart, the sincerity of charity and love, and the invitation to bring our hearts together in gentility and peace.
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"...The relaxation response induces a profound state of deep rest, which when practiced and applied to our daily lives, can alter how we respond to physical and emotional stress. The music of Merrill Collins is, in my view, important in facilitating the transition into this state of deep relaxation." —Dr. Michael Irwin, Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology / Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior
"Merrill Collins has done it again; she has created an album in Sincero that is utterly unique and absolutely stunning! The production quality of the album is perfection personified and the chants of Andrew Bennett precise, pristine and mesmeric. One could easily place this album on que to listen to, and forget time even existed at all. Collins has manifested an album here that combines quality new age styled music and musicians, with sacred Gregorian chants and made the whole project accessible and magical to all."
— Steve Sheppard , One World Music Radio
"Splendid and tender"
—DICK METCALF, Contemporary Fusion Reviews
"These compositions will help you achieve balance in your life, and encourage you on your journey. The 9:12 opener, “Veni , Creator Spiritu” (Come Creator Spirit), will hold you spellbound from the opening note to the very last chord… Andrew’s vocal, starting right at the 1:40 mark, after a splendid and tender introduction by the other players, will amaze you with power… a totally engaging performance that is the perfect call to calm… I wouldn’t be surprised (in the least) to see this composition be nominated for an award, and WIN it (hands-down)."
CHANT TRANSLATIONS
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