New Global Ensemble’s ‘Dream Walking’ was recorded at Wanderland Studios and University of Limerick by renowned jazz musician Benjamin Boone.
A groundbreaking musical collaboration bringing together artists from five countries has resulted in a captivating album recorded partly in Limerick and featuring two local musicians.
‘Dream Walking’, released by the New Global Ensemble, showcases Limerick-based guitarist Anthony Monahan and Mexican-born voice artist Oscar Mascarenas alongside musicians from the United States, Germany and Ghana.
The project was founded by renowned American saxophonist Benjamin Boone and German violinist Stefan Poetzsch, who first met at an artists’ colony in Florida in 1995. The album was recorded at Wanderland Studios in Limerick by Ben Wanders and at the University of Limerick by Krzysztof Burda.
Limerick Post chatted with musician Tony Monahan (who creates ambient recordings with Oscar Mascarenas and plays in rock bands Protobaby and Pity of the Sea) explaining how he got involved with the project.
“Ben attended concerts my class put on at the Academy and I guess he liked the ambient improvised soundscapes I was exploring. He asked me and Oscar Mascarenas if we’d like to spend a couple of days improvising and recording at Ben Wander’s studio in the summer of 2023. I did go into those sessions with the clear intention of focusing on freeform ambient explorations, connecting through sound and space rather than a more traditional guitar based improvisation approach. I left all my jazzy blues rock licks at home!”
‘Dream Walking’ combines composition and improvisation with strong rhythms throughout, creating what Boone describes as “both a meditation and a celebration”. The album features an eclectic mix of instruments including violin, saxophone, live electronics, gyil (Ghanaian xylophone), mbira (thumb piano), asalato (traditional Ghanaian shakers) and electric guitar.
The album was conceived during Boone’s Fulbright fellowships in Ghana and Ireland. “We see this album as a sonic journey through whatever our existence is, so our hope is that listeners will be transported to a plain of awareness that engenders reflection, possibility, connection, peace, and a sense of the infinite,” he said.
Tony added, “Everything was improvised in the moment, without any discussions about keys or notes. Our discussions were more conceptual. My album ‘Awaken’ was largely based on ambient improvisation and generative ideas so this gave me a chance to further explore those type of sounds and spaces. There was a definite connection between myself and Oscar.”
Rather than taking centre stage, Boone and Poetzsch have consciously relinquished their central roles to allow the ensemble’s diverse voices to create cohesive soundscapes. The result is an amalgam of traditional Ghanaian instruments and vocals inspired by both ancient Irish chant and Ghanaian song.
The mélange of electronic, electric and acoustic sounds has the effect of both grounding the album on earth and sending it soaring into the stars.
There has been some talk of touring the album with no definitive tour booked yet.
In the meantime Tony Monahan will have new recordings to share in the coming year. “
Through our practice ‘Aire’ myself and Oscar have recorded many of our improvisations and we hope to have some form of physical release this year along with some more performances. I’m also itching to get back into some band based music, so maybe there could be another collaborative project in the works or more music from Pity of the Sea.”
Follow Tony Monahan’s musical adventures at www.tonymonahan.com.