Unlike other New Age musicians who have become household names around the world, Terry Oldfield remains relatively unknown. Despite his relative obscurity, he has been successfully composing and recording his own brand of New Age music for a good number of years, with more than 20 albums recorded and musical scores for some 80 films and TV shows composed and produced.
I have been a fan for nearly a decade now, and own several albums. Each one follows a theme, frequently arising from the place he is currently living (such as the Celtic homage "All the Rivers' Gold") or from his dreams, which is the case with Turning Point. He writes: "In the dream I was searching through an old dusty library; one of those with a ladder and a walkway reaching along the higher shelves. I took out a large ancient volume and began slowly leafing through the pages until suddenly the words TURNING POINT jumped out from the text and I awoke with a sense of euphoria that was to stay with me for many days. " His music has an evocative quality that is simply wonderful. Perhaps it is because of his masterful use of the cello to wake the soul and call it forth from the physical realm, or maybe it is his skill in blending various rhythms and instruments into a dynamic, balanced, whole. Oldfield uses many instruments and recorded sounds -- including coyote calls -- to represent many aspects of a journey. Drums, pan pies, harps, flute, keyboards, fiddles, concertinas, mandolin, guitar, all come together and, with his skilled guidance, tell the story of a journey from one place to another. Turning Point is more vocal than other of Oldfield's works. Every piece is a song, featuring the lovely, ethereal voices of Louise Jensen and Jenna Monroe, except one. This is the appropriately named "Lost for Words," which is my favorite on the album. If you know and enjoy Terry Oldfield's past works, then you will find an old friend here. If you are new to his work, then please, pull up a chair, put the CD on the stereo and prepare to enjoy getting to know this prolific, wonderful, musician. ~review by Lisa Mc SherryArtist: Terry Oldfield
New Earth Records, 2002
