Christopher Hedge

The New Heroes (Triloka/Artemis TRI-CD-82056)

I haven't seen the Robert Redford-hosted PBS documentary that this is the soundtrack for. Still, perhaps it's an advantage to be able to evaluate the music strictly on its own merits. And I like what I hear. Christopher Hedge gets top billing, but it's clearly his desire (and that of his multinational team of musicians) to pay tribute to some resourceful humanitarian types who succeed in making a difference in the world. These include Kailash Satyarthi, who boldly rescues those bound into debt slavery in India, Zambian AIDS orphanage facilitator Moses Zulu, philanthropic banker Muhammed Yunus and many others.

The music is a combination of acoustic instrumentation from all over combined with sampled spoken, sung and environmental sounds of the various cultures and countries from which the stories of The New Heroes originate. So while what you hear is part African, part Indian, part American and much more besides, it's music that doesn't seem random or arbitrary. Rather, these pieces are haunting but bright, stirring a sense of hope for a better world no matter how screwed up things get. A very rich and beautiful album that is much better to listen than try to describe on paper. Now if you'll excuse me, there's a certain documentary I need to watch.

[Buy Christopher Hedge - The New Heroes].