Joss Jaffe, Jim "Kimo" West - Aum Akua (2022) [Hi-Res]

This gorgeous instrumental album, Aum Akua, is the latest from Grammy-winning slack-key and 40-year “Weird” Al Yankovic lead-guitarist Jim “Kimo” West and Billboard New Age Chart-topper Joss Jaffe. The album presents a never-heard combination of unique instrumentation, including Indian tablas, Hawaiian percussion, African Ngoni (harp), custom and rare guitars, and ambient soundscapes. The music at times feels like a tapestry of dreamy ambiance, Hawaiian music, African kora music, jazz, and world music reminiscent of the 70’s band Shakti with John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussein, who the tabla player Joss counts as one of his primary teachers and with whom he has performed en ensemble. From Joss on the meaning of the name, "Aum Akua is a play on words - aumakua is a Hawaiian word meaning "spirit animal" akua means god or spirit / life force. Aum is not a Hawaiian word but it is the ancient Sanskrit symbol Om. Jim and I loved this as it shows some our shared and unique musical backgrounds and how we are coming together making a unique blend of spiritual ambient world music." Aum Akua is released on May 6, 2022 by Be Why Music, the California-based record label dedicated to releasing music that uplifts humanity.

Tracklist:
1.01 - Joss Jaffe - Blossom (5:22)
1.02 - Joss Jaffe - Open Ocean (4:30)
1.03 - Joss Jaffe - Kauai Daydream (4:50)
1.04 - Joss Jaffe - Path Through The Bamboo (1:49)
1.05 - Joss Jaffe - Free Float (4:14)
1.06 - Joss Jaffe - No Rain No Rainbows (3:45)
1.07 - Joss Jaffe - River (5:03)
1.08 - Joss Jaffe - Voyaging (3:54)
1.09 - Joss Jaffe - White Sand Blue Waves (3:57)