Press Archives

Artisan Music Reviews’ Review of “Promise”

on December 17, 2019December 17, 2019 By FLOW

The following is a review of “Promise” from R J Lannan of Artisan Music Reviews. Click here to read the review on the Artisan Music Reviews website.

FLOW, the much celebrated quartet of New Age and contemporary music of late returns with their adroitly created second installment, Promise and it certainly lives up to its title. The award winning foursome, as if you didn’t know it already, consists of Australian pianist Fiona Joy (Hawkins), guitarist Lawrence Blatt, flugelhorn master Jeff Oster, and Grammy Award winning producer and guitarist, Will Ackerman. Each member has an initial in the band’s name. Hence, FLOW. Every member is a certified virtuoso of their instrument and have proven themselves time and again on solo and collaborative projects for Ackerman’s brainchild, Imaginary Road Studios.

A little ukulele, figurative speaking, guitar, and horn open stylistically on the title tune Promise. I have never thought as the ukulele as a lead instrument, but under Lawrence’s tender hand it becomes one. Four string do a theme make. The melodic covenant has equal contributions from everyone balanced well on a dynamic beginning.

Oster is master at his task and never fails to add an evocative, oftentimes opulent background to the songs on which he contributes. He soars on the tune, All These Years, adding a fluid grace to an uplifting melody. Just a whisper of voice on this one, and the guitars add polish to an otherwise sumptuous refrain.

New Age Music Guide’s Review of “Promise”

on December 16, 2019December 17, 2019 By FLOW

The following is a review of “Promise” from BT Fasmer of New Age Music Guide. Click here to read the review on the New Age Music Guide website.

What is a promise? Listening to New Age music supergroup FLOW’s new album got me thinking about how promises, big or small, are guiding stars. They follow us wherever we go, and our wellbeing is directly linked to how people around us live up to their promises – and how we keep promises to ourselves. I’m happy to report that we can have trust in FLOW too. “Promise” continues where their 2017 album left off, proving that the band was meant to be. It is a rock-solid second release, taking the group’s sound to new heights.

FLOW consists of Australian pianist Fiona Joy, acoustic guitarist Lawrence Blatt, flugelhorn player Jeff Oster, and Grammy Award-winning guitarist Will Ackerman. The album was produced by Tom Eaton and Will Ackerman at Imaginary Road Studios with guest artists
Jeff Haynes (Percussion) and the already mentioned Tom Eaton on guitar, bass, and keyboards.

Promise
The title track opens the album. “Promise” starts gently with guitars, piano, flugelhorn, and light percussion. True to their name, FLOW uses little time to find that groove that made their debut album highly memorable. I like how the song makes each group member shine. Notice how every instrument is center stage at some point. It is a fabulous piece and a promise of what’s to come.

All About Jazz Review of “Promise”

on September 18, 2019September 19, 2019 By FLOW

The following is a review of “Promise” from Jakob Baekgaard of All About Jazz. Click here to read the review on the All About Jazz website.

Promise marks the welcome return of FLOW that released its acclaimed self-titled debut in 2017. Behind the name lies the talents of trumpeter Jeff Oster, singer and pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins and guitarists Will Ackerman and Lawrence Blatt. On their second album, they continue to refine the signature sound they introduced on the debut.

The title track is a supreme example of how the group works with dynamics in the music, adding and subtracting instrumental layers while increasing or slowing down the tempo from the tactile touch of a single instrument to the lush palette of musical colors. Whether finding beauty in the stroke of a single chord or the motivic development of lines, FLOW create complex lyrical stories that are also remarkably intuitive. It’s this paradox that makes the music so compelling combined with the fact that the group don’t settle into fixed patterns.

The JW Vibe Review of “Promise”

on August 30, 2019September 19, 2019 By FLOW

The following is a review of “Promise” from Jonathan Widran of the JW Vibe. Click here to read the review on the JW Vibe website.

That’s the thing about promises. They capture our imagination as we’re grounded in the present and turn our attention to hopeful moments in the future. I felt it 2017, when I first heard that veteran composer/musicians Fiona Joy (piano), Lawrence Blatt (guitar), Jeff Oster (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Grammy winning guitarist and Windham Hill founder Will Ackerman were combining their unique individual vibes as FLOW.

Promise was in the musical air, and – capturing the imagination of countless global new age/contemporary instrumental fans – they delivered splendidly on their self-titled debut. The sensual, easily rhythmic tapestry of their combined spirit-transportive sounds translated to great critical acclaim, numerous tour dates (including shows at Carnegie Hall and the Grammy Museum), and Album of the Year honors at both the ZMR Awards and IMA Awards.

2indya Review of “Promise”

on August 19, 2019September 19, 2019 By FLOW

The following is a review of “Promise” from Vivek Kumar of 2indya. Click here to read the review on the 2indya website.

What happens when a cluster of celebrated musicians come together, bringing together their individual brilliance to fuse something unique that blends every aspect of their art to create something unique and different from the usual? Well, the answer is this album–Promise. I am sure you have heard their debut album as a group too–FLOW–a rare experiment that was lyrically beautiful and successful. Like me, if you have been expecting more of such soulful music from this collaboration and looking forward to some new tunes, ‘Promise’ fulfills them.

Ambient Visions Review of “Promise”

on August 18, 2019September 19, 2019 By FLOW

The following is a review of “Promise” from Michael Foster of Ambient Visions. Click here to read the review on the Ambient Visions website.

As I was listening to FLOW’s new album called Promise the one thing that immediately crossed my mind was that I wasn’t listening to 4 musicians each doing their own solos showing off their individual skills but instead I was hearing a group playing. There’s a fine line between a group of individuals who play music together and a group of individuals who blends their unique talents into creating music that is perceived not as individual efforts but as a shared movement in the same direction, with the same mind and with the same heart as to where they want to go. Listening to the music on Promise is more of an experience of hearing the music played by FLOW as opposed to hearing a guitar played by Will or Lawrence or the piano played by Fiona or the horn played by Jeff. The lines blurred and it simply became great music played by FLOW the group and that’s the distinction between a group of individuals playing music together and a group of musicians who move and think as a group in their composing, recording and performing of their music.

FLOW Featured on the Echoes Podcast

on July 27, 2018July 27, 2018 By FLOW

In the Echoes Podcast, an interview with FLOW’s Fiona Joy, Lawrence Blatt, Jeff Oster, William Ackerman AND a FLASHBACK 50 to The Moody Blues’ “In Search of the Lost Chord. Hear it now in the Echoes App, Apple Music or right here.

HOW TO LISTEN TO ECHOES PODCAST:

Listen at www.echoes.org

Download from iTunes/Apple Store

Listen on the Echoes App:

For Apple iOS

For Droid

FLOW Featured on Reviews New Age

on July 9, 2018July 9, 2018 By FLOW

The following is featured on Reviews New Age. Click here to read the article on the Reviews New Age website.

A minimalist, deep acoustic piano, winds and strings, is the presentation of FLOW , the band led by GRAMMY winner and guitarist Will Ackerman , with guitarist Lawrence Blatt , pianist Fiona Joy and trumpeter Jeff Oster.

The group began its tour of the United States in 2017, including only two dates, the first in Vermont; and the second at Carnegie Hall in New York . FLOW , who began his career in 2017 presenting his first studio album under the same name, is now in full promotion of the album, including Carnegie Hall again in New York between dates.

FLOW’s Interview with VENTS Magazine

on May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 By FLOW

The following is an interview with Fiona Joy of FLOW, posted at VENTS Magazine. Click here to read the interview on ventsmagazine.com.

Hi people, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?
This is Fiona Joy answering on behalf of FLOW. Thanks for the interview. We are all in pretty good spirits given the overwhelming success of something that eventuated from putting our collective big toes in the water. The reviews and audience reaction has been encouraging to us. In a world of fragmented people, diluted music and traffic jams, we are getting to make a difference. Music is a powerful thing and it’s our pleasure to be making some small contribution.

Can you talk to us more about your song “Flow”?
“FLOW” is one of our focus tracks – its the track we feel represents the ‘middle’ of the album because it covers all the elements, directions and flavors the group has to offer.

Any plans to release a video for the track?
Coming soon…. We have some really great videos so far and have concentrated on nature themes from the farthest reaches of Antarctica to Space (with real NASA footage), but we have a few surprises to come.

JW Vibe Review of FLOW Live at the Grammy Museum

on May 30, 2018May 30, 2018 By FLOW

The following is a review of FLOW live from The JW Vibe Click here to read the review on The JW Vibe website.

A little over a year ago, when I first got wind of the newly formed new age/contemporary instrumental super group FLOW, I immediately felt it would be like hearing an inspired gathering of longtime musical acquaintances.

I had written individually in the past about Grammy winning guitarist and legendary Windham Hill label founder Will Ackerman, pianist Fiona Joy and guitarist Lawrence Blatt – and had reviewed one of trumpeter/flugelhornist Jeff Oster’s albums. I had the unique opportunity to hear the album in its entirety, months before its October 2017 release, in the presence of Fiona and Jeff. It drew me in from the get go, with a soulful, inviting blend of ambience, melodic grace and infectious rhythmic textures.