artist: Deuter country of origin: Germany style(s): Psychdelic folk, world music, ethno-ambient essential releases: Celebration (1976, Kuckuck) Ecstasy (1979, Kuckuck) Cicada (1980, Kuckuck) Silence Is The Answer (1982, Kuckuck) Nirvana Road (1984, Kuckuck) San (1985, Kuckuck) Call Of The Unknown: 1972-86 (Kuckuck) Land Of Ecstasy (1988, Kuckuck) Buddha Nature (2001, New Earth)

Celestial Harmonies label boss Ekhart Rahn once told me a story about Hari Deuter that captures vividly what makes his music so special. Rahn was in the U.S. catching up with friend and jazz saxophone legend Ornette Coleman. He handed a copy of the Deuter's current album Celebration (1976) to Coleman, telling him: "This is our biggest selling artist. Tell me what you think". When they met again, Rahn asked Coleman for his opinion. "Of course he sells", said Coleman. "He captured light in his music".

Light, you see, is what Deuter's music has in glorious abundance. Even more remarkable is that on his best albums this glowing optimism doesn't become sentimental. Thanks to the music's cosmic undercurrent and his tremendous command of melody he has always been popular in new age circles, but during his peak years he rarely settled into new age complacency.  

By the mid 1970's Deuter was fully formed as a composer, having jettisoned the rougher edges and dodgier prog rock elements of his first few albums. Those listed above date mostly from his heyday spanning 1976 to the late 1980's and appear on Celestial Harmonies sub-label Kuckuck. All reflect his deep interest in traditional and ethnic music, yet he seamlessly absorbs his influences into an enchanting, distinctive modern sound easily accessible to Western ears. His use of Eastern elements, especially, is refreshingly free of clichés. His favourite instruments are recorder/flute, acoustic guitar, synthesisers and bells. His range stretches from bright, vigorous and highly melodic dances to spacious reflections based on beautiful, seductive drones from organ and synth. Call Of The Unknown is a decent collection spanning most of his career. Ecstasy would serve as a good place to start for newcomers who like folksy guitar melodies and intoxicating keyboard drones. The double CD Silence Is The Answer (avoid the single CD version) demonstrates his entire range, while the sublime San is the best example of his gift for transforming electronics into sounds that are organic, warm and alive.

The quasi folk-pop of Land Of Enchantment marked the end of a creatively fertile period for the composer. He left the Celestial Harmonies fold soon after and - whether coincidently or not - complacency soon set in. Deuter's albums of the 1990's and beyond are more overtly new age/healing music then their predecessors and, lo and behold, the music's intrinsic quality often suffers. One of the few exceptions is Buddha Nature. Although quite unlike early albums and awash with the lush electronic string and woodwind sounds favoured by new age audiences, the album is a work of poise, intelligence and Zen stillness.

HOME