RuAch Review by: Vents Magazine

Peace & blessings people, We are now on the road towards performing the music off the album project RuAch Live!, Which we are all very much looking forward to doing!.

Like I have mentioned here in the past there’s nothing that can beat a good live performance, Records can sound good on CD & there’s an art to creating a good sound in the studio, But a group needs to be able to deliver a performance sounding just as good if not better than the record, & this is what we have been working on. The team is in place & things are looking great!. We have a pleasant surprise for ya’ll coming soon!

Meantime I would like to thank Larry Toering from Vents Magazine for his review of our album which you can read bellow, & also we thank you the people for your support!, As this enables us to build towards doing greater things in the future.

Love & Unity family

Vonj

http://ventsmagazine.com/2017/05/12/cd-review-ruach-vonj/

“If music is from the heart then it will carry no impurity, this would mean that music can’t be misused to fulfil any self-threatening intention, as the heart will never contradict itself, Negative intention surely arises from the delusions of one’s thoughts for it is only in one’s ‘knowing’ that springs truth.” -VonJ

There is a truth to spirit and a spirit to truth, and that is what you take away from Ruach, the latest CD from VonJ. It kicks off with “Out Of The Mire” which has a cool tribal beat fade-intro. Once it cooks up you know it’s on. The guitar starts to boil along with it and you feel like you’re listening to either Santana in the late 60s, or the equivalent. But there are some harmonics applied that bring it into the twenty first century before some further bombast brings some vocals into it, and everything dies down into some sweet acoustic notes before it’s over.

It is a pretty awesome opener to get you going, but it doesn’t stop there with this dynamic multi-instrumental wizard. “Skin Deep” proves to rock hard as well, with even more soul because the vocals step right up and impress. And this one features killer guitar and bass solos. These guys have some serious cops that must be further explored. It is a fantastic unison display before going back into the vocal chorus, which just repeats the top little a few more times. There are a lot of tracks on this album, and only so much review space, but these two pump up the whole set with fury as the rock and swing with funky swagger. They simply can’t be denied as the epic tracks they are, but this CD goes in several directions.

The jazzier side of things kick in on “I’m Coming Back” which gets into some great jazz guitar and sax interplay. It also manages to go in other directions as well. This is an amazing piece to say the least. It’s about coming back to shock the world. A very progressive number that sort of ends without warning and contains very little vocals, not unlike the first track but in another musical galaxy. An out of sight one, at that. You just can’t set it down after this. It is not something you get every day. The musicianship is impeccable, but the arrangements loose without being sloppy.

Other tracks like “Lady Night” are of the slower pace with more poetic lyrics, while “Trails Of Eldoret” bring out more Spanish guitar and very spiritual feelings. You get that same feeling with the coolness of “River Nun” as well, with its hauling horn and crashing cymbals. You get the feeling you’re both inside and outside on this, as it holds some esoteric lyrics, a liquid bass line and some searing guitars. It pulls no punches, as does most of the disc. You can’t help but get swept up into this if you’re really a music lover of all types from mellow to hard rock, world and even some new age and spoken word, where it borders on defying categories. If none of that works, you’re wired to the wrong device, as this is no swift show, it is a long player that will please without question, as long as that is your thing. And it can bring out the soul lover in any rocker and the rock lover in any soul, funk and world music lover alike.

It has everything from the lighthearted guitar of “Experience,” to the upbeat and inspiring “Nu-Times.” The use of all instrumental effects are applied with clever skill to make a sonically gratifying release that I’m sure holds up to Vonj works, so it should please anyone following as well as bring attention from whatever direction the wind blows it.

In-closing it is a great release, with the guitar being the strongest and the production being the weakest values, made up by some fantastic playing and singing by all and taking it out with a bold cover of “Superstition.”

I-TUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/ruach/id1135630979

 by Larry Toering

http://www.vonjruach.com

 

 

Out of the Mire

Peace People.

“Out of the Mire”, The instrumental intro piece for the RuAch album was one of the first concrete idea’s we had for the album, When we used to jam this I used to call it the South American song, Martin our drummer naturally came up with a latin style feel on the grooves, & his energy on the drums was exerted with such a high energy to the extent I would always feel a sympathy to his drum kit in how hard he used to hit it whenever we Jam it. Out of the Mire Can symbolise where we were coming from through life at the time, & I only found it appropriate to begin the record with that title, It’s one of those numbers that will create a heavy party vibe, especially when we play it live in concert.

Now we will find a huge gap between when we had the blue print for that piece & when we actually got to record the track for the album.

If you read the previous blog; “River nun” was our first recording for the record, Out of the mire would have been the 2nd however literally the following week after we recorded River nun, I had a call from the venue we were rehearsing in & the management said we should look to find another practice venue, So unfortunately we were in limbo for a few months, We had to find the right spot, The album sleeve tells that story, Eventually a lock in was found, But by the time we got the lock in so many musical idea’s had already piled up for recoding, But we knew we would eventually come to revisit & record “Out of the mire”, & this became one of the last songs we recorded before publishing the album.

Since the recording new musicians have been coming in for the group & have implemented cool new idea’s to it, This one will definitely be one of my favourite tracks to perform live.

http://vonjruach.com/shop/ruach

So stay tuned family!

Peace & love!

Vonj

Behind the RuAch record

& so the story continues, another chapter in the musical journey. As our experiences become broader we take it as a responsibility to share what we have learned along the way. I have come to understand that each day is a given time to adjust oneself through Spirit, and even when the road is rocky, we must see these experiences as lessons, and only with spirit can we rise above and continue towards fulfilling our vision. We live in a world where man has corruptly complicated things, religiously, and politically, ultimately setting us on the wrong direction from our calling, we need to gain back our spirit and let this be the primary source for which to govern our lives. I know that Music is one of greatest ways to lift people’s spirits, so may this be clear at the gate, that this is what we are here to do and this is what I have and will always play music for.

“Each year births a new level of growth, you should see these signs by the people & the things that manifest around you”
When I was thinking about this album project, all I wanted was to make some honest music in a family type atmosphere. Martin Donovan was the first person I asked to help me on the project, we previously worked together and we always had a good musical chemistry, and his drumming methods have always been captivating, but more than this within our personal experiences we have always been there to show each other support. When I had the direction to follow through with the album me & martin began doing open Jam sessions, but one thing was for sure, if we were to let the musical inspiration flow naturally for the record, then the album would have to be recorded independently. I already had some recording equipment, Martin bought some drum mics, & the plan was set to start recording. The only thing we needed now was a venue to set up the studio, as we began to receive complaints that our jams were too loud for the venue we were currently using…

Carmine Manfredi. Carrying on through the weeks I knew there was an element that was missing within the music, this was the sound of the saxophone, I started keeping my eyes open for players, now we fast forward… Me and Mat Diamond decided to hang out at an Italian restaurant “Ponte Veccio”, I remember when we got in the restaurant we heard some Bossa nova music playing on rotation, this sparked a musical conversation, Carmine who was working behind the bar caught our conversation, we introduced each other then he told us he plays the saxophone, I then invited him for a jam with me & martin, when we got into a jam that day I knew that this was the sound we needed, but even more so it was about where that sound was coming from, his spirit!, this is a guy who only had been playing for literally 6 months, but his enthusiasm for learning and playing the instrument was inspiring. On our second Jam session together “River Nun” was born, of which was recorded live that same night.

The Cave. Right after the completion of River Nun, We were forced to have to find another venue to make and record music. This was indeed a drawback at the time, as we were only just beginning to gain a creative momentum, and I knew that it would not be easy to find an affordable venue where we could all get together and make music in peace, But I kept the faith that we would find something somewhere. One day me and Carmine were walking and talking, then he suddenly hit upon an idea, he said “I know just the place we need”, a few weeks came to pass & then we finally got the key’s to what we now call “The Cave” This became our creative Sanctuary from then on.

Mat Diamond. Through all these events Mat was always there as a friend, He is a Producer from Hungary with a vast experience in the world of music, we have always shown each other support, & Just like Martin & Carmine, we all fit in together like family. Mat started off as a Jazz/funk drummer before moving to become a steady R&B producer, But after we acquired the Cave I called him out so that he can resurrect his gift of “laying grooves”, each recorded session was a therapeutic experience for us.

I and Mat have shared many in depth conversations about the music industry & where we see things headed. We know everyone is influenced by music, but what happens when the spirit gets taken OUT of music?

In real time we see the divide in music, but we can clearly see that the division of music has caused a division in the people. The mission for the album was to fuse musical styles & elemental’s together & bring people out of that genre system & into a broader scope of thought.

Garry Millhouse: is an experienced Spanish guitarist, whom happened to drop around the Cave just days before I sent the music off to be published, everything has a reason and a purpose, We happened to be on the same musical wave length, & he was enthused to lay some Spanish guitar down for the project, We recorded our improvisations live, this was indeed a magical experience.

We all come from extremely different backgrounds, but there is one thing we all have in common…Spirit!

So if someone ever asks you…if a Born African man, a born Italian, a born Hungarian, & born English men, can come together like family & make music. Show them the success story of Ruach!
We all thank you for your support, & we hope you enjoy the album.
Love & Unity people.

Vonj

Ruach: breath, wind, spirit
Original Word: ר֫וּחַ
Transliteration: ruach
Phonetic Spelling: (roo’-akh)
Short Definition: Spirit

http://www.vonjruach.com

Ruach News: The Expansion! 17/08/16

vonj band 155119A

Peace & love family

Within each step we take we continue to thank you all for your support. Since the launch of RUACH a few weeks ago things have really amped up on my corner!,  Hence I have not had as much time as I wanted to post blogs, There is much I have to say, But I will deliver these messages in due course.

I have been boots on ground in these Brexit streets distributing Ruach, I aim to get the new album in to as many independent stores as I can by the end of the year, Nationally and internationally. We are rocking hard & the reaction of the people when they hear this “anonymous  music” via DJ’s playing in clubs has been breath taking to me!.  But  I am also learning a few things along this long independent journey…

Yes the rumors are true!, There are some dogs out there dressed in expensive suits, just waiting to bite you in this industry. I will not mention any names but there have been certain record labels that have approached me on my journey, & various false individuals who have wanted to “represent” me, But guess what?  Due to experience we are privy to anyone’s dirty game. So I pose this question, Why is honesty a hard thing to ask for in any industry?.

In one of my songs I say “why is everyone competing while we have already won the race”, There are too many people in life who will try to sell you a model that does not work merely to try and keep up with another individual or organization. We must try to find something that works for ourselves before we share it or test it on someone else, This is one of the reasons I chose to blog online, so that I can simply disseminate certain principals of life that have worked for me.

So again we thank you all for your emails  & support. independent musicians need this!

We are organizing a music video of which we will keep you all updated on.

As you should all know, the raw Ruach documentary is out on YouTube of which I will post a link on a separate blog.

Meantime if you want to get the new music, please follow these links bellow

Our store
http://vonjruach.com/shop/

I’TUNES

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/ruach/id1135630979

also available in few hundred stores. you can google it or message me as it may be selling in the local store in your city… And hey.. if you like it?, share it to your neighbours…if they haven’t heard it already booming out of your house ha-ha.

Peace & love from the Ruach family, Be blessed, Stay strong, be encouraged & know that in the right spirit you can achieve anything in life!.

Vonj, Carmine, Mat, Martin, Garry.

Vonj – Ruach. The album is Out Now! 07/07/16

Ruach larger front cover

I am happy to announce to the family that TODAY 07/07/16 “RUACH”..The Anticipated  album is OUT NOW!, Selling Online, & in various stores & vendors internationally!. You can download the full album through our shop on my website www.vonjruach.com

The word Ruach essentially means Spirit!, This has been a guiding theme for us this year, as it has been proven countless times that when you have SPIRIT you can make what seems impossible? Tangible!.

Ruach has been like a seed planted on good soil, & your support will help us grow stronger enabling us to establish greater things in the near future, so remember when you support Ruach? Your not only supporting the music, you are supporting the vision..Love & unity.

Peace from the musical family, Vonj, Mat Diamond, Martin Donovan, Carmine Manfredi, & Garry Millhouse.

We Thank Richard Lamb from Planet Digital Media, for publishing the physical albums to a supreme standard.

& not forgetting the great man behind the camera Paul O’Connor, for making each picture tell a story.

Stay Tuned & stay blessed family!

We Love you all.

Vonj

http://www.vonjruach.com

http://www.vonjproductions.com

A music in the making part IV: Components

A music in the making part IV: components from Vonj Productions on Vimeo.

Peace to the family, I hope everyone is well & in control of this year 2016. Here is Another chance for you to see parts within the journey towards the release of the new album. These are exciting times. Stay tuned for the further stages of  the development. Vonj here wishing you all Peace, strength, and love.

 

A music in the making part III: Jam Row

Love & Unity people. Here we see the 3rd part of A musical journey. Another step towards establishing an album project independently. The one thing we want to show in these videos is the passion and love we have for our craft.

If you like what you see here, feel free to comment

Peace and blessings people as we get through these videos sequentially

Love

Vonj

 

A music in the making part II: Practice

Peace people, here we introduce the second part of “A music in the making: sub Titled “Practice”, we make mention of the importance of practicing, many people like to remain in their comfort zone, but in life we should strife to challenge ourselves to become better no matter how much or how little we have to start with. This is why we are here to show and prove to you through music the development stages within this album project, music is all about thorough expression and progression. We hope you enjoy this part, and hopefully what will turn out to be a full documentary.

Peace & love from the family.

Vonj

Vonj – Words of songs Chapter 47 “Song of Thought”

listening is learning

whisper whisper,

where’s the wisdom,

can you perceive with your mind,

different colours, different sounds,

some place where people can travel,

through the speed of thought,

a destination where we don’t have to breath to live,

but we live in harmony,

MANTRA

Broaden your mind,

listening is learning learning is living in love,

SECOND PART

how long will we continue to live against our essence,

we are built innately to know the truth,

but you pick fear?,

But fear is the opposite of love!,

fear paralyses feeling ,

so listen to the silent one,

for the propaganda is loud,

how long will you hold your breath?,

MANTRA

Broaden your mind,

listening is learning learning is living in love,

THIRD PART

tell all the people not run,

tell all the people not to hide,

tell all the people not to fall,

tell all the people to be strong,

tell all the people to rise as one,

rise as one, RISE AS ONE,

MANTRA

Broaden your mind,

listening is learning, learning is living for love,

Vonj Copyright 2014

these expressions came through my HEART. I have written these pieces to fit in within a musical format. What you read here has already been Musically recorded, I hope you enjoy these messagesFAMILY.LOVE;Vonj.

 

 

 

 

 

Dignified Fridays presents – Mind

Greetings Family, Happy Dignified friday people, Yes indeed another new stream I present with love…

“MIND”

I hope you enjoy

feel free to show your support by downloading on Amazone…the direct link shows bellow this sentence

http://www.amazon.com/Mind/dp/B00HY072CS/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1423814547&sr=8-11&keywords=vonj

Or Itunes

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/integration/id794406497

Love Vonj