Pianist/composer Peter Kater is known for his scores for television, film, and theater, as well as for his own recordings of light jazz and new age music. Born in Germany, Kater moved from Munich to New Jersey when he was four. He began piano lessons three years later, and studied classical music until taking up rock roll in his early teens. At the age of 18, Kater moved to Boulder, CO, where he played improvised music and lived for over a decade before moving to rural Virginia, where he built EarthSea Studios. Until the opening of EarthSea in early 1997, Kater had recorded exclusively for the Silverwave label, starting with his debut release, Spirit, in 1983. He went on to release over 20 albums on Silverwave, including highly successful collaborations with R. Carlos Nakai that resulted in, among others, How the West Was Lost, Vols. 12 and Migration (1992), which also received the NAIRD Best New Age Album Indie Award. Several of Kater and Nakai's recordings rose to the Top 20 of Billboard's new age chart, and a few of Kater's own releases which range from solo to quintet lineup have charted in the Top 25. Since starting his EarthSea label, Kater has released albums including 1998's Compassion and another collaboration with Nakai entitled Winds of Devotion (1999). Source Music released Heart's Desire in early 2001.
AIR BY PETER KATER
AIR, from Peter Kater's gorgeous "Elements" series, focuses on music that is light, spacious and ethereal. Featuring the aid of Grammy-nominated instrumentalist Paul McCandless and flutist Richard Hardy, the music offers a sublime tapestry of soothing woodwinds, elegant piano and flowing synthesizer atmosphere. "Peaceful" would be the best word to describe the mood of this album; the music is so serene and uplifting that it will lull you into a state of complete comfort. The melodies have an improvised, non-structured feel, which would make this good music for massage or healing work.
Peter Kater's AMBROSIA is a romantic album. Its melodies, performed on piano while Jaques Morelbaum and Richard Hardy back him on cello and bamboo flute respectively, have a lightness and whimsy that taps into the essence of love. However, the album differs from a typical romantic album in that it has a spiritual edge as well. Kater's compositions seem to morph from serenade to meditation and back again, resulting in a multi-faceted work that beckons to used in a myriad of contexts. Kater's piano is largely the highlight of this recording, providing both the melody and focal point for each track. The cello and flute is used fleetingly - they come into the picture here and there, disappearing into the backdrop while your attention is fixed on the direction the main piano melody is going. A mesmerizing album, AMBROSIA lives up to the exquisite promise of the title.
CLOUD HANDS, named for a therapeutic Tai Chi/Qigong movement, is the fifth in Peter Kater's "Healing Series" of instrumental albums. Following the title's roots in the Asian arts, the music exhibits elements of Indian/Far Eastern influence, heard largely in the Mike Hamilton's minimal zen-like approach to the acoustic guitar and Richard Hardy's mystical bansuri flute tones. Peter Kater produced and composed the album, bringing his typical earthy, naturalistic quality to the compositional style. His piano is also omnipresent on the album, blending with the sparse rhythms and aforementioned instrumentation to create a sound that is spacious, light and sonically pleasing. The slow, introspective feel of the music is obviously ideal for Tai Chi or Qigong, and could also spice up meditation work or other slow-paced movement practices.
Multi-instrumentalist Peter Kater is here to transform you with 75 minutes of healing music on COMPASSION. The journey starts very slow, very simple...just you and the piano wading in a sea of silence. Quietly, singing bowls emerge from the background, almost unnoticeable. Here and there a gong sends a resonating pulse into the beyond. Soon you find yourself amidst melancholy flutes and cello with synthesizers setting a somber mood. The music evokes feelings of reposeful solitude...a sense of reaching deep inside and exploring the depths of your soul, searching for the meaning behind the feelings you hold. The result is a musical catharsis, filling you with a sense of emotional freedom.
DANCE OF INNOCENTS CD BY PETER KATER & NAWANG KHECHOG
THE DANCE OF INNOCENTS pairs two artists together Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog with Western soundscape wizard Peter Kater. Together they weave a gentle tapestry that highlights two cultural sounds - Khechog's bittersweet yet uplifting bansuri flute melodies and Kater's pastoral piano and synth work, which bears Southwestern accents. This is an album that puts you squarely in a mindset for peace and meditation - there is a gentle beauty that floats through these pieces that makes you want to release your burdens and revel in the simple joy of the music. Of note are "Ocean of Long Life," which pairs an introspective canon-like harmony played on the piano by Kater with the Buddhist chant of Khechog, and "A Fresh Wind," which dovetails the piano and flute wonderfully.
1. A Fresh Wind 10:08
2. Touch of An Angel 12:07
3. Call for Compassion 10:59
4. Prayer for the Millenium 6:16
5. In A Peaceful Valley 8:17
6. Ocean of Long Life 5:04
7. Dance of Innocents 7:08
With his "Elements" series, Peter Kater's goal was to create a succession of acoustic, relaxation-oriented albums themed after the natural world and the different properties of the earth's fundamental elements. The recording EARTH features music that has a strong organic quality, calling to mind rugged landscapes and terrain. Mike Hamilton's guitar provides a central rhythmic element to most of the pieces, while Richard Hardy's Native American flute gives the music a subtle Southwestern feel. Peter Kater's melodic piano playing adds to the vibrancy of the pieces, making them feel tranquil and peaceful. This is a great album for enhancing your surrounding and making them conducive to restfulness.
Enchanted Waters: A Wetlands Tribute
Loons, herons, owls, frogs, peepers, rivulets & waterfalls grace the beautiful piano playing of Grammy-nominated Peter Kater. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of "Enchanted".
1. WETLANDS WALTZ
2. SOUL NATURE
3. CLOUDS OF AIR
4. TURNING TIDES
5. SOLITUDE
6. MAY RUNOFF
7. CANDLELIGHT WALTZ
8. EARLY SEPTEMBER
9. RIVER
10. SOUL NATURE II
11. RAINDANCE
12. TRIBUTARY WALTZ
Music for the healing
arts, intimacy, love and
Self-remembering. Essence is born out of
Peter Kater's twenty years of
dedication to the healing arts. First of
the EarthSea Healing Series, this music
speaks the healing process of the
emotional body. This is Peter Kater at
his most essential. Emanating from and
carrying us towards the center where we
are closest to ourselves and to each
other, Essence is seventy-five minutes of
continuous music to allow awakening,
honest relating, deepening, letting go,
receiving, remembering and
Self-nurturing.
Peter Kater is very much in tune with the essence of Native American tradition. He has proven this fact with over 15 years of top notch collaborations, including his extensive work with R. Carlos Nakai. FACES OF THE SUN is the next chapter in Kater's cross-cultural saga, featuring gentle, haunting instrumental pieces that utilize the talents of top-notch artists like Mary Youngblood, Bill Miller and Jeff Ball. The music has a soft new age style to it, with light drum beats, piano, strings and guitar. The melodies are serene with a hint of melancholy, calling to mind some of Kater's past works on Silver Wave Records. Rounding out the guest artist roster is an ensemble that includes Paul McCandless on oboe, Tony Levin on bass, Mike Hamilton on guitar and Hans Christian on cello.
1.Raven (with Mary Youngblood)
2.Faces of the Sun (with Bill Miller)
3.Changeless and Eternal (with Paul McCandless/Arvel Bird)
4.Feather on the Wind (with Douglas Blue Feather)
5.Wind at Your Back (with Kevin Locke)
6.Stone TeePees (with Bill Miller)
7.Lone Hawk (with Joseph Firecrow/Arvel Bird)
8.Rite of Passage (with Joseph Firecrow/Arvel Bird)
9.Place of Peace (with Douglas Blue Feather)
The heat generated from Peter Kater's FIRE, from his bliss-inducing "Elements" series, is more of a steady burn than a blazing torch. This is music that calls to mind the pale glow of candlelight, as you relax and soothe your weary muscles. Featuring the skilled playing of Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless and violin master Ludvig Girland, Kater provides a very warm, peaceful environment for relaxation practices, meditation and healing work. The compositions are both gentle and spacious, with an acoustic flair that makes each feel very natural. Sixty minutes of utmost tranquility awaits.
1. Eternal Sunshine 10:05 MP3 clip
2. The Way Home 9:04 MP3 clip
3. Twilight 11:11
4. Hearth Fire 5:54
5. Northern Lights 8:57
6. Solaris 7:30
7. Afterglow 7:47
PLAYING TIME 60:30 CD PRICE $17.00
HEART'S DESIRE BY PETER KATER
What is your heart's desire? Is it stirring piano music that puts you in the mood for romance or soaring instrumentals that mirror the vast majestic qualities of the great outdoors? Either way, Peter Kater's HEART'S DESIRE lives up to its name. Lush pieces with haunting piano highlight a diverse musical collage that includes percussion, flutes, electric guitar, saxophone, oboe, cello and synthesizers to paint a picture that's deep in meaning and gorgeous to behold. Kater fans may also want to check out COMPASSION, ESSENCE and WINDS OF DEVOTION, each of which exemplifies Kater's genius as a musician.
In the tradition of Migration and Natives, Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai continue their acoustic relationship in this improvisational journey, exploring male soulfulness and intimacy in our world today. In collaboration with three of the instrumental world's finest musicians, Honorable Sky is at once enlivening, stirring
1. Gathering Of Souls 4:41
2. Call To Enchantment 6:28 MP3 clip
3. My Soul's Story 5:53
4. If Men Were At Peace 5:52
5. Honorable Sky 4:41
6. All Souls Waltz 4:25
7. Essence 4:59
8. One Voice 8:22
PLAYING TIME 45:26 CD PRICE $16.00
HOW THE WEST WAS LOST VOL 2 BY PETER KATER
HOW THE WEST WAS LOST is the soundtrack to the Discovery Channel mini series of the same name, which took a hard look at American history and the conquest of the Western frontier from an angle that's often glossed over in the history books. On this, the second of two soundtracks based on the program, Peter Kater once again describes the persecution and destruction of the Native Americans and their culture through a series of reflective pieces. Somber melodies and atmospheres performed using keyboards, piano and synthesized orchestration are supplied by Kater, alongside the weeping flute harmonies of R. Carlos Nakai and guest support from Joanne Shenandoah and the White Oak Singers.
1. How the West Was Lost - Overture 2:55
2. How the West Was Lost - Seminole 1:41
3. Themes for the Cherokee 3:14
4. Hand in Hand 1:39
5. Prayer for Peace 3:21
6. Our Land Our Life 2:35
7. How the West Was Lost-Indian Territory 2:18
8. The Seminole Everglades 3:51
9. Challenge at White River 2:49
10. Dakota Justice 2:10
11. Cherokee Faith 1:54
12. Indian Territory 1:55
13. White River Utes 2:34
14. Landscape of War 4:22
15. Proud Warrior 2:17
16. Slight of Land 1:42
17. Iroquois Longhouse 1:06
18. Chief Ouray's Death Song 2:26
19. The Cherokee Brother 3:58
20. Everglade Farewell 2:31
21. Grandmother's Lament 3:18
22. Dance of the North 3:46
23. Dakota Medicine 2:20
24. How the West Was Lost-Closing Theme 1:44
IN A DREAM brings together Peter Kater and Dominic Miller, a U.K.-based guitarist known for his extensive work with big name artists like Sting and Phil Collins. The creative pairing highlights the peaceful, comforting interplay of the guitar and piano, along with the cello work of Jaques Morelenbaum and the vocal textures of Kenny Loggins. The music paints a rich portrait of life at its most relaxed, conjuring images of lazy afternoons spent strolling through a sun-drenched garden, or indulging in the tranquil reverie of a rejuvenating bath. The melodies exude a sense of warmth and joy, with a strong new age sound that occasionally hints at jazz and classical music. Its greatest strength is its ability to immerse one in an atmosphere that encourages stress relief and greater well-being.
1. In a Dream MP3 clip
2. Time Will Tell MP3 clip
3. What Lies Within
4. And We Danced
5. Close to You
6. Chasing the Sun
7. In Her Eyes
8. Gut Feeling
9. Clockwork
10. Hand in Hand
11. Folk Story
PLAYING TIME 49:25 CD PRICE $16.00
INNER WORKS BY PETER KATER
Known for his contemporary Native American collaborations with R. Carlos Nakai and his improvisational healing compositions, PETER KATER chooses to display his classical side with INNER WORKS. Including pieces that were used for television, film scores and two tracks composed for the "1999 World Alpine Ski Championships" and the "2000 Summer Olympics," the music covers an assortment of moods that range from quiet and romantic to large and regal. Each of the tracks incorporate lush background orchestration (including David Darling on cello and Paul McCandless on oboe) to create a sense of beauty and elegance.
Kater's piano and Nakai's Native American flute are at the heart of this recording, and Kater has expanded the arrangements to include a full palette of instrumentation and sound. Outstanding
musical guests David Darling, Mark Miller and Chris White blend seamlessly with Kater and Nakai to create a moving musical journey. A beautiful, meditative recording.
1. Wandering 6:55 MP3 clip
2. Initiation 4:05 MP3 clip
3. Honoring 6:26
4. Stating Intention 4:03
5. Surrender 4:50
6. Embracing The Darkness 3:41
7. Lighting The Flame 5:15
8. Transformation 6:40
9. Quietude 4:59
10. Becoming Human 2:01
11. Walking The Path 5:24
12. Service 3:32
PLAYING TIME 57:55 CD PRICE $16.00
NATIVES BY CARLOS NAKAI & PETER KATER
NATIVES is an improvisational exploration of the beauty and transcendence of Native American culture. This is the first collaboration between jazz and new age pianist Peter Kater and flutist R. Carlos Nakai, an album which paved the way for future ventures. The music is fairly simplistic, yet fanciful, showing the power of Nakai's flute as enhanced by Kater's lush background textures. Refreshing and beautiful, NATIVES taps into the powerful spirit of Native America.
1. Centering 5:33 MP3 clip
2. East 7:04 MP3 clip
3. South 5:12
4. West 4:47
5. North 5:25
6. Day Sky - Night Sky 7:06
7. Earth 5:24
8. Within (Recentering) 6:15
PLAYING TIME 46:50 CD PRICE $17.00
OCEAN'S EDGE BY PETER KATER
Enjoy this collection of beautiful music as it swells, ebbs and flows from out of the sounds of the ocean.
1. GABRIELLE
2. HEART'S DESIRE
3. HOMAGE
4. CLIFFSIDE PICNIC
5. ECLIPSE
6. DAWN
7. SWEET SANDS OF LONGING
8. CLEAR SKIES
9. THANKSGIVING
10. HEART'S DESIRE REPRISE
11. WAITING FOR THE SKY
12. DUSK
Multi-talented Peter Kater has displayed many skills with his various albums: composition, production work and an aptitude with different instrumentation, to name a few. But never is his output more sublime than when he is seated at the piano. Kater's Grammy-nominated album PIANO nurtures that skill with eleven solo piano cuts, inspired by the many live performances that he has delivered over the years. The music is beautifully fluid; the artist glides over the keys with clear grace and precision. There is a richness and sense of texture in the pieces that shows Kater's maturity as a pianist, not to mention a great deal of heart. The melodies are elegant with the right amounts of romance and whimsy, resulting in an album that begs to be played with relaxing with a smooth glass of merlot.
1. Anthem 5:47 MP3 clip
2. River 5:00 MP3 clip
3. Summer's Innocence 6:02
4. Spirit 4:59
5. Thanksgiving 4:03
6. Trilogy 7:24
7. Coming Home 5:27
8. Days Past 3:22
9. Ascent 5:23
10. Fool & the Hummingbird 7:41
11. Espresso 4:46
PLAYING TIME 60:00 CD PRICE $16.00
RED MOON BY PETER KATER
Through his collaborations with some of Native American music's brightest stars, most notably his extensive work with R. Carlos Nakai, Peter Kater has established himself as one of the leading interpreters of Native-influenced contemporary instrumental music. With RED MOON you can expect more of the quality craftsmanship that fans have come to love - pensive piano melodies, resonant flute calls and intuitively placed vocal samples against synthesized Southwestern backdrops. Among his guests on this outing is Robert Mirabal, whose chants haunt the lilting "Looking Glass." Tony Levin displays his knack for keen basslines on several tracks as well, and Mary Youngblood and Nakai set the album's tone with their Native American flute harmonies.
1.Night Realm
2.Road Before Us, The
3.Deep Waters
4.Looking Glass
5.Only in Your Arms
6.Calling, The
7.West, The
8.Never Ending Journey
9.This Moment
10.Dream Catcher
11.Red Moon
SONG FOR HUMANITY CD BY PETER KATER AND R. CARLOS NAKAI
For over ten years, contemporary Native American music has been synonymous with two names: Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai. The inspired interplay between Kater's quiet, rainy day melodies and Nakai's earthy improvisations on flute is the perfect blending of two cultures, striking a balance between structure and freedom. SONG FOR HUMANITY celebrates this sonic union with a collection of works from the duo's seven titles on Silver Wave Records. Listeners will walk an enlightened path that transcends heritage and beliefs with spiritually moving songs like the haunting, choral-infused "Surrender" and the wistful "Grace." Also included are two brand new tracks: "Within the Silence" and "Song For Humanity."
1. Surrender 4:47 MP3 clip
2. East 7:01 MP3 clip
3. Grace 5:32
4. One Voice 8:21
5. Shaman's Call 3:40
6. Flight Song 3:40
7. Centering 5:31
8. Within the Silence 5:40
9. I Will Fight No More 4:09
10. Miles Ahead 4:09
11. Transformation 6:42
12. Essence 4:59
13. Song for Humanity 4:50
PLAYING TIME 69:32 CD PRICE $16.00
10 QUESTIONS FOR THE DALAI LAMA BY PETER KATER
In 2001, filmmaker Rick Ray was granted an extraordinary opportunity - a 45-minute audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, during which time he could ask Buddhism's holiest figure any question he wished. Previously instructed that His Holiness prefers unique, non-standard questions, Ray developed a series of 10 questions that not only covered Tibetan politics and the Dalai Lama's philosophies, but also a look at the man himself. Peter Kater's score to the film mirrors its poignancy and pervading sense of illumination, featuring just under a dozen compositions for piano, flute, Tibetan bowls and cello. Many of the pieces presented on the album are sparse and simple, giving the music a meditative, zen-like feel. Special guest instrumentalists are plentiful on the album, including, Nawang Khechog, R. Carlos Nakai, Richard Hardy, David Darling and chants from esteemed Tibetan monk Tulku Orgyen.
1.10 Questions For the Dalai Lama MP3 clip
2.Fire Walk MP3 clip
3. Surrender
4. Fresh Wind, A
5. Buddha Search
6. Lighting the Flame
7. Seeking the Dalai Lama
8. Ocean of Long Life
9. Last Request
10. Call of Compassion
11. 10 Questions For the Dalai Lama
PLAYING TIME 61:36 CD PRICE $17.00
THROUGH WINDOWS & WALLS CD BY PETER KATER AND R. CARLOS NAKAI
R. Carlos Nakai and Peter Kater have had quite a fruitful partnership - in the last decade they have been largely responsible for advancing contemporary Native American music as well as making it more accessible to a mainstream audience. It's been five years since their last release and THROUGH WINDOWS & WALLS is easily the duo's richest recording to date. Kater and Nakai incorporate multiple layers of vocals, a strategic use of percussion (to add a sense of drama to several of the tracks) and, of course, their characteristic somber flute/new-agey piano combo into nine wonderfully uplifting compositions. Also includes David Darling on cello and Jeffery Gordon on percussion.
1. Windows And Walls 6:15 MP3 clip
2. When Worlds Collide 5:25 MP3 clip
3. Moments Like This 5:13
4. Walk With Me 6:32
5. If Walls Could Speak 4:56
6. I Know You 5:06
7. Remember When 4:50
8. Child's Play 2:47
9. Recognition 5:44
PLAYING TIME 46:51 CD PRICE $16.00
WALK IN BEAUTY BY PETER KATER
The tender, reflective piano playing of Peter Kater has always fit wonderfully with the soulfulness of Native American flute music, something that is clearly evident when listening to his many collaborations with R. Carlos Nakai. On WALK IN BEAUTY, Kater's organic piano/flute interplay is shared with Northern Cheyenne flutist Joseph Firecrow, whose emotion-rich playing fits the bill perfectly. Elegance reigns on the eight mid-length compositions, featuring light rhythmic elements to keep the pace, Richard Hardy's sax, which gives the music a relaxed vibe and subtle Native American influences wafting throughout.
1. Walk in Beauty 6:00 MP3 clip
2. Beautiful Heart 6:37 MP3 clip
3. Sweet Embrace 6:16
4. Dancing With the Moon 6:26
5. Once More Before The Dawn 5:45
6. Always Find Me Here 5:17
7. The Good Road 4:50
8. For My Children's Children 8:56
PLAYING TIME 50:13 CD PRICE $16.00
WATER BY PETER KATER
Part of Peter Kater's "Elements" series of albums, which are themed after the intrinsic beauty found in the elements of nature, WATER focuses on music that is rejuvenating, cleansing and fluid. The selections here are an equal mix of composition and improvisation, with an emphasis on acoustic instrumentation. Piano melodies play the largest role on the album (Kater's musical contribution), with accompaniment from Paul McCandless on oboe and English horn and Mike Hamilton on guitar. This series marks Kater's first appearance on the Real Music label. After hearing the lush, elegant music presented on this release, you'll agree he's right at home amidst artists like Kevin Kern and Gandalf.
1. Substance of Life 8:15 MP3 clip
2. Surfacing 7:07 MP3 clip
3. Water Ballet 6:38
4. Gently Dreaming 7:54
5. Silent Steps 7:39
6. Lakeside 5:18
7. Cascade 11:30
8. Calling You 6:02
PLAYING TIME 60:23 CD PRICE $17.00
WIND, ROCK, SEA & FLAME BY PETER KATER
Combines some of Peter Kater's favorite elements including piano, cello, soprano saxophone, acoustic bass, warm synth pads and whale song, painted gracefully on a spacious flowing canvas of love. Created as an homage to the four elements and Peter's love for Hawaiian Islands and Oceans.
AIR, from Peter Kater's gorgeous "Elements" series, focuses on music that is light, spacious and ethereal. Featuring the aid of Grammy-nominated instrumentalist Paul McCandless and flutist Richard Hardy, the music offers a sublime tapestry of soothing woodwinds, elegant piano and flowing synthesizer atmosphere. "Peaceful" would be the best word to describe the mood of this album; the music is so serene and uplifting that it will lull you into a state of complete comfort. The melodies have an improvised, non-structured feel, which would make this good music for massage or healing work.
Peter Kater's AMBROSIA is a romantic album. Its melodies, performed on piano while Jaques Morelbaum and Richard Hardy back him on cello and bamboo flute respectively, have a lightness and whimsy that taps into the essence of love. However, the album differs from a typical romantic album in that it has a spiritual edge as well. Kater's compositions seem to morph from serenade to meditation and back again, resulting in a multi-faceted work that beckons to used in a myriad of contexts. Kater's piano is largely the highlight of this recording, providing both the melody and focal point for each track. The cello and flute is used fleetingly - they come into the picture here and there, disappearing into the backdrop while your attention is fixed on the direction the main piano melody is going. A mesmerizing album, AMBROSIA lives up to the exquisite promise of the title.
CLOUD HANDS, named for a therapeutic Tai Chi/Qigong movement, is the fifth in Peter Kater's "Healing Series" of instrumental albums. Following the title's roots in the Asian arts, the music exhibits elements of Indian/Far Eastern influence, heard largely in the Mike Hamilton's minimal zen-like approach to the acoustic guitar and Richard Hardy's mystical bansuri flute tones. Peter Kater produced and composed the album, bringing his typical earthy, naturalistic quality to the compositional style. His piano is also omnipresent on the album, blending with the sparse rhythms and aforementioned instrumentation to create a sound that is spacious, light and sonically pleasing. The slow, introspective feel of the music is obviously ideal for Tai Chi or Qigong, and could also spice up meditation work or other slow-paced movement practices.
Multi-instrumentalist Peter Kater is here to transform you with 75 minutes of healing music on COMPASSION. The journey starts very slow, very simple...just you and the piano wading in a sea of silence. Quietly, singing bowls emerge from the background, almost unnoticeable. Here and there a gong sends a resonating pulse into the beyond. Soon you find yourself amidst melancholy flutes and cello with synthesizers setting a somber mood. The music evokes feelings of reposeful solitude...a sense of reaching deep inside and exploring the depths of your soul, searching for the meaning behind the feelings you hold. The result is a musical catharsis, filling you with a sense of emotional freedom.
MP3 clip
THE DANCE OF INNOCENTS pairs two artists together Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog with Western soundscape wizard Peter Kater. Together they weave a gentle tapestry that highlights two cultural sounds - Khechog's bittersweet yet uplifting bansuri flute melodies and Kater's pastoral piano and synth work, which bears Southwestern accents. This is an album that puts you squarely in a mindset for peace and meditation - there is a gentle beauty that floats through these pieces that makes you want to release your burdens and revel in the simple joy of the music. Of note are "Ocean of Long Life," which pairs an introspective canon-like harmony played on the piano by Kater with the Buddhist chant of Khechog, and "A Fresh Wind," which dovetails the piano and flute wonderfully.
With his "Elements" series, Peter Kater's goal was to create a succession of acoustic, relaxation-oriented albums themed after the natural world and the different properties of the earth's fundamental elements. The recording EARTH features music that has a strong organic quality, calling to mind rugged landscapes and terrain. Mike Hamilton's guitar provides a central rhythmic element to most of the pieces, while Richard Hardy's Native American flute gives the music a subtle Southwestern feel. Peter Kater's melodic piano playing adds to the vibrancy of the pieces, making them feel tranquil and peaceful. This is a great album for enhancing your surrounding and making them conducive to restfulness.
Enchanted Waters: A Wetlands Tribute
Loons, herons, owls, frogs, peepers, rivulets & waterfalls grace the beautiful piano playing of Grammy-nominated Peter Kater. Immerse yourself in the tranquility of "Enchanted".
Music for the healing
arts, intimacy, love and
Self-remembering. Essence is born out of
Peter Kater's twenty years of
dedication to the healing arts. First of
the EarthSea Healing Series, this music
speaks the healing process of the
emotional body. This is Peter Kater at
his most essential. Emanating from and
carrying us towards the center where we
are closest to ourselves and to each
other, Essence is seventy-five minutes of
continuous music to allow awakening,
honest relating, deepening, letting go,
receiving, remembering and
Self-nurturing.
Peter Kater is very much in tune with the essence of Native American tradition. He has proven this fact with over 15 years of top notch collaborations, including his extensive work with R. Carlos Nakai. FACES OF THE SUN is the next chapter in Kater's cross-cultural saga, featuring gentle, haunting instrumental pieces that utilize the talents of top-notch artists like Mary Youngblood, Bill Miller and Jeff Ball. The music has a soft new age style to it, with light drum beats, piano, strings and guitar. The melodies are serene with a hint of melancholy, calling to mind some of Kater's past works on Silver Wave Records. Rounding out the guest artist roster is an ensemble that includes Paul McCandless on oboe, Tony Levin on bass, Mike Hamilton on guitar and Hans Christian on cello.
The heat generated from Peter Kater's FIRE, from his bliss-inducing "Elements" series, is more of a steady burn than a blazing torch. This is music that calls to mind the pale glow of candlelight, as you relax and soothe your weary muscles. Featuring the skilled playing of Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless and violin master Ludvig Girland, Kater provides a very warm, peaceful environment for relaxation practices, meditation and healing work. The compositions are both gentle and spacious, with an acoustic flair that makes each feel very natural. Sixty minutes of utmost tranquility awaits.
What is your heart's desire? Is it stirring piano music that puts you in the mood for romance or soaring instrumentals that mirror the vast majestic qualities of the great outdoors? Either way, Peter Kater's HEART'S DESIRE lives up to its name. Lush pieces with haunting piano highlight a diverse musical collage that includes percussion, flutes, electric guitar, saxophone, oboe, cello and synthesizers to paint a picture that's deep in meaning and gorgeous to behold. Kater fans may also want to check out COMPASSION, ESSENCE and WINDS OF DEVOTION, each of which exemplifies Kater's genius as a musician.
In the tradition of Migration and Natives, Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai continue their acoustic relationship in this improvisational journey, exploring male soulfulness and intimacy in our world today. In collaboration with three of the instrumental world's finest musicians, Honorable Sky is at once enlivening, stirring
HOW THE WEST WAS LOST is the soundtrack to the Discovery Channel mini series of the same name, which took a hard look at American history and the conquest of the Western frontier from an angle that's often glossed over in the history books. On this, the second of two soundtracks based on the program, Peter Kater once again describes the persecution and destruction of the Native Americans and their culture through a series of reflective pieces. Somber melodies and atmospheres performed using keyboards, piano and synthesized orchestration are supplied by Kater, alongside the weeping flute harmonies of R. Carlos Nakai and guest support from Joanne Shenandoah and the White Oak Singers.
IN A DREAM brings together Peter Kater and Dominic Miller, a U.K.-based guitarist known for his extensive work with big name artists like Sting and Phil Collins. The creative pairing highlights the peaceful, comforting interplay of the guitar and piano, along with the cello work of Jaques Morelenbaum and the vocal textures of Kenny Loggins. The music paints a rich portrait of life at its most relaxed, conjuring images of lazy afternoons spent strolling through a sun-drenched garden, or indulging in the tranquil reverie of a rejuvenating bath. The melodies exude a sense of warmth and joy, with a strong new age sound that occasionally hints at jazz and classical music. Its greatest strength is its ability to immerse one in an atmosphere that encourages stress relief and greater well-being.
Known for his contemporary Native American collaborations with R. Carlos Nakai and his improvisational healing compositions, PETER KATER chooses to display his classical side with INNER WORKS. Including pieces that were used for television, film scores and two tracks composed for the "1999 World Alpine Ski Championships" and the "2000 Summer Olympics," the music covers an assortment of moods that range from quiet and romantic to large and regal. Each of the tracks incorporate lush background orchestration (including David Darling on cello and Paul McCandless on oboe) to create a sense of beauty and elegance.
Enjoy this collection of beautiful music as it swells, ebbs and flows from out of the sounds of the ocean.
Multi-talented Peter Kater has displayed many skills with his various albums: composition, production work and an aptitude with different instrumentation, to name a few. But never is his output more sublime than when he is seated at the piano. Kater's Grammy-nominated album PIANO nurtures that skill with eleven solo piano cuts, inspired by the many live performances that he has delivered over the years. The music is beautifully fluid; the artist glides over the keys with clear grace and precision. There is a richness and sense of texture in the pieces that shows Kater's maturity as a pianist, not to mention a great deal of heart. The melodies are elegant with the right amounts of romance and whimsy, resulting in an album that begs to be played with relaxing with a smooth glass of merlot.
Through his collaborations with some of Native American music's brightest stars, most notably his extensive work with R. Carlos Nakai, Peter Kater has established himself as one of the leading interpreters of Native-influenced contemporary instrumental music. With RED MOON you can expect more of the quality craftsmanship that fans have come to love - pensive piano melodies, resonant flute calls and intuitively placed vocal samples against synthesized Southwestern backdrops. Among his guests on this outing is Robert Mirabal, whose chants haunt the lilting "Looking Glass." Tony Levin displays his knack for keen basslines on several tracks as well, and Mary Youngblood and Nakai set the album's tone with their Native American flute harmonies.
For over ten years, contemporary Native American music has been synonymous with two names: Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai. The inspired interplay between Kater's quiet, rainy day melodies and Nakai's earthy improvisations on flute is the perfect blending of two cultures, striking a balance between structure and freedom. SONG FOR HUMANITY celebrates this sonic union with a collection of works from the duo's seven titles on Silver Wave Records. Listeners will walk an enlightened path that transcends heritage and beliefs with spiritually moving songs like the haunting, choral-infused "Surrender" and the wistful "Grace." Also included are two brand new tracks: "Within the Silence" and "Song For Humanity."
In 2001, filmmaker Rick Ray was granted an extraordinary opportunity - a 45-minute audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, during which time he could ask Buddhism's holiest figure any question he wished. Previously instructed that His Holiness prefers unique, non-standard questions, Ray developed a series of 10 questions that not only covered Tibetan politics and the Dalai Lama's philosophies, but also a look at the man himself. Peter Kater's score to the film mirrors its poignancy and pervading sense of illumination, featuring just under a dozen compositions for piano, flute, Tibetan bowls and cello. Many of the pieces presented on the album are sparse and simple, giving the music a meditative, zen-like feel. Special guest instrumentalists are plentiful on the album, including, Nawang Khechog, R. Carlos Nakai, Richard Hardy, David Darling and chants from esteemed Tibetan monk Tulku Orgyen.
R. Carlos Nakai and Peter Kater have had quite a fruitful partnership - in the last decade they have been largely responsible for advancing contemporary Native American music as well as making it more accessible to a mainstream audience. It's been five years since their last release and THROUGH WINDOWS & WALLS is easily the duo's richest recording to date. Kater and Nakai incorporate multiple layers of vocals, a strategic use of percussion (to add a sense of drama to several of the tracks) and, of course, their characteristic somber flute/new-agey piano combo into nine wonderfully uplifting compositions. Also includes David Darling on cello and Jeffery Gordon on percussion.
The tender, reflective piano playing of Peter Kater has always fit wonderfully with the soulfulness of Native American flute music, something that is clearly evident when listening to his many collaborations with R. Carlos Nakai. On WALK IN BEAUTY, Kater's organic piano/flute interplay is shared with Northern Cheyenne flutist Joseph Firecrow, whose emotion-rich playing fits the bill perfectly. Elegance reigns on the eight mid-length compositions, featuring light rhythmic elements to keep the pace, Richard Hardy's sax, which gives the music a relaxed vibe and subtle Native American influences wafting throughout.
Part of Peter Kater's "Elements" series of albums, which are themed after the intrinsic beauty found in the elements of nature, WATER focuses on music that is rejuvenating, cleansing and fluid. The selections here are an equal mix of composition and improvisation, with an emphasis on acoustic instrumentation. Piano melodies play the largest role on the album (Kater's musical contribution), with accompaniment from Paul McCandless on oboe and English horn and Mike Hamilton on guitar. This series marks Kater's first appearance on the Real Music label. After hearing the lush, elegant music presented on this release, you'll agree he's right at home amidst artists like Kevin Kern and Gandalf.
