Saint Alexei, Tsarevich of Russia

Tsar Nicholas Romanov, and his wife, the Empress Alexandra, along with their five children, were executed (murdered is a better word) by the Bolsheviks on July 17, 1918.  Nicholas was the last Tsar of Russia.  The whole family was canonized as saints by the Russian Orthodox Church on November 1, 1981.  Saint Alexei, Tsarevich of Russia, was two weeks shy of his fourteenth birthday at the time of his death.  His four sisters, The Grand Duchesses Olga, Tatyana, Maria, and Anastasia were were 22, 21, 19, and 17 years old, respectively, when they were murdered. I have adopted Saint Alexei as my patron saint.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

 

Christopher Robin │ Chapters

I am a big fan of movie soundtracks, and lately, there have been very few, that to my taste, separate them from the pack.  Well, that changed suddenly when I discovered "Chapters" from the soundtrack of "Christopher Robin".  It was composed by  Geoff Zanelli, who also did the soundtrack for "The Odd Life Of Timothy Green".  "Chapters" has a very beautiful, and haunting sound.  It is almost a soundscape.  I really love this song.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

David Kawika Crowley │ E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai

David Kawika Crowley And His Family

In this edition of Klaatu Barada Nikto I am featuring David Kawika Crowley singing the very haunting "E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai (Forever Close to My Heart)".  It's quite possibly the most beautiful song to come out of the Big Island of Hawaii.  This song is about the love that David feels for his wife, and also for Hilo.  He lived there for many years, but now lives of Oahu.  "E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai" first appeared on the first "Home Grown" album that was produced by radio station KKUA in 1979.  It's the last song on the second side of the album.  Unfortunately, the sound quality of the LP version is extremely poor, as it was recorded in monophonic sound.  The version in the video below was re-recorded recently in full stereophonic sound, and it's a sonic delight to hear.  I've been searching for "E Ho'o Pili Mau I Ku'u Pu'u Wai" for about 30 years, and I finally found it today on YouTube.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Straalen McCallum │ Wiyathul

In this edition of Klaatu Barada Nikto I am featuring Straalen McCallum singing "Wiyathul", an incredibly beautiful song from his "A Little Faith" album.  This song literally brings tears to my eyes whenever I hear it.  It is written in Galpu, an aboriginal dialect.  "Wiyathul" has a very interesting history.  It was composed by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu who is an Australian Aboriginal.  He was blind.  Sadly, Geoffrey just passed away at the age of 46, on July 25, 2017.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Isabel Pantoja │ Así Fue (That's How It Went)

The extraordinary Isabel Pantoja singing "Así Fue (That's How It Went)", with the Juan Gabriel orchestra.  This video was recorded live at the Desde Bellas Artes, México, in 2013.  I just love this song, and Pantoja's wonderful rendition.  It's simply beautiful.  By-the-way, "Así Fue" was composed by the late Juan Gabriel.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year!

My Dear Aunt Martha and I spent the whole afternoon surfing the internet trying to find something new, and different to share on Klaatu Barada Nikto.  Well, Aunt Martha finally suggested that I search for some Techno Praise music.  You see, Aunt Martha, having been a professional opera singer all of her life, still keeps tabs on all of the latest musical trends, which is something that I am really loathe to do.  I had never heard of Techno Praise but I do trust Aunt Martha's judgment.  I typed in the search term, and dozens of hits popped up.  It did not take long to find this Techno Praise version of Mark Lowry's wonderful Christmas gem "Mary, Did You Know?".  It is sung by a fresh new singer by the name of Johnny Hammer, and he is sensational.  The power, honesty, innocence, and freshness of Johnny's performance brought tears to both Aunt Martha's, and my eyes.  Johnny also has an amazing angelic presence that makes him so much fun to watch.  I predict that this version of "Mary, Did You Know?" will turn out to be a perennial Christmas favorite.  By the way, the group that Johnny belongs to is called Technopraise.  Please join Aunt Martha and I in watching this amazing video by clicking on the widget below.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.

Beautiful Bhutan

In my previous incarnation, I lived in the Kingdom of Bhutan.  Recently, I viewed a video of a drive into the city of Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan, and the sight of the beautiful Bhutanese people, mountains, and buildings, brought tears to my eyes, and melted my heart.  It brought back to me so many precious memories.  I miss Bhutan so much, and some day, I will return home.  Safe journeys to all the fans of Klaatu Barada Nikto, wherever you may be.