Grammy nominee, award winning composer, Native American Music Award winner and #1 Chart topping recording artist Michael Brant DeMaria is a multi-instrumentalist whose albums and live performances touch his audience and listeners with his sincere and heartfelt music. Michael’s music has both a magical quality of simplicity as well as an ancient sense of timelessness and eternity. After hitting #1 and remaining in the top 20 for 6 months, his last album Siyotanka went on to win the Native American Music Award in the Native Heart Category in October of 2009. It is now in the running for a Grammy for Best Native American Music Album of 2009.
Michael has been the featured musician for world renowned poets Robert Bly and David White in addition to playing onstage with Grammy winning and nominated recording artists Mary Youngblood, Bill Miller, David Darling and R. Carlos Nakai. Michael performs on the Native American Flute, Piano, Synthesizers, Indian Shruti box, and a wide range of world percussion instruments including African Djembe and Middle Eastern Doumbek. He also was a member of Sacred Winds Consort who opened for David Lanz at the 2008 Zion Canyon Music Festival. Ocean climbed to #1 on the New Age/World/Ambient chart for November 2009. Ocean takes the listener on a sonic adventure from the moving "Moonlit Sea" and the ethereal "Finding Forever" to the mysterious, "Diving Deep" and poignant "In Search of Home" that is at once a sonic massage and a healing journey of discovery. Using piano, keyboards, synthesizers, indigenous flutes, percussion and his own voice, Ocean is a journey into the inner depths of ambient music. As is the case with all his DeMaria's albums, there is a story of one man's journey through a sonic landscape - this time coalescing around the theme of the awesome and mysterious and healing power of the Ocean.
"Driven by the need to heal from the devastation of the horrific hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005, pianist/keyboardist and Native flute player Michael Brant DeMaria journeyed deep into the essence of Planet Earth's lifeblood, i.e. the oceans which surround us. The result is Ocean, a mesmerizing, fluid mixture of atmospheric ambient soundscapes and subtle Native flute/fusion influences and textures. As he did on the critically acclaimed Siyotanka, DeMaria brings discernible cinematic overtones to his layered keyboards and echoed piano, sometimes accompanied by haunting and plaintive flute melodies. By turns, meditative, serene, subtly dark, and softly mysterious, Ocean is an immersive album, one which can be appreciated both under direct listening as well as while played in the background. Dive deep into this Ocean and discover your personal connection to our world's watery soul."
-Bill Binkelman, Zone Music Reporter
"The aspect of Michael's music that impressed me most on his previous release, Siyotanka was his ability to touch the listener with the power needed to heal them... and this new release shows that talent at an even deeper level.. Well crafted and full of spirit, DeMaria's music touches your mind through passages that (at times) feel like your brain is being massaged.. This kind of music deserves your undivided attention..you should make sure you set aside the full hour for an uninterrupted listen - preferably with headphones on.. MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED."
Improvijazzation
Ocean.. plunges us into a sea of tranquility, repose, and well being - the sounds ply our body with quiet, hypnotic, and ethereal themes, full of mystery.. creating a landscape of exceptional beauty. It is a pleasure to hear this work that seeks the softening of our very being and allows us to venture into magical worlds away from our stressful day to day lives."
- A Ultima Fronteira
"There is an epic scale to this album, almost symphonic on some tracks and highly orchestrated - and all performed by one man!... Drift in your floatation tank to this and you will be truly in space...Yes, Ocean is very New Age, but I think it grows out of that and becomes an album which should appeal to those who listen to ambient and electronica. I could even imagine some imaginative DJs playing this in the chill out rooms to bring down ravers at the end of the night. Ocean is a worthy sequel to Siyotanka, and one that could be a huge hit. Highly recommended.
-Borderland
Ocean takes the listener on a sonic adventure from the moving "Moonlit Sea" and the ethereal "Finding Forever" to the mysterious, "Diving Deep" and poignant "In Search of Home" that is at once a sonic massage and a healing journey of discovery. Using piano, keyboards, synthesizers, indigenous flutes, percussion and his own voice, Ocean is a journey into the inner depths of ambient music. As is the case with all his DeMaria's albums, there is a story of one man's journey through a sonic landscape - this time coalescing around the theme of the awesome and mysterious and healing power of the Ocean.

Surfacing

Open Water

Moonlit Sea

Finding Forever

Diving Deep

Ocean

Another World

Transformation

Remember

In Search of Home

Horizon