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The Eternal Presence Transcendent four part didjeridu compositions for deep listening, massage, yoga & meditation

The Eternal Presence brings together four didjeridu virtuosos from around the globe to perform new compositions in a richly resonant natural setting. The resulting CD is an extended, continuous cycle of eleven interwoven compositions that takes the listener on a journey through landscapes that are ethereal, introspective and invigorating. This makes it an ideal accompaniment for meditation and "deep listening", as well as a wonderful tool to enhance yoga, massage or other body and healing work.

The recording bears the aural signature of a remarkable location - a richly reverberant stone tunnel perched at the peak of the Marin highlands, high above the Pacific Ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. The tunnel was built during World War II as part of a military seacoast fortification, but abandoned shortly thereafter as its weaponry became obsolete. Transformed by the dense quiet of the night into a cathedral-like chamber for sacred sound, the tunnel becomes one of the players, contributing a powerful resonance that shapes every note of the performance.

Prior to recording this CD, the group performed a twilight concert in the tunnel's misty location perched above the Pacific Ocean. John Steere, a San Francisco environmental consultant, relates his experience, "I was moved beyond words experiencing your transcendent process of grounding the spiritual and embodying sacred sound. I was in a ritual/altered space until the wee hours of the morning thanks to the medicine you played."

The didjeridu (or didgeridoo) is an instrument originating from Australian Aboriginal culture that has spread around the world due to its evocative sound and expressive capabilities. In this recording, new ground is explored as the sounds of multiple didjeridus are used to create harmonic combinations that evoke a wide range of moods. For example, "Eternal Octavos" utilizes three instruments played in octaves to produce an intensely focused sound with rich overtones, while "Primal Cycle" uses the musical "circle of fifths" to create a tonal center that is ambiguous yet strangely grounded. Other tracks on the CD explore different combinations, and all are interwoven into a continuous, organic listening experience.

the artists

alan tower, usa "This music captures the didjeridu in sacred harmony drifting from chord to healing chord evoking the eternal through a mystcal envelope of sound. When we focused on octaves and the cycle of fifths, I felt them calling us to the ground of the cosmos - tuning us to the spiritual lattice of life."

rafael bejerano, mexico "I believe in the Eternal Presence of the spirit within all of us. I believe in the mystery and in that force that moves us all into Enlightenment and evolution. I feel a passion, a fire burning in me, pure light, pure energy, pure love. I know we will make it through...Healing on Earth and in the hearts of humanity. My deep gratitude to the Aboriginal people of Australia for bringing the sounds of the didjeridu into our lives, to all of those who have taught, inspired and guided me in the path to the One."

jusse nayeli, south africa "Our Creator."

barry hall, usa "Music will always be with us, from the dawn of time until the end. We draw in the breath of our ancestors, and play the notes that have been sounded millions of times before. The eternal music never stops; it flows through us from generation to generation and connects all people at our most primal level."

Concert Quotes

Wanted to tell you what a profoundly spiritual, wonderful, cleansing, beautiful and bonding experience it was for my family. It was my husband's birthday, and my daughter and I surprised him with your didjeridu concert. You must feel incredible after creating such extraordinary music.
- Mary Russo, Antennae Theater, Marin, California

Alan, I was moved beyond words by what Free Energy was up to that night. I can see you are engaged in a transcendent process of grounding the spiritual and embodying sacred sound. The concert was so evocative of that process. I was in a ritual/altered space until the wee hours of the morning thanks to the medicine you played. Your leadership and vision is especially evident in all of it.
- John Steere, environmental consultant , San Francisco, CA

Friday's concert in the tunnel was very moving and enriching. I am still digesting the experience.
Deborah Tash, massage therapist, San Francisco, CA

It was like going home for me. Returning to a self that I have wished to return to for many years. Most of the time I felt like I was making the music! Loved everything but was probably most ignited by the percussion pieces. Actually, it was the perfect length of concert...any shorter or any longer perhaps would detract from the peace. It was a big bonding for the three of us. I hope to bring one of our sons who is a musician to your next concert .
- Mary Russo, Antennae Theater, Marin, California

Thank you for hosting a magical event on Friday night! I'm so glad to have been there to share in the experience. And the added songs played on the huaca inspired me to run home and pick mine up! Thanks again for arranging this amazing tunnel concert.
Zhu Zhu Listo, San Francisco, CA

The dark night and dense fog created a powerful poetic intensity, which deepened the experience for me, it seemed especially appropriate for the didjeridu. You all played masterfully and with great artistry, I felt you knew the earth as a brother.
John Marx, architect, San Francisco, CA


Further experiences of the Russo family as told by Mary Russo:
Bryn: It was a journey for her. At one point, a didj was just inches from her heart and tears were streaming down her face. It was very profound for her. She leaves to go study at Naropa in Boulder on Saturday and your concert was an incredibly beautiful "launch" for her new life. She is most grateful.
Tom: What a great birthday surprise! One of the best ever days for him. He loved all of the movements, of course, but especially loved the encore wind instrumentals. It was a rooting for him.


The Eternal Presence means a lot to me. It´s very spiritual - one of the most beautiful music rituals I have ever heard. It was created with love, providing a deep state of relaxation in a concentrated way. The sound and harmony is huge and mixed in such a way that what we hear is really one sound (and it is, the all which make one - the Eternal Presence) Each key and each sound is played with love and connection to our mother earth and our father universe. What you play belongs to humanity. Congratulations.
- Ze Carlos, Portugal

I am playing the CD as I am writing this e-mail and I am just, OH MY, ALAN, BLOWN AWAY!!! The drones are just sooo HUGE and MASSIVE! I feel as if I am caught in a tsunami of deep foreboding vibrating holistic DidjE drones...BLISS. I just love the layers created by the individual players - so effective. I just do not have the words to describe the joy that is resonating within! So pure, powerful and blissful, I am eternally thankful for this HiFi recording. Thank you so much to everyone that participated in the creative efforts!
- David, England

"The Eternal Presence" not only appeals to listeners who have a passion for the haunting sounds of the didjeridu, but to all listeners who want to experience something quite unique and magical. The recording quality and musicianship are top notch, as sounds intricately weave in, out, around, and through the listener. Repeated listenings always offer something new to be heard. While the tunes evoke an ethereal quality, they are all unique and distinct, and as a few songs really get rocking, they still maintain the continuity and balance that the musicians strove for. Great for a long drive in the car, or at home alone or with friends, The Eternal Presence will soon have an eternal slot in your CD tray, and with a pair of headphones it's a whole new experience, as the post production work of the artists really shines. A highly recommended "must have" CD.
- John Pascuzzi, California

I just want to offer my .04 on this CD. IT IS SPECTACULAR!! This is very well done and truly transports the listener to another dimension. Thank you Alan, Barry, Jusse, and Rafael for such a wonderful creation.
- Geoff Frost, California

Yeah - what Geoff said! I had been listening to this CD in my car to/from work. What a difference it makes to realize Eternal Presence while driving! Ahhhhh.... I'm planning on deep-listening to it with headphones this weekend.
- Steve Daniel, USA

I finally got to listen to The Eternal Presence. WOW!!! Definitely a different form of didje playing than I do, but definitely an attention grabber. I just had to put the headphones on, lay down and be taken away. Fantastic!!!
- Larry Marshall, Quebec City, Canada

Hey, lemme on that bandwagon again . . . . it's fantastic! - photos and cover/cd art are awesome and very professional. Recording in massive reverberant conditions is a tough job to get done right..... you never get the "sound" that you're experiencing live, but they have captured the essence of the Eternal Presence in that tunnel. Been awake for about 3 days straight because of work, and tonight I will put on a pair of headphones and let the medicine take its course.
- John Pascuzzi, California

I gotta add my 2.3 cents. I have exchanged a couple of emails on the subject with the creators of this CD. The information I got back indicated that it was a very complex and probably equally costly project. As for the CD....It's a "must have." Slap on a pair of headphones and take an unforgettable ride. You'll be in a different place for a long time. Warning: overlistening can cause "brain repair." They did a fantastic job on this CD, and I know how hard it can be to get a good recording in a tunnel. I'm already looking forward to the follow-up.
- Per Hulquist, California

Wow, its just a great piece of acoustic (and visual) art! Lots of good vibrations! It is actually the first meditative Didj-CD that I ever consciously heard! I feel.… . hmm, I think "touched" is the right word . . . My english knowledge does not cover more emotional vocabulary. I wish you all good luck and appreciation for your project!
- Ansgar Stein, Germany

I have seen The Eternal Presence and I have no words to describe. I started playing my didgeridoo about four years ago, and found my Way as a player and person though it. I´ve found a spiritual part in the didgeridoo, not only the spiritual part that every real didg player gets by his own, like the feeling and the understooding of the Aboriginal culture, but all that energy effects and capacites that the didgeridoo can bring to your soul, and I´m sure you all know that.
I was, and I am very emotional when I saw and read about the recording cause I don´t know anyone so far who truly shares this. I hope some day I can play with people like you in the same energy field, the healing with love and the transcendental consciousness of the vibrations of life. So we can spread a lot of love through the Cosmos and our planet. A beautiful recording of an extraordinary performance
- Ze Carlos, Portugal

I was fortunate enough to attend the performance that accompanied this recording, and would not have expected that a recording of that music could have captured the awe and mystery invoked by the space and the musicians that evening. I am therefore delighted to find that the CD is every bit as momentous and spine-tingling as was the concert. What sets this music apart from similarly "trancendental", ethereal recordings is, well, that this is really music: each piece has a distinct character, and the personalities of the four musicians shine through their performances. While the sound certainly invokes a meditative, relaxed state, it is constantly evolving, and stands up to serious, repeated listening. You don't need to know anything about the didjeridu to appreciate the performances. But, the added fact that all the sounds you hear are coming from some of the oldest instruments known to man -- as beautifully crafted by two of the musicians (Barry Hall and Jusse Nayeli) out of ceramic and agave cactus -- adds to the magic. It's sometimes difficult to believe that the range of tones is coming from just the four musicians, with no electronics or effects beyond the natural reverberance of the tunnel in which they played. All in all, I highly recommend the album, both as accompaniment for the sorts of focused activities the title suggests, and as simply great music.
- Greg Bossert from Belmont, CA USA


On the whole, I like my didj music fast and frantic. I'm a sucker for showy riffs and flashy rhythms, tracks which have me reaching for the repeat button so I can try and work out how on earth they are doing it. The music on the Eternal Presence CD is nothing like this. It is, for the most part at least, slow, ambient, and atmospheric; not really my thing at all. So whilst on listening to it a few times at work I was impressed by the quality of both the recording and the playing, and willing also to admit that as far as this kind of music goes it was amongst the best I'd heard, it wasn't, I thought, going to be at the top of my pile of CDs to listen to regularly.

Then, a few days ago, 5am in the morning found me driving down the motorway in the dark, in the company of two fast-asleep passengers. Not in the mood for anything frantic and pounding, and rather imagining that they wouldn't be in the mood for being woken by anything frantic and pounding, I put on the Eternal Presence CD and upped the volume.
And it sounded fantastic. Where previously odd toots and slow drones had merely been vaguely pleasant to hear in the background, now they wove a sound-scape about me, individual sounds and timbres to be appreciated for their own sake rather than judged as part of an overall structure.Where previously I had been waiting for the slow drifting passages to stop and for something to actually happen, now these slow drifting passages were the whole point. And more than that, there was form and structure to the CD that I had not noticed before. Not in terms of individual rhythms and passages, or even within individual tracks, but overall there seemed to be a gradual wakening; which, happily, happened to coincide with the coming of dawn.

It is said of more atonal contemporary classical music that you shouldn't try to listen with a critical ear, attempting to find form or structure, because there isn't one. Instead, you should listen as you would to the natural world, or to bird-song, letting it drift over you and appreciating the sounds without trying to make sense of them formally. And the same, I think, can be said for this kind of atmospheric music in general and The Eternal Presence in particular. Judged in terms of intricacy of form and structure, rhythms and melodies, themes and development, it fails. But judged in terms of atmosphere, mood, and the sense of peace it instils, it is hugely successful.
- John Davis, U.K

I bet it was tough to capture . . . .those ensembles of various long overtone toots in a variety keys are simply amazing, and just seem so "right on" to be from various didges, but maybe they are. It's very powerful and "does something" to you when you listen to it, or should I say experience it. . . . . . . . . . . And the mixing . . . . wow, ok I'll stop the praises, but y'all really have something to be proud about.
- John Pascuzzi, California

Produced by Alan Tower for Octave Alliance and Didjemana
Based on the live performance "Deep Tones at Twilight" performed August 2, 2002
Featuring agave didjeridus by Didjemana and ceramic instruments by Burnt Earth
Digitally recorded & mastered by Michael Denten, Infinite Studios
Graphics and photography by Ozz at Dragyn Studios; additional photography by Barry Hall
©2003 Octave Alliance

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