Starting early in 2018, Benjy teamed up in our studio with his longtime friend and collaborator, Celtic harpist David Michael, and Grammy-award winner and woodwind player Nancy Rumbel to create a whole new sound.

An abundance of riches are added by a talented cast of their friends: Michael Mandrell (guitar), Richard Russell (sarode), Sean Frenette (bass), Mark Eubanks (Oregon Symphony’s long-time principal bassoonist), and Steve Gorn (Grammy-award winning bansuri flutist.)

Confluence features unusual stringed and percussion instruments supporting evocative themes played on a range of woodwinds, primarily the double reeds; oboe and English horn, with some bassoon and contrabassoon. Nylon-strung neo-Celtic harp provides the harmonic foundation holding the ensemble together, with the help of the crystalline sound of steel-string guitar. Complex tabla riffs create drive and forward motion while other exotic instruments like bansuri (bamboo) flute, and esraj (a 19-stringed bowed instrument from India) add to the unique blend.

1. Confluence (5:30)
2. Mirage (4:57)
3. Daybreak (5:55)
4. Incantation (1:32)
5. Sea Star (5:30)
6. Silver and Gold (7:40)
7. Elixir (8:15)
8. Falling Leaves (6:00)
9. Saraswati’s Grace (8:48)
10. Taking Wing (5:10)
11. Bobo’s Farewell (5:04)
12. Kim’s Tango (6:18)

Nancy Rumbel – Oboe, English horn, Native American flute, ocarinas

David Michael – Celtic harp, zither

Benjy Wertheimer – Tabla, esraj, djembe, piano, tamboura, drums & drum programming, keyboards, cajón, sanza, assorted percussion

Michael Mandrell – Acoustic guitar (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11 & 12)

Richard Russell – Sarode (tracks 1, 6 & 10)

Mark Eubanks – bassoon, (tracks 5 & 11) contra bassoon (track 11)

Sean Frenette – Bass (track 1)

Steve Gorn – Bansuri flute (track 9)

Composed & produced by David Michael, Nancy Rumbel, & Benjy Wertheimer

Engineered by: Benjy Wertheimer, Wolf Cub Studio, Portland, OR, Nancy Rumbel, Water Garden Studios, Bellevue, WA, Steve Gorn, Shale Hall, Accord, NY and Mark Eubanks, Arundo Studios, Enterprise, OR.

Mixed at Wolf Cub Studio by Benjy Wertheimer, David Michael, & Nancy Rumbel
Mastered by Dean Baskerville at The Fringe Factory, Dallas, Texas
Executive producers: Kim Borgatta & David Michael
Cover photo: ©Ron Niebrugge / www.wildnatureimages.com

© 2019 David Michael, Nancy Rumbel & Benjy Wertheimer
℗ 2019 Purnima Productions (BMI), Fire in Heaven (BMI) & Wolf Cub Music (ASCAP)
CD Released by Purnima Productions, Port Townsend, WA
Special thanks to Heather Wertheimer, Dari Lewis, & Ron Rabin for loving support.