VOA标准英语2010-David Benoit Basks in Warmth of 'Earthglo

Pianist David Benoit is basking¹ in the warmth of his first recording² of original material in four years, "Earthglow."  David modeled his album after a blend of instrumental jazz he calls "jazz-lounge-Euro-chill."

Benoit was interested in trying something a little different on his latest outing, so he turned to his longtime engineer Clark Germain for help.  He explained to Clark that he wanted the album to have an edgy³, "chill" sound, with long 'loops' and lots of samples.  Finally, David and Clark discovered the sleek⁴ fusion⁵ sound they were looking for, specifically on the track "Will's Chill."

David also explores world beat rhythms on "Botswana Bossa Nova."  He says, "I loved the world mix of exotic percussion⁶ and African voices along with Brazilian beats."

David's passion for symphonic music, theory and composition began in college in his native California.  He studied orchestration and conducting, before landing work as music director for stage and screen stars Lainie Kazan, Ann-Margret and Connie Stevens.

In addition to his solo career, which has garnered⁷ more than 20 best-selling solo albums since 1977, David has arranged, produced and performed for many of today's top pop and jazz musicians.  He continues to divide his time between film scoring and conducting for the Asia America Symphony Orchestra.

For his new release, David says, "The task of finding a title to best represent the music contained herein was challenging at best."

After trying out several titles, he came up with "Earthglow," inspired by a stunning⁸ satellite photograph of planet Earth that eventually became the album's cover.
 

1 basking   

v.晒太阳，取暖( bask的现在分词 )；对…感到乐趣；因他人的功绩而出名；仰仗…的余泽

参考例句：

• We sat basking in the warm sunshine. 我们坐着享受温暖的阳光。
• A colony of seals lay basking in the sun. 一群海豹躺着晒太阳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

3 edgy   

adj.不安的；易怒的

参考例句：

• She's been a bit edgy lately,waiting for the exam results.她正在等待考试结果，所以最近有些焦躁不安。
• He was nervous and edgy, still chain-smoking.他紧张不安，还在一根接一根地抽着烟。

4 sleek   

adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢

参考例句：

• Women preferred sleek,shiny hair with little decoration.女士们更喜欢略加修饰的光滑闪亮型秀发。
• The horse's coat was sleek and glossy.这匹马全身润泽有光。

5 fusion   

n.溶化；熔解；熔化状态，熔和；熔接

参考例句：

• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc. 黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。
• This alloy is formed by the fusion of two types of metal.这种合金是用两种金属熔合而成的。

6 percussion   

n.打击乐器；冲突，撞击；震动，音响

参考例句：

• In an orchestra,people who play percussion instruments sit at the back.在管弦乐队中，演奏打击乐器的人会坐在后面。
• Percussion of the abdomen is often omitted.腹部叩诊常被省略。

7 garnered   

v.收集并（通常）贮藏（某物），取得，获得( garner的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mr. Smith gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert. 史密斯先生逐渐赢得全国金融专家的声誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He has garnered extensive support for his proposals. 他的提议得到了广泛的支持。 来自辞典例句

8 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。