Gerald Jay Markoe studied classical music at both Juilliard (B.A.) and the Manhattan School of Music (M.A.). Since the early 1960s, Markoe has studied meditation and astrology, and he specialized in translating the positions of the planets into music, often recording custom tapes based on a person's astrological sign. His first public album in 1988 was Music from the Pleiades, inspired by the famous poster of the constellation. Markoe formed his own music company, AstroMusic, to distribute his album, and Music from the Pleiades quickly became a bestseller in the New Age market.

I've been on the quest for good sacred space/meditation music for quite some time. I took a risk since, I really couldn't tell by the sound bytes if I'd like it. I brought it home, lit some incense, candles and got comfortable whilst I pressed 'play'. For me, it was like magic. "At first, the metallic-stringed harp reminded me of Japanese music, but as the album moves along, there's something not quite Asian, African or Middle Eastern -- but definitely mystical. I would think Markoe tapped into the "Eternal Now" so aptly put on the first track of the CD. My small, cramped bedroom was turned into a temple and I, its priestess. Well done! The great thing is that each track can apply to a specific ritual or practice and their names reflect that. The first song, I used for meditation (simply programmed to repeat over and over). The next one is great for morning or "pre-dawn devotion" as described and so on. Quite versatile and yet it doesn't command one's attention, so you can easily meditate, sleep, do yoga or journal to it without being mesmerized by the melodies. (by N. Mentor)