Cosmos IX By David De Michele

 

Cosmos IX

By

David De Michele

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I feel I have been on a long deep space mission with David De Michele over the past few years, ever since the launch date for me as the writer of these reviews for this series back in 2022, when we broke orbit and left for a region of the universe as of yet untouched by humanity, maybe that’s a good thing! However David De Michele is fast becoming iconic with regard to his space music styled albums, and thus, this is your captain speaking once more, as we head further and deeper than ever, with this his latest offering Cosmos IX, so full ahead helm, warp one, engage!

The part of space travel that would be amazingly exciting is First Contact, meeting an alien species for the first time would be mind-blowing, here De Michele gifts us a truly powerful opus that illustrates that nervous and apprehensive moment perfectly, the repeating keyboard motif and the incredibly powerful female vocalisations, set the scene of that first encounter with ease.

Cosmos IX is a 10 track album of superior and classy space based music, within its galactic confines one will find a solar system of many wonders, like the moving and deep waters of the track Nova, a soft pastiche of keyboards starts our journey, leading into a more ethereal styled opus, whilst In the Silence breathes a fresh look at proceedings, with some attractive piano and keyboard work from the artist, ones that drift on the solar waves of the composition, with the gentle ease of expectancy hanging in the air like a ripe orange.

This next piece is one of the cleverest from the release and called Parallels, this multi-dimensional composition seems to have something going on in all parts of its structures at its inception, then a mysterious build and progression into a region as of yet undiscovered, gifts me the musical interpretation for perhaps a portal to the mirror universe!

We are at the half way juncture of this splendid album from David De Michele, and once more we have travelled long, wide and far with him, now as we tread with caution into this new quadrant we come across a Vangelis styled creation called Moving Beyond, however when the female vocal hits, it is like we have literally been pulled through a wormhole itself.

Epic is our next star fix, the gentle waves of synths transport us to a place of both power and excitement, a fresh new region of space is found, this explorative arrangement has a steady swirling sense of mystery and enticement located within its tonal delights, and I adored the ethereal vocals here, almost a Gregorian space chant at times, but the soft synths remind me of when a ship arrives in a new system in a space show, movie directors listen up!

This next track is amazingly vast and quite breath-taking, I could almost visualise a Star Trek segment after exiting a Borg conduit and saying “Seven, where the hell are we?” She would of course reply quite calmly “M87 Captain, it is about 16.4 million parsecs (53 million light-years) from Earth and is the second-brightest galaxy within the northern Virgo Cluster”. M87 is one of those pieces that reverberates deep within you as it is played; it has an onward energy, one that gives the feeling of a steady motion, but also a track that carries some power and intensity with it too, this is another movie standard piece that needs to be taken seriously.

The deep space eddies and currents now take our musical ship in deeper, where we find the spectral and mystical arrangement of Timeline. There is something very deep and reflective about this offering that I found very palpable and compelling, the presentation by Michele is fluent and creatively passionate.

We have arrived at the penultimate offering from the album and this gem is called Destined. There is a tempo here that is undeniable, there is a sense that business has picked up and a decision will have to be made, the deep almost guttural vocalisation within this track manifests a sense of realisation, the soft symphonic synth pads here are utterly transcendent.

In Greek mythology, Andromeda is the daughter of Cepheus, the king of Aethiopia, and his wife, Cassiopeia. In this concluding creation David De Michele delivers in my view one of his best ever creations, and literally manifests one of the classiest compositions he has ever composed, the elevated energetic timbre on the track Andromeda is simply breath taking, and of course one has to say without doubt, easily the best way with which to leave the album.

Cosmos IX by David De Michele is the latest album in the series of releases of that name and in my view his best thus far, this is typical De Michele territory, but with an edge that makes it truly magnificent, within this release the listener will be taken on a journey to the out regions of space, and will never want to return, the album has intrigue, mystery, passion, power and intensity, this is one album you simply cannot miss out on.

The Answer By Ilya Osachuk

 

The Answer

By

Ilya Osachuk

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It was a total pleasure this morning to wake up and find such an inspiring yet soothing Jazz release to review on my desktop, as the sun streamed in through my studio window, strains of The Answer by one of the top Jazz bassists around in Ilya Osachuk filled the room with a textured delight, what utter bliss indeed was to be found.

The Answer is a nine track compilation of pieces that pay homage to some of his heroes and strangely some of mine, along his musical path, and a few special self-composed moments of Jazz magic too. Starting our voyage is a pure standard in I Cover the Waterfront originally released back in the far off days of 1933 and inspired by the Max Miller novel of the same name, here Osachuk and the band manifest one of the warmest versions of this song I have heard thus far.

Lviv Perspective is a power play of a piece, a track that takes you by the arm and refuses to let go until the last note. This is a classy little creation composed by the artist, and the fluency of piano on this manifestation is certainly something to be utterly enjoyed at a pace, a huge tip of the hat to pianist Tyler Henderson, what a sublime performance.

Another piece composed by Osachuk follows now with the short form narrative on solo bass called Intro (February). This delightfully mesmeric presentation leads us into the full arrangement of course called February, a mood filled opus of multi-instrumental genius, and the percussive elements here were incredibly creative and masterfully artistic, Osachuk’s bass is the chief narrator in a composition that created the soundtrack for one of the most awkward months of a year.

We are now touching the hem of the last half of the album, and as we do so we come across a cheer filled piece called Work, a cascading delight of a performance can be found here by the band, especially Osachuk’s bass, which seemed to dance around the drum beats of Kai Craig in a reimagining of the classic work of my personal favourites Mr. Thelonious Monk, still to this day I wonder how Monk could have conceived such a masterpiece, and this version is equally mind blowing and thoroughly appreciated.

Published in 1946 was a song that would become an all-time standard, and from that day onward a much loved composition by virtually all fans of truly good Jazz, this inspirational manifestation is called Tenderly, and brought into the world by Walter Gross (music) and lyrics by Jack Lawrence, here its hats off to all the members of the band, as this is one of the most sensitive presentations I have heard for decades. With Donald Vega on a delightful piano, his symbiotic partnership with the sublime bass of the artist births a moment I never want to forget.

So we now arrive at the title track, The Answer composed and performed by Osachuk, this is a smooth yet vibrant arrangement with its controls set firmly to thrill mode, here is a presentation to be both admired and utterly enjoyed, a track that if seen live one would be applauding each and every segment and note played, note the driving energy behind Osachuk’s bass, this is something to be truly grateful for.

The penultimate offering from the release is entitled Waltz for J, an almost philosophical offering is created here, one to watch the day go by and ponder and ruminate on life’s rich tapestry, this is bass at its best and also it rounds things up beautifully, allowing us to drift into the concluding offering from what has been a truly breath taking release.

The last gift from the artist is now before us and called Satellite, originally released by one of the finest Jazz musicians of all time in another personal favourite of mine Mr John Coltrane.  1960 was the original release date of this most high stepped piece, and here Ilya Osachuk pulls off a splendid presentation of one of the most complicated Jazz creations birthed by Coltrane, and boy does he do it so very well, with the returning Tyler Henderson on piano, a better ending to such a superb album couldn’t be had.

So a big thanks to The Answer by Ilya Osachuk for getting my day off to the best start ever, a more accomplished Jazz album this year you will not find, it is great to hear truly good Jazz standards and original works all together in one musical room, and here on this album one will find a timeless reverie of Jazz brilliance and some of the best bass work ever by a man who certainly knows and loves his trade in Ilya Osachuk with The Answer, it certainly gets top marks from me.

1 Voice XXIV By Seay

 

1 Voice XXIV

By

Seay

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It is so good to see and hear Seay back on the recording scene; her last album we span was sublime, as indeed they all are, and called A Winter Blessing – The Gift, that has kept us going throughout the years and months past, now we have the glee of a brand new collection of great songs, and are very proud to gaze into the wonder of 1 Voice XXIV, the latest album from the artist.

Seay has taken the her original work 1 Voice, remastered, re-worked and reimagined pieces from her debut album back in 2005, and turned it into a fresh new masterpiece of utter class, featuring once again the evocative and distinct  vocals of the artist herself, in one of the most compelling new age vocal releases of the year thus far.

I remember the original release; I had literally just started working on internet radio as well as local radio in England, and found the album a total blessing to be able to feature it on shows, now this is doubly so, as we can gaze at a few of the tracks and thank the superb workmanship that has gone into manifesting this splendid new release, tracks like 1 Voice, the title header opens the gateway to our path, I would advise if possible to wear headphones for this album, the experience is marvellous.

One of my personal favourites was Love is the Ocean; I see the her every day, crashing against the coastline of my island and revel in its glory, now thanks to Seay I have a little walking music to add to my day to day winter perambulations, this track is incredibly powerful and uplifting in its essence, the added instrumentation especially the 5 string fretless bass of Jerry Watts Jnr was amazingly palpable, if ever a track could be a single release this is it.

Seay continues to refresh our minds with such bliss filled moments within tracks like Orion's Gate, where the artist’s vocals and Tibetan chants are utterly transcendent, while the string sections and acoustic additions to Canon in B gift the listener Seay at her very best, kudos to both Seay and Jules Delgado for their added contributions with guitar and piano on a piece that brings back such lush memories.

This pathway to magnificence continues with the mysterious elements of the track Gothica. One more amazingly powerful offering of a multi-instrumental delight to pull the listener in further, eventually to embrace the following musical narrative entitled Ohm A Yehur, the energy in this track alone would light up the darkest of rooms, the vocals and chants of Seay are a powerful musical tool, one that demands to be listened to.

The penultimate offering is entitled Angelica, here lays another piece that is vibrant with all the aspects of good tone and timbre, Seay’s vocals and her performance on piano are simply incredible, and create a flow and fluency of vibrations that is hard to match, I believe that this could easily be another single release, its catch and hook is truly compelling, and is a song that raises ones rhythm’s and excites the soul.

The concluding composition is the Love Is The Ocean (Reprise) a look over the shoulder of our journey taken, also please note the Hindu chants within this piece and the unusual but superb inclusion of Digeridoo (Jonathan Smith) which can also be found within the confines of the last breath taking arrangement.

1 Voice XXIV by Seay is the album we have all needed so badly, one to lift our flagging energies as the year draws to a close, Seay’s powerful, inspiring, and evocative vocals are without parallel, whilst the production and re-imagining of this release will breathe a breath of fresh air into any listeners playlists of choice, there can be no doubt that 1 Voice XXIV by Seay must be an album that goes all the way to the top of the charts, and perhaps more!

Autumn Air By Shere Fraser & Lise Jonsson

 

Autumn Air

By

Shere Fraser & Lise Jonsson

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The beauty of this brand new single by both Shere Fraser & Lise Jonsson cannot be under played, this is a stylish new instrumental offering that is presented by the flautist and pianist, one that is pristine in nature and textured in composition, and one that is a simple delight to listen to and called Autumn Air.

Jonsson’s soft touch on the piano is as delicate and as rhythmic as a late autumn sunrise itself, and bathes the listener with a soothing narrative of peace and tranquillity; add to that the fluent flute of Fraser and you have a wondrous new manifestation that celebrates this time of year.

Fraser’s flute takes me back in time to the late 90’s and the tones that used to flow from the instrument of Terry Oldfield; this combination with the piano adds a whole layer of depth and artistic endeavour, and even more so, gifts the listener a perfect autumnal sanctuary with which to view this vista of stunning music from.

Autumn Air by Shere Fraser & Lise Jonsson creates a new sense of awareness about this season of many changes, many manifest music that is deeply reflective and at times mournful about this time of year, and there is nothing wrong with that, but here the artists here have created a warm and gentle almost cathartic arrangement, one that gives the listener a reality of artistic peace and contentment, and in doing so guarantees this single a worthy place on the charts with ease.

Just follow this link to where you can find the music: 

https://soothesounds.lnk.to/AutumnAir?fbclid=IwY2xjawGVnUFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHbycrkREgJPx0yTgdHAYbFq5X48wol9xHFWw_11iA61f4kyajaPhVzsJbw_aem_NzQpQ8BBUhOleni-1Onrmg 

November By Doug Hammer

 

November

By

Doug Hammer

Written by

Steve Sheppard

It seems hard to comprehend, but this release is Doug’s 19^th on this fascinating and revealing musical journey of his, and one I personally have derived great satisfaction from, this new collection of fine compositions happens also to be about one of my favourite seasons of the year in autumn, and specifically November, a time of the year I use to loathe until I emigrated to Cyprus.

November by Doug Hammer is a 13 track solo piano album that is packed with emotive tonal delights; this autumnal voyage starts with the title track itself and entitled November. Doug is a master at emotional piano, and here on the headline offering he creates an anthem styled opus that moves the listener deeply as we say farewell to another summer gone forever.

For those of you who live in the west November is a much colder month, mists swirl in from the hillside and forests, and carpets of golden leaves can be trod upon, on Colder Hammer manifests another moving arrangement that could easily see the listener reaching for a pair of gloves and a warm coat, even though the subject matter maybe called Colder, Hammer brings a little musical warmth into the proceedings to help you on your way.

Something I appreciate here are the autumn sunsets, they are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen, it is truly something to be very grateful for, so when I listen to this next track called The Setting Sun, I am minded of that moment of natural bliss, and like the music, it creates in me a sense of gratitude and joy.

This next offering has an almost crystalline structure to its arrangement and called Glimmer of Light. This pristine performance is one to be visited many times over, and leaves one with feeling of true appreciation of daylight. I remember many November days in the west when all that I saw were a blanket of grey clouds above and muddy paths below, here Hammer hits the energy button to bring us a little hope that in the days to come, all will once again be filled with light and life.

Hammer continues to share the love of the season with a bright and heartfelt offering called Dancing Leaves, this cheer filled opus dances on the winds of time like the fallen oak leaves do after caressing the autumnal wind, and then they relax by falling to the soft November floor of nature’s sweet cadence.

We now touch the hem of the mid-section of the album with a track called Bare Trees, clearly the month has moved on and through the performance on this more sullen offering I am minded of the poetry of Thomas Hood who once wrote “No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, November! The softness of touch here by Hammer is exquisite, in the same way that David Lanz was with Cristofori’s Dream.

This next track is a remarkable creation; the tempo has increased but the mood and modality of this fascinating piece offers up a powerful juxtaposition of strength and gentleness, Hammers explorative performance is simply breath taking and through the piece A Cold Wind Blows, a sublime manifestation is brought to life with such a commanding presentation.

As winter calls us forward with one single finger, we glimpse from our warm room to view an unusual light substance falling from the sky, this white graceful material is simply, snow. First Snowfall is a truly beautiful piece, I have listened to this many times now, and each time I do I am taken back many decades to when the wonder of a first snowfall happened to me, Hammers emotional presentation on piano here sums that delight up perfectly, with a childlike gaze, a hope in the heart, and a small tear in the corner of my eye.

This next moment of classic new age piano has a lush melody, contains a colourful pastiche of craft-fully presented notes and chords and is called So Bright. It is music like this that fills one with the joy of life’s rich tapestry, with twists and turns, Doug sets the mood filled scene, then lifts the listener into another realm of joy with a musical intent so masterful, then lays them back onto a soft bed to just enjoy the moment of timbre and tonal exultation.

The next track made me think, do we actually get these here in Cyprus, and I guess we do if you class December as the time of the year to get an Indian Summer! Still however that feeling is portrayed to me perfectly throughout this wonderful composition, the arrangement creates a moment of natural good fortune, when for a brief moment its summer again, the fast tempo of the piece is a reminder to take the opportunity to engage with the day ahead, and let the memory linger longer through the dark days of winter ahead.

The deeper waters of the album have now been reached and we come across a melodic structure that raises the spirts and is entitled Radiance. A full flowing musical narrative can be found here and some of the most fluent of piano performances you will ever likely to hear, we can then drift into the arms of the penultimate piece off the release called Thanksgiving, a musical segment of taking time out to give gratitude for the days past, the hard work completed and the love of friends and family.

The concluding offering is a reminder that we have now crossed the Rubicon of autumn, and winters frozen tendrils await us. This final piece is a mournful, yet colourful reflection upon all that has passed, and with good fortune, will one day come again. Hammers performance on Frozen Ground here is mood filled, respectful and simply the most idyllic way with which to conclude the album, a beautiful coda to end a beautiful release, can also be found here, one that allows a state of fulfilment and peace to form at the very last note.

I must state right now, from a well of musical honesty that constantly drives me onward, that I believe this to be the best work of Hammers musical career thus far, a release packed with some of the best solo piano you are ever likely to hear, a compilation of musical prose that is simply emotive, textured and also uplifting, a body of work that any musical aficionado would be grateful to have in their collection, November by Doug Hammer must be that seminal work that brings huge success to the artist, anything less would be a travesty.

Winter Dream By Rick Sparks

 

Winter Dream

By

Rick Sparks

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The crisp chimes, the slow tempo, and the ultra-charm of tone makes this new single from Rick Sparks very special for me, I live on a small island that sees little snow other than in the mountains, so this new creation by Sparks takes me back to my childhood, and those chilling winter days of wide eyed wonder in December with my parents in the UK.

This is a sparkling reverie of texture and smoothness that is incredibly palpable, Sparks on keyboard has always manifested such a tranquil narrative, and here on this brand new manifestation, he pulls from his musical bag of tricks one of his finest compositions to date with the single Winter Dream.

The arrangement is so perfectly delectable, calming, and indeed so redolent of the subject matter, with ease one could close the eyes, allow the mind free will, and be transported to a snowy landscape where the glory of the moment can be utterly felt and blissfully enjoyed.

If ever Rick Sparks was going to have a huge hit, it’s got to be with Winter Dream. With a beautifully crafted presentation and performance this new creation gifts the listener a perfect musical depiction of a winter vista, and thus Sparks should be on the cards for a massive seasonal hit with Winter Dreams, becuase it is that good. 

Bella By Neil Tatar

 

Bella

By

Neil Tatar

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is something about the guitar of Neil Tatar that soothes the soul and calms the furrowed brow, the tones harmonics and chords always seem to lighten my day, and the good news is I am listening right now to his latest single entitled Bella, and if ever an acoustic guitar lead the way to the cathartic hills of peace and serenity, this one certainly does.

The tale of the song is fascinating and quite amazing, and relates in part to the Second World War, now you really are going to have to buy this song to find our more aren’t you? This moving piece flows with the effortless transition of time and tide, but here Tatar manifests something timeless and a story that will never cease.

The guitar of the master instrumentalist is so soft and fluent; but we can then match up that with the added artistry of one Premik Russell Tubbs on Soprano Sax, a name that has tuned up many times in my reviews, and another in Tom Eaton who features on this piece on bass, and the band is then made whole with the percussion of the genius that is Jeff Haynes.

I guess I must admit to being biased, but I have always adored the music of Neil, and still have fond memories of his 2015 release Learning To Fly, however here on this new single the artist offers us something reflective, new and poignant, and done so in such a beautifully talented way. Bella by Neil Tatar is a stand out new offering from the composer, and surely big things must be on the horizon for the composition and the creator.

Reflections By Shambhu

 

Reflections

By

Shambhu

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s a much appreciated thing, having the cadence of my day enhanced to such a level by the beautiful refrains of a truly beautiful album, but that’s been the way this autumn, one tonal delight after another, however the tree of totally classy music has dropped a further packet of delights today with the release of Reflections by Shambhu, and our lives are going to be that much better for it.

I personally rate the artist as one of the finest guitarists of his style in the world today, he creates lush soundscapes, he then turns them into ambient moments of meditative bliss, and thus magic is born. Now I have fond memories of Reflections the single coming out earlier this year and its tender tones are still not lost on me.

We then had a truly creative moment when fellow guitarist, electric in this instance in Leo Stienriede joined Shambhu, and together note by note they manifested something of pure natural beauty called Openings, this one was also released as a single earlier on this year, and like all the others a significant hit on the charts was indeed made.

The latest single release for the composer has come very recently with the gift to us music lovers of the timeless reverie that can now be known as Heart Bridge, the guitars in all there guises here are instruments of exquisite nature, and on this composition doubly so.

At times I feel I’m walking down a sunny country path with the artist, the lyrical tone and timbre of Sunshine Serenade manifest a true sense of a happy nature to be revelled in; this is a track you wish would never end as its gift of positivity is much needed now more than ever.

Our exploratory journey of the instrumental highways of our mind continues with this next track called Destiny which features Geoffrey Menin on piano, the flavours here are incredibly charming and usher forth a superbly balanced arrangement of acoustic guitar and piano, something not easy to do.

We now take a step into the latter half of the album where we find a mysterious creation entitled Wishes; the repeating motif on guitar is worked and crafted sublimely into the main body of the piece by the composer, so well in fact that the piece itself has a colourful Latin disposition that grows, especially towards the latter part of the composition.

The memory of this beautifully composed driving track called Montauk to Mexico with Jeff Oster is still rich in my thoughts, and his magical flugelhorn lives on long in this summer of ours that never ends, and of course another hit single from earlier on this year, its warming charm, the sensations from the mix of guitar and horn was always going to be a winning combination, and still is.

Starscape can be found in the deeper parts of this sublime album, the tone of Shambhu’s guitars on this track, for some reason remind me of how the acoustic was used by Jimmy Page back in the day on Stairway to Heaven, whilst Page utilised a Harmony Sovereign H 1260 for that iconic piece, Shambhu’s choice are Taylor Guitars, but that musical moment of magical wonderment and bliss is still there in this truly artistic composition from the composer, and you have guessed it one of my personal favourites from the album.

A somewhat shorter narrative can be found on the penultimate offering of the album and this gem is called Hope Eternal. The word hope has come up in my writings a lot lately and here it is again, and it would be the best present anyone could give us now, however combining synths and guitar Shambhu has manifested something quite ethereal within this arrangement and I would say it is with ease one of the most ambient pieces he has ever constructed.

We end our acoustic journey with a track called Woodsy Green; a light hearted mix of guitars and styles, making this a perfect ending piece indeed, and after listening to it, there is something about this arrangement that would make an excellent ending to a T.V show too.

Reflections by Shambhu is an album not to be missed at all costs, here is a release that will ease you out of any funk in your day, and lead you into a promised land of harmonic bliss and calm. Shambhu does this naturally, each composition he has released over the decades, has transported the listener to a whole new world of reflective serenity and peace, and here on Reflections he has done it again, allowing you all the time in a mode of introspection, to just drift once more in the flow of life. This release is that good it must surely be acknowledged with a much deserved award.

You can find the album here: https://ffm.to/reflections-shambhu

Introspection By Bryan Quinn

 

Introspection

By

Bryan Quinn

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The mellow yet enquiring tones of this brand new single from flautist Bryan Quinn are remarkable in their thoughtful and melodic manifestations; Quinn creates a mood of reflection that is utterly palpable and all encompassing. The soft keyboards partnered with the inquisitive flute bring to the table of instrumental music, one of the most sensitive songs of the year so far in Introspection.

I have listened to this single a few times now, and each time I do, a feeling of a fresh awareness comes over me, a moment of turbulent time has passed maybe with turmoil, and what is left is peace, albeit fragile, but never the less a reality of peace and contemplation that one can be so grateful for.

The performance here reminds me of several flute performers I have known during my many years in this business, the UK performer Niall being one of them in particular; here Quinn has a wonderful way of laying a musical question and then posing a possible solution, whilst creating the footfalls of enquiry as he goes.

Introspection is the follow up to his debut single a short while ago called Solitude, and in my view this new offering is indeed a very powerful and emotive follow up to that breath taking start, and easily his best work thus far.

Back to Mind by Luca Mazzillo and Lisa Cullum

 

Back to Mind

By

Luca Mazzillo & Lisa Cullum

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

From the release Keys for Calm, a collaboration album with all royalties from the album going to The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) https://www.nami.org  in honour of international mental health day which was on October 10^th 2024. Comes a brand new single entitled Back to Mind from the artists Luca Mazzillo & Lisa Cullum.

This sweet short form felt piano narrative builds a hopeful picture of peace and more so tranquillity, within our minds thought and perambulations of our every day lives. A wondrous level of caring and sensitivity can be found in what is a beautiful performance by the pianists on this new creation.

The pristine touch here by Luca Mazzillo & Lisa Cullum manifests a gentle sanctuary of tone and timbre for the listener to take refuge from; its vibrational strength is empathetic in nature and its textures of calm and serenity also adds hints of hope and calm into this heart-warming tapestry of tonal delight.

This is one of the most thoughtful pieces I have heard on this style of piano for a long while, and the mood that it manifests will hopefully assist any listener that is in need of a little peace filled sanctuary time to heal, and once again move forward, a truly tender offering from the artists indeed. 

Letter from a Stranger By Victor Birkan

 

Letter from a Stranger

By

Victor Birkan

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The emperor of smooth felt piano is back with a brand new single; of course that is Victor Birkan, and the new single is the mysterious short form narrative entitled Letter from a Stranger, where an interesting tale is told by the artist, one that poses as many questions as it does answers.

The piano performance is deep and thoughtful; one that paves an almost secretive story throughout this composition, Birkan’s presentation is shadowy in context and manifests vibrational tones of two tales as he goes, one from the stranger, and one from the receiver of the letter, in a story that weaves through its darker patterns into the uplifting narrative of a more melodic nature.

There is no doubt that Birkan is a master of his trade and this suspenseful style is the artist on familiar home territory, the gentle start to this composition builds to perfection, and fans of the composer and genre of solo piano will be enthralled by its enigmatic and stealthy musical prose.

More good news can be found for fans of Victor Birkan in as much as this is a double single, and therefore also contains an extra body of work called Just to Reach You, yet another tempting slice of smooth felt piano to encapsulate your mood and enjoyment.

Autumnfelt Piano By James Michael Stevens

 

Autumnfelt Piano

By

James Michael Stevens

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Music brings one many pleasures in life, but at certain times those pleasures can be doubled to bring the willing listener a cornucopia of tonal delights, such is the case today with this brand new and timely album entitled Autumnfelt Piano, and by who else, but the master of melody and mood, James Michael Stevens.

Our journey through the colourful lanes of autumn starts with the beautiful reverie of Autumnfelt Piano, No. 1 (Lonely Journey). Each passing measure highlights falling leaves from the golden trees onto a carpet of orange below, a stunning opening on piano by Stevens, setting the scene with perfection.

Just take a moment to stop, be silent, breath in the moment and enjoy the tones of this next slice of wonderment called Autumnfelt Piano, No. 2 (Quiet Reflections). A calming introspective offering is found here with such a gentle repose, whilst on this next piece we can take that further, Autumnfelt Piano, No. 3 (Musings), allows us a moment under a changing tree, to consider or to ponder the past, the present and what maybe the future.

James has a golden touch on the piano, felt or otherwise, in fact I would go even further and state that he plays felt with such tenderness and loving care like no other, so much so that you are always fully in the moment with him, as on the pieces Autumnfelt Piano, No. 4 (Nostalgic Waltz), a slow dance through a changing woodland, or Autumnfelt Piano, No. 5 (Swans), a track that reminded me of a place I used to live, where both black and white swans lived, swam and bred in perfect harmony.

The blissful harmonies that Steven’s manifests, are akin to watching Monet paint, each touch is magical, each colour a beautiful texture, much the same can be said for the offering Autumnfelt Piano No. 6 (Tiny Ballerina), a composition that is both pristine in structure, but also craft-fully emotional too, the minor nature of this track is utterly beautiful, and arrangements like the following musical narratives in Autumnfelt Piano No. 7 (Simple Pleasures) doubly so, a happy and affectionate manifestation to enjoy an autumn sunset with perhaps.

It is a curious thing for me, as autumn is now my favourite season of the year, a time of softness of mood and nature, a time of ambient temperatures, even where I live in the Middle East! Tracks like Autumnfelt Piano No. 8 (Reverie) are examples of James Michael Stevens at his very best and most sensitive, whilst the glowing embers of Autumnfelt Piano No. 9 (Leaves of Gold) are for me a guilty pleasure of tone and timbre, this is without doubt one of my favourites from the album, the trickling down of notes and glorious elevation of sound and ambience was simply perfection.

The concluding creation is one of the most thoughtful from the album and is called Autumnfelt Piano No. 10 (Last Sunset). We can postulate here that this reveals to us the last sunset of autumn perhaps, before falling into the iciness of winters frozen touch, the colours from this piece though will remain with us until spring when hope rises from the earth once more, but what a stunning final parting gift from the artist indeed.

Autumnfelt Piano by James Michael Stevens is another in a long line of picturesque seasonal albums from the artist, the softness on felt, the melodic and moving structures all go to highlight that James can be held up as one of the finest of his trade in the current era, and an artist that once again has delivered a sublime autumnal offering for us all to absolutely enjoy this fall. 

Lineage By Michelle Qureshi

 

Lineage

By

Michelle Qureshi

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Michelle Qureshi has to be one of the most prolific new age musicians around at the moment, her muse is working overtime and creating some of the most amazing musical compositions of her day, the good news for us all is that she has a brand new album out called Lineage, and it is this voyage of sublime interest that we travel on today.

Qureshi is known as one of the most ambient guitarists of her day, and on Lineage she takes us a special journey through life’s rich tapestry, through the inspiration of the Maiden, Mother and Crone, signifying the lineage of Goddess energy itself.

As always Qureshi’s creations are expressive, timeless and meaningful, the opening track to the album entitled Days So Long sets the scene, a rustic mood and an organic growth can be found within the composition, and the slowly ever growing encapsulating tone.

There are 8 wonderful tracks on this release that guide us along this time worn path, one of the most moving for me was This Shade of Love, a more moving opus of time and tide you will not find, whilst offerings like Time to Let Go offer a poignant moment for us all, the performance here is reflective, thoughtful and deeply emotive, and very real indeed.

My emotions are always shifted when listening to an album from Michelle; she creates such an ambient and atmospheric dimension with her music, and on the penultimate track called Night Arrives, that is even more evident, the light and crafted presentation on guitar here is simply idyllic and quite beautiful.

The end of the journey is wrapped up wonderfully with the final musical curtain call called Rest Now, the moving minor structures and clever acoustic arrangement manifest something both memorable and soothing, and a composition that embraces the total acceptance of the situation.

Lineage by Michelle Qureshi brings to our table of tonal delight a very personal message of truth, life, reality and responsibility. This is the artist going back to her roots, to further understand her personal voyage and the next steps on the path ahead. Qureshi must be one of the finest ambient acoustic guitarists of her day, and as such Lineage will be yet another release that is appreciated by those with a keen ear and an open heart and a desire to hear some of the finest ambient acoustic guitar around.

Heart Vs. Mind By Matias Bacoñsky

 

Heart Vs. Mind

By

Matias Bacoñsky

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This scene setting and dramatic opus for the artist, is his continuance with his tale of a post-apocalyptic world, and all the stories that are playing out within its frame, this latest edition is entitled Heart Vs. Mind, and ushers forth a curious dichotomy that is explained through the music and the title of the piece, and of course by a world class presentation on piano from the composer Matias Bacoñsky.

Matias has been on this voyage for many years now, and here on this latest single he expresses the curious juxtaposition of following orders, or comprehension of the truth of feelings and emotions, and the decisions one is invariably asked when it comes to making incredibly deep decisions with regard to them.

The performance on piano and the symphonic backdrop of a charismatic film score styled arrangement is Bacoñsky on home ground, and well within his realm of artistic creation and invention, here on this composition the moods change and sway left and right as the mind of our subject is pressed to make a decision, eventually that choice is made, and with any alternative preferences taken there usually follows the delivery of a range of consequences to be had.

Matias Bacoñsky takes us high, powers along the highway of his creation, pulls us back with musical conundrums, and takes the listener on this continuing journey of dramatic theatre, tragedy and excitement, given all that, this simply is yet another hit waiting to happen for Matias Bacoñsky with Heart Vs. Mind.

Love Notes By Alise Ashby

 

Love Notes

By

Alise Ashby

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is a wonderfully soothing sense of touch on this brand new release by Alise Ashby called Love Notes, upon the album itself the listener has 6 lush and textured ambient soundscapes to enjoy and bathe within, and by the tonal delights that my own senses gathered from its arrangements today, I too feel blessed that I had the good fortune to not only listen to it, but to review it in its entirety as well.

The first footfalls of this album come with an almost haunting reverie called A Moment In Time, the moving synth pads here created a backdrop of sound that was so sensitive and deeply heart felt, the performance on piano by Ashby doubly so, this is a dream like opus to open the doorways to our journey with.

Our next portal to brilliance is called Echoes of Love; here the piano dances a slow soft sensual dance with the synths and light percussive textures. The more I listen to this specific song I am minded that this might make an excellent romantic ballad, it most certainly has that single feel to its arrangement too.

Occasionally we see a Smokey Sunset from our main balcony, usually around this time of year in mid-autumn, and it is something to be so grateful for. The soft ethereal vocalisations within the hovering synth pads is a tapestry of that moment that is so delicate and fragrant, the acoustic guitar here added an extra touch to the composition, that created a vista of outstanding natural beauty to enjoy.

Tenderness is our next composition and if one word could sum up this entire project that word would be sufficient. This composition has that certain feel to it that reminds me of such artists like Mike Rowland and Stephen Rhodes from the 90’s, and the lazy hazy golden years of new age music, this is an incredibly passionate composition, one that oozes both gratitude and love from every pore.

The penultimate offering from this album is called Sweet Surrender and is a composition that utilises the minor aspect of music to a tee; the refrains here reveal a sense of honesty, and of past and present coming together in a realisation of combined tranquillity. Ashby on piano soars and creates a mellow mood, whilst raising the disposition of the piece to an almost transcendent level.

Our concluding composition is entitled Whispers of Devotion, if ever there was a sublime piece to end with then this is it, a heartfelt slice of unconditional love is played out within the notes of this composition, in fact I would go as far to say that this would be the perfect final music for a romantic movie, but regardless a splendid way with which to conclude the album.

Love Notes by Alise Ashby was one of the most charming albums of this elk that I have had the good pleasure to listen to and review for years, this is indeed a stylish release, one that fans of the piano with added instrumentation genre will adore. Love Notes by Alise Ashby has that pristine touch of musical magic about its construction, and I would not be surprised if it literally soared up the charts, it most certainly deserves to.

The Small Hours By Neil Patton

 

The Small Hours

By

Neil Patton

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It is interesting that music inspired by the recent pandemic is coming through the system now in way I was expecting it to do some two years ago, but it seems it has taken time for those incredible swathes of emotions, fears and concerns to filter into artistic endeavours, and thus create a healing narrative in such a cathartic manner, here Neil Patton has done that beautifully on his latest release The Small Hours.

This beautiful album is a vast collection of meaningful creations and some 15 tracks grace its charming covers, like the opening offering Day's End, there is a fluent melody here that is simply delicious, but also an energy that reminds us of the impossible task, to obtain sleep whilst the world writhed in confusion, but there is a powerful underpinned narrative that one day things will be right again.

There are many moods and emotions in this release, one that I found most poignant was the cautious and textured offering entitled Good to See You Again. Musically it reminded me of the first time of meeting friends again during the pandemic, that nervousness and apprehension of even being hugged, this composition by Patton I believe is his most sensitive work thus far, and I have albums dating back from him to 2007!

While we were locked away we all gazed from our windows as home took on an entirely different meaning, pieces like A Room with a View captured that sense of aloneness perfectly for me, whilst tracks like The Small Hours have been relevant to me lately, as I have seen most of them this week in one way or another, the presentation here by Patton here is carefully created and wonderfully played, manifesting such a gentle, yet all immersive energy in his performance.

The beauty of having a 15 track album of this elk is that there is usually something for everyone hidden within its realm, whether it be the mournful refrains of This Grief Lies Down Beside Me, or the alternate reality of the opening track Day’s End with the concluding tale entitled Daybreak, a piece that expands on that opening arrangement and gives us something that we need constantly now, hope!

The Small Hours by Neil Patton is indeed a cathartic musical journey through times of confusion and concern, with moments that highlighted our resilience and determination to carry on, and others that touched the humanity in us all. This is a powerful solo piano album indeed, and with each and every composition we can hear and feel, craft-fully narrated and arranged compositions that truly come from a place of unconditional love, and as such I see no reason why The Small Hours by Neil Patton should not be a huge hit on the charts, and possibly more.

Ten Mantras By Max Jeschek

 

Ten Mantras

By

Max Jeschek

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The time for reflection is now upon us with autumn in full flow, and never has there been a better time to start treating ones physical self-there, mental health and our whole being with a little more respect love and tenderness, and albums like Ten Mantras by Max Jeschek go a long way in helping us to that level of awareness.

Ten Mantra’s is a 10 track release that will aid the listener into a level of meditative bliss like never before and aided by Jeschek’s blissful acoustic guitar. The opening offering is always a good place to start; Mantra of Cyclicity creates an elevation of purpose and energy to allow one to feel the transcendence of the moment.

Whilst offerings like Mantra of Inner Rising manifest a well of curiosity of thought and exploration within oneself, as the artist’s guitar assists us into a loving garden of beautifully coloured flowers to rest within, the day then breaks with the following offering entitled Mantra of Early Morning, a fluent energy creating manifestation, which thus creates a craft-fully inspired sunrise of a composition.

The entire album is so very easy on the mind and heart, and it breathes a fresh perspective of life into our senses, tracks like Mantra of Self-Love being one of the major arrangements I would point to, a beautifully descriptive opus of both care and acceptance of whom we are, and then the piece Mantra of Change, something we all have to embrace and not fight against the tide with, the ever onward presentation was a sublime experience.

The conclusion of this 10 track album comes with the creation called Mantra of Infinity, one of the deepest and most far reaching acoustic guitar pieces I think I have heard in this current decade so far, this final offering is both vast in comprehension, but also one of the most moving and emotive, but what a fine way with which to end the album.

Ten Mantras by Max Jeschek is a unique meditative and reflective release; each and every piece contained within this thoughtful album is creatively crafted and wonderfully performed, the textures and tones of the musician’s guitar are so clean and atmospheric it manifests a wonderfully soothing reverie, a veritable tapestry of tonal delights for each and every listener to thoroughly enjoy and benefit from can be found here.

Ten Mantras by Max Jeschek is without doubt an album that all serious musical aficionados must not miss out on; it’s the next generation of meditative instrumental artistry, and a musical sanctuary of peace and tranquillity.

Air by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

 

Air

By

David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have a feeling, an honest feeling, which whilst listening to Air by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie that I may have just listened to the best single of year thus far, and there is not much of it left. Air brings Bach back, where it should be, at the fore front of all that in the land of music is good and great.

There are several luminaries within this composition that make this song a veritable Cullinan Diamond of a composition, the remarkable Emmy winning arranger Kurt Bestor, the phenomenal Danish guitar master Lars Hanibal, and someone who I would never have dreamed of writing about, the legendary and still stunning Matthew Fisher, the original keyboardists of non-other than Procol Harum, a band I used to worship as a teen.

From the very first breath of this song it becomes obvious that we are listening to something so magnificent, something so glorious, that if Apollo himself had been listening he would have moved the sun across the sky backwards in honour of it. David Lanz is without doubt one of the greats on the piano, but with his wife Kristen Amarie and her powerful and quite breath taking vocals,  they become two undeniable twin powers of the neo classical music genre.

On this latest single Air, this sublime super group of talent and artistic class, create a whole new realm of brilliance and style, and the performances by all involved has to be one of the most outstanding of the year, maybe even the decade with ease, surely if any song was guaranteed a number one slot and award it must be Air by David Lanz and Kristen Amarie, it is one that you dare not miss!