Mood Blue By Melany Thompson

 

Mood Blue

By

Melany Thompson

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have fond memories of Melany Thompson, her music and her style struck a chord for me; pardon the musical pun, way back in 2019 with the release of her album Memories of Home, here some 7 years later we are gifted another beautiful piano based release called Mood Blue, and it is some of the most emotive solo work I have heard on the piano for some years.

Our journey begins with the delightfully slow and beautiful opener entitled What We Remember, this passion filled opus is a deeply moving opening, one that will sit with the listener and be their constant reminder of what has passed and can never return.

Offerings like Where The Clouds Dance, gift us with a somewhat more upbeat vibrancy, but listen to the performance by the artist, this is a beautiful composition indeed, but the flourishing notes and powerful progression make this piece one of my all-time favourites from the album.

Bittersweet Skies offers a more contemplative moment of piano, an interesting juxtaposition of tone and timbre can be found here, one that plays with the mind and the heart, whilst on the next offering called Fragments Of Us we have a track that literally paints a delicate pastiche of reflective moods and sombre moments, but does so in such a moving and imploring way.

My favourite season of all is explored next by the artist on Autumn Nights, this is our beloved season of mists and darker days, falling leaves and bonfires, well that’s was how it used to be before I moved to the country of Cyprus, but this song still resonates in a calming and most ambient way.

Painting Waves is a delightful calm moment of solo piano, one that again juxtaposes the soft incoming ocean moments, to the more forceful waves of the other seasons, a musical paradox of life, as Thompsons piano may well reflect on how we deal with the waves in our own lives, and how we navigate those possibilities, her performance here is deeply thoughtful and intelligent.

Waiting For You is a blissful floating piano track that graces the soul, mind and ears, whilst the penultimate offering Shades of Grace, is one of those haunting reveries that seems to have a spectral feel hidden deep within the wave of the track.

The conclusion comes with the arrival of the final track entitled Counting Breaths, there is something quite anthem like about this ending narrative that I find quite moving and deeply palpable, the steady slow march of the piano and the imploring narrative manifest for me one of the stand out pieces from the release, and a sublime way with which to leave the project.

Mood Blue by Melany Thompson is the album that fans of solo piano have been waiting for, something imploring, something deep and moving, with its delightful contents filled with a passion to explore the harder side of life, love and reflection. This is her best work thus far with ease, and I’m pretty certain it should see her climb the charts with utter simplicity.

Mansuria, Planet of the Gods By Steve Sheppard ft. David de Michelle

 

Mansuria, Planet of the Gods

 By

Steve Sheppard ft. David de Michelle

Written by

Andy Rogers

It’s always wonderful when an artist comes up with something that takes their music to a new dimension. This remarkable new album from Steve Sheppard does precisely that. Recorded during a particularly turbulent time in his life, Steve felt the need to create a better, more restful place to escape the waking world with all its problems and troubles. He invented a veritable Nirvana of sorts; a mental fantasy about a planet called Mansuria in an unknown region of space. From that comes this new album, “Mansuria, Planet of the Gods”.

As good as Steve’s previous releases have been, this latest album is a giant leap forward in both musical content and production values. For the album Steve has sought the musical assistance and collaboration of David De Michele on synths and vocalisations plus, on a couple of tracks, some very atmospheric flute and vocalisations courtesy of Steve’s wife Chrissie Sheppard.

The album starts with “Journey to Mansuria” – A tense sounding beginning as we depart on the long flight, this leads to a more tranquil middle section before a dramatic jolt in the music tells us we approaching Mansuria.. Nice use of dramatic synths on this track which reminded me at times of early Vangelis.

“Arrival at Mansuria” opens with a calm pastoral theme as we slowly approach the planet. A gentle rolling piano line leads us further on before a pulsing synth and vocalisations take us down to the planet surface.

Track 3 is “Twin Moons”. There is a darker more mysterious feel here. The synths have a sharper edge, rhythms come and go, mystical voices drift through the mix and there is an occasional haunting flute. In all a very edgy and intriguing piece of music that evokes the light of the two moons beautifully.

Next is “The Living Lake”. Natural sounds of water combine with synths playing gently undulating chords that mirror the ripples on the lake surface. Chrissie’s flute enhances the mood of the piece as the music fills your head with visions of the huge lake surrounded by a deep dark forest…

Track 5 is indeed “The Forest of Darkness”. The music is now eerie and mysterious. The synths are more intense and are joined by nature sounds and more of those slightly unsettling vocalisations. Eventually the music changes to a more positive mood as we reach the centre of the forest, “the Tree of Love”.

Leaving the forest we arrive at “The Marsh of Forgetfulness”, starting with the sounds of wind and water it becomes a chilled almost ambient track encouraging you to stop and rest. It reminded me very much of the Deep Skies series from Steve’s friend, synth maestro Kevin Kendle – high praise indeed.

The penultimate track is “Tyrian Uplands”. The music here has a sense of awe at the sheer size of the vast mountain ranges of Mansuria. Epic sweeping synths and soaring vocals depict something deeply moving, proud and vast, demanding respect yet being utterly beautiful at the same time.

So we arrive at the last track on the album, “A Brave New World”. This is a fitting end to a superb album. It has a truly cinematic feel, like a soundtrack to a film yet to be made. Opening quietly it expands into an orchestral theme that is truly lovely. It gives a sense of rebirth and hope that maybe the true spirit of man will prevail and we will, one day, build a better life on a brave new world. 

In summary, I loved this album. Steve Sheppard, along with David De Michele and Chrissie Sheppard have created something really rather special. Whether your choice of music is electronica, new age or even neo-classical there is something here for everybody and it deserves to do really well.  As Steve himself says: “Welcome to my memory palace, just push open the door and step inside, there are more worlds than this, but today we land on a world filled with limitless possibilities, a planet that crosses the boundaries of probability: Welcome to Mansuria, The Planet of the Gods!” 

Soul Love By Jennifer DeFrayne

 

Soul Love

By

Jennifer DeFrayne

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s been good to have bathed in the musical swimming pool of Jennifer DeFrayne once again. It’s been a few years, in fact since 2017, but she is back with a follow up to that Sisu album and a release called Soul Love. Here we have a journey of eleven beautifully performed and created piano based tracks to enjoy, ones that highlight just what a very good pianist and composer she actually is.

The album starts with the opener and one of several singles on the album called Finding You. This gentle narrative is a very good base for us to enjoy her fluency with; note the winding tones of the fretless bass of Michael Manring on this track as well.

The following tale is another example of De Frayne’s vast skill set and called You and I, another former new single, this idyllic chapter in the album has a colourful tonal delight that is most appealing, and also the added violin of Charlie Bisharat is something to be utterly grateful for.

The Ways We Fall is our next location of timbre, this is a somewhat different tale to be told, but regardless, the almost slow dance like ethic of the track reveals a very strong multi-instrumental flavour, which includes the rare flute of Premik Russell Tubbs.

Then ever onwards we travel, and into the opening arms of the delicacy of reflection called Journey of Love, a track that is simply beautiful and one of my favourites from the album, there is something almost mystical about this particular track that caught my attention, whilst the following story of piano called The Beauty Within is starts at a slower pace, but then opens up with a full flowing tale of joy and happiness, and one that contains the English horn of Jill Haley.

One tentative foot across the borderland we find another of my personal favourites, the deep and fragrant title track Soul Love, here Bisharat stands out and creates a very interesting juxtaposition of tone with De Frayne’s piano, adding in the percussive elements of Jeff Haynes, and you have a very compelling composition indeed, and probably my favourite from the album overall.

The lighter side is now expressed within the piece called Sonoran Blue, Haley joins now on oboe, and with the cello of Eugene Friesen, performs a very charming and light hearted relaxing opus, but one that has a delightfully inspiring melodic nature overall.

We are now firmly in the latter half of the album where we will find the pristine and crystalline textures of a light hearted reverie called Playing in the Snow. This beautiful offering has a wonderful symbiotic partnership playing together, in Bisharat and DeFrayne, who manifest something, quite picturesque and stunningly palpable.

In the deeper weave of the album we find a delightfully down tempo offering of Abby's Gift. Here we find the finest solo piano performance ever with the notes literally imploring you to feel the emotion and colours buried deep inside, this piece on its own is almost like an anthem unto itself, and De Frayne allows the offering breathing space by occasionally pulling back.

Caribbean Sunset is our penultimate offering and this is the third of three singles from the release and is one that contains the vocals from another very well-known pianist in Fiona Joy Hawkins, with soaring flutes and flourishing percussion we are gifted a sunset of beautiful colours by any standard, and one of the most attractive tracks from the release.

The concluding tale is the sweet yet abundant Memories of Them. The charming interplay from piano and violin is lush, it is as track that is reflective and deeply emotive, yet uplifting and beautifully flowing, and of course simply the best way with which to leave the release.

Soul Love by Jennifer DeFrayne is one of the standout piano based albums of 2026 with ease, and it is so good to see her back on the recording trail again. Here is a release that is packed with a plethora of quality multi-instrumentalists including Charlie Bisharat on Violin, Eugene Friesen on Cello, Michael Manring on Fretless Bass, Premik Russell Tubbs on Flutes and Soprano Sax and EWI, with the Oboe and English Horn Of Jill Haley, add to that the Fiddle of Sara Milonovich, the wordless vocals of Fiona Joy Hawkins and the percussion of Jeff Haynes and magic is made, if this album doesn’t make it to number one on the charts, there can be no justice in the world of music, as we leave you with Soul Love by Jennifer DeFrayne.

Believe in Yourself By The Song Gardeners

 

Believe in Yourself

By

The Song Gardeners

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The Song Gardeners have now got a vast catalogue of new age styled pop songs to look back on over the many years of abundance. I still remember Altered State back in 2020, a year that we needed their music more than ever, and some 6 years later Corrie and Mary have persisted thankfully in evolving into quite a positive out fit in the new age pop genre with a vast string of hits, but Believe in Yourself brings it back to a more positive self-belief motif.

With the world slowly changing, their message is more powerful than ever, the lyrics of, “without comparison to what others have done, you’re like no one else believe in yourself”, one finds a more free flowing narrative in this new single, it’s almost like the first sticks of the beavers damn that’s been blocking the river of positive energy has shifted slightly, allowing the message of this track to hit the mark beautifully to those who desperately need it.

The percussion is steady and onward, but the keyboards and upbeat vocals pour a literal light funky beat all over the listener, if you are listening to this wherever you are in the world, you need to listen carefully and shake off the self-doubt, turn off the TV and become something better than that. The vocals, it also has to be said on this single are utterly beautiful, and indeed the harmonies and melodies utterly, breathtakingly brilliant.

This could well be the single that takes The Song Gardeners back into the top echelon of the charts, it’s an addictive creation, but it’s a message that has been released just at the right time as the world has reached its tipping point, and Believe in Yourself by The Song Gardeners could well be the song that becomes the new anthem for this slowly emerging new age.

Working Things Out By Craigology

 

Working Things Out

By

Craigology

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Craigology has gone through somewhat of a musical evolution since the arrival of my first musical moment with the artist back in 2021 and the Time To Chill album. Here on this band new EP called Working Things Out, he gifts us some of the finest smooth jazz ever, and each of them utterly sublime.

There is a Reason the opening offering itself is more intricate than you might first think, its light start gifts the listener a funky vibration of tempting keyboard motifs and sultry and teasing percussion, ranging from smooth jazz to jazz funk, and then at the half way juncture twists again into familiar melodies that bands like Spirogyra and Level 42 used to produce in great abundance at one time, in what is a simply incredible start by the artist.

A more mellow progression can be found on the next piece called A1A, that funky feel is there but it is lighter than before and quite beautifully performed, the stylish keyboard performance shows just what an accomplished musician he has become over the last 5 years.

The penultimate offering is full of flavour and called Working Things Out, The Jazz Movement, it has hints of artists like The James Taylor Quartet, but its overall smooth jazz narrative is something that could easily be seen on a US TV show with ease. This is a more complex offering, the pull back to a minor refrain and a progressive build is quite superbly crafted.

Whilst on the final offering from the release called There is more to the story (Jazz Narration), we have a veritable film score of a composition; this is a full flowing jazz narrative that illustrates just how forward thinking and progressive Craigology’s performances have become, and a superb end to a great EP.

Working Things Out by Craigology is a four piece EP of style and panache, four graceful, flowing jazz themed narratives that anyone of good taste and discernment would absolutely love to listen to. Craigology has progressed and as such has delivered the finest collection of music based in the smooth jazz genre you could have ever wished for, with the release of Working Things Out by Craigology.

Four Moments By John Hamilton

 

Four Moments

By

John Hamilton

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This emotional new release from John Hamilton paths a somewhat moving voyage through emotions, love, life and loss, and carefully curated onto one ep called Four Moments. It is great to see him back after a short break as he had surgery on an ulnar nerve in December, so this sees his return to music after recovering from that.

The first track entitled Once is a memory filled opus that everyone of us have felt at some point in some way or another, that scrapbook of memories and moments is touched from the fragmenting elements of time, in a delicate, rhythmic and fluent composition, where love can be gently felt from the piano of Hamilton.

There is a certain more positive element about this next piece, that whilst it is emphatic, it also contains a flickering of doubt and momentarily hesitance, but Hamilton’s performance is buried in the summer of a solo piano performance, where hope and love still burns powerfully in the afternoon sky and in the arrangement called Still.

Almost explores the autumnal effect of a flagging relationship, one holding on by the tendrils of a hope that can never been fulfilled, a piece filled with passion and emotive genius, one that has depth and tenderness and desire in the weave of the track, but highlighting the fall from grace, as the leaves drift down from the tree of love, to the floor of reality, note the coda on this piece, it says it all.

The winter of our season of love descends upon us as it is over, as we listen to Gone. This final concluding offering is a heartfelt narrative of loss, the performance here is touching and incredibly palpable, this is Hamilton at his very best; one can almost hear the words as they part forever. All the times when you are lonely where you are, please don't hate me then, I just could not pretend, it’s over.

Four Moments by John Hamilton is a solo piano EP of four previous singles, giving us the journey of love life and loss, the sensitivity of his touch on the piano is remarkable and deeply moving, there can be no doubt that Hamilton is playing from his heart to yours, making this a beautifully moving opus in four parts, and a collection of piano beauty that should be celebrated by all fans of the genre.

Eagle Eye By Marjolene's Muse

 

Eagle Eye

By

Marjolene's Muse

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This is one truly beautiful offering from Marjolene's Muse and following on from her previous releases Native Flute Traditionals volumes one through to three. Eagle Eye is a story of a voyage to the mountains, a native chant and a deeply spiritual moment with a loved one.

The first thing to note about this whole song is the production quality and the crispness of the overall narrative; it’s her best so far. The scene setting Native chant starts the piece off perfectly, one which breaks and allows a flute and light percussion to join.

The soothing and explorative flute here reminds me of the years I studied Native American nations and there traditions, the performance from Marjolene's Muse is one that would indeed honour the ancestors and bring joy to fans of solo flute around the globe.

The shaker and flute work in a symbiotic way, almost dancing around each other to manifest a slow but purposeful flight, as achieved by the eagle, several of which I have been fortunate to have seen in my life time.

This is a beautiful performance by the artist, one that she should be proud of, and one that I would imagine is going to touch the ears, hearts and minds of all those who listen to Eagle Eye by Marjolene's Muse.

Balance By Paul Avgerinos

 

Balance

By

Paul Avgerinos

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The legend that is Paul Avgerinos has recently been creating some of the most poignant and delightfully serene music of his career ever with his Beloved album released last year, and now this quite amazing new ambient offering entitled Balance, Paul has probably created one of the best ambient new age styled collections of keyboard synth magic for decades with this release, climaxing even Llewellyn’s Journey to the Temple from the start of the century.

The album itself is an 11 track release filled with perfect ambient tones and structures that seem to reform and reimagine themselves as they go, starting with the opener Poise. This was released as a single this year, and is a delightfully delicate opening offering, one that you could leave on repeat for an age and never even notice; this is ambient music at its apex.

Repose, another former single is next and has a wonderfully emotional lilt in its arrangement, but one that is layered and structured in a way that allows the listener to feel, yet not get overwhelmed, reminding me at times of artists like Liquid Mind, whilst the spacious and timeless reverie of tracks like The Comfort of Silence, also another single, breathe a breath of comfort into our realms, and allows the listener to float on a bed of tonal cloud structures.

The next composition called Balance is another more meditative arrangement, this long form swirling synth and keyboard narratives takes the listener on an amazing journey, whilst the piece The Eternal Now manifests a cloud kingdom of a musical vista, a vast realm of spacious ambience with an underpinned tone of mystery and imagination built into the weave.

There can be no doubt that this is an album that is utterly timeless and transcendent, it manifests a spacious environment and allows the listener a sanctuary of sound to just drift within, like the tracks Stream of Stillness, utilising a soft recording of a stream trickling and gentle keyboards, whilst the piece Mindfulness Rising is that very composition of meditative genius that you have been seeking for so long, but yet to find, with reference to the title one could easily see it being used in a mindfulness meditation.

The longest piece from the release is the most galactic Zero Gravity, at well over 10 minutes, it sounds like one of the tracks from my forthcoming album, but more space orientated and dreamy. Paul’s careful progression of this composition is a delight to listen to and this piece alone would make a superb moment of stillness for one to manifest a halcyon moment with.

The more melodic Clear Sky Mind is up next as we tread into the deeper waters of the release, this one is a place of synth mastery, one could imagine waking up to a glorious sunrise in nature to this ambient slice of genius, and reminds me in texture of the more nature based tracks from UK synth master Kevin Kendle.

We move to the penultimate offering Crystal Reflections, a more tender new age styled reverie; this is a charming and soothing musical creation, so delicate in its approach and the concluding tale called Of One Being, here Paul explores the wide realms of sonic sound and calmness and produces the most epic final piece an album one could ever wish for, the flowing keyboards and synths are like watching a summer tide lazily come and go upon the shoreline, and is simply the best way with which to leave the album.

Balance by Paul Avgerinos is an album that I will personally invest a lot of my personal reflection and time into, he holds the ambient line firm throughout the album, and the result is one of the finest ambient new age meditative releases of the century so far, it is that good and deserves each and every plaudit it gets. I can see a very high chart position, and possibly awards on the horizon for, Balance by Paul Avgerinos. 

My Nightmare (Reimagined) By Matias Bacoñsky

 

My Nightmare (Reimagined)

By

Matias Bacoñsky

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The depths of darkness and despair are performed on this brand new single from pianist Matias Bacoñsky called My Nightmare (Reimagined), this has to be one of the most powerful releases since his journey began with my musical soul way back in 2016, with the release of Life And Death, this voyage of deep descriptive genius is heavily baked with remorse, and powerfully played with underpinned palpable emotions.

I would recommend pulling up the art work for this single and listening to the track whilst gazing at it, a moment of sad reflection, a moment of utter loneliness can be felt here, this is a tragic composition powerfully built, progressed and played.

Moments of exploration can be felt in this processional offering, on the 1:20 minute mark an extra energy of tone and timbre is discovered like a damn of tears breaking from the constraints of the emotional wall that is literally cracking around us, this happens again at 2:56, as the ethereal and angelic vocalisations erupt, and this then slowly calms into a more gentle coda.

Powerful deep and moving, this could easily have been written for an Edgar Allen Poe adaptation of a movie “Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!” Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.“ My Nightmare (Reimagined) by Matias Bacoñsky is a guaranteed chart hit, and a splendid arrangement from the master of passionate piano.

Dreaming Under the Banyan Tree by Randal L Meek

 

Dreaming Under the Banyan Tree

By

Randal L Meek

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It is always a pleasure to listen to acoustic guitar music; it was my very first instrument as a teenager, which seems like an awfully long while ago, but one that I often reflect upon time and again. Randal L Meek first came to my attention back in ’22, just when we were crawling from the wreckage of the pandemic, and it was a beautiful respite for me at that time, however he is back once more with a brand new album four years later called Dreaming Under the Banyan Tree.

The album itself is 12 tracks inspired by Maui, Hawaiian landscapes and brought to life by the amazing Imaginary Road Studios and the living legend that is Will Ackerman, along with Tom Eaton who mixed and matered the album at his Sounds and Substance Studios. The opening piece is a warm and enriching offering that is utterly transcendent and called Maui no ka 'oi, I can relate to this track having immigrated to the island of Cyprus some 12 years ago and life changed in the most positive of ways ever, and still does so to this day. This is a beautiful way with which to being our journey, a sweet and loving track indeed, and one that contains on second guitar the mighty Jim Kimo West.

Petals Falling is our next port of musical calling, I fell in love with this one when I first heard it, there was some so very emotive yet ambient about this track, that it created a musical safe haven in my mind that I never wanted to come back from, add in the amazing flugelhorn of the immortal Jeff Oster and magic is made, the deliciously slow coda was also a beautiful thing to behold as well.

We drift now to a piece called Ha'iku Breeze, this slow paced, easy on the ears piece is one of those gentle walking along the coastline offerings, that you just cannot resist and one of many tracks that features the angelic vocals of Noah Wilding too.

There is a subtle change of guitar magic in the next piece called Whisper, an arrangement that is enhanced by a stunning piano on the offering, which I believe is played by the incredible Tom Eaton, add the cello of Eugene Friesen and you have a symbiotic composition of great quality and style, Meek has really composed something utterly special and deeply moving on this track, this piece seems to contain an underpinned narrative of a juxtaposition of loss and life in the weave, with the reflective nuances being truly felt.

At the mid-way juncture we find the track Papaya Salad, this is a song so much like my island paradise here, full of rich promise, warm sun and lapis oceans, with fresh fruit that grows and falls everywhere. Note the fretless bass of Tom Eaton here and of course the exotic musical delicacy of a Charlie Bisharat violin. Following this luxurious offering we move to Hokule'a a moving tonal arrangement about a journey and a boat and then utter peace, Meeks guitar here drips of contemplative magic.

The beauty of this next track is incredible and for some reason reminds me of the Black Sabbath track Fluff, I bet you never expected me to say that, but acoustic Randal L Meek, meets acoustic Tomi Iommi here on this offering. The overarching reach of this track embraces the word peace with a warm embrace on a superb performance by the artist.

This 12 track collection has some amazing qualities to it and on the track The Road There, we ae gifted a slow paced reverie of great quality, one that brought Meek to the attention of the wizard of Imaginary Road Studios himself, the pacing here is idyllic and something to utterly enjoy.

'Ahihi Bay is up next and contains the symbiotic genius of the ukulele via John Curtis, and Premik Russell Tubbs on flute, this mixture of a multi-instrumental flavour is incredibly attractive, and is a composition that draws the listener in to a world of beauty, calm and serenity, something that I understand completely.

In the deeper weave of this magical carpet of music we find a more reflective offering called Drifting, however this track has a meditative quality to its construction that is undeniably brilliant, with Ackerman joining Meek and the returning Oster and Wilding, this has to be one of the most spiritually fulfilling offerings from the release.

The penultimate track from this classy album is called Lost; I doubt there is a single person on the planet who hasn’t felt this feeling once or twice; here Meek explores this emotive aspect of life with the skill set up of a Charlie Bisharat violin supporting him in the most uplifting of ways, reflection and inspiration in one beautiful track that reminded me in content to another guitarist from the US in Robert Linton.

The concluding tale told is this almost long form opus called Dreaming under the Banyan Tree, and at over 7 minutes long we have a title track that includes natural sounds, this is a tonal voyage about nature and resilience, it could be a striking metaphor for our human experience and offers us something that we all need every day, hope. This is a beautiful concluding narrative, simply and perfectly made for the job of ending what has been a green and lush voyage of musical genius of Randal L Meek, note the Hopi drum from Will Ackerman on this track as well.

Dreaming Under the Banyan Tree by Randal L Meek is a delightful release, one filled with a deep sense of peace and contentment, it is an album bathed in the gratitude of being able to live in such a charming environment, I relate to that entirely. Here we have a meditative calming collection of beautiful acoustic guitar based reveries, that highlight the very best in acoustic instrumental music in this modern age, if this doesn’t get to number one, then there is no justice in the world.

After The Gold Rsh By John Gregorius & David Vito Gregoli

 

After The Gold Rush

By

John Gregorius & David Vito Gregoli

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

What do you get when you combine the talents of two of today’s finest multi-instrumentalists and allow them free reign over your senses? well magic is made. A breath taking and refreshing global look can be found at the end of an overarching contemporary music genre moment, that is brought into full focus by listening to the latest release called After The Gold Rush by John Gregorius & David Vito Gregoli.

This 5 track release is a smooth instrumental collection of fresh, new and fascinating creations with the ever talented duet, from the very first track called Moving Across Land we are gifted a progressive and ever onward composition that reverberates around the fretless bass and dances with the percussion in a beautifully rhythmic opening offering.

One of my favourite tracks from the album is now upon us and entitled The Gentle Glide To Freedom. The is a delicious and gentle ride to a freedom of tone and timbre, the softness of touch here is simply idyllic, the delicate percussion and guitar for me, all go to make up one of the stand out pieces from the release, one that has a touch of reflection built nicely into the weave, also note the acoustic guitar in this track it is so beautifully played.

The Power Of Myth is a subject I was only having a discussion about yesterday in a meeting, it has such a strong pull on our ways of thinking and beliefs, but with regard to the context of this song one can feel a sense of palpable care being taken within the weave of this quite emotional offering, the bass and guitar manifest an emotional juxtaposition for us all to enjoy.

Now if you have never heard this track before, where on earth have you been! Originally released by Neil Young back in 1970 this classic composition is given a breath of fresh life from the multi-instrumentational genius of John Gregorius & David Vito Gregoli. The fretless bass and guitar replace the harmonics and vocals stunningly, and the rhythmic pastiche of percussion adds further weight to the conclusion, that this may well be one of the best instrumental versions of this song ever.

Our final piece which concludes the release is called Upending, once more the guitar is transcendent and multi-layered, when the bass kicks in the entire piece gains a foundation and sings with the duel guitars in one of the most soothing ending final offerings I have heard for quite some time, the added soft keyboards and percussion bring much to the table also on this final arrangement.

After The Gold Rush by John Gregorius & David Vito Gregoli is a thoroughly enjoyable listen, the inventiveness of the art work contained musically within this release is outstanding, the recording and production doubly so. It’s well cited that these artists are well known and musically respected as classy multi-instrumentalists, but this symbiosis of sound gives us all that and more, a pleasurable experience to bathe within as instrumental magic is created by listening to After The Gold Rush by John Gregorius & David Vito Gregoli.

Feels Like Happiness By David Wohl

 

Feels Like Happiness

By

David Wohl

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The familiarity of David’s performances takes me back over the years to other new age pianists like Winston, Lanz and others, here David Wohl is back with another absolutely jam packed collection of heart-warming tunes and melodies, and this time around the release is entitled Feels Like Happiness something I think most of us really need right now.

This vast 15 track library of songs is an ocean of tone and timbre worth exploring, from the lyrical Irish Memory, a short form narrative inspired by perhaps a lineage to the island of green and rolling hillsides, and then on to what would turn out to be my favourite track from the album called Nearly Autumn, this was multi-layered, with hints and moods of mystery and reflection painted sonically within, the melody was one of the best I have heard for decades and the performance double so, with touches of power and sensitivity both perfectly matched.

The cheer filled Feels Like Happiness is up next, here we have classic new age piano that flows from the hands of the pianist like an early spring rainfall, pouring through mountain rocks, fresh and ever abundant. Whilst Yellow Roses is a horse of a totally different musical colour, naturally flowing, but technically brilliant and effortless in its energies, submitting a technique to be both admired and enjoyed.

Clare Island Sunrise takes us back to Ireland, for those of you who unaware of its location, County Clare is located in the province of Munster in the Southern part of Ireland, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. This attractive Celtic tale is woven with both reverences to the past and fluent textures, in what is a stunning piano presentation.

Another of my personal favourites is up next and called Awakening Path, there is something quite mindful about this track that seems to create a lush symbiosis of past and present within the weave of the overall composition, its slow start is highlighted by an increase of purpose and an ever onward style to embrace the future, a clever track minded.

Call Me From Amsterdam is a delicate yet wonderfully romantic ballad, it’s akin to a musical segment during a movie perhaps, most certainly it might remind the listener of a song that they have heard from a TV show, there is something quite expressive about this track in the same way with which Billy Joel was on his hit single Leningrad.

When we reach the half way juncture we are gifted a track called Freedom River, I had to listen to this particular piece three times before I felt I understood its tale, and even then it might well be different for each listener, for me it was a track to pause and reflect on, perhaps to drift gently down the stream of life too, going with the current instead of against the flow, in a narrative that felt more like an old hymn of hope.

Morning Light is one of those upscale tracks that you cannot help but like, it’s one of those ease like Sunday morning pieces you can listen to whilst getting your day going.  This moves us to a glorious voyage of solo piano called Mountain Lake Aire, this is another beautiful offering, one so carefully created and respectfully played by the artist, if David could play with colours, then this pastiche of tone and timbre would be the most colourful crayon in the box.

The next offerings slow build and insightful context captured my imagination and called Kiss of the Moon. It would be easy for me to wax lyrically about the subject matter being reflected through the music, which of course it is, but it is much more than that, this somewhat simple progression is the most ambient piece from the release, and for Wohl to hold back like this was even more impressive.

And if You Should Ask reminded me of my days as a global traveller, whilst one airport from another is pretty much the same, I remember the last time I ever went to the states (2010) and listened to a pianist in the bar playing this style of composition in the lounge at Atlanta Hartsfield, full flowing, easy on the ears and mind, and just a sweet captivating lyrical tune to ease you into your environment of choice.

On the piece Snowmelt we have a drifting tonal delight that seems to flutter and disappear with the chilled winter wind of late February, then at the half way juncture of the piece, it feels like spring has arrived with its more full flowing scale and uplifting narrative that comes forth from Wohl’s piano.

We conclude the album with a couple of short form tales, the first called Was That Us? A soft yet palpable arrangement that has some delicious fuller and louder segments along with the more sustained base of the piece, and finally our last tale from the piano of David Wohl can be told and entitled Hotline Bling, this could easily be adapted for a song and in the current climate would probably do well as a pop song, however under these circumstances it is simply a crafted way indeed to leave the project.

Feels Like Happiness by David Wohl is a truly classy album of 15 superior solo piano tracks, Wohl’s mastery is the ability to paint tonal pictures with every arrangement on this album, and the prospective listener can be assured that this happens with ease on one of the best solo piano albums I have heard this year called Feels Like Happiness by David Wohl. 

You can find the album at the following links:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/feels-like-happiness/6781060689

https://open.spotify.com/album/6ME2MkSqiWzupySpwTfn9c?si=ztx82VlCStmoyICYq8jjIw

Soft Winds By Theresa Bentley & Dino Pacifici

 

Soft Winds

By

Theresa Bentley & Dino Pacifici

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Question, what is it you get when you mix the styles and talents of Theresa Bentley & Dino Pacifici, the answer is something quite magical in music. Theresa from the Bentley project has been on my musical radar since last year and has made quite a huge impression, while Dino Pacifici has been recording music for as long as I have been in radio, some 30 years nearly. Together, this duet have taken us back in time to the golden days of new age music, and as such Soft Winds by them will no doubt find a special place in the hearts and minds of those, who like me adore this genre.

The journey literally starts with the utterly beautiful Embrace the Mist, here Pacifici and Bentley manifest a piece that reminds me so much of 90’s UK band Runestone and pull me back to those halcyon days of classic new age music. With a sumptuous guitar, and a delicate but heart felt harp from the artists, building upon a narrative of the mist of life, and navigating its corridors of uncertainty.

I am lucky enough to be involved in a deeply romantic relationship, and as such this track means a lot personally to me and called Shared Breath. Theresa’s talents are spread far and wide on this beautiful offering on harp, piano, voice, and synth, this is also one that reminded me in depth of the music of artists like US new age composer Rick Sparks at times, with its calming and soothing nature being at its very core.

The following offering is entitled Sigh in the Night is another delicious symbiosis of sound and tenderness, here Pacifici comes into his own on the composition with some of the most transcendent acoustic guitar you would ever wish to hear. The overall narrative of the arrangement for me was deeply sensual as well, and reminded me at times of another legend of the genre in Medwyn Goodall.

Tranquil Eyes, and I quote from the liner notes, is a true story, “Of a 4 year old tranquilized girl (for her safety) and the saving relationship of her mother helping them to escape war traveling over water” firstly how sad is it that at this very moment this occurrence is more than likely occurring on a daily basis on our war torn world, and as a society of human animals living on a small planet in the vastness of the cosmos, we have yet to learn to tolerate each other and say NO to more wars. Musically this is a heart rendering opus that combines natural sounds and a distinct element of mystery into its weave, this time Mark Bentley joins with classical guitar and Gwendolyn Bell on oboe, on one of the most moving creations from the release.

The interesting musical tale of The Ancestral Chain is up next and here is a piece that seems to float through and past many genres in an incredibly clever and rhythmic way. One must state that the fretless bass of Pacifici here is sublime and reminds me in style of other performers of a similar instrument to that of Eugene Friesen and David Vito Gregoli. The onward driving piano and percussion manifest an almost tribal beat to the proceedings which is incredibly palpable.

So we arrive at the title track, nestled nicely in at track 6 on the release, this is a sweet musical creation, one that hovers on the borderlands of brilliance and floats into the pathways of musical genius, as one of the most prime examples of truly classic new age music you would ever wish to find, and called of course Soft Winds, reminding me at times of the band 2002 and the UK’s Llewellyn and his Journey to the Fairies album, huge tip of the hat here to Bentley for her sublime performance on harp, truly one of the best in the genre.

Glimmers (instrumental) is our next port of musical delight, synth composer JJRD joins the duet on this incredibly ambient offering, and this symbiotic manifestation between three talented and stylish composers brings a peaceful moment to the listeners, this could easily be an hour long and you would have no problem drifting off into a blissful sleep with it on in the background.

The penultimate offering is entitled Poetic Solitude, with its incredibly mellow and slow tempo it is the perfect deep seated last but one performance by the artists. This is something that I can now relate to with happiness, being comfortable in one’s own energy is as equally important as when you are with others in theirs. This angelic and ethereal composition is one of the prettiest from the release, Theresa’s vocalisations on this one single offering are an utter tonal delight, and something you will want to hit repeat on for certain.

The album concludes with the spoken word edition of the aforementioned track Glimmers, which contains the spoken word of Miss Charlie and poems by Audrey McCalley and Theresa Bentley, in one of the tender moments of the album, and simply the most delightful way with which to conclude the release.

Soft Winds by Theresa Bentley & Dino Pacifici is one of those rare albums you really must have, if you are a fan of the new age music genre your collection would not be complete without it, contained within are some of the finest examples of truly excellent instrumental music, and a drift back in time to the golden days of new age music regardless of where you live on earth, and some of the most relaxing music I have heard for many a year, and called Soft Winds by Theresa Bentley & Dino Pacifici.

Remembering Fireflies By Orchestra Indigo

 

Remembering Fireflies

By

Orchestra Indigo

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

It’s only been a few years since I have been blessed with my first piece of music from Rick Randlet aka Orchestra Indigo, I remember it well back in ‘22 and a release called Farwell To Memories, since then I have seen Rick grow and flourish and expand his musical horizons, his ability to manifest good compositions and make them great is something remarkable for an instrumentalist, and here on his latest album called Remembering Fireflies he does just that and more.

This is a glorious 12 track album that starts with a charming musical narrative called Summer Nights, Long Ago, now I have only ever seen fireflies once in my life on a brief visit to Oklahoma, it was a thrill to see something so brief but beautiful, and this track is so moving and redolent of the subject matter, fluent and peaceful and almost transient in its energies.

The title track Remembering Fireflies, watching these creatures is fascinating, In Native American beliefs, the firefly totem symbolizes hope, joy, and illumination. It encourages individuals to unleash their skills and talents, attract the right partner, and keep their dreams valid. The firefly's light is seen as a guiding force, helping individuals find their way through life's challenges and achieving personal growth and success. For me this delicate track is an exact tender embodiment of this gradually emotional offering, and simply one of the best title tracks I have heard for ages.

Distant Lightning is a deeper piece with a reflective essence that cannot be denied, the strength of the piece increase’s like a distant storm, you know it’s there, but its approach is slow. The exceptional keyboard skills by Randlet here give us space to enjoy the ambience provided, with a thematic musical lead to follow as well.

The next offering continues the ambient structure and reminds me in some ways of the US instrumentalist Carl Borden in content; however the harmonics and symphonic adjustments manifest something more and the hook in the track is so utterly beautiful and totally encapsulating, on the track Evening Mist.

This mid placed track is so gleeful; there is something about Childhood Friends that is so heart-warming, I no longer have any left, but those memories are still there and they linger on those long hot summer days of innocence and fun. For me this track reminds me of that energy, and musically I would say this piece specifically reminds me of the US artist Rick Sparks with its ultra-loving tenderness.

We’re here, Star Gazing, do you remember gazing up in the unpolluted skies and gazing at the constellations, for me is an anthem of those times when I used to lay on the roof of my fathers shed and look up at them with wide eyes in wonder, the hovering synth in the back of this piece continues the tenderness of touch, and the keyboards create an almost classical narrative in a similar style to Pachelbel’s cannon.

The chord progression at the start of this next track Forbidden Places, reminds me of something from the ‘90’s, but as of now I have yet to pull It from the labyrinths of my tattered and someone what ancient library of my mind, but regardless, this is ambient magic and utterly beautiful, the pacing and slow progression is idyllic, then it came to me in a flash, and that aforementioned mental blockage would reveal to me that this beautiful piece was very musically like early Kevin Kendle from his Eventide album.

Sharing Dreams is a musical course change, moving into anthem mode with an overall gentle onward narrative by Randlet’s keyboard, and his sweeping and flowing synths manifesting a safe and calming musical environment for the listener. Whilst on the piece Keeping Secrets I found I could actually sing Elton John’s version of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds to it for some bizarre reason, I know, your dear music writer is weird, but it was fun, this careful composition though is a hovering arrangement that manifests a safe and secure musical landscape.

One of the most powerful pieces from the album is the following arrangement called Last Breath of Summer. I still remember the last days of my childhood and this composition would have suited it perfectly, somewhat sad, ever so reflective, and the string sections manifesting a tear in the eye as innocence fades into the oblivion of adult hood, perhaps Lewis Carol said it best when he wrote of Alice “So she sat on, with closed eyes, and half believed herself in Wonderland, though she knew she had but to open them again and all would change to dull reality”.

Final Goodbyes is our penultimate track, again anyone who goes through life will understand beginnings and endings of a personal nature are very hard to deal with, sometimes awkward and sometimes emotional, this last but one piece from Rick seals this perfectly on the plate of musical farewells. A misty eyed composition that is wonderfully composed and is actually rather clever as it contains a majority of sadness in its core element, but also a vague anticipatory tone of hope too.

The one constant in all of our lives is the love of our lunar orb and on The Mystic Moon, we have a superb parting gift of a composition that is a mixture of pleasing keyboards and confident and charming synth structures in a classic new age styled framing, if I had to choose one track as a single from this album this would be it.

Remembering Fireflies by Orchestra Indigo is a tender album; it is packed with 12 sensitive memorable opuses of which each manifestation is a tale all in its own right. Randlet is fast becoming known as one of the foremost new age instrumental musicians of the current age, and albums like Remembering Fireflies should be sought out by anyone who wishes to bathe themselves in a sanctuary of tone and timbre, and reminds them perhaps, that you and are like the birds in the trees, life is for living, and living is free.