Forest Walk By Stephen Weber

 

Forest Walk

By

Stephen Weber

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is something to really look forward to in this latest release by pianist Stephen Weber called Forest Walk, for one it gives us all hope that this long winter will come to an end, and we can once again walk among the fields, meadows and forests of our lands, but until then we can do so vicariously with Stephen and his beautiful new album.

There is much to enjoy too, as the eager listener will find no less than 18 amazing tracks to simply drift with, like the colourful radiance of The Well-Trod Path, one of my personal favourite offerings, and into the loving arms of tranquillity you will go with soothing narratives from pieces like Forest Whispers, a song so magical and sensitive, or the natural beauty of Reflections on a Pond.

There can be no doubt that Weber is creating quite a legacy for himself, his compositions are always filled with such wonderful tapestries of tone and texture, and more of that can be found on the quite moving arrangement on the piece Thoughts on Fallen Timber, and moments of sublime mastery with tracks like Tales from the Woods, a performance that had depth, feeling, and a calmness that resonated through the very woodlands themselves.

The penultimate offering is entitled Pastoral Panorama and offers one of the most ambient compositions on the album, while the release is concluded by the cheery refrains of Returning Home Recentered, a song that has a wonderful sense of appreciation for the journey just taken.

Forest Walk by Stephen Weber is a crafted collection of truly warm presentations and performances, played with the skills of a master narrator, as he takes on a voyage through nature and onward. Weber has created an album here that the fans of the solo piano genre will no doubt be hungry for; freedom in a multitude of creations that go to manifest a virtual walk through this forest of musical dreams.