Once Upon a Summer By James Michael Stevens

 

Once Upon a Summer

By

James Michael Stevens

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is never a moment that goes by that isn’t enhanced by a James Michael Stevens album, his classic style of contentment, peace and tranquillity has flowed from this musical river of calm for many years now, and it just keeps on getting better and better, and now with this new release One Upon A Summer we are set for three months of absolute serenity in the sun through music.

The starting position is a piece called Candlelight Coasterra; this slow and tempered creation is a divine melody to highlight a romantic meal on the balcony perhaps, whilst Summer Wind is a grateful addition to the collection of fine manifestations, with its mysterious, yet cooling musical narrative.

Once Upon a Summer is a 10 track album of earthly delights and Riverside is one of my personal favourites from it. Steven’s pulls such happy and natural refrains from his piano, ones that contain many sun kissed memories by a river, I have many, so I am very grateful for this piece.

We have many here, I am referring to The Lark, and this is our next composition, our larks are crested but they still have a charming dance that is in perfect harmony with nature. Here the pianist draws a compelling and charming presentation that depicts the energies of this creature to perfection.

This has to be one of the artists most complex and clever pieces and called Falls at Catalonia, once more being the painter of sound he is, he gifts us a vista of glistening waters that are falling from the ancient rock face of a waterfall, a graphic and enticing piece indeed, especially in this heat we have at the moment.

Summer Tides is a soothing piece that once more draws a beautifully lush narrative down by the beach, the flow and presentation here is superb and wonderfully crafted, one feels that they are right there in the moment in this ever moving mantra of time and tide.

We drift into the lands of calm and serenity further now with this next offering entitled Sebago Lake. The creative tempo is a charm here, and this is an incredibly fluent piece that is without doubt one of the deeper and more moody creations performed by the pianist, but I love it.

Lonesome Lullaby is another heart felt piece that finds Steven’s in a reflective mood, another night on your own perhaps, and just the silver light of the moon to keep you company until the sunrise. This is artistically brilliant and I wondered if it could very well be worthy of inclusion into a romantic movie.

The penultimate offering is entitled Melancholique, this last but one offering starts off in a delicious minor key and takes us all on a sensitive journey of reflection like never before. The sheer depth and emotive nuances that can be felt here are quite remarkable.

The concluding offering is anthem like in compositional structure and as such is perfect as an ending manifestation, it’s called Serenade at Sunset Park, a perfect scene setting presentation as we say goodbye to the day, to the album and this blissful journey of beautiful solo piano.

Once Upon a Summer by James Michael Stevens is another in the long line of stunning solo piano albums by the master of tone and timbre, this time around he has gifted us music to reflect upon and enjoy throughout this hot and laid back season. Steven’s has been playing his tranquillity and atmospheric ambience on the piano for many years now, but Once Upon a Summer could well be his most compelling and creative one to date, why not check it out for yourself and end enjoy a summer of peace and serenity too, with the healing piano of James Michael Stevens.

Unseen Patterns Of Light By Anantakara

 

Unseen Patterns Of Light

By

Anantakara

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have to admit from the off that I am a bit of a fan of Anantakara, here is an electronic musician that always seems to knock it out of the park musically for me, and also in my view, I truly believe his releases have just got better and better as the years have rolled on. With his new album Unseen Patterns Of Light I was certainly to be proved right, this is an astonishingly brilliant album indeed.

Hidden Frequencies begins our voyage through the tones and vibrations of a simply breath taking EM styled release, but Anantakara goes further on this new album, as he does so on this opening offering, gifting us the listener a smooth yet ever onward journey of sight and sound to enjoy, a mixture of electronic mastery, mixed with subtitles of a delicate ambient to enjoy.

This is also a 9 track album of great quality, one that I urge you to try out, and contained within are gems like Echoes of the Cosmic Canopy, its mysterious opening foray seems to hover constantly around you, whilst pieces like Solar Winds Impulses are a horse of a totally different colour, mixing a little neo-classical nuanced tone into a bath of ambient electronics.

The longest creation from the album is the stunning Brighter Earths And Wider Heavens, a composition that seems to herald in a new era for the musician, a tapestry of musical colours and vibrational structures flow here in an ever impressive style, and with the overall time span allotted for this piece at well over 12 minutes this for me was heavenly and also reminding me at times of Germany’s own Al Gromer Khan.

I have constantly been impressed with the willingness of the artist to explore further, farther and deeper within his own music, and this for me was brought right to the fore with my personal favourite track, and the penultimate offering from the album called A Subtle Link Of Union. Here he takes rhythm, ambience and the tonal quivering delights of electronic genius to manifest something totally addictive.

This delicious menu of instrumental mastery is topped off with the final manifestation entitled Dare To Love Again, a fine concluding offering with an excellent and vast keyboard presentation.

This has to be said is the artist best work so far, I know that could be a somewhat clichéd or hackneyed writers comment, but I believe it to be true, Unseen Patterns Of Light by Anantakara is with doubt the artists most forward thinking work thus far, by far his most descriptive, and most certainly his most creative, this album is a musical modern art gallery of tone and timbre, and simply anyone who likes their music with a penchant for electronic and ambience combined, must avail themselves a copy of Unseen Patterns Of Light at all costs, it is superb.

Why not check out the album on Bandcamp:

https://anantakara.bandcamp.com/album/unseen-patterns-of-light  

Embrace By Shere Fraser & Juliano

 

Embrace

By

Shere Fraser & Juliano

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Great beauty can be found in the saddest of compositions and this brand new offering from the combination of Shere Fraser & Juliano manifests something utterly transcendent and deeply moving as it goes. The well of reflection is felt with a stunning clarity in this brand new single called Embrace.

We have known of the sublime textures that flute performer Shere Fraser manifests, her music has been with us for a while now and each tapestry of tone are both thoughtful and intelligent, now she adds to her musical arsenal the imploring vibrations of a piano played so sensitively by Juliano.

The symbiotic partnership today brings to the fore a piece so meaningful and heartfelt; Juliano’s piano is the backdrop of sound that allows us the movement within this delicate creation and of course Frasers flute the master narrator that takes on the short journey of peaceful beauty and moving poignancy, in the same way that Maurice Ravel did with his piece Pavane for a Dead Princess.

One can really appreciate this new single from the duo with ease, in fact I had listened to it some five times before writing about it, I found its slow tempo and tender tones filled my heart with a touching affection, one that would lead me to feel inspired in the most respectful of ways, this new single must be the most emotional single released this year without a doubt.

Evening On The Esplanade By Orchestra Indigo

 

Evening On The Esplanade

By

Orchestra Indigo

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Rick Randlett has to be one of the most expressive instrumentalists around, his textures and colours blend a beautiful array of glances both reflective and grateful, and here on this brand new single called Evening on the Esplanade he has done just that and perhaps even more, in one of the most stunning contemporary compositions of the day.

When I listen to this incredible new offering I am taken back to the time of the pandemic, when simple luxuries like spending an evening with anyone anywhere was impossible, so in a way this new creation is like a celebration of survival, one of gratitude to be able to spend a pleasurable moment on the Esplanade with friends once more, with many a story to be told and many a glass of wine to be enjoyed.

Evening on the Esplanade also has that classical element within its construction as well, one that reminds me of perhaps a Pachelbel’s canon in mood, but regardless this is a beautifully fluent and charming reverie to take into those long hot summer nights ahead.

Randlett as Orchestra Indigo has built an emotional composition of pristine quality here, one that whilst we listen, we can appreciate the narrative of both the orchestration and the steady ever onward keyboard, this is not just a good single, this is a master class on how to create a tempered, but heart felt and honest instrumental offering, and the artist should be applauded for his efforts. I simply cannot wait to see what this stunner is going to do on the charts.

Summer Lullaby By Paul Higgs and Pavane

 

Summer Lullaby

By

Paul Higgs and Pavane

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I must admit it was a wonderful moment to be had when I discovered that an old presenter of ours in Paul Higgs, was about to release his latest album with his band Pavane, the name of his last release back in 2014, I just knew this was going to be a sublime twinkling of musical brilliance, and I was not to be disappointed as Summer Lullaby is by far one of the most explorative and charming Jazz albums I have had the pleasure this year to listen to.

The multi-instrumental flavours contained here are simply wonderful, they manifest a tone and vibrancy that will allow us to cross a multiple of musical borderlands, for instance take the very first track, the scene setting Lights of Canary Wharf, here lays a moody and reflective piece, so smooth and transient that one could transpose the title to the lights of any favoured city, this was indeed a classy start.

Paul has really allowed his muse free reign and brings into our reality some very interesting compositions, such as the classical and global vibe of pieces like Samba Baroque,  the classic Herb Alpert song This Guy's In Love With You, and the symbiotic presentation of Berceuse d'été with the guitar of Andy Watson reigning supreme.

Interestingly enough one of my personal favourites from the album would be the track nestled in the middle of the release called Icicles. The mournful qualities of this arrangement were simply idyllic and peacefully charming; this for me was one of the most ambient moments from this compilation of classy creations, Pauls trumpet was indeed the creator of a mindful instant of total peace.

Summer Lullaby is an 11 track album packed with all manner of flavours and is the perfect summer release; already here in the early June heat of Cyprus the tones of tracks like Seville, with its Latin vibe, or the heat of the night expressed for me in the piece Nocturne In Blue, were so redolent of the subject matter.

The concluding composition sealed the deal for me, Higgs is an outstanding brass performer, and the trumpet is his magical wand of pure beauty and magnificence, so for me Reflections of You was the perfect master stroke with which to conclude this superb new release, by the final boss Paul Higgs.

We must also pay our tributes to Pavane with quality performances all coming from one of the finest group presentations I have heard of some time, so its hats off to Natalie Rozario on Cello, Chris Ingham at the Piano, George Double in the engine room on Drums, the sublime fluency of Andy Watson on Guitar, and of course the very smooth tone and timbre from Jerome Davies with his Double Bass.

This is an album that Paul should be proud of, it may have been 10 years since his last release, but Summer Lullaby is a truly superb album that will enhance your summer and give you those easy vibrations to take you through any hot evening in August. Higgs has really created something here that should be recognised as a timeless collection of exquisiteness, and as such I can see this album becoming a real fan favourite across the globe with consummate ease.  

Lost there Found here By Masako

 

Lost there Found here

By

Masako

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have long loved the sublime gentle sounds of a Masako piano, it most certainly is feel good music, and today we have a real treat as we get to walk the realms of tranquillity with the artist, within her latest release called Lost there Found here.

The soft pastiche of a title called Spirit Forest gets our musical voyage underway, as Masako’s love for nature once more comes to the fore with this piece; this is a mystical slice of solo piano that is breath taking and serenely charming.

Masako’s album like others that have gone before, is produced by non-other than the legend that is Will Ackerman and you can hear his gentle guitar, along with Vin Downes on the track Walk Together. This is as chilled as a Sunday morning reverie in June, and bubbling full of bliss.

This 12 track collection of perfection has some beautiful moments contained within, one of them for me was Brooks and Cascades, Masako’s piano could easily be the ever moving stream, whilst the string sections of both Charlie Bisharat and Eugene Friesen added so much texture to the proceedings and gave us the ever eager listener a beautiful juxtaposition of tone to enjoy.

There are some equally impressive reflective moments as well, one of them for me personally was Mid-Hudson, this was a beautifully crafted presentation from the pianist, one that I enjoyed immensely, and those minor touches added a lush colour into the tapestry of the song, bringing further touches of grandeur was the accomplished percussion of Jeff Haynes.

The album is concluded with the track Into the Dusk, this is the end of our journey this time around and this final piece is such a textured and picturesque composition, that it leaves one with the energy of feeling fully satisfied by the journey hence taken.

Masako must be one of the genres finest painters of tonal sound, she pulls from the piano layer upon layer tranquil lush soundscapes, and manufactures some of the best musical portraits that could possibly be conceived, one must say that Lost there Found Here by Masako is one of her most comprehensive albums, she pinpoints such a tender refrain, and brings into the world a galaxy of the genres stars to aid her in her quest This is an album of natural outstanding beauty with ease. 

24 Impromptus By Pam Asberry

 

24 Impromptus

By

Pam Asberry

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This new release entitled 24 Impromptus is the 10^th in a vast series of piano based albums by renowned composer and performer Pam Asberry; here Pam explores a more classical leaning of compositional structure. Each musical configuration follows in the classical music tradition of writing set pieces in all the major and minor keys of the chromatic scale.

In essence this 24 track album of short form piano narratives is created on moods, feelings and emotions by the artist, is like a calendar of attitudes or temperaments with a musical soundtrack encompassed within. This is a truly clever idea, as when playing the album you can pick and choose which track or tracks you wish to listen to depending upon your disposition.

So this fascinating experience of tone, vibration and emotive character starts today for me personally with the grand opening offering of Impromptu No. 1 in C Major Journey; indeed I am about to take a journey that is thousands of miles, and this somewhat upbeat and excited manifestation reveals my thoughts on that, in an ever increasing an ever onward arrangement of utter class.

I am feeling a sense of bliss on this fine summer’s day so, I choose Impromptu No. 3 in G Major Bliss as my next go to offering. This cheer filled reverie was beautifully performed by Asberry and even had a few David Lanz moments contained within; whilst my next choice Impromptu No. 7 in A Major Clarity would for me be the backdrop of sound that would express my mood on completing my philosophy course, the piece has a sense of knowledge found, a further confidence that was located deep within, and yes a true sagacity and clarity, even though the length of this piece was just 1 minute and 43 seconds it spoke volumes for me.

So with that being said I truly believe that Pam Asberry has taken on a new project here that is quite revealing, it shows without doubt the vast progression she has made in the genre and within the music business as a whole, the utter confidence of her subject matter and of her overall performance was incredibly impressive, and I can see this album, 24 Impromptus, becoming a timeless hit with the listener, one that perhaps over the decades they will always turn to in times of confirmation or reflection.

24 Impromptus by Pam Asberry is an album that is akin a recipe of moods and feelings created within a technical piano based format, and it really does work beautifully, perhaps Asberry has found the magic key here to an ageless compilation of craft fully played chromatic piano pieces, it certainly seems to be so, and thus I predict a very big hit is on the cards for one of the most fluent of pianists on the globe today. 

Quest for the Runestone By David Arkenstone

 

Quest for the Runestone

By

David Arkenstone

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There are albums nestled within each of our collections, those of us old enough to have known CD’s will know this to be true, those who are aged in time to remember actual vinyl albums with real art work will remember this feeling with a reflective lump in the throat, we remember those albums that once took pride and place on the top shelf, with easy access, that had worn covers from constant use and much love, and after listening to Quest for the Runestone by David Arkenstone today I know that this amazing release would have been one of them, perhaps this is the Holy Grail of instrumental albums?

The opening of our journey starts with the track Prophecy, now I usually like to create my own story, trace my trail through the musical narrative that manifests within my mind, but on this review that would be rather disingenuous as it already comes with a 48 page booklet of a tale so fascinating, one that I believe that you should read in your own time after purchasing it, and have your own immersive experience.

We shall clasp firmly to the hand of musical endeavours that this multi-talented, multi Grammy Award Nominated composer has brought upon this stage of musical plenitude. Prophecy itself is an opener that is grand and majestic, its kingly vibrations roll down the hillsides of tonal delight with a passionate power and an intensity that only David Arkenstone could provide us with.

The Soothsayer Speaks will take you to an even higher level of excitement, and also may well remind some of the works of Blackmore’s Night in its musical context. The vocalisations here were simply breath taking and reminded me of the series The Witcher. The vocals on this album were gifted to the project by Clara Sorace and Giulia Colantonio, and what a powerful force could be found here within this driving and all-consuming offering.

Quest for the Runestone is a 12 track album of great quality and precession; it also shows the love that Arkenstone has for Celtic and Nordic traditional music. On this specific track we can both feel and hear that to be true and called Ancient Magic Awakens. Within this piece one of the most delicate yet growing flute performances can be found and a progressive and all empowering percussion that drives the narrative home with utter power.

Réann is a wonderfully heart felt offering that contains the magical Uilleann pipes of Eric Rigler, I first heard these being used on an album some 25 years ago and that haunting feeling of mist filled days on the green hills and meadows never left me. The orchestration here is sublime and would fit into a Lord of the Rings style movie with ease, and in my view is one of the finest tracks off the album.

The next piece, Eyes Of Skata, had me travelling back in time to 2016 and Arkenstone’s Fairy Garden album, a release with much beauty contained within, here that same fluency and smoothness could be found, the strings within were akin to the very vibrations of the land itself, and the vocals, a reminder that we are still travelling along our musical path on this ever onward composition of wonderment.

The deeper realms of mystery now unfold upon us, could these be blown by the magical winds of time itself, here on this craft-fully created opus we are gifted a performance that is so stirring, yet delicate at the same time, one literally waits for something to manifest on the piece called Oceans Of Ice, yet the tone and timbre of this wondrous musical revelation are well contained, held within the minds of the master composer, to build a story so compelling that it drives us on further.

We now arrive at the midway point of the album and once there we find one of the most remarkable offerings on the album called Path of the Mountain's Bones. Bathed in Celtic nuances this is a track that will raise the energies and uplift the intensity of the moment in such a powerful yet fluent way. We can pay homage to a multitude of musicians here, but the artists imposing and exciting percussion reigns supreme, along with the legendary vocals of Clara Sorace reminding me so much of Sophia Brown’s performance on We are The Black Rose from the Witcher “Blood Origin”.

So deeper we go and as we do so, we find a true gem now called Stars Without Light, by some contrast we are gifted an almost ethereal arrangement, with angelic like vocalisations and a very careful early compositional structure, the traditional Arkenstone build and progression is here, but in a way that manifests even more musical flavour to enjoy, the juxtaposition of keyboards and strings made this one for me a very compelling composition indeed.

The Arbos Stirs, and as it does a numinous realm if forever opened, this reminds me of Arkenstone’s earlier works on his Music Inspired By Middle Earth albums, overall the masters creational structures are sublime. David Arkenstone is in my view one of, if not the finest multi-instrumentalist around.  This very track is an exercise in build and progression, one that all budding musicians could learn from, and all listeners simply marvel at.

The weave of our musical carpet is vast and we have shifted course now to a knot of tonal delight entitled Inscriptions. There is an outer worldly and kindly mystique to this piece that is so appealing, the arrangement is carefully depicted and manifested with utter perfection. The deep guttural male vocalisations are scene setters on their own, but the transcendent strings sections doubly so.

Those darker waters have been found, from the foothills of ancient energies to the shadow of the grey monolithic mountains of musical genius, Secrets Of The Runestone is also a piece that is as vigorous as it is glorious, here is a stylish composition packed full of dynamics and splendid crescendos, and as such a film score waiting to happen.

Our journey concludes with the reflective and symphonic Keeper Of The Flame. A respectful and magnificent creation that has a sense of regal and ceremonial ambience about its construction, the slow build and character of this song is simply breath taking, and as such Arkenstone has once more produced a striking and colourful offering that could grace any fantasy movie.

Quest for the Runestone by David Arkenstone has to be the artist’s best work to date, how can it not be, it contains a lush list of luminaries that deserve a mention in Luanne Homzy on violin, Hardanger fiddle, the aforementioned Eric Rigler with his Uilleann pipes, Kimberly Zaleski on flute, piccolo and bass flute, Carlyn Kessler on cello, Clara Sorace and her stunning vocals, Sergio González Prats on hurdy gurdy, Dov on violin, viola and the vocals of Giulia Colantonio. Please when you buy this album and I know you will have the sense to do so, please take some time and read of the booklet inside created by Dashiell Han Arkenstone, it will complete your experience.

Quest for the Runestone by David Arkenstone is a soundtrack masterwork that takes the listener on a journey so vast and all-encompassing it is utterly breath taking, it is an emotionally charged ride over the hills and valleys of stunning neo classical empowered arrangements that the listener will never ever forget, in my view Arkenstone has produced an album of a life time here on Quest for the Runestone.

Quest for the Runestone releases 1st July 2024.