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.