Open By Stephen Wallack

 

Open

By

Stephen Wallack

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Stephen Wallack has been a main stay of the solo piano genre for many years now; I can still remember my first encounter back in 2019 and the album Chapters, that release was like a breath of fresh air in the huge piano industry that still grows to this day, but Wallack stood out then, as he does some 6 years later, with his latest release entitled Open.

This is the Minnesotan’s 6^th album release, and once again his music flourishes with the energy of a fresh spring morning. The album starts with a prolific beginning called Faith, the performance is almost dualistic in approach, with quieter segments of a pondering nature, and then the more fluid energy is brought into the mix in an outstanding start to the album.

I want to praise Stephen right now for creating numerous tracks over 4 minutes long in the days of the micro piano composition, this is like a huge sigh of relief from this writer, as I at last have something to get my musical teeth into, an example of this would be the flourishing, yet thoughtful prose of the track Love Story at well over 6 minutes in duration, and to follow that up with Fall, at near on six minutes thirty seconds was blissful, thank you so much, the aforementioned track was also a delightful repose, and a delicate yet supportive piano narrative can be found within this lush composition.

Open is a 10 track solo piano release created on a Steinway S Grand Piano, the listener can find compositions of many colours and textures upon it, just like the quite breath taking arrangement of well over 6 and a half minutes long called Ireland, or the rhythmic pastiche of the piece One Last Run, with its natural melody and uplifting nature with a fluent instrumental tapestry, one that plays both light and dark, making for me a creation of great mood, intent and emotive energy.

One track that will encapsulate the listener is the haunting reverie of Girl In The Painting. There is a wonderful juxtaposition here that needs highlighting, the piece itself has an upbeat tempo, but also has a dualistic nature, this is a composition that breathes and recreates its own narrative, and in doing so, could well be seen as music for a movie.

The concluding musical narrative from Stephen is quite stunning and called Storm, one can see with ease the inspiration of one of his heroes in the late but great George Winston here, this is a final track of great quality tone and timbre and a sublime way with which to end the album.

Open by Stephen Wallack is the release that the solo piano genre has been waiting for, here upon this album the listener will find passion, textured fluency and 10 thoughtful and intelligent arrangements, and with all that being said, I have that feeling once again that Open by Stephen Wallack could well see chart success in the very near future, it is that good.