Footprints By Sydney Stevens

 

Footprints

 By

Sydney Stevens

Written by

Andy Rogers

 

Sydney Stevens is a pianist and composer, she has enjoyed a successful musical career spanning over thirty years. Her last album, “Waltz of Life” released back in 2020, was an instrumental album. This latest album, “Footprints” was 11 years in the making and sees her taking her music into the Singer-Songwriter genre. 

Alongside her own considerable skills as a pianist and vocalist there are contributions from many other musicians such as Brian Litt (guitar), Zachariah Galatis (flute), Katherine Schultz (Cello) with Jennifer Estrin and Keiko Araki (violin), all of which gives the music added depth, colour and emotion without being schmaltzy, not an easy thing to accomplish.

The vocal style throughout the album is heartfelt and emotional; the vocals are at times more operatic than “pop” in nature but always true to the song.

We start with “Fools Game”, looking back to childhood and urging kindness and love rather than threats and coercion…concluding that there are no winners and losers in life and we are all together in the end. The piano in the composition has a delicate, ponderous nature that in the latter half of the offering, dances with the vocals of Stevens well.

“Star Traveler” compares the choices we all must make in our lives to darkness and light and urges us to follow the light towards a better life, the fluent and flowing piano create a sparkling symbiosis of tone and timbre. 

“Eclipse” was inspired by a total eclipse that happened in Oregon in 2017. It features a beautiful melody with wonderful lyrics describing the eclipse and makes good use of the violin of Jennifer Estrin to enhance the mood of the piece.

“Lightness” follows: amidst some wonderful piano there is a moving cello of Katherine Schultz compliments Sydney’s piano perfectly. The message is that Lightness and shared love will help lighten the darkness in the world.

Next up is “Winds of Change (Blue Jean Tuxedo)” a quirky, nostalgic look back to school days and a time when there was “more ice at the poles” and “more fish in the ocean”. This is light-hearted for sure but with a serious message.

The track “One Inside” is, to my mind, the most memorable track on the album. Piano, flute and guitar plus a strong vocal from Sydney (plus Brian Litt on harmonies) provide the perfect accompaniment to the message that no matter the different lives we live We are One inside… there’s no need to hide the wonder we hold… we are one”; just beautiful, and so true.

“You’re the One for Me” comes as a surprise after the earlier tracks… a deeply personal love song. The piano backing with the violin compliments the heartfelt lyrics perfectly.  Clearly written from the heart it tells her loved one that “Hand in hand, heart to heart”… “We belong together”.

“Lilies” starts with a lovely introduction for piano and flute before the song reminds us of the cycle of life and the importance of staying positive and looking to the future.

The following 3 tracks “Passages”, “Glorious Today” and “Golden World” comprise a trilogy of songs in memory of her late mother. Written to help herself deal with her mom’s passing and played so that the sense of loss is very apparent to the listener, it seems that she hopes the songs will be cathartic and will help others in the same situation.

The album concludes with the title track “Footprints” which acts as a summary for the album. The lyrics reflect on childhood and the importance of the support of family and friends and the album ends on a calm note with a single piano note.

Overall “Footprints” is an album that, while being deeply personal, can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates meaningful and inspirational songs beautifully sung and played.