Lakeside Pastels By Suzanne Herman

 

Lakeside Pastels

By

Suzanne Herman

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I have always rated Suzanne Herman with being one of the rare artists within the realm of the vast ranks of the multiple piano genres, not just because of her prowess on the keys, but also for her sublime ability to paint pictures with tone and timbre. I remember her single Penguin Parade, a single inspired by her Antarctic experience; simply put she can take a situation or a location and make it come to life musically with consummate ease.

On her latest release Lakeside Pastels we have an idyllic solo piano composition with expressive, gentle melodies, ones that flow across the horizon, only to drift back later into view, in one of the most heart-warming reveries of the time; her style here is somewhat redolent of the late but great Annie Locke from the UK.

This song touches my very soul; I spent many a day and hour by lakes with my father, but here, contained within this new single are the tones and structures that once more manifest those evocative, calm landscapes and reflective moments for me personally, my father was also a painter and this song for me describes the softness of nature’s palette perfectly.

What Suzanne has created here is one of the most peaceful, cinematic listening experiences I have heard, one to be embraced in times of stress and worry, where the listener can play this track on repeat and enjoy the mood over and over again.

The award winning composer and pianist is indeed best known for her original solo piano music that blends expressive, soothing melodies with evocative imagery inspired by nature, travel, and life experiences, and with Lakeside Pastels she has probably created her most mellow and ambient work thus far. She in my view is one of the rare piano performers of her day, who are artistically and technically gifted, and she earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Bowling Green State University to prove my point entirely.

There can be no doubt that Lakeside Pastels by Suzanne Herman is one of those tracks that will remain timeless and much loved, and as such I predict a huge chart placing for this new release, with utter ease, this is one that needs to be embraced as its beautify is palpable.