Nocturne By James Michael Stevens

 

Nocturne

By

James Michael Stevens

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

My music relationship with James Michael Stevens surprisingly only goes back as far as 2020 and an album called Italian Preludes, Nos. 1-8 - Solo Piano. This seems somewhat remarkable when you consider that some 55 albums later I am delighted to find I am reviewing the most prolific recording piano artist on the planet known to me once more, with his latest soothing release entitled Nocturne.

I don’t know how James does it, but to his credit time and time again he produces something utterly beautiful and tender to listen to, and with Nocturne that pattern continues unabated. The start is a familiar playing ground for the artist as he mixes his major and minor to create a loving composition called Sleep My Love.

Dreamy Nights and Candlelight is a favourite of mine and probably of yours as well readers and listeners of sublime piano based music, there is a gentle increased upscaling on this offering that is fascinating, and the mood it creates is very redolent of the subject matter.

The next composition has a decided mournful repose, but a picturesque one never the less and called 'Neath a Lydian Sky. The Lydian mode is a major-scale-based musical mode distinguished by a raised fourth scale degree, giving it a bright, ethereal, and slightly unresolved sound, and James has it perfectly depicted on the cleverest of compositions from the album.

This next piece felt and sounded somewhat familiar to me, a slight nod to a classical piece I have heard before in the past perhaps, but I still just can’t quite pick out in my mind’s eye, regardless of my memory lapse, this is a stunningly beautiful offering called Musings at Purple Shore, one that offers much to be enjoyed, in what was without doubt one of the prettiest performances from the entire album.

The trickling musical narrative and tonal structures on this next track were some of the crispest I have heard for many a year on the piece Misty Stream, the fluency was a delight and the dreamy chord changes equally so, once again the artist dances with light and shadow on this stylish track.

Nestled in the centre of the album is the composition called Midnight Iris, there was a beautiful dualistic reality forming within the weave of this piece, one that cleverly interplayed with a tone and timbre, giving us a symbiotic mood of music, from the garden to the piano bar and back.

Elegy at Sunset Forest has that delightful regal energy about its composition that you just can’t help but like, this splendid proud performance is like watching the sunset through the trees of the aforementioned Forest, being part of that very experience with the musician yourself whilst listening.

The next track has some interesting nuances with its structure and called Waiting in the Shadows, the melody on this specific offering is utterly outstanding and beautifully crafted, manifesting wondrous juxtapositions of major and minor with utter glee.

Our musical boat has arrived in the deeper waters of the release where we will find the offering entitled Blue as the Midnight Hour. Almost blues, almost jazz, almost a lullaby, perhaps all three but then one can hear within this attractive musical narrative something special taking shape from the place of the heart called love.

The penultimate offering could be described as one of the more reflective offerings from the album, but Stevens is so good at switching to that mode that any of the aforementioned tracks could perhaps be described like that, this one called Somewhere a Serenade is particularly homely and heartfelt, and very warming to listen to.

The concluding tale of tone and timbre is entitled Dreams of Yesterday, a truly easy on the ears piece with which to finish the album with indeed. With the flowing styled arrangement and the thoughtful structures, this parting gift was the perfect end to what once again has been another delightfully heart-warming album from the artist.

Nocturne by James Michael Stevens is one in a long line of quite amazing solo piano albums by the artist, but his ability as a pianist and a composer is so good, he always keeps his fans and listeners in the land of piano love. When a new album is on offer, a warm smile always crawls across my face, because the peace and tranquillity that follows is always remarkable, thus I predict another solid hit is on the cards with ease for Nocturne by James Michael Stevens.