The Dawn by Suren Lama

 

The Dawn

By

Suren Lama

By

Steve Sheppard

 

One of the most eclectic acoustic singles came my way today, in a breath of much needed fresh air within the realms of instrumental genre; the composition is called The Dawn and the artist Suren Lama. This is one extremely vibrant offering that has many facets to its diamond like construction of an arrangement.

The fluent and rhythmic guitar of the artist is utterly enhanced by the crisp added instrumentation and unique global flow of the overall narrative, Jagannath JD on Tabala is a fine example of that aforementioned statement, the added rhythm swings the piece forward with happy invigorated energies. Whilst the sweet acoustic guitar of Lama brings the listener a place of serene joy to visit, one has to say that the performance on his instrument of choice was one of the most colourful and passionate I have heard this year with ease.

The Dawn by Suren Lama is a recording of soothing yet up beat global infused rhythmic guitar and light percussion, and likely one that will become a very addictive part of many listeners listening experiences. Here on this new offering from the artist Suren Lama has gifted us a cheer filled moment of musical bliss to enjoy in an otherwise fear filled world, so smile, be happy, enjoy life, and spin The Dawn By Suren Lama, it may well be the musical panacea you have been searching for.

Storyteller Part II By Walter Holland

 

Storyteller Part II

By

Walter Holland

Written by

Andy Rogers

 

Storyteller Part II is very much a companion album to the Storyteller Part I album. The album opens with Ralph McTell’s song “Peppers and Tomatoes”, a forceful song that tells of a man trying to live peacefully and keep his family safe in the face of aggression … forcefully sung and played, which I found chilling.

We move on to Black is the Colour, a traditional Scottish song about a lover who has failed to return; this was later adapted and sung in the Appalachians. Next up is Hallelujah which has become Leonard Cohen’s best known song these last few years. Walter’s version has just him and a piano plus backing vocals and is very effective.

There is a return to acoustic guitar for track 4, The Three Ravens, a sad tale of a slain young knight who is saved from being eaten by the ravens by a pregnant doe who carries him off and buries him. Sadly the doe dies carrying out the noble deed.

Our next delight is the classic river man’s and sailor's song Shenandoah, here it gets a very nice acoustic treatment with a superb electric guitar solo in the middle.

Next up is the much loved Scottish folk song Wild Mountain Thyme, here going by one of its many alternate titles The Braes o’ Balquhidder, beautifully sung to the perfect acoustic backing it was very hard not to join in on this one!

The next piece is Emmanuel,  is a simple but emotive take on the 12^th Century advent hymn O come O come Emmanuel. This is followed by Hame Hame Hame, this starts like Pink Floyd’s Shine on you Crazy Diamond then brings in vocals with Moody Blues style strings... Scottish Traditional Prog-folk-rock maybe, unclassifiable yet truly wonderful and in my opinion the high point of the album!

Carrying on with this “prog” feel is Follow the Drinking Gourd, this is based on a folk song that provided directions for escaping slaves. The Big Dipper is also known as the Drinking Gourd, and its position in the night sky served as a guide for those seeking freedom.

The last track on the album is The Bewlay Brothers, originally on David Bowie’s album Hunky Dory. Bowie himself has said the lyrics made no sense. Walter has put together a very good version here, thankfully not going for the very odd ending on the original Bowie version.

I loved this album: I found it intriguing, memorable and mesmerizing. A great choice of material with superb performances means that the 45 minutes play time just flies by. Even if you’re not a fan of Folk music, I can safely say you will love listening to Storyteller Part II.

Storyteller Part I By Walter Holland

 

Storyteller Part I

By

Walter Holland

Written by

Andy Rogers

Walter Holland is a man of many talents… a highly regarded artist with works exhibited widely across the USA, an engineer/producer and lastly a respected musician whose music reflects his influences such as Pink Floyd, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, David Bowie and Steeleye Span. Having been making music since the 1980s, in 2019 & 2020 he turned his attention to a more traditional folk sound and produced two albums, Storyteller, parts 1 and 2

Storyteller Part I begins with an instrumental track, A Highland Welcome as we walk with the sounds of nature from heathland to seashore. This leads straight into City of Chicago, a contemporary folk/rock track that to me has something of Harry Chapin about its vocals.

Next up is Fareweel tai Fiunary a lovely slow paced tune with some wonderful harmonies on the chorus, whereas Amang the Bonnie Winding Banks opens with more nature sounds before becoming “an old traditional lament for bagpipes, mellotron and electric guitar that we just wrote”.. That describes it perfectly!

Track 5 is Ca’ the Ewes, a Robert Burns poem performed as if it were an out-take from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. This is followed by The Three Ravens (Revisited), this is another instrumental arrangement, and features layers of guitars (acoustic then electric) with occasional cello … all rather beautiful.

Next is a wonderful folk-ballad From Clare to Here composed by Ralph McTell it tells the story of a young man leaving home in Clare to find work abroad. Walter’s performance is both moving and sensitive.

Track 8 Fear A’ Bhata is a sad song reflecting on lost love with the sound of Harpsichord and strings giving an almost medieval feel to the music. As we head towards the last parts of the album we find Poor Wayfaring Stranger this is the well-known American 19^th century folk/gospel song about a lost soul on the journey through life. It works really well here with a backing of guitar and sympathetic strings.

The penultimate track on the album is called Ride On, an up-tempo yet ultimately sad tune featuring insistent electronic figure over strings and guitar, a tale of someone who can never “go with you no matter how I wanted to”- we’ve all been there.

The album ends with If I was a Blackbird, another tale of lost unrequited love featuring emotive lyrics, guitars and string accompaniment with Walter’s plaintive vocals to the fore.

Walter Holland was a new name to me before hearing this album but I was very impressed with Storyteller Part I Anyone who has any interest in acoustic music, folk music or singer songwriters will find much to enjoy here. Combining elements of folk, rock and even a dash of Prog this is an excellent album.  

Compassion by Eric Tingstad

 

Compassion

By

Eric Tingstad

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The guitars of Eric Tingstad have been a constant in my life since 2007 and the Southwest album. Since then it has ways been a pleasing thing to be informed that new music is about to come from the artist, here on this brand new offering entitled Compassion we have just that, and never has there been a guitar based reverie as well named as this one is.

The gentle caresses upon the fret by Tingstad float like musical jasmine into and around my senses. The combination of electric and acoustic is certainly something I should do a lot more of, and I find this piece quite inspiring to do so.

The tender tones of a Tingstad guitar are something to be grateful for as with each passing note and measure we are gifted something that is utterly beautiful, and completely transcendent. The shift from major to minor and back again is delightfully thoughtful, and the sensitivity with which this new single has been created is as I said earlier, one that flows perfectly with the subject matter of Compassion.

Compassion by Eric Tingstad is that single fans of guitar based music have been waiting for; a piece with a meditative repose, a crafted melodic artistry, and an empathetic tone and timbre that creates a serene energy for all, surely Compassion by Eric Tingstad must be a big hit for the composer and performer.

Ashes to Ashes

 

Ashes to Ashes

By

James Filkins

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

I find the twists and turns of life’s somewhat rich tapestry uncanny and sometimes quite bizarre if I were honest, today that has been the case for both Chrissie and I, as we said goodbye to a long-time friend that has sadly passed, one we never had a chance to say a farewell to, one that for a while will lay heavy upon our hearts, but his music still lives on in and around us.

Here on this brand new single from guitarist James Filkins I get to write about that very subject in a review for his latest single called Ashes to Ashes. A mournful repose can be found here, and if I may paraphrase the artist himself when he states “The tune expresses grief, but also an emotional reverence, and the longing for a farewell that never occurred” exactly our feelings of about three hours ago when we garnered our sad news.

Filkins has become a guitarist of sublime skill and artistry over the years, here on this new single though he is joined by Crispin Campbell on Cello and Jack Dryden on bass, whom take that crafted intelligent performance by the guitarist a realm further, their performances add a reflective and mournful calmness to the proceeding’s, on top of one of the most philosophical and contemplative recordings ever from Filkins.

Ashes to Ashes by James Filkins was most certainly a cathartic voyage for us both as we continue to mourn our lost comrade in music, it is an absorbing composition of tender tones and profoundly introspective intonations, and one of the finest examples of guitar based multi instrumental music I have heard for simply ages.

That Trip To Bethlehem by Ryan Michael Richards

 

That Trip To Bethlehem

By

Ryan Michael Richards

Written by

Chrissie Sheppard

 

Most of us know of the story about the trip taken to Bethlehem, religious or not, it is something we have heard over the years. Guitarist Ryan Michael Richards has taken that story and created a new single entitled That Trip To Bethlehem, a gentle arrangement, as we have come to expect from the artist, one that you can simply get lost within.

I adore the additional instrumentation in this arrangement; it seems to just swirl around in the background, pulling you into it deeper and deeper, and even better, the arrangement is just short of six minutes in duration, allowing you the time and space to do just that.

I love the gentle build within the arrangement, that towards the end, pulls right back and leaves you with that gentleness that opened the piece. This is one not to be missed, a beautiful acoustic creation indeed, and one to be added to your playlist at any time of year!

A Christmas Sky By Suzanne Herman

 

A Christmas Sky

By

Suzanne Herman

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Christmas is a time of year that means many things too many people, to some it is a religious occasion, to others like me, it’s a time to relax and be away from computer screens, for others like Suzanne Herman it was an opportunity to sail to Antarctica from South Africa, to see a different sky from a different perspective, A Christmas Sky.

This is the latest single from the artist, and many will know that Suzanne is one of my favourite female pianists; her colourful touch on the keys always sets the scene and draws comforting pictorial narratives for us to enjoy.

Here the pianist breathes an icy but fresh breath of piano wisdom into her latest creation, with fluent crisp passages, exciting but restrained crescendos, and joyful happy melodies, all contained within this one quite splendid manifestation.

The constant compelling vistas that Herman creates via her piano are something to thoroughly enjoy, and as the gentle coda softly dissipates into the ether of time, we can truly say that we have heard another beautiful arrangement from the artist, and we hope that whatever you are doing this holiday season, that you will donate a few moments of your time to listen to A Christmas Sky by Suzanne Herman, as your festive spirit will love you forever.

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) By Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher

 

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster)

By

Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

When I need a sanctuary to rest a while in, I usually turn to the East and gaze towards the magical realms and meditative bliss of places like Tibet, I have a lot of time and respect for Buddhist traditions, unlike some western belief systems they are free from overwhelming dogma, threats of eternal damnation and infinite suffering for nonsensical crimes, and thus a rare beauty, a perception, of blissful tranquillity, a calm and a oneness can be found, and here on Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher, we have that in all its glory.

I can only imagine what it must be like to have your works re-worked some twenty years later, here the artists must have felt each drum beat, each chime and tone still to this day with such great clarity. The opening piece gives me that ambiance with ease and is simply called Palace. A gentle progression I have not heard the like from an electronic musician since Thom Brennan on his seminal album Mountains.

The entire 8 track release is a step into a world that is in perfect harmony with its surroundings, both Martin and Gallagher capture that atmospheric spirit with ease on pieces like the mysterious and moving opus of Morning In Tibet, a sparkling home spun reverie containing wondrous electronic wizardry, and ethereal vocalisations, and also on compositions like the transcendent Seeker and Sought, a powerful, yet still meditative manifestation that brings us pristine musicianship, and also that aforementioned sanctuary of the soul we all so readily desire.

The location is captured splendidly on Eklabatti, a snow driven arrangement with a true indigenous feel to its progression. One can also enjoy the bells and chimes of the region, at my age I doubt that I will ever be able to visit this stunning site, but at least through breath-taking albums like this from Martin and Gallagher I can do so vicariously thought the music.

The entire project is concluded via the medium of the last track called Procession, a delicious long form creation that one can literally float like an eagle upon the thermals of a timeless reverie of serenity with. A river of energy flows from this piece, and in doing so manifests a musical moment of sublime mastery like I have never heard before, for me, this is exactly what truly great electronic based music should sound like, this last work I got lost within and never wanted to return, kudos for the inclusion of pertinent natural sounds too.

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher is an influential release that commands respect, its soft and creative journey is simply remarkable. A huge tip of the hat must also go to Howard Givens, Mark Hunton, Mark Rownd and David Helpling whose musical contributions were a pleasure to be enjoy, and one must also not forget the tireless work Todd Boston with his engineers hat on in this case.

Tibet (20th Anniversary Remaster) by Deborah Martin & Cheryl Gallagher is an album that should never be forgotten, it is a timeless pastiche of peace and harmony, a tonal universe of electronic music and added instrumentation, that manifested for me one of the finest releases I have heard in this genre for years, and thus should be a guaranteed hit and perhaps even more!

Boudica By Jon Richards

 

Boudica

By

Jon Richards

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

There is good news my lord, I have gazed into the future, and my scrying mirror informs me that we must prepare for one of the finest musical warriors of the land to arrive, as the mighty bard Jon Richards is back, and with a brand new and powerful release called Boudica.

Boudica is regarded as a national heroine for Britain still to this day, and perhaps ever onwards, some might say it was a shame she never managed to win against the vast swathes of the Roman Empire, Britain would have been a very different place indeed. Here the artist has taken that subject matter and created a truly fascinating offering of a multi-instrumental delight.

The title track Boudica of course leads the way on point, and is a marvellously colourful pastiche of new age and Celtic music combined in what is a lush instrumental paradise. The opening offering moves along gently, with a light percussion and strings, ones raising the rhythms in an almost David Arkenstone kind of way.

The Druidess has a blissful sense of lightness and mystery about its compositional structure, which one could with ease float away on its bed of sweet tonal delights. The light Celtic pipes led the way and the drum partners a tapestry of tone that marches over the misty landscape, also note the textured vocalisations towards the latter half of this offering too.

The acoustic start to this next offering was simply splendid and ushered in the track Twilight Invocation with such a delightful sense of subtlety. At well over eight minutes, one has more than enough time to drift into the other world on a bed of soft vibrations, an almost Gregorian chant, both male and female greets us on our musical journey, one that leads to a soft but ever increasing climax on one of the most beautiful pieces off the release.

Andraste is where the album takes a darker tone, one through the compositional structure and its mysterious and ominous intent; we can hear the great queen crying out this term which I believe means victory, at the very top of her voice. The reflective passage in this arrangement gives us the listener, a haunting and somewhat thoughtful musical composition to observe and float within, a dramatic offering indeed and in my view film worthy.

On our next musical foray we come across is a piece called A Call to Arms, one that encapsulates the expression, “build and progression” perfectly, combining a deft flute with electric guitars and keyboards at its helm, and gentle percussive element leads us through a splendid and colourful arrangement, one that manifests a mood of expectation with ease.

Next on our ever onward journey through the hills and valleys of this fantastic journey of the album Boudica by Jon Richards, is the track March of Fate, the title expresses this perfectly, whilst the mood is upbeat and confident, there is an underpinned element here, where one can feel a strange sense of resignation within the weave of this superb instrumental creation.

The album is slowly brought to a climax by giving us a musical overview of her tribe from the east of England called the Iceni. This next musical composition is played out beautifully, with a reflective energy bathed in a Celtic refrain that seems to cry out across the ages, perhaps even to this day. Ghosts of the Iceni is a superior offering, one of great artistic endeavour and mastery.

The concluding creation sums it all up nicely and called Lost Freedom, and forever more this is a truism perhaps, the fate of Britain is in the hands of the empire and all is lost. The piece itself is a mournful composition with Uilleann pipes, a soft string section and a gentle resigned motif that is akin to the last few panned out shots of a movie, what a splendid way with which to conclude the album indeed.

Jon Richards in my view has created a master work here on his latest release Boudica; he has crafted a collection of songs with such skill and dexterity, and with such an amazing awareness of the subject matter, and brought to us ever eager listeners a release that is encapsulating and totally addictive to listen to. If ever an album deserved to be a huge hit this one does, and perhaps there is still one andraste left, one that drifts across the timeless worn torn battlefields of Britain, to bring the artist one of the biggest musical victories of his career thus far, for Jon Richards and Boudica.

Other Worlds By David Darling

 

Other Worlds

By

David Darling

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The essence of any good track is its inception and foundation, its build and progression, along with its on-going narrative and the conclusion, in all aspects Grammy winning Cellist David Darling has succeeded in the highest possible regard on the track Other Worlds off his latest album of the same name.

The opening is moving and incredibly scenic, the gentle electric piano, the soothing cello and synths, and the slow but natural build that manifest a texture not to dissimilar to Ralph Vaughan Williams back in the day, then the piece literally cast off on the wide open seas of lush open contemporary instrumental music at 1 minute 37 and never looked back, adding a driving percussion, piano and bass along the way.

This is one of those tracks you will no doubt wish to constantly come back to from time to time, as it has that timbre about its composition that is so tangible and artistic, giving the whole musical creation a rhythmic corporeal feel, mixed with the fluency of a captivating dream-like soundtrack.

This is a truly special musical moment from an album that will highlight the desire to listen further, and is most certainly a composition that many artists would be extremely proud to call a title track; a thoroughly enjoyable musical experience indeed can be found on the track Other Worlds, by David Darling.

My Heart by Jeffrey Baker

 

My Heart

By

Jeffrey Baker

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This for me is an example of piano based at its very best; there is an echo of solitude about this new single from Jeffrey Baker that I adore, this delicious composition is called My Heart. It doesn’t happen as often as I would like, but every now and then someone will create a piano based composition that I find great solace from, and the musical journey is completely cathartic, this is the case with this new single from Baker.

The mood created is delightfully ambient, quietly unassuming, yet sincere in its arrangement, and the performance is quite meditative, exploring textures and ambient constructs. My Heart is one of those singles, that could have lasted 10 minutes and I personally would have not minded a bit.

The creation itself reminds me of contemporary artists in the instrumental field from a few years back, namely Holland Phillips and Bill Wren, that sense of a timeless reverie that hovers through the windmills of memories of the past, the use of a combination of minor and major chords is equally as delightful.

With ease I would have to say that My Heart from Jeffrey Baker is one of the best piano based singles I have heard this year, and there is not much of that left as I write, in all honesty this one deserves to be a big hit, as it will bring the listener a sanctuary of musical tone and timbre that they will never ever want to leave.

The Color Connection By Jeremy Weinglass

 

The Color Connection

By

Jeremy Weinglass

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The uniqueness of this new album The Color Connection from Jeremy Weinglass is wonderful; it is a special creation of solo piano that differs from the standard compositions I hear on a regular basis, this is an inventive artistic and somewhat transcendent manifestation of music that is a delight to listen to.

The opening track of this 7 track collection of songs is called Red Rose and for me is a composition that ushers in a steady growth, a very neat change of chords, and one literally blooms towards the middle and later parts of the creation.

Something we have in abundance here, and is seen sitting in trees are Orange Fruit, this textured composition graphically depicts this gift of nature, there is a softness here that is palpable and artistically charming, akin to the next musical narrative of Yellow Sun or Helios as we call him here, now for me this is a special composition, as its arrangement is higher in both tone and energy, in an almost classical performance by the artist.

Weinglass has a keen mind and a sensitive touch, on Green Forest he manifests a deeper offering that we can all get lost within, whilst on Blue Ocean, the trickledown effect was splendid and very much like the view from my balcony upstairs, as I gaze daily at the Mediterranean Sea in all its glory, the perfect musical depiction for my vista.

The dark blankets of a darkened sky can be felt in the penultimate piece from the album entitled Indigo Sky. Here is one of my favourite offerings from the release one that constantly moves onward and right into the arms of our concluding creation called Violet Rain.

The artist finishes with a flourishes on this manifestation, an upbeat and passionate offering can be found here, one that moves through many measures along its journey, and concludes with an almost light hearted coda too.

The Color Connection by Jeremy Weinglass is a breath of fresh air for this genre; it is like the artist has flung the windows of banality wide open, and a wind of many textures, explorative artistically smart endeavour’s, tones and timbres, have come flying in. The Color Connection by Jeremy Weinglass is an exciting new album from the pianist, one that I think will be thoroughly enjoyed by the legions of the solo piano genre.

Daydreamer By Matias Bacoñsky

 

Daydreamer

By

Matias Bacoñsky

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The narrative of a long story told well has been on the menu of pianist and composer Matias Bacoñsky for some years now, here we are gifted that latest instalment, and in truth what must be his most uplifting offering thus far, this chapter is called Daydreamer, we have all had them, those moments when you actually believe that thing you wish for the most, could actually come to pass.

Here our hero dreams in a world of dystopic conditions, that his musings of the life ahead for all may actually have a chance of becoming a reality, here Bacoñsky manifests a composition that relates that mood perfectly, those possibilities and the vista of utopic sun lit uplands now stands just beyond the horizon.

Matias Bacoñsky has a lush repeating melody here that builds on that narrative of hope, he then infuses power, intent and flair, and thus the dramatic overtones created bring together an anthem of sorts to delight in, and in my view, this is the artists best work so far, this picturesque arrangement is packed to the brim with that hope, and through the crafted compositional structure, it radiates outward to all who wish to embrace it.

Daydreamer by Matias Bacoñsky is a power play of a piece; one to end a show with perhaps, the symphonic nature of this creation is addictive and palpable, whilst the artist’s melodic and fluent piano presentation is simply sublime with every note played, but is this the beginning of the end, or, the end of the beginning!

Another Me By Peter Catucci

 

Another Me

By

Peter Catucci

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The brand new single from rock singer and bassist Peter Catucci is here and powering across the airwaves with both style and class, the song is entitled Another Me and this is a truly breath taking ride of rock proportions in an era when it is really needed.

The vocals and lyrical mastery on this new creation is something to behold with gratitude, it’s one of those moments in music when you first hear it, and you never wish it to end, while Catucci’s structures on this new single have a minor nature that bands like U.F.O. and Triumph used to excel in back in the glory days.

The song though starts with such a gentle vocal lead in and then it quite literally explodes into one of the finest rock songs I have heard for years, you know, it’s one of those pieces that when you hear it, ever single hair on your body stands to attention, vocally superior, sublime backing vocalisations, crafted guitar riffs, and on the button percussion from the band as mentioned below.

So its hats off to the classy Trevor Drushal (Electric guitars) Jeff Poppe (Drums) Anna Paloma (Backing vocals) Fox Maple (Backing Vocals) and Linda Kiley (Piano). Another Me by Peter Catucci is a guaranteed hit waiting to happen and one of the most emotive and moving rock tracks I have heard for decades, this is one song I thoroughly recommend any honest rock fan to buy, it’s superb in every aspect.

Sonrisa Triste By John Hamilton & Ara Piano

 

Sonrisa Triste

By

John Hamilton & Ara Piano

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This sunny afternoon for me, sees a fine collaboration on the keys from John Hamilton and Ara Piano on this there new single entitled Sonrisa Triste. The sun may be pouring in through my studio window, but the sad smile of another day ending is created across my brow, such is this smile of great ponderous thought from the artists on this beautiful, yet reflective solo piano composition, one that appears on the Contemporary Classical Collective's latest album release, "Keys for Calm."

This is a very pristine and stunning arrangement, one that would easily inspire the emotions to flower and bloom, but it’s also a last and more than likely goodbye, even though the words have not been said, you can feel the reality of the moment sinking in.

Here John Hamilton and Ara Piano have created something so delicate and almost fleeting, as love often is, and the musical magic manifested within this structure has all the elements and emotions contained within, hope, resignation and reality, which is quite a feat, and one has to appreciate the artistic endeavour taken to compose such a heartfelt presentation, and the crafted performance on piano is sublime, making this new single from the duet one to be sought out, played and enjoyed, this is solo piano at its very best. 

Liquid Planet (Chillax Music) By David Vito Gregoli & Ricky Kej

 

Liquid Planet (Chillax Music)

By

David Vito Gregoli & Ricky Kej

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Listening to this new release Liquid Planet (Chillax Music), was just the spoonful of relaxation and healing I needed to kick my day off with, and quite frankly the combination of the twin powers of environmental positivity in David Vito Gregoli and Ricky Kej was simply too good to pass up, this symbiotic pastiche of world vibes and new age music, with an added chilled aspect was the perfect remedy in my view.

The journey begins with the uplifting narrative of Summer, a multi-instrumental delight if there ever was one; soft synth pads and rich textures gift us the best moment of any album I have heard recently in this style to start with.

One of the most pleasing things about this release is the duration of the compositions, the shortest being just under 6 minutes, thus allowing the listener to roam freely within the arrangement. Here on the following electrifying creation we have the pleasure of sampling the beauty of Winter and its cold embrace, pictured perfectly in music by the artists.

Naturally following winter comes Spring, there is a gentleness here that literally ushers in new growth and fresh life, the instrumentation used manifests some of the most attractive work on the album, the fretless bass, piano and globally infused arrangements, gave this uplifting piece the sparkling energy it desired.

One of my personal favourite seasons of all is now Autumn, but when you live where I do here in Cyprus, it’s not difficult to see why, it’s like this track glorious, changeable, colourful and multi-textured, listening to this deeper manifestation was something extremely pleasing, especially the additional female vocal hovering like an ethereal wind in the backdrop of the piece.

Mahatma (Chill Mix) had a start that created an almost spiritual sense to its own reality, the eastern vocalisations and chants doubly so, this piece flowed with an abundance of love and respect, and the flute contained within soared to take the listener to new heights of both expectation and gratitude.

I have three main loves in the natural world, mountains, rivers and forests, they can be vast and huge reminders of the grand stage we are allowed to roam upon and within, on our beautiful planet. On the track Forests, I am taken to deep dark woodlands of peace and tranquillity, a sanctuary where I can sit and enjoy this arrangement with the backdrop it deserves. The mood and energy of this synth based opus is extremely powerful and deeply poignant.

Another idyllic location is a Waterfall; here Kej comes into his own bringing a mysterious and yet all-consuming power to the arrangement, this is one slice of instrumental music that allows us to appreciate the sheer raw power of this location; the cry now is to keep the water flowing and clean, on this track the artists have manifested an anthem of hope and healing. One also has to give a special mention to the various guitars used from acoustic to electric here; it gave the overall narrative a Dire Straits Private Investigations feel to the song.

I have spent most of my life as a young man by rivers, and in my day I became an advocate for keeping them clean, safe and alive, so bearing in mind Ricky Kej’s stance on environmental issues I align still to this day that our rivers, our worlds blood vessels should be kept free from pollution, poison and human laziness. Here on the track River we have a global cry for care of our natural environment to be taken. The deep and reflective instrumental style here hits the spot beautifully, and creates a poignant juxtaposition of both beauty and destruction; it’s all in our hands.

One of the most important gifts our planet gifts us is Rain, we know this to be true after having our first rains for over 7 months last week, here Gregoli and Kej are joined by one of the most sensitive vocalists across the globe in Kimberly Haynes as they paint a graphic musical vista of a wonderful rain soaked landscape, the track has a delightful sense of reflection and melody and the voice of Haynes sets the whole arrangement off perfectly.

Our concluding track is another favourite subject of mine, Clouds. Right now we have a range of pileus scooting across the oceans horizon. For me both artists have manifested a perfect depiction of this grand theatre in the sky, one that hardly anyone ever seems to notice, but still carries on regardless, and this breath taking opus is simply the best way with which to conclude the album.

Liquid Planet (Chillax Music) by David Vito Gregoli & Ricky Kej is a graphic reminder from a three times Grammy winner, and a couple of extremely passionate environmentalists, that  now is the time to make sure we still have a world to live upon in the near future. This is a perfect release from its production, presentation, compositional prowess, and performances contained within. If you adore truly great instrumental music, you really must at all costs have this within your collection.

Greensleeves By Denny Rauen

 

Greensleeves

By

Denny Rauen

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

This traditional English folk song has many mysteries surrounding it, I am of course referring to Greensleeves, and one of the biggest conspiracy theories of its day was that King Henry VIII of England wrote this song for Ann Boleyn, you know the lady he would have beheaded some 3 years after becoming Queen, however this is a total myth, but the stories still float around till this day.

Here on this fluent ballad Rauen has given the time worn composition a facelift, and in doing so manifested a colourful pastiche of folk beauty in Greensleeves. Denny Rauen is a master guitarist, and to hear him taking on this historical classic reminded me of another such artist who did the same back in the day namely the enigmatic Richie Blackmore.

Like the aforementioned guitarist Rauen adds some crafted dynamics, creates a soft bed of sound, and leaves the listener with a gentle Christmas feeling, and indeed this song has been played in the amphitheatre of seasonal delights ever since 1686, regardless the Rauen version is textured, delightfully smooth, and deftly performed, and a thoroughly enjoyable listen indeed.

The Blue Horizon By Richard Goldsworthy

 

The Blue Horizon

By

Richard Goldsworthy

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

The journey one can take on a solo piano voyage can sometimes be a cathartic and meditative voyage, here on this incredibly vast body of work by Richard Goldsworthy, we get to travel vicariously through many moods and transitions, on this his manifestation of brilliance entitled The Blue Horizon.

The album consists of 21 tracks, opening with the haunting arrangement, The Awakening, which set the scene perfectly, then offerings akin to Prelude: Before the Light gift us a moment that is all too precious and fleeting. Blue Horizon is jam packed with expressive manifestations, like the melodic and heartfelt In The Gentle Arms of Love, or the tranquil mood of A Calm Sea, a composition so redolent of how I feel right now on this November morning.

Goldsworthy’s piano is something to cherish, one could sit memorized listening to one of his performances with ease, perhaps through creations like the sparkling resonance of The Endlessness of Starlight, or the explorative musical roaming of one of my personal favourites in The Spaces Within. There literally is something for every solo piano fan on this beautiful album.

The tempo of pieces like Spoken Without Words could be dreamy moments gazing from an airport window, whilst looking forward to getting home, while manifestations akin to We Are Eternal have that echo of a timeless reverie about their arrangement, and offerings such as Still are critically important for any listener, a time to stop, relax, breathe let go, and enjoy the moment.

The penultimate creation from this charming piano narrative is called Completion and holds within its stunning compositional glory a sense of learning, wisdom and peace about its compositional structure, which is to be adored thoroughly, the slower more reflective tempo here is almost inter dimensional in presentation.

This voyage of solo piano meditative delight is now at an end, and we can experience this through the tones and vibrations of the last and concluding piece called Beyond the Blue Horizon, if ever piano were reflective, thoughtful and calming, then this track would be the one I would point to, I can easily imagine sitting in my spot by the ocean right now and listening to this calming reverie, whilst in front of me the late autumn waves crash against the rocks, worn back and time weary.

The Blue Horizon by Richard Goldsworthy is an album of beautiful textures, great colours and soothing reveries, a 21 piece creation that is gloriously vast and is akin to one of the finest piano based musical tapestries ever. Goldsworthy has a gentle yet meaningful style about his performances, so much so that each tender musical moment caresses the musical heart and soothes the needy soul, this album must therefore be a sure fire hit on the charts, and become iconic with fans of the genre in decades to come.

AYRES By David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

 

AYRES

By

David Lanz & Kristin Amarie

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

One of the highlights of the musical year has just happened, with the release of what could well be an iconic album, as we take a closer look at the masterful offering of Ayres by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie, this album isn’t just a great offering, it is an epic moment in time that the world of neo classical music will never forget, and one that will live forever in the hearts and minds of all musical aficionados across the globe.

The whole project starts with one of the most mammoth compositions ever, featuring the talents of both Matthew Fisher, the original Procol Harum keyboardist and Hammond organ genius, and Lars Hannibal one of the world’s premier guitarists, combine them with David Lanz and Kristin Amarie and you can literally feel and hear the magic crackle in the midnight sky.  Air is a graceful and transcendent offering that will become legendary in time, and a song that is so far beyond any known realm of beauty.

The album holds several previously released singles in the passionate and powerful Sacred Waters, a very special David Lanz moment can be found here, and the charming reverie of Ava Maria, showcasing Kristin Amarie off as one of the world’s leading vocalists of her day, and Beautiful One ft Cameron Stone cellist from TV’s Game of Thrones.

Ayres is a 12 track release of ultra-high quality, literally setting the bar to a level as of yet unseen previously. Tracks of a more religious style can also be found here on the magnificent Gloria in Excelsis Deo, which also features Dallyn Vail Bayles, Apollo5 and Kurt Bestor, in an arrangement vocally superior in all ways, while The Lord's Prayer (Padre Nostro) gets a facelift; the soaring vocals of Amarie raise the energies here with ease.

The mastery of the king of chilled piano in David Lanz is also here in abundance with the pieces Amorini, and Ave Maria both included as solo piano tracks in the latter half of the album. The Parisian delights of Demain des I'Aubes (Tomorrow at Dawn), and the lush textures of Cavatina are two more compelling and attractive offerings that can be found within the confines of this amazing new album by the pairing, both pieces sung with a warmth that is hard to express.

The entire project is concluded with the breath taking Padre Nostro featuring Kristine Amarie and Cameron Stone in a duet of blissful radiance, there can simply be no doubt that this piece was and is, a crafted creation and quite utterly the most sublime way with which to leave the album.

AYRES by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie is a rarity, it is one of those albums that is quite stunning in all its multi-faceted ways, it is indeed akin to a musical diamond, a collection of breath taking opuses that shine from its inception to as far as any musical horizon that is possible. AYRES by David Lanz & Kristin Amarie is an album for the ages, and without a shadow of a doubt one of the best releases I have heard so far in this decade with utter ease.