New Age Music World

Archive for the ‘Piano’ Category

Eric Chapelle is a composing pianist from Austin Texas whose original music scores conceivably calm the waters by the gentle ambient music he produces.  Born in France, Eric is also an avid photographer who has lived in several countries around the world and his piano music retains the essential element of relaxing music by the calm buoyancy in sound that finds neutral ground with the pounding waves heard in some music today.

Across The Water is his Contemporary Instrumental 2010 release that impart 16 songs of ambient expression and creative imagination.  Eric has performed his original compositions in concerts across the U.S. for over a decade, plus movie soundtracks in television, film, and commercials have been the scores that yielded wider recognition in addition to the 2 albums to his credit.  Our Time was his 1998 album admired by many and had justifiably earned Eric a place alongside more esteemed pianists after his opening debut.

Eric Chapelle’s contributions in The Heart Aid Project has inspired me to tell you more about his dedicated efforts on a tribute CD in memorandum of the fateful World Trade Center events on 9 / 11.  Eric conceived and produced the tribute CD and compiled with 16 additional pianists who donate all royalties to the families and to me, greatly represents the caliber of people comprising the New Age genre today.

Across The Water is another fine illustration of the resourcefulness put into every composition while retaining another harmonious notation since some of the 16 songs were recorded at the Norton Island Retreat residency program in Maine.  Tide Pool is one song where the comparatively timed piano solo is casual in ambient recollection to convey an impression of calm by the fluid detailing in chord phrasing in a lighter melody that offers subtle reflections.  Shown below is my album review quote for Across The Water and song video of Tide Pool. 

Visit the hamsamusic.com website and then purchase on his music page or at CDBaby.com to sample / purchase.  Read more at our page dedicated to Eric Chapelle and at his biography page.  The Heart Aid Project CD is currently offered through the Spring Hill Music website.

Across the Water by Eric Chapelle is an inspired by nature collection of calming ambience with a wealth of restful harmony for many of the challenging moments in life, smoothing out the rough edges of today while residing in a state of readiness for the next enduring wave of life challenges that are sure to arise.

While water is one natural element necessary to sustain life, music is one non essential we can certainly live without but then again, fluid and tranquil music can be a calming neutralizer to a more harmonious life, especially when one is caught in a hurricane of stormy life challenges.

Eric Chapelle is a composing pianist from Austin Texas whose original music scores conceivably calm the waters in several ways.  Born in France, Eric is also an avid photographer who has lived in several countries around the world and his piano music retains the essential element for relaxing music by the calm buoyancy in sound that finds neutral ground with the pounding waves heard in some music today.

 Across The Water is his Contemporary Instrumental 2010 release that impart 16 songs in ambient expression and creative imagination.  Eric has performed his original compositions in concerts across the U.S. for over a decade, plus movie soundtracks in television, film, and commercials have been the scores that yielded wider recognition in addition to the 2 albums to his credit.  Our Time was his 1998 album admired by many and had justifiably earned Eric a place alongside more esteemed pianists after his opening debut.

Eric Chapelle’s contributions in The Heart Aid Project has inspired me to tell you more about the story behind his dedicated efforts in a tribute CD in memorandum of the fateful World Trade Center events on 9 / 11.  In addition to Eric who conceived and produced the project, he and review publicist Kathy Parsons had corresponded with 16 additional well respected pianists and everyone compiled the tribute CD without royalties.

Simply put, their time and virtuous work on this 9 / 11 remembrance album is to be commended, in addition their efforts have also reaffirmed my current knowledge that the 17 contributors response is very much representative of the caliber of people who comprise the New Age genre today.

Across The Water is another fine illustration of the resourcefulness put into every composition.  Julia Cory is a cellist from Texas joining Eric on songs Every Wish & Soft Landing then guitarist John Inmon & cellist Dawn Biega offer their contributing instrumentals on Across The Water ( Title Track )  Their level of performance and musical drama they offer expressively impart gentle movement into the picture and is well suited to the principal ideals this album represents.  

This album retains yet one more harmonious notation since some of the 16 songs on Across The Water were recorded at the 150 acre Norton Island Retreat residency program created by the Easter Frontier Educational Foundation in Maine.  Eric has characterized the island as an inspiring destination of solitude where writers and musicians like him can compose in peaceful moments of relaxing clarity.

Norton Island is one song where the natural environment of the retreat is evenly transferred then shown like a scenic picture of captured images.  The comparatively timed piano solos, casual in ambient recollections like heard in Tide Pool wonderfully convey an impression of calm by the fluid detailing in chord phrasing and lighter melodies that offer subtle reflections using even handed moderation, much attune to Wild Iris in the mellow point of view it brings.

Remembrance is another beautiful song that carries a wonderful Cinematic overtone with every measure, and although the song on the surface is light the well placed notes engrave a deep feel of melancholy, in nicely placed emotional content I found quite moving.  Contrasting soprano chorals evenly trace the piano melody while outlining lower octaves then model into more dramatic posturing and boldly crescendo as if gentle waves were moving across the shoreline.

While Across The Water from Eric Chapelle is not essential to daily living, his inspired by nature album is a solid collection of calming ambience that provides a wealth of relaxing harmony for the listener, smoothing out the rough edges of today while remaining anchored in a state of readiness for the next enduring wave of life challenges that are sure to arise.

Visit the hamsamusic.com website and then purchase on his music page or at CDBaby.com to sample / purchase.  Read more about Eric at his biography page.  The Heart Aid Project CD is currently offered through the Spring Hill Music website.

Photo copyright Hamsa Music courtesy of Eric Chapelle

Solo instrumental albums are a natural source of personalized music, so when two reputable soloists merge their individual talents, their alliance from soloists to duettists can become an even more valuable source of personified music for everyone.

Devin Rice & Erin Aas are seasoned musicians already recognized by their proficient styles as individual artists now emerging as a team that writes and performs original piano / guitar and finger styled guitar duet compositions with hand selected musicians adding polished accompaniments on their new release titled Arrival.

Residing in the state of Washington, Devin & Erin had also traveled to Imaginary Road Studios in rural Vermont to enlist the expertise of Grammy Award winning Will Ackerman, so the level of quality on the album’s production retraces their visit to a highly specialized destination.

Arrival is an album where Devin plays piano in addition to guitar along with Erin, showcasing their 15 song compilation that is adventuresome and symmetrical from the first song to the last. After meeting for the first time several years ago, I felt their earlier mainstay as professional soloists has been doubled and enhanced using simple math, along with their broad variance in individual styles.

Devin Rice & Erin Aas, have selected skilled artists along with Grammy Award winning producer Will Ackerman, to emerge as a fortified musical team, and by virtue of each artist’s specialized skills, has attained a winning strategy with Arrivial.

Thyn Ayre is the crisp beginning song that sounds like a down to earth journey put to sheet music, like Procession, where a wonderful just right feel becomes the standard atmosphere. These folk styled narratives flourish during the piano and guitar duets set in a moderate tempo like most of the 15 songs.

Borderline is a breezy guitar duet by Erin and Devin, while their Tribute to Robert Frost expresses a more stately approach that includes percussion rhythms backing majestic piano melodies with subtler acoustic guitar highlights.

Lively acoustic guitar and percussion rhythms are heard on the memorable song Nevada, while Something About A Harbor has piano lead in for guitar, with rich melodic tones showing depth in a natural way. Perdido En Granada, Lullaby For Now & For JB are gentle and more introspective songs with English horn and cello support that compliment the pleasing atmosphere.

Whiskey In The Watertower is truly spirited and a nicely coordinated guitar duet, featuring Will Ackerman on the final guitar solo that resembles Pulborough Spring by taking an up-tempo direction from the primarily moderate paced piano and guitar duets with instrumentals.

Rich cello harmonics are the scenic backdrop in songs, Morning With Annie, Southern Breeze, & Stars of Winter, with the latter song taking an adventurous free flight expression during the melody and refrains that gently lands with guitar, cello, and piano uniting in an ensemble.

Although solo albums are a mainstay and pleasing source of enjoyment, Arrival is a nice departure from singular solo albums given the enriching instrumentals and contrasting styles of the two principal soloists.

This departure notably doubles the harmonic value for the listener, along with Devin & Erin who have doubled their musical achievements together as a team, and as individuals.

Additional musicians include Derrick Jordan on djembe with Eugene Friesen & Traci Hoveskeland giving cello performances on several tracks. Jill Haley lends her talents on English horn and Will Ackerman is featured in the final guitar performance.

Visit devinriceanderinaas.com to sample / purchase or at their CDBaby.com page. Click on their biographies page to read about their backgrounds and how it all began. If you would like to visit the Imaginary Road Studios go to williamackerman.com right here.

Picture copyright BigStockPhoto – MelMcNaughton

Fiona Joy Hawkins has just released a YouTube video with excerpts of her recent concert performance at the Q Theatre in Sydney Australia.  In this concert, Fiona is featured showcasing her talents as a pianist, and sings soft vocals.  The entire supporting cast of music professionals on the video are Rebecca Daniels playing violin and vocals, Trish McMeakin on cello and Andy Busuttil on percussion, clarinet, and reed instrument, saxillo.

I have watched this new video several times now, and found it gives an excellent sampling of her classic material with several excerpts from her recent Blue Dream album.  Fiona is also one of many currently under consideration with Zone Music Reporter’s awards ceremony taking place later in February and March. 

Speaking of the ZMR awards, we have a special post ready for this weekend displaying 20 qualifying artists and their albums currently under consideration that we have written album reviews on this past year at NewAgeMusic.nu & NewAgeMusicWorld.com.  We invite you to check back for a nice story about the ZMR awards ceremony this weekend.  You can go to zonemusicreporter.com for the complete details here.

The second YouTube video features Fiona on a popular Australian morning show in a live televised solo performance of Contemplating from her Blue Dream album.  You may read my review and then visit fionajoyhawkins.com to find out more about this music professional. 

The Piano as the leading musical instrument can be appreciated using just a few simple well placed notes. It’s the pianist who takes the leading role by their note by note delivery to determine the style and complexity of the note structure in hopes of creating a classic piece of music everyone can appreciate.

Ann Sweeten is one musician widely recognized for her classic style, setting a high standard in quality among many pianists in the wide range of genres employing piano music as the chosen manner for pleasing an audience. In a skilled full range delivery on a Steinway Baby Grand, her classic signature sound deserves respect in a natural way, lending itself to beautiful music that many have found, gives new meaning to the term music appreciation.

Just This Side Of Spring showcases her latest composing lead performance as a Steinway Artist and music professional, with several talented artists at her side. Will Ackerman for one, performs on acoustic guitar on the title song, along with co-producing the album with Ann, who also conducts vocals and synthesizers. Andrew Eng on viola & violin, along with bass performer Michael Miksis, and Trisha Craig on Flute are the accompanying musicians featured on several songs contained on this album, who do excel in terms of fluidity as a collective unit.

Having authored a number of Piano Solo reviews in the New Age genre, I promptly identified an admirable level of richness and depth in tone I rarely hear in many comparative piano solo albums. Stylish tonal qualities held in even the quietest patterns give complex sequences and a prolific feel of realism within every individual phrase. I likewise concluded the classic instrumentals supporting Ann Sweeten on Just This Side Of Spring clearly strengthen this opulent quality, validating my initial first impression.

In addition to her recognition as a Steinway Artist & Composer, her achievements are numerous, including voting privileges in the National Recording Academy of Arts & Sciences, ASCAP Popular Award Recipient starting in 2002, and continuing every year up to 2009.

The ZMR nominations and awards are just as numerous and her talents are not limited to music achievements and concert performances on piano. Ann is also a professional actress, singer, and ballet dancer, realizing many achievements in her diverse life.

Just This Side Of Spring is a thoughtful Piano Instrumental album that holds many elegant touches leaning towards the classical side of life, while shown in a natural realistic way too, becoming a great follow up for her previous Piano Instrumental album Grey Sky and Bittersweet.

I concluded that both Just This Side Of Spring & Grey Sky and Bittersweet make you feel a pleasant sense of comfort and enjoyment in a much desired way, given by a qualified pianist who delivers an admirable performance on a Steinway Baby Grand, in another new release of her music almost everyone can appreciate.

Visit annsweeten.com and sample / purchase here. Ann’s discography can be found at most music outlets, on-line and specialty stores. You can visit CD Baby.com here.

Arturo Mayorga does not literally dance while playing piano, but if he were to attempt this feat, I am certain it would be as graceful and dignified of what was apparent in his first album Cascades, in the New Age Classic piano category.

In addition to his talents as a composing musician, Arturo is nationally ranked in the competitive sport of Ballroom dancing, where Waltz, Tango, and Swing are scrutinized before watchful judges who watch for the accepted criteria of a dancing couple locked hand in hand.

Now with a concert piano as his partner, Cascades embraces the identical movements found in classical dance by having a choreography timed with proper speed, motion, and balance.

While judging this debut album for myself, I became aware that the 10 songs of varying moods left me feeling they were a personal revelation of his emotional thoughts put to music.

Like so many musicians, a parent’s considerate gift of a musical instrument at an early age is what began his interest in music. Arturo states that it was at this early age that he realized the impact of what one person playing an instrument could have on another. Continuing music through high school then college, his studies were in math and science, but composing music was also on his mind, starting the framework songs for the Cascades album during this time period.

Starting in the first song position is Sunrise. This mid tempo piano and violin duet sets the standard for a graceful heartfelt ballet, where each timed movement is balanced by the piano melody considering violin takes a second seat by following the lead. There is much emotional content felt, since a melancholy feel is present, lending to a touch of sadness, yet adding character and definition, leaving a beautiful image of what you have just heard in your mind.

While judging this debut album for myself, I became aware that the 10 songs of varying moods left me feeling they were a personal revelation of his emotional thoughts put to music.

The Last Night of Winter aligns well with the piano’s duo partner in allowing violin to take the lead in portion of the melody during this faster paced song, where full 360 degree rotational dance pivots, and those brief stationary pauses always see during pivot turns, can be pictured in your mind if you try.

The title song Cascades is a true champion in freestyle, where a faster tempo piano promenades with every rise and fall in piano key note steps, reaching the full height in posture, rhythm, and speed. Violin then connects with the melody posturing in a more formal manner while piano strokes sweep along the keyboard at a dizzying pace. The positive upbeat piano movements seem to sweep you off your feet at critical moments, leaving you breathless at the finish.

Arturo is very successful by engraving a full range of emotional content and movement into his classic orchestra style music. Knowing his background in dance, one can easily imagine themselves sitting in the audience watching Arturo in motion while listening to his music and from where I am sitting, he appears to be a winner.

Visit the dancing pianist dressed in black at arturomayorga.com and his music store digstation.com

Images courtesy of photoARTworks

Australian composer and pianist Fiona Joy Hawkins has 4 award winning projects at present. Her most recent Blue Dream album is successful in placing an exclamation mark after her name when recognizing Fiona’s outstanding abilities and claim to fame in international status.

Fiona’s many achievements include charting at # 1 on World New Age radio charts spanning 9 countries, Best Piano album in the NAR Lifestyle Music Awards in 2006, and as finalist in 2 genres in the LA Music Awards in 2007. She also won the Classical / Jazz category in the Music OZ Awards in 2008. after being a finalist 5 times and ranked finalist in 4 categories including Album of the Year in the NAR Awards in 2009.

Ice : Serve Slightly Chilled is innovative, dynamic and bold, confidently stated by yours truly. With an inventor’s approach, Fiona’s compositions are patently administered on her Steinway Concert piano as a new musical prototype.

It is on the Ice album where this patent innovation in New Age, Contemporary piano begins, charting an adventurous course in the way a musician blends Classical New Age, Contemporary, Chill Out, Jazz, World and Rock. What impressed me the most was a momentary departure from her exceptional, yet more Contemporary albums that won her claim to fame. Portions of the Rock overtones present in this album challenge some of our basic assumptions of the term Piano music. Another concept is a transition in the way Rock music has been perceived in the past, creating a new approach in the way we view the term Rock music.

With an inventor’s approach, Fiona’s compositions are patently administered on her Steinway Concert piano as a new musical prototype.

The 10 songs are issued titles with an icy thermodynamic theme, setting the spine chilling mood in motion by providing a mid tempo application of Classic New Age Chill. The song Iced Rain discloses a trademark Fiona Joy Hawkins piano arrangement, yet grants an exclusive design concept by applying a mixture of genres and unique instrumentation. While Aboriginal Didgeridoo echoes an indigenous woodwind call to the wild, ebony and ivory piano keys appear to reach an entire range of octaves to establish a new dimension in piano music. Thunderous percussion unites with electrified guitar to diagram the upbeat momentum for this ground breaking discovery by commingling Classic piano and Rock music into a single entity.

The Ice project discloses more than just an improvement made to a prior existing musical product. Fiona takes an inventor’s approach in redefining the fundamental basics of the way we perceive Piano and Rock music.

Cloud Chill is a song innovation that starts out as a meteorological weather advisory on the horizon when native Didgeridoo once again reverbs an ancient voice into the past, present, and future. Fiona’s epic design in piano rhythms then integrate with electric guitar, blending into musical matter cool enough to penetrate what we term Rock music.

Her novel invention in composing first finds a crack, pressurizes and then expands, breaking the barrier of Rock music from a familiar musical genre, shattering what was once a large form of music into tiny little pieces, thereby creating a new music entity.

The Ice project discloses more than just an improvement made to a prior existing musical product. Fiona takes an inventor’s approach in redefining the fundamental basics of the way we perceive Piano and Rock music.

The 2 songs I just described titled Iced Rain and Cloud Chill are playing on our Stars Radio so that you may hear this invention in music for yourself. You may also read my review of her latest album titled Novel Blue Dream and then discover the online art gallery and music website of fionajoyhawkins.com

Picture copyright Bigstockphoto.com

It seems that few instruments can compare to a piano for personally illustrating the emotion and feeling of what an artist wants to share with another. 

The piano is a divine instrument to play or to simply listen while others perform.  I am certain many readers like myself have also had the opportunity to play the piano as younger adults either willingly or unwillingly under the guidance of their parents, which ended with varying degrees of success.

Fiona Joy Hawkins is the noteworthy artist I would like to highlight today achieving unbridled success playing the piano, reaching the number 1 spot in World New Age radio charts across 9 countries, achieving the Best Piano Album in the NAR lifestyle music awards in 2006, and winning the classical / jazz category in the Music OZ Awards for 2008.  Accomplishments even her parents never would have dreamed possible.

Fiona Joy Hawkins has also received multiple nominations as finalist in classical jazz categories in 2007 and 2009 in multiple genres, among her respectable achievements as an Australian born composer and pianist.  Her most recent 2008 Blue Dream album on the Little Hartley Music label, described as world fusion piano, puts the listener into a reflective relaxed state with many refined variations ranging from the poignant quiet moments of thought, to moments with varying rhythms, styles and many orchestration phases in the 22 song album which merge together skillfully.

While already widely recognized, she hopes this album will break into international markets.  One can consider the 22 songs contained in this album as chapters in a book, that after reading each chapter, the next phase of this story becomes more revealing when finishing all verses while working your way towards the final chapter.

My favorite track 9 blends powerful, yet soft vocals, only to crescendo into a moving inspirational piece, blending into the next novel chapter.

All song chapters and illustrations in this book will hold your interest by preventing you from putting the book down, and my favorite track 9 blends powerful, yet soft vocals, only to crescendo into a moving inspirational piece, blending into the next novel chapter.  Farther in the storyline, Track 12 opens with a classic piano solo interlude as accompanying vocals add definition, and as the plot thickens, additional momentum begins to increase the readers awareness of a chance encounter, as additional instrumentals and rhythms divulge increasing amounts of dialog of this narrative.

Recorded and produced by Grammy Award winner Will Ackerman, plus an addition of many other talented musicians to their credit, who solo and accompany Fiona Joy Hawkins, influence the beauty and refinement of the album, without ever exceeding the award winning pianist intentions and the message she masterfully portrays with the 88 ebony and ivory keys provided for her on a Steinway concert piano. 

Besides her professional career as a pianist, Fiona Joy Hawkins is also a painter with her own online art gallery, where paintings can be purchased, along with her 4 available CDs.  The novel website to visit is Fionajoyhawkins.com.